Appendix O

The Rudger Clawson Story

Florence's father was Henry Dinwoodey. He was a prominent merchant in Salt Lake. He owned The Dinwoodey Furniture Company and had interests and influence in many other enterprises as well.

Dinwoodey was an immigrant from England and made his way to Salt Lake as a converted Mormon in 1855. Like so many men of that era, Dinwoodey took several wives. His second wife was Anne Hill with whom he had eight children. The second oldest of these was Florence Ann Dinwoodey. Dinwoodey's third wife was Sarah Kinnersley with whom he had a daughter named Alice. In 1887 Alice married James H. Moyle.

Florence was born August 12, 1864 and in August of 1882 she married Rudger Clawson. Clawson, in his later years, rose to the Presidency of the Quorum of the Council of the Twelve Apostles for the Mormon Church. When Clawson took a second wife in April of 1883, Florence stood by his side in support.
Rudger Clawson (2nd from right) in prison uniform
with fellow polygamists at the Utah Penitentiary. One year later, while Florence was pregnant, Clawson was arrested and the very first person to be convicted of Polygamy and "co-habitation" under the Edmunds Act.

The Edmunds Act was United States federal legislation, signed into law on March 23, 1882 that declared polygamy a felony. The act not only reinforced the 1862 Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act but also revoked the polygamists' right to vote, made them ineligible for jury service, and prohibited them from holding political office.

Clawson was sentenced to four years in the Utah Penitentiary which stood where today's Sugarhouse Park is located. Afterwards, Florence delivered an ultimatum that he denounces polygamy, but he didn't and Florence consequently divorced him. Clawson was pardoned by President Grover Cleveland mere months before his sentence was going to expire.

In June, 1885 Henry Dinwoodey was also arrested and taken before the U.S. Commissioner where he waived examination and was held in bonds for fifteen hundred dollars to await the action of the grand jury. He was duly indicted, and in February, 1886, appeared in court, pleaded guilty to living with his wives, and was sentenced to the full penalty for unlawful cohabitation - a fine of three hundred dollars plus costs and six months imprisonment in the penitentiary. He entered the prison on the 23rd of February, served his term, minus the time remitted for good behavior, and was released on the 26th of July, 1885.