Thomas Davis GILES

                   OCCUPATION:
    Music Teacher
    1930 - Bookkeeper for City Office



BIRTH: Salt Lake 15th Ward Records, F.H.L. Film #026,675 & family bible.
MARRIAGE: F.H.L. Film #183,402, p.89 & family bible. 8:00 a.m. b7 Apostle Joseph F. Smith, Sunday                morning.
DEATH: Deseret News Obituaries: Jan 17, 1938, p.7.
                                  Jan 18, 1938, p.8.
                                  Jan 20, 1938, p.14.

BAPTISM:F.H.L. Film #026,675, Salt Lake 15th Ward records. Rebaptized 2 Dec 1875 by George W. Price.
       Reconfirmed 2 Dec 1875 by George W. Price
ENDOWMENT: F.H.L. Film #184,407 EHOUS, p.92, #2,014.
   SEALED TO PARENTS:F.H.L. Film #178,087 LOGAN, p.662.
SEALED TO SPOUSE:(1)F.H.L. Film #183,402 EHOUS, p.89.
                   (2)F.H.L. Film # 407,940, SLAKE, Sealings for the Dead, p.345, #6114. June 29, 1910 sealed to Edith Evelyn Billings, deceased. She was born 2 Oct 1866 in Provo, Utah.  Her parents were Alfred Nelson Bilings and Deborah Patton.  Edith was endowed in the Manti Temple 26 March, 1890 while living. F.H.L. Film #170,485 MANTI gives the above informtion.

Entry in 15th Ward, Salt Lake Stake, ward records:
       Genealogy of Members of the Fifth (5th) Quorum of Elders of the Salt Lake Stake:
       Henry E. Giles  born Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah  Father Thomas D. Giles  received Dec. 6 1877,
           removed to another Quorum.  p.2, # 23.

COPY OF A LETTER FROM CHARLES R. SAVAGE TO THOMAS DAVIS GILES in response for asking
about employment opportinities for Henry with the noted photographer.
Nov. 8th, 1873
Bro. Giles,
       I can give Henry   $4.00 per week the first 6 months
                                       $6.00 the next 6 months
                                       $8.00 the next 6  months
                                     $10.00 the next
       This is the best I can do
                                                        Yours truly,
                                                                 C. R. Savage

                                                  PROFESSOR HENRY E. GILES
     Professor Henry E. Giles of Salt Lake, formerly a resident of Provo, represents the fourth of five generations of musicians.  His great grandfather and his grandfather were leaders of a Bapitist church Choir in Wales. His father was the first harpist in the State of Utah and traveled extensively giving concerts. Professor Giles is a renowned organist, leader, and composer. And his son is head of the music department at the University of Uah.
     "I never studied music at school; and have never been at a conservatory," Professor Giles said to a Herald reporter. "Perhaps I could have been a muscican if I had had any schooling. I hae only taken two dozen music lessons in my life. What I hae done I have worked through myself."
     The oratorio "The Plan of Salvation" is sufficient testimony of the ability of Professor Giles as a composer. It is perhaps the outstanding  achievement of his lief. It was first presented in the Salt Lake Tabernacle at a June M.I.A. conference in 1921 and repeated in its present, completed form September 24 of the same year. Since then it has been given by all the church choir. At the dedication of the L.D.S. temple i Hawaii, a Hawaiian choir presented the oratorio in full.
     Professor Giles has also compsed a number of anthems and a wholbook of marches. He has been called by some "The March King."
     He was born in Salt Lake City March 26, 1859, and has spent a busy life of service.
     "I will be 64 next month, but I am still a young man," he told the reporter, and his vigality and liveliness bear out the truth of his statement.
     It is now 50 years since Professor Giles first joined the Salt Lake Tabernacle choir. He was assistant organist in the tabernacle there at the time he came to Provo to live in 1886.
     While in Provo he not only was conductor and oranist for the Utah stake choir and superintendent of the public schools, but he also became the first professor of music at the Brigham Young academy, serving under Presidents Maeser and Cluff.
     For the last 23 years Professor Giles has done nothing publicly except in church offices. He is at present the Ensign stake Organist and chorister, and also organist in the Eighteenth Ward.
Herald

