Lewis W. Shurtliff

Who was Lewis W. Shurtliff?

Lewis Warren Shurtliff was a Utah politician and a missionary and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Shurtliff was born in Sullivan, Ohio. As an infant, his parents joined the Church of the Latter Day Saints; the family followed Joseph Smith to Kirtland, Ohio; Far West, Missouri; and Nauvoo, Illinois. In 1851, the Shurtliff family travelled to Utah Territory as Mormon pioneers and settled in Weber County.

In 1855 to 1858, Shurliff was a Mormon missionary to the Native Americans in present-day Salmon River, Idaho. In 1867, he went on a mission to England, Scotland, Wales, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, and Italy.

Shurliff returned to Utah Territory and became the LDS Church Bishop in Plain City. In 1883, he became the president of the church's Weber Stake, which was based on Ogden. Also in 1883, Shurliff was invited to join the church's Council of Fifty.

In 1886 and 1888, Shurliff was elected to the Utah Territorial Council. After Utah gained statehood in 1896, Shurliff was a State Senator from 1896 to 1899. He was initially elected as a Democrat but later became a Republican.