ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joseph H. Weston was born at Little Rock, Arkansas, August 6, 1911. He lost his father at an early age and began to earn his own way when he was only 11. He literally grew up on a daily newspaper, the Arkansas Democrat, at Little Rock. From selling newspapers on the streets, he went into the circulation department as boss of newsboys. His next step up was assistant to the advertising manager. After several years, he abandoned this position to take a step downward in pay in order to become a reporter.
Within a few years, he became one of the most outstanding feature writers in the state of Arkansas. In the meantime, he had been educated toward the minitstry of the Episcopal church and secured a commission as second lieutenant in the reserve corps of the United States Army. In October, 1935, he was appointed publicity officer for the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Arkansas department when it had more C.C.C. companies than any other state in the Union. At the completion of this duty, he moved to San Diego, California where he became staff political writer for the San Diego Union, daily morning newspaper.
In July, 1940, he was again ordered to active duty with the C.C.C. He began his duty at Little Rock, from which place he took a company of Arkansas youths by troop train to western Montana. He was successively adjutant, camp commander and district inspector before he was ordered to Ft. Douglas, adjacent to Salt Lake City. He was adjutant of the 6th Airbase Squadron at Ft. Douglas for one year, after which he became provost marshall of the Salt Lake Army Airbase. After six months in army hospitals with yellow jaundice induced by unstable yellow fever serum, he spent a year in charge of the airbase mess systems at Moses Lake, Washington, and Boise, Idaho. He was then assigned to General Headquarters of the Air Forces and placed on troop convoy duty that took him into all the theaters of war, across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans by both water and air, and many times across the American continent by train and plane.
After the war he settled down in Chicago as an editor with one of the world's largest publishing companies. So great was his urge to write this book about the Mormons, however, that he came back to the mountains and began an investigation and writing assignment that took him more than eighteen months to complete. Further difficulties delayed actual publication of the book another ten months, so that it has been able to make its public appearance on this, the last day of March, 1948.
Mr. Weston wrote his book all the way through as a non-Mormon. However, three days after he had completed the manuscript and asked Dr. John A. Widtsoe of the Council of Twelve to read it, he joined the church, being baptized May 20, 1947 at 1:30 in the morning, in the private swimming pool on the estate of President Hadley of the Mojave District, California Mission. The pool is located near Barstow.. Mr. Weston became a member of the branch at Ridgecrest, California, where he was stationed on research editorial work on rockets for the United States Navy. In September 1947, he was ordained a priest in Salt Lake City and in December, only six months after his baptism, was elevated to the rank of elder.
At the time of his baptism, the author was a widower. Since that time he has married Mrs. Lou Jean Fairbanks Gerry, Salt Lake City widow, who is a descendant of pioneer Mormon families. The Westons have a family of seven children.
Mr. Weston now owns a successful direct mail advertising business in Salt Lake City, is the sales promotion executive of a wholesale firm which trades throughout the Intermountain Empire, and is special merchandising consultant to a national beauty products company. He is the author of a book of World War II Poetry that was published in 1945, and of articles that have appeared in many national magazines, including the Saturday Evening Post.
Within a few years, he became one of the most outstanding feature writers in the state of Arkansas. In the meantime, he had been educated toward the minitstry of the Episcopal church and secured a commission as second lieutenant in the reserve corps of the United States Army. In October, 1935, he was appointed publicity officer for the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Arkansas department when it had more C.C.C. companies than any other state in the Union. At the completion of this duty, he moved to San Diego, California where he became staff political writer for the San Diego Union, daily morning newspaper.
In July, 1940, he was again ordered to active duty with the C.C.C. He began his duty at Little Rock, from which place he took a company of Arkansas youths by troop train to western Montana. He was successively adjutant, camp commander and district inspector before he was ordered to Ft. Douglas, adjacent to Salt Lake City. He was adjutant of the 6th Airbase Squadron at Ft. Douglas for one year, after which he became provost marshall of the Salt Lake Army Airbase. After six months in army hospitals with yellow jaundice induced by unstable yellow fever serum, he spent a year in charge of the airbase mess systems at Moses Lake, Washington, and Boise, Idaho. He was then assigned to General Headquarters of the Air Forces and placed on troop convoy duty that took him into all the theaters of war, across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans by both water and air, and many times across the American continent by train and plane.
After the war he settled down in Chicago as an editor with one of the world's largest publishing companies. So great was his urge to write this book about the Mormons, however, that he came back to the mountains and began an investigation and writing assignment that took him more than eighteen months to complete. Further difficulties delayed actual publication of the book another ten months, so that it has been able to make its public appearance on this, the last day of March, 1948.
Mr. Weston wrote his book all the way through as a non-Mormon. However, three days after he had completed the manuscript and asked Dr. John A. Widtsoe of the Council of Twelve to read it, he joined the church, being baptized May 20, 1947 at 1:30 in the morning, in the private swimming pool on the estate of President Hadley of the Mojave District, California Mission. The pool is located near Barstow.. Mr. Weston became a member of the branch at Ridgecrest, California, where he was stationed on research editorial work on rockets for the United States Navy. In September 1947, he was ordained a priest in Salt Lake City and in December, only six months after his baptism, was elevated to the rank of elder.
At the time of his baptism, the author was a widower. Since that time he has married Mrs. Lou Jean Fairbanks Gerry, Salt Lake City widow, who is a descendant of pioneer Mormon families. The Westons have a family of seven children.
Mr. Weston now owns a successful direct mail advertising business in Salt Lake City, is the sales promotion executive of a wholesale firm which trades throughout the Intermountain Empire, and is special merchandising consultant to a national beauty products company. He is the author of a book of World War II Poetry that was published in 1945, and of articles that have appeared in many national magazines, including the Saturday Evening Post.
