Governor John Christopher Cutler

JOHN CHRISTOPHER CUTLER was born in Sheffield, England. His parents converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved to Utah when he was eighteen. Cutler became president of his family’s dry goods firm and served on the board of directors of a number of banks, insurance companies, and other businesses. He also served as clerk of Salt Lake County from 1884 to 1890. Winning the governorship in 1904, he founded a juvenile court system, promoted investment in local industry, advocated construction of a state capitol, and established registration of births and deaths by the state. Due to a split in the Republican Party that led anti-Mormon members to form an American Party, Cutler backed a less controversial candidate—William Spry—to succeed him as the Republican gubernatorial nominee in what became a successful effort to ensure that the party would retain control of the state house. He returned to his business ventures. In failing health, he committed suicide at the age of eighty-two.