Scipio Africanus Kenner, usually known as S. A. Kenner (1852–1913) was an editor and politician in territorial and early statehood

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

Life

Kenner was born in Saint Francisville, Missouri and came to Utah with a Mormon pioneer company in 1860. He was baptized a member of

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

in 1865. In 1871 Kenner married Isabella Park, whom he had become acquainted with while involved in dramatic productions in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

. They eventually became the parents of twelve children.Young, E. (2016)
Scipio Africanus Kenner
''Utah County Historical Society''. Retrieved July 18, 2024. Richard H. Cracroft and Neal E. Lambert, ed., ''A Believing People: Literature of the Latter-day Saints''(Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1974) p. 83 Kenner worked as a telegraph operator and then as a journeyman at ''

Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is a multi-platform newspaper based in Salt Lake City, published by Deseret News Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS ...

''. He eventually became an editor at the newspaper. At times he was the editor for both the ''Provo Times'' and the '' Ogden Standard''. Kenner was admitted to the bar after studying under

George Sutherland George Alexander Sutherland (March 25, 1862July 18, 1942) was a British-born American jurist and politician. He served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court between 1922 and 1938. As a member of the Republican Party, he also repre ...

. He worked as a city attorney, attorney for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, assistant U.S. attorney, and served as a member of the Utah State Legislature. The books he authored include ''The Practical Politician'' and ''Utah As It Is''.

Death and Legacy

Scipio fell seriously ill in late February 1913 as a result of stomach cancer. He was bedridden for two weeks before his death on March 15, 1913. He is buried at

Salt Lake City Cemetery The Salt Lake City Cemetery is a cemetery in northeastern Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, that is one of the largest city-operated cemeteries in the United States. Description The cemetery is located north of 4th Avenue and east of N Street ...

in Salt Lake City, Utah. The town of

Scipio, Utah Scipio is a town on the eastern edge of Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 290 at the 2000 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land. It lies in the oval-shape ...

was named in his honor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenner, S. A. Latter Day Saints from Utah Latter Day Saints from Missouri American newspaper editors Members of the Utah House of Representatives Politicians from Salt Lake City 1852 births 1913 deaths 20th-century American people 19th-century Utah politicians