Born 21 May 1906 in Salt Lake City, Hampton Clawson Godbe was the son of Anthony Hampton Godbe and Ruby Clawson Godbe. His genealogy is one that contains many influential and colorful early Utahns: William S. Godbe was his paternal grandfather, and Hiram B. Clawson was his maternal grandfather. The life of William S. Godbe, founder of the Godbeite Movement, intrigued Hampton Godbe and he intended to write a book about it. He made it his project in his retirement years to collect information about his grandfather, and trace his many relatives. The book was never published, but much information was compiled. Hampton Godbe attended East High School, where he served as editor of the student newspaper. He went on to work for the Salt Lake Telegram and the Salt Lake Tribune . He was in the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps from 1928 to 1930. In 1938, Godbe became the first management officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City. After thirty years with the water district, he worked for the State Highway Department until his retirement in 1972, when he began working on his research project full-time. Godbe was a member of the Utah State Historical Society, Friends of the Marriott Library, Colorado River Water Users Association and the Provo River Distribution System. Hampton Godbe died 