Jepperson, Samuel Hans, 1855-1931

Samuel Hans Jepperson (1855-1931) was a highly regarded painter and talented musician.

Born in Denmark, Samuel Hans Jepperson's family came to Utah in the Christian Christiansen Handcart Company after joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His artwork focused on the history of Utah and the beauty of nature, creating many astounding landscapes. Because tubes of coloring were unavailable in Provo at the time, Jepperson used nature to paint, making pigments from berries, roots and leaves. Jepperson has painted over one thousand paintings of Utah's pioneer past and its landscape.

Jepperson was also an avid music lover, and fashioned his first musical instrument, a violin, from a cigar box and a thick piece of wood. Later Jepperson organized Utah's first brass band that became known as the Provo band, which he conducted for more than thirty-five years.