New Song Entitled "Moroni's Message' Composed by Giles
       Prof. H. E. Giles has completed a new song "Moroni's Message," which has been dedicated to the Genealogical Society of Utah. It contains a recitative, "For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven," an aria, "I will reveal unto the Priesthood by the hand of Elijah," and a full chorus, "Thanks be to God for his Great Salvation."
       Prof. Giles has also arranged as a chant, the statement of John the Baptist when conferring the Priesthood of Aaron upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
       A descriptive songis in course of preparationn, "O Morn Divine," the subject being the first prayer and vision of the Prophet Joseph.
       These three numbers are being arranged for the Ensign Stake conference next September, com-memorating the one hundreth anniversary of the first visit of the Angel Moroni. They will hereafter be a part of the oratorio, "The Plan of Salvation." it is announced.
       "In 1886, an enthusiastic Salt Lake Musician, Henry E. giles, came to Provo to take charge of the music at the Brigham Young Academy and in the Utah Stake. He later became instructor of music in the Provo City schools and leader of the orchestra in the Provo Opera House. He was most energetic in these positions, many concerts, operettas, and operas being staged under his direction. Many musicians who have since become noted, such as Professor A.C. Lund and John J. McClellan, received early instruction and inspiration from Professor Giles.
      " At a Territorial contest of the Young Men's Mututal Improvement Association held at the Tabernacle in Salt Lake in 1892, Professor Giles entered a g roup of musicians from the Provo Fourth Ward. Prizes were won by John Buckley, the Boshard and Pyne quartette, and by the Ward chorus. In the duet contest the Boshard brothers divided honors with the Touts of Ogden. Of the $400 in cash prizes awarded on this occasion the Provo Fourth Ward received $290.
      " In 1895 Professor giles was succeeded as stake chorister and instructor of music in the Provo City Schools."   History of Provo, p.392.

Giles, Henry Evans, organist of the Ensign Stake and an active Elder of the Eighteenth Ward, Salt Lake City, Utah, was born March 26, 1859, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the son of Thomas Davis Giles and Hannah Evans Giles. He was baptized Nov. 4, 1866. In 1886 he moved to Provo to take charge of the music in the B. Y. Academy and to preside at the organ in the Provo Tabernacle. Subsequently he was appointed Stake chorister for the Utah Stake and conductor of the Provo Tabernacle choir. While filling these positions he brought his combined choir to Salt Lake City to sing at the M. I. A. concert and conference. His choir also sang at the dedicatory services in the Salt Lake Temple April 14, 1893, and gave a concert in the Tabernacle in the evening. During the dedicatory services one of the sisters gave birth to a male child which was blessed under the hands of Pres. Joseph F. Smith and Bro. Giles. The child was named Joseph Temple Bennett. In 1904 Bro. Giles was appointed Stake chorister for the Malad Stake, he having temporarily changed his place of residence from Salt Lake City to Malad Valley, Idaho. After holding that position about five years, he returned to Salt Lake City and was appointed Stake organist in the Ensign Stake and Ward organist in the Eighteenth Ward. Since 1911 he has been engaged as manager of the Giles Engraving Company. Bro. Giles has held a number of offices in the Priesthood, being ordained an Elder by Joseph W. Smith, a Seventy by John Morgan, and a High Priest by Joseph S. Wells. In 1879 (June 29th) he married Catherine Evans, who has borne him twelve children.
(Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 vols. [Salt Lake Cit 507.)

OBITUARY:   Death Claiims Former Assistant Tabernacle Organist.
     Henry E. Giles, founder of the music department at Brigham Young University, composer of well-loved Latter-day Saint hymns and marches, passed away January 17, 1938. In addition to the activities listed above, Professor Giles served as Ensign stake orgnaist and chorister, supervisor of music for the Provo city and Utah country schools, organist of the Eighteenth ward, and chorister of Utah stake.
     Professor Giles was born March 26, 1859, a son of Thomas D. and Margaret  incorrectly listed - [it was Hannah Evans] Utah handcart pioneers. His father was a blind harpist.
     Professor Giles is survived by the following sons and daughters: Professor Thomas Giles, head of the music department at the University of Utah; John D. Giles, Field Supervisor of the Y.M.M.I.A.; Clarence Giles, and Henry E. Giles, Jr.; Catherine Giles Engberg; Ida Giles Sharp, Jenalyn Giles Cline; Margaret Giles Scharman.

GILES--Funeral services for Henry Evans Giles will be held Wednesday at 12:115 p.m. in the Eighteenth Ward chapel, with Bishop Thomas A. Clawson officiating. Friends may call at the residence, 141 Third avenue, Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Interment in City Cemetery under the direction of Larkin Mortuary.  Deseret News.

                                                          Henry E. Giles Paid Last Honors
       Salt Lakers of Welsh descent and other residents paid, last respects to Prof. Henry E. Giles, Utah musician and composer, yesterday afternoon at impressve funeral services in the Eighteenth Ward Chapel.
       Burial was in City Cemetery.
       Speakers at the servcies included Nephi L. Morris, Winslow F. Smith, Ensign Stake President, W. H. Richards of Malad, Ida., former president of Malad Stake, and C.C. Richards. Bishop Thomas A. Clawson Sr. presided.

GILES--Funeral services for Henry Evans Giles will be held Wednesday at 12:115 p.m. in the Eighteenth ward chapel, with Bishop Thomas A. Clawson officiating. Friends may call at the residence, 141 Third avenue, Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wdnesday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Interment in City Cemetery under the direction of Larkin Mortuary.  Deseret News.

TO DO: For more history  several newspaper articles need to be scanned and added.