This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Salt Lake Tribune needs your help to identify all of the people in this photo, possibly taken in November 1915 after a memorial service for labor songwriter Joe Hill.
Two of the women are known. Virginia Snow Stephen, seated in the center of the group wearing a cap and gown, was an art professor at the University of Utah. To her left is a woman named Hilda Erickson.
They were key figures in the story of Hill's murder trial and his eventual execution at the Utah state prison, where Sugar House Park is now located.
While the photo is undated, Tribune Director of Photography Jeremy Harmon believes this photo was likely shot at Hill's memorial service in Salt Lake City on Nov. 21, 1915. There are a few clues in the photo that lead him to this possibility. First, Stephen and Erickson are seated together, which makes it likely that this photo was shot in Salt Lake City.
The next clue is that there are six women in the photo. Following Hill's service, his casket was accompanied to the Oregon Short Line railroad station by a large funeral procession, and six women served as pallbearers. We know that Stephen and Erickson participated in the procession.
The final clues are the programs being held by the men on the floor at the front of the group. One program appears to have an image of Hill on it, while the other one, which appears to be closed, says "Verdandi" on the cover. Verdandi was the name of the Swedish Temperance Society in Salt Lake City. The president of that group was a man named Oscar Larson. Larson delivered one of the more emotional speeches at Hill's memorial service.
Learning the identities of the people in this photo could be significant. We hope to find their descendants, who may have family diaries, letters or additional photos that could shed more light on this chapter of Utah history.
The following is a list of other people who may be pictured here with Stephen and Erickson. In some cases, we don't know their full names, so we have included other brief information about them that may help identify them in the photo.
—
Ed Rowan, head of local chapter of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
George Child, IWW member who ran a furniture shop on 100 South
Sorenson, IWW member who owned a jewelry store on 200 South
Oscar Larson and his wife; Larson was president of Verdandi, the Swedish Temperance Society
Paul Roudine, local IWW member
Emil Lund, member of Utah House of Representatives
Mrs. Lemmon, local IWW member
M. Brennan, spoke at Hill's funeral
Mr. Ritter, local electrician and IWW member
Bert Larson, accompanied Hill's body to Chicago
Mr. Faulkener, spoke at Hill's funeral
Jay R. Stephen, Virginia Snow Stephen's husband
Herman Kuhn, local saloon owner
Mr. Reider, local IWW member
Mr. O'Leary, local IWW member
Hedberg, local IWW member
Jack O'Brien, local IWW member
Joe Donovan, local IWW member
If you have any information on who these people are, please email Tribune Director of Photography Jeremy Harmon at jharmon@sltrib.com. —
Website: The Legacy of Joe Hill
Did Utah execute an innocent man by firing squad on Nov. 19, 1915?
A century later, Joe Hill inspires artists and galvanizes activists. His critiques of capitalism and the "greedy master class" echo in Occupy Wall Street. The influence of his protest music can be traced from Woody Guthrie to Bruce Springsteen.
But as the centennial of Hill's execution approaches, his story continues to vex historians — and haunts the descendants of John G. Morrison, murdered with his teenage son in Salt Lake City.
Find documents, vintage photos, videos and more at JoeHill.sltrib.com.