Wilford Woodruff’s Homes
Woodruff home in Connecticut built by his father Aphek
Woodruff.
Wilford Woodruff was born in Avon, Connecticut in 1807 and lived there until 1832 when he moved to Richland, Oswego Township, New York to purchase a 140-acre farm with his brothers in 1832. Four months after joining the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in 1833, he left everything behind to gather with the Saints
in Kirtland, Ohio. He served missions for the next 10 years and did not build
his first home until 1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois. It took him four years to build
and he only lived in it for less than two months before he and his family were
forced out in 1846.
Woodruff's home in Nauvoo that he built in 1842 and 1843.
Wilford first arrived in Salt Lake City in July 1847 and built two cabins in anticipation of his family's arrival. The cabins were in the fort constructed in the Salt Lake Valley. Wilford's second wife Mary Ann Jackson, their son James, and Wilford's father Aphek Woodruff lived in the cabins until Wilford returned to Salt Lake in 1850 with his first wife Phebe and their children. At that point he moved the two cabins to his property on the corner of South Temple and West Temple streets and built what later became known as the Valley House. At one point four generations of Wilford's family lived in the Valley House, when his daughter Susan gave birth to Wilford's first grandchild, and his father Aphek was still alive. The Valley House was Wilford's main residence from 1851 until 1878 when he moved to a smaller house he had built next door, and the Valley House was converted into a hotel.
Woodruff
home built at 10 South West Temple Street in 1852 using the original log cabins Wilford constructed upon his arrival in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The home held four of Wilford's families in the 1850s and was converted into the
Valley House hotel in the 1870s. It stood until 1915 when it was demolished to
build the Bamberger Bus Depot. Abravanel Hall was later built on the location
on the corner of South Temple and West Temple Streets.
Wilford built or purchased homes for his wives Sarah Brown in Randolph, Utah; Sarah Delight Stocking on 1300 South in Salt Lake City, Utah; and Emma Smith on 500 East in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Wilford built the Woodruff Farmhouse for Emma out of handhewn logs in 1859. It still stands at 1604 S. 500 E. and is owned by a Woodruff family member. It was Wilford's primary residence from 1885 (when his first wife Phebe died) until 1891 (when the Woodruff Villa was constructed).
Woodruff home in Connecticut built by his father Aphek
Woodruff.
Wilford Woodruff was born in Avon, Connecticut in 1807 and lived there until 1832 when he moved to Richland, Oswego Township, New York to purchase a 140-acre farm with his brothers in 1832. Four months after joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1833, he left everything behind to gather with the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio. He served missions for the next 10 years and did not build his first home until 1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois. It took him four years to build and he only lived in it for less than two months before he and his family were forced out in 1846.
Woodruff's home in Nauvoo that he built in 1842 and 1843.
Wilford first arrived in Salt Lake City in July 1847 and built two cabins in anticipation of his family's arrival. The cabins were in the fort constructed in the Salt Lake Valley. Wilford's second wife Mary Ann Jackson, their son James, and Wilford's father Aphek Woodruff lived in the cabins until Wilford returned to Salt Lake in 1850 with his first wife Phebe and their children. At that point he moved the two cabins to his property on the corner of South Temple and West Temple streets and built what later became known as the Valley House. At one point four generations of Wilford's family lived in the Valley House, when his daughter Susan gave birth to Wilford's first grandchild, and his father Aphek was still alive. The Valley House was Wilford's main residence from 1851 until 1878 when he moved to a smaller house he had built next door, and the Valley House was converted into a hotel.
Wilford built the Woodruff Farmhouse for Emma out of handhewn logs in 1859. It still stands at 1604 S. 500 E. and is owned by a Woodruff family member. It was Wilford's primary residence from 1885 (when his first wife Phebe died) until 1891 (when the Woodruff Villa was constructed).
Pictured in front of the Woodruff Farmhouse from left to right are Wilford Woodruff’s wife Emma Smith Woodruff, Wilford Woodruff’s grandchildren Helen Mar Woodruff Anderson, June Woodruff Stewart, Rhoda Woodruff, and Wilford Owen Ford, and Nurse Anna Rosenkilde.
Cabin Wilford built for Sarah Brown and her children (as well as Wilford Woodruff Jr and his wife Elizabeth) in 1872 on Wilford's 20-acre ranch in Randolph, Utah. It has been preserved and is open to the public.
House Wilford purchased in Provo, Utah where his wife Sarah Brown lived in her later years.
The Woodruff Villa, built two doors down from the Farmhouse in 1891, was Wilford's home while he served as President of the Church. He lived there until his death in 1898. It still stands at 1622 South 500 East in Salt Lake City Utah and is a private residence.