Woodhull Brothers
Index For This Page
This page was last updated on July 5, 2026.
(The focus of this page is brief biographical notes of the men who made the mining industry in Utah so successful. Also to establish a timeline using sources not previously readily available.)
As important as the everyday wage worker was to the history of mining in Utah, it was several men with experience, vision and charisma who made the mining industry in Utah so successful. These men developed the networks of mining engineers and financiers to develop the undeveloped or partially developed mining claims to become giant organizations that made money for their shareholders, and in many cases, kept the mines as a decent place to work.
Among these men of experience, vision and charisma, were the Woodhull Brothers.
Woodhull Brothers
The Woodhull Brothers are usually given credit for the first ore shipment from Utah, in July 1869 from their Monitor and Magnet mine in Little Cottonwood. They also receive credit for shipping, in September 1870, the first silver-lead-gold bullion from the Territory, having produced it from their newly completed smelter, which was also credited as being the first successful smelter in the Territory.
(Read more about the first ore shipment from Utah)
The three Woodhull brothers, Henry Isaac, born 1824, William Sturges, born 1826, and Sereno Dwight, born 1830, came to Utah in 1869. They staked a claim in Little Cottonwood canyon, and built a mill and smelter. They sent out the first bullion from Utah in September 1870. After Henry Isaac Woodhull was shot by Nathan Springer on August 12, 1870, the Woodhull Brothers enterprise was soon abandoned. They were the three sons of Samuel Woodhull and his wife Mary Ann [Bull] of Long Island, New York, who also had three daughters. (part from Woodhull Genealogy, The Woodhull Family in England and America, 1904)
July 25, 1869
"First shipment of Utah ore, being ten tons from the Monitor and Magnet mine, Little Cottonwood, shipped by Woodhull Bros. to T. H. Selby, San Francisco, $32.50 per ton being paid for freighting it to Uintah on the Union Pacific Railroad." (Sloan, Gazetteer of Utah and Salt Lake City, 1874, page 30)
July 31, 1869
"Woodhull Bros. make first shipment of Utah copper ore, ten tons, from the Kingston mine, Bingham cañon." (Sloan, Gazetteer of Utah and Salt Lake City, 1874, page 30)
September 24, 1869
"From 50 to 100 lodes have been discovered in the Cottonwood Mines, of which only the Monitor, Magnet, Lone Star, Illinois and Ida have been much wrought. The lodes are similar to those found in other parts of the Rocky Mountains, from one to four feet in width, and traceable from 500 to perhaps 2,500 feet on the surface. The locality is probably from 9,000 to 11,000 feet above sea, has a great fall of snow in winter, and plenty of water in summer. There is timber and fuel enough for the present at least. Smith & Co., Woodhull Bros., Boone & Stickney, Woodman & Lyon, and others, are running in the district, under many disadvantages, and they suppose they have out about 2,500 tons of ore, argentiferous galena, with considerable antimony, some bismuth and zinc, assaying by sample from $100 to $400 per ton, and estimated to be worth $50 a ton in silver. Two or three car loads were recently sent to San Francisco for treatment, with the view of determining what it is worth, the best method of treatment, and whether it will pay to mine and transport it to the seaboard for treatment." (Chicago Tribune, September 24, 1869)
(In this context, the Monitor mine, in which the Woodhulls had an interest, would after 1873 be known as the Emma mine.)
January 12, 1870
"Woodhull Bros. ship the first car-load of ore over Utah Central Railroad." (Sloan, Gazetteer of Utah and Salt Lake City, 1874, page 30)
March 30, 1870
"Woodhull Brothers, owners of the Cottonwood mines, are shipping several car loads of silver ore to San Francisco every day." (St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 30, 1870)
June 1870
"In June, 1870, the Woodhull Brothers built a furnace eight miles south of Salt Lake City, at the junction of the State Road with Big Cottonwood Creek. From these works was shipped the first bullion produced from mines in Utah." (Stenhouse, The Rocky Mountain Saints, 1873, page 720; quoted by Bancroft, History of Salt Lake City, 1886, page 703)
June 18, 1870
From the Salt Lake Weekly Tribune.
New Smelting Works. - In passing along the State road the other day, we were gratified to see that Messrs. Woodhull Bros., of this city, had begun preparations for their extensive smelting works on the ground belonging to Mr. James Gordon, and close by that gentleman's residence. This spot not only affords peculiar facilities for the purpose but it will be very centrally and conveniently situated for the mines in the neighborhood of Salt Lake City. Mr. S. D. Woodhull has gone to California for some of the material needed in the erection of these works and will be back in a few days.
These gentlemen design having their works in operation by the 4th day of July next, and to celebrate the anniversary of the National Independence by turning out a lot of that bullion which is yet to secure Utah's independence—from poverty and financial distress. The capacity of their furnaces will be about ten tons per day.
When ready for operations, Woodhull Bros. design purchasing all ores of sufficient value that may be brought to them at their works. Their plan is this: When men bring their loads of ore, an average assay will be made before they unload, and they will be informed what price they can receive. If they conclude to sell they can get their money on the spot, just as they can elsewhere for a load of coal, wood, or grain. This will be a great advantage to those who want ready money, to such as may not have sufficient ore to ship east or west, or who may not wish to go to that trouble. In some instances they may not get so large returns for their ore as if they paid so much per ton or a share of the proceeds to have it worked for themselves; but in some cases they would get more, and in every case they would be free from risk. At any rate this is what we need just now. Messrs. Woodhull Bros. can change their program or enlarge their works to meet the requirements of the public; and, in the meantime, other enterprising firms will also engage in erecting the needed machinery for the development of Utah's vast resources. The men who invest capital in this direction are practical benefactors to the country and the poor man. They are worthy of all praise, and we hope they will get rich. Fair dealing, and as much liberality as possible will insure them success. Utah's day of prosperity is dawning.
Buying Ores. - During the past week Messrs. Woodhull Bros. inform us that they have been receiving ores from Tintic and Bingham at the rate of about six tons per day. Some of this ore is very good but it does not, of course bring its owners as much as they will be able to obtain even from the same firm when they can smelt it here, and save the expense of sorting, sacking and shipping the ore east or west, as they now have to. There is abundant encouragement now for all owners of leads to go to work and develop them.
July 9, 1870
According to a report by H. I. Woodhull, the brothers had shipped from Little Cottonwood, "since last July, three hundred tons of ore, and Woodman & Co. as much more, averaging $100 per ton, and thousands of tons will be shipped or smelted here, before next fall." (Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, July 9, 1870)
July 23, 1870
"The Monitor worked by Woodhull Bros. & Co., gives every indication of proving as valuable as those before mentioned. They had about 12 tons of excellent ore on the dump which Messrs Woodhull Bros. expect to smelt at their works on the State Road near this city." (Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, July 23, 1870)
August 3, 1870
"Amount Of Ore Mined. — The shipment of ore's from the following districts shows approximate by the product from our mines for the month of July. Little Cottonwood, 314 tons; Rush Valley, 70 tons; Parley's Park, 40 tons; Tintic, 30 tons; Deep Creek, 10 tons; Bingham, 6 tons; Total, 470 tons. Of this amount about eighty tons remain in the Territory at the smelting works of Woodhull Bros. About the same amount has been shipped per schooner Pioneer across Salt Lake to the railroad, at Monument Point. Some ninety tons from Cottonwood are now being shipped to the new smelting works. From returns given by Meader, Woodhull and others, the average value of ores exported is $105,00 per ton or a total for the month of $49,350,00." (Deseret News, August 3, 1870)
The rising star of the Woodhull brothers becoming Utah's first mining magnates abruptly fell when Henry Woodhull, one of the brothers, was shot on August 13, 1870, in Little Cottonwood Canyon in a dispute over a mining claim. He died the next day.
August 12, 1870
"Killed. — Mr. S. D. Woodhull (sic: Henry I. Woodhull), of the firm of Woodhull Brothers, was shot, on Friday evening [August 12], in one of the mining camps in Little Cottonwood Kanyon, by a man named Springer, an employee of a person whose claim Woodhull attempted to jump. He lingered until six o'clock last evening. His funeral will take place tomorrow. The deceased Mr. Woodhull is the eldest member of the firm of Woodhull Brothers, and was formerly a religious minister." (Deseret News, August 15, 1870)
On August 12, 1870, Henry Issac Woodhull was shot in a dispute over mining claims. He died of his wounds on August 14th. Nathan Springer was indicted for the crime, but seven years of hearings for habeas corpus resulted in his release. Soon after the death of Henry I. Woodhull, the two other Woodhull brothers, Henry I. and William S., abandoned their mining interests. There was a mention of the Woodhull interests in November 1871 in the Daily Alta California newspaper, of a trial in First District Court in Provo concerning mining claims in the Tintic district. Without saying what the verdict was, it was reported in March 1872 in the Sacramento Daily Union newspaper that the verdict was appealed on points of law.
(In later investigations concerning the ownership of the famous Emma mine in Little Cottonwood, it was reported that when the Woodhulls and others recorded, or "located" their claim on the Emma Lode in 1869, which they said had been abandoned, they named their claim the Monitor. This later information indicates that the claim being fought over was in fact, the Emma claim. The other person involved, Frank Bruner, was foreman of the adjacent North Star mine, which was overlapping the Emma claim. The Woodhulls had held parts of a 20 percent interest in the Monitor [Emma] since December 1869. This Woodhull interest in the Emma mine lasted until the claim was re-surveyed and the owners re-organized in October 1870, without the Woodhulls having any interest.)
(Read more about the Emma mine; includes numerous links to associated other pages)
August 17, 1870
"The Woodhull Homicide. — Yesterday an investigation was held in regard to the killing of Mr. H. I. Woodhull, at Little Cottonwood, by C. M. Hawley, Judge of 2d Judicial District. Nathan Springer, the man charged with the commission of the deed, was refused bail and ordered to be confined until the meeting of the regular term of the District Court. F. H. Bruner, charged with being an accessory to the killing, was admitted to bail in the sum of $2,000, to await the action of the Grand Jury, which meets next month." (Deseret News, August 17, 1870)
August 18, 1870
"The Late Mr. H. I. Woodhull. — The remains of this gentleman were taken, last evening, to the U. C. R. R. Depot. They were escorted there by the Utica Lodge of Free Masons formed in procession. The remains will be taken to Detroit, Michigan, where the family of the deceased reside." (Deseret News, August 18, 1870)
August 20, 1870
From the Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, August 20, 1870.
That Homicide. — Mr. Henry J. Woodhull, the elder brother of the firm of Woodhull Brothers, was shot in Little Cottonwood kanyon last Saturday morning, by Nathan Springer, foreman to Mr. Bruner. For some months, there has been a dispute between the Woodhulls and Bruner over the proprietorship of a claim being worked by the Woodhulls contiguous to that worked by Bruner. Mr. B. maintains that the Woodhulls have jumped his claim, on which a large amount of money and labor had been expended for several years back. The Woodhulls assert that Bruner had deserted the claim and that their action was legitimate. The matter has been before the Courts for some time and probably would have been quietly settled at next term of Court. The unfortunate contention of last Saturday commenced with Mr. Bruner ordering the workmen of the Woodhulls to stop and not to sack the ore taken from the shaft. Mr. Henry D. Woodhull was sent for and he instructed his men to continue and after some words, Mr. Bruner seized him by the arm "to lead him off the ground." the two clenched, rolled down the dump, and as Mr. W. got up to near the top of the dump, it is said he stopped to rest a little and put both hands on his hips. Springer is reported to have thought that Mr. Woodhull meant fight and was reaching for his pistol, and in an instant he drew his pistol and shot Woodhull a little to the right of the abdomen. Dr. Anderson was immediately sent for and gave him the best attention but the unfortunate sufferer expired on Sunday night.
On Tuesday, an examination was held by Judge Hawley, sitting as a committing magistrate, and after an examination of all the witnesses to the affair, Springer was remitted to custody, to await his trial at the next term of court, and Mr. Bruner was held to bail in the sum of $2000.
We have no comments to make on this sad occurrence—the Courts will attend to the case without prejudice We sincerely regret, however, that Mr. Woodhull has come to an untimely end. He was a very quiet citizen, and as much can very properly be said of Mr. Bruner.
This is the first case of the kind that has occurred in the Utah mines, and we hope it will be the last. One thing is certain that from this time, it will be very dangerous business for any person to attempt to jump claims. Without reflecting upon either party in this Woodhull-Bruner affair, we would urge upon the miners of Utah to be calm, dignified and honor the law, never to be afraid of losing in a right cause, and justice will do its work.
September 10, 1870
"Messrs. Woodhull Bros. state they have now hauled from their smelting works 20,000 lbs. bullion, which they purpose to ship to San Francisco, on Tuesday next. Anybody curious to see what has been done at the works of Woodhull Brothers since their erection, can be gratified with the sight by stepping down to the Elephant Store." (Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, September 10, 1870)
(This was reported as being the first export of bullion from Utah. - Ogden Junction, September 14, 1870)
September 20, 1870
"It was on September 20, 1870 when the first run of crude bullion was made at the smelter of the Woodhull brothers, the first smelter built in the state, six miles south of Salt Lake City. The old dump still stands, although the smelter has long been dismantled and every vestige of it removed." (Salt Lake Telegram, September 20, 1923 "Just History")
January 21, 1871
The Woodhull's retained their ownership of the Monitor mine in Little Cottonwood Canyon. S. D. Woodhull incorporated the Monitor and Magnet Mining company on January 21, 1871. (Sacramento Daily Union, January 23, 1871)
January 21, 1871
"The Monitor and Magnet Consolidated Silver and Lead Mining Company, has incorporated, to operate in Little Cottonwood Canon, Salt Lake county, Utah; capital, $240,000. Trustees — J. F. Woodworth, J. D. Woodhull (sic: S. D. Woodhull), Nelson Boukofsky of Napa, F. Rich, and P. Falk." (Vallejo Evening Chronicle, January 21, 1871)
March 20, 1871
"Bullion Shipment. - March 20. A telegram from Salt Lake says the Monitor and Magnet Company shipped to-day to San Francisco, 168 bars of bullion, weighing over 20,000 pounds." (San Francisco Examiner, March 21, 1871)
(The Monitor and Magnet company continued make weekly shipments of bars of bullion to San Francisco as late as May 1871, numbering in the hundreds of bars per week.)
(The Woodhull assaying business was still active in Salt Lake City as late as May 1871; "Assayers and Purchasers of Ore." - numerous advertisements in Salt Lake City newspapers. The same advertisements also included reference to the Monitor and Magnet mine, incorporated in January 1871.)
May 27, 1871
"Shipment Of Ores. - Salt Lake City, May 27, 1871." "Editor Tribune: We have shipped during the week ending May 27th, three hundred and thirty bars of bullion, 32,553 lbs., to San Francisco, for Woodhull Bro's. [signed] N. P. Woods & Co." (Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, May 29, 1871)
(The mention of Woodhull Brothers and the Monitor and Magnet mine in the same advertisement ended on May 24, 1871.)
(Research suggests that the Woodhulls sold their interest in the Monitor and Magnet mine at about the same that the company's stock went on sale in the San Francisco stock market in July 1871.)
(William S. Woodhull is mentioned in an unrelated advertisement in the Salt Lake City newspapers as late as mid July 1871.)
(William S. Woodhull is shown as being vice president of the Emma Hill Tunnel and Mining company when it was organized on July 14, 1871, with its tunnel already being 350 feet into the mountain. The tunnel was located 300 feet west of the contested Emma mine, with the tunnel projected to cut the Emma vein very soon.)
(In July 1871, it was mentioned that S. D. Woodhull had traveled to San Francisco with ex California governor Purdy. The two men shared an interest in the Sunbeam mine in the Tintic District.)
(The daily advertisements for "Woodhull Brothers, Assays; Ore and Bullion Bought" continued through March 1872. S. D. Woodhull opened an assay office in San Bernardino, California, in January 1874.)
(When the Emma Hill Consolidated Mining company was organized on May 8, 1872, which included the Emma Hill Tunnel company, there is no mention of a Woodhull being involved.)
(Both S. D. Woodhull and W. S. Woodhull had left Utah by September 1872, when letters addressed to them were being held at the Salt Lake City Post Office or and the local Wells, Fargo office.)
(More research needs to be done by tracking the Woodhulls in online genealogy sites.)
###