Annual Juanita Brooks Lecture

Dr. Stephen L. Prince, Dixie State alum, author and historian, will present his research and findings about one of the most storied lawmen in the history of this area, former Washington County Sheriff Antone B. Prince,” as part of the 30th-Anniversary Juanita Brooks Lecture Series.

The Juanita Brooks Lecture Series, which was established at Dixie State University by Obert C. Tanner for the purpose of perpetuating the great writing of southern Utah in the tradition of Juanita Brooks, is an annual part of the St. George Tabernacle’s Weekly Music and History series.

Dr. Prince will tell the story of his grandfather, Sheriff Antone B. Prince, who served Washington County from 1936-54. Sheriff Prince is known for capturing several famous criminals, some hiding out in the desert after escaping from police in Nevada or northern Utah. Dr. Prince will relate a dozen thrilling stories about his famous grandfather, who was raised in New Harmony.

Dr. Prince is an independent historian, living and practicing in west Los Angeles in the shadow of his alma mater, UCLA, at which he attended for both for his undergraduate studies as well as dental school. He became interested in Mormon history after his brother, Greg, challenged him to write a biography of their grandfather, Antone. Ultimately that led to the publication by the Arthur H. Clark Company of his book, Gathering in Harmony. That book won the Evans Handcart Award, presented at Utah State University and the Thomas Rice King Award from the Mormon History Association, while articles connected to research for his book were published in Journal of Mormon History, Nauvoo Journal and Utah Historical Quarterly. In addition, his biography of Mormon pioneer and politician Hosea Stout is currently awaiting publication by the University of Utah Press.
 
Juanita Brooks, who served on the Utah Board of State History for 28 years, was a long-time professor at then-Dixie College, and became a well-known author. She is recognized, by scholarly consent, to be one of Utah’s and the LDS Church’s most eminent historians. Her total honesty, unwavering courage and perceptive interpretation of fact, set more stringent standards of scholarship for her fellow historians to emulate.