r The Springville Senior Center (65 E. 200 S.; 801-489-8738) is happy to announce that Brent Ashworth will speak on “The Heritage of Christmas as Appears in Artifacts, Books, and Manuscripts” on Wednesday, December 5, at 6:00 p.m. All are invited, and there is no charge.
Brent F. Ashworth is an autograph collector and dealer in U.S. historical documents relating especially to Mormon history. He has assisted the Glenn Beck organization, including several of his museums, and has appeared on Beck’s special show on collecting, along with David Barton and Rick Harrison of “Pawn Stars.” He has also assisted other entities such as the BYU Library Special Collections, the UVU Library Special Collections, the State History Division, and other major institutions.
Mr. Ashworth graduated from Brigham Young High School and BYU (cum laude, with a BA in history and political science). He served in the U.S. Army Reserves. After receiving his JD from the University of Utah College of Law, he served in Price as assistant Carbon County attorney, beginning with the Sundowner Motorcycle murder case. He went on to serve as vice president-general counsel for Nature’s Sunshine then Neways International and as a legal consultant for Shaklee Corp. Currently, he is general counsel of Zija International in Lehi and continues a part-time private law practice in Provo. In 2006 he founded B. Ashworth’s, Inc., a Provo-based business dealing in rare documents, books, art, collectibles, and other curiosities. His firm deals primarily in rare U.S. history, Mormon and Western material, and other significant items from around the world.
While living in Payson he served as a city councilman and later as acting mayor. Additionally, he has held positions locally with the American Red Cross, the Emily Dickinson Society, Provo City Library Board, Springville Museum of Art, Provo Kiwanis Club, Utah-Idaho District of Kiwanis, and Provo Library Construction Oversight Committee, as well as many others. He has been a trustee of the Crandall Historical Printing Museum since its founding and currently serves as board chairman. He is the 2014 winner of the Utah State Historical Society’s Outstanding Contribution Award, Utah’s highest award for individual contribution for the preservation of history.
His contributions also include his work with the Utah National Parks Council, Boy Scouts of America, Provo School District Foundation, Utah Valley Hospital, and Orem Community Hospital. He has helped to raise funds to build facilities for parents and families to stay in while their children were in ICUs at these facilities. He is the recipient of the Patriot Medal, the Provo Mayor’s Award of Excellence (for service as co-chair of the Provo Sesquicentennial Committee), the Silver Beaver Award, and one of the first Outstanding Eagle Scout Awards presented by National Council; his seven sons are Eagle Scouts. With Louis Crandall of Provo, he co-founded the George E. Freestone Boy Scout Museum in Provo.
Mr. Ashworth and his wife, Charlene Mills, are the parents of nine children and have 13 grandchildren.
