Jesse Udall was born on June 24, 1893 in Eagar, Arizona, one of six children of Mormon settlers David King Udall and Ida Hunt. His father was in a plural marriage, Ida was the second married. His father had nine children with wife Eliza Stewart Udall giving Jesse 9 half-siblings to grow up with. He attended elementary and high schools in St. Johns, Hunt, and Snowflake, Arizona, and graduated in 1914 from Gila Academy (now Eastern Arizona Junior College) in Thatcher, Arizona. In 1917 he wed Lela Lee (1895-1976). They had six children.
Following service as an Army ambulance driver in France during World War I, Udall graduated from the University of Arizona Law School in 1924, and established a private practice in Safford. A Republican, he was elected County Attorney for Graham County, a position he held in 1925 and 1926. Returning to private practice, he served as a state legislator from Graham County from 1931 to 1935. He was elected Graham County Superior Court Judge in November 1938.
In 1926 and 1927, Udall helped organize a National Guard unit, 158th Infantry Company G, in Safford. He became captain of the unit in 1928, and five years later was promoted to major in the Judge Advocate Department. As Lieutenant Colonel in 1942 he was called to active duty in Washington, D. C., where he served as Chief of the Review Section of the Internal Security Division, and later as a member of the Industrial Employment Review Board. Returning to Safford in 1945, Udall resumed his private law practice. He was a member of the Arizona Interstate Stream Commission from 1948 to 1953, and was appointed Graham County Superior Court Judge from 1953 to 1958. He served the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the presidency of it's Southern California Mission from 1958 to 1960. He resigned that position when he was appointed to fill the Arizona Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of his half-brother Levi Stewart Udall b. 1891. Jesse was elected to that seat in 1960, 1964 and 1970. He served as Chief Justice in 1964 and 1969. Judge Udall then retired in 1972 due to the poor health of his wife Lela. It is notable that their daughter Jessica married Milan Smith and their son, Milan Jr also became a judge, and their other son, Gordon, became a US Senator in Oregon as part of the larger Udall political family.
Udall married Lillian Cliff Jenkins in 1977 after widowed. Throughout his life he was active in the Mormon Church, serving as bishop of Thatcher Ward, president of St. Joseph Stake, and patriarch of Tempe Stake. He was also active in a number of service organizations, including the Boy Scouts and Rotary Club. He died of heart failure on May 11, 1980.
Jesse A. Udall papers(MS 311). Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries
Jesse Udall was born on June 24, 1893 in Eagar, Arizona, one of six children of Mormon settlers David King Udall and Ida Hunt. His father was in a plural marriage, Ida was the second married. His father had nine children with wife Eliza Stewart Udall giving Jesse 9 half-siblings to grow up with. He attended elementary and high schools in St. Johns, Hunt, and Snowflake, Arizona, and graduated in 1914 from Gila Academy (now Eastern Arizona Junior College) in Thatcher, Arizona. In 1917 he wed Lela Lee (1895-1976). They had six children.
Following service as an Army ambulance driver in France during World War I, Udall graduated from the University of Arizona Law School in 1924, and established a private practice in Safford. A Republican, he was elected County Attorney for Graham County, a position he held in 1925 and 1926. Returning to private practice, he served as a state legislator from Graham County from 1931 to 1935. He was elected Graham County Superior Court Judge in November 1938.
In 1926 and 1927, Udall helped organize a National Guard unit, 158th Infantry Company G, in Safford. He became captain of the unit in 1928, and five years later was promoted to major in the Judge Advocate Department. As Lieutenant Colonel in 1942 he was called to active duty in Washington, D. C., where he served as Chief of the Review Section of the Internal Security Division, and later as a member of the Industrial Employment Review Board. Returning to Safford in 1945, Udall resumed his private law practice. He was a member of the Arizona Interstate Stream Commission from 1948 to 1953, and was appointed Graham County Superior Court Judge from 1953 to 1958. He served the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the presidency of it's Southern California Mission from 1958 to 1960. He resigned that position when he was appointed to fill the Arizona Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of his half-brother Levi Stewart Udall b. 1891. Jesse was elected to that seat in 1960, 1964 and 1970. He served as Chief Justice in 1964 and 1969. Judge Udall then retired in 1972 due to the poor health of his wife Lela. It is notable that their daughter Jessica married Milan Smith and their son, Milan Jr also became a judge, and their other son, Gordon, became a US Senator in Oregon as part of the larger Udall political family.
Udall married Lillian Cliff Jenkins in 1977 after widowed. Throughout his life he was active in the Mormon Church, serving as bishop of Thatcher Ward, president of St. Joseph Stake, and patriarch of Tempe Stake. He was also active in a number of service organizations, including the Boy Scouts and Rotary Club. He died of heart failure on May 11, 1980.
Jesse A. Udall papers(MS 311). Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries
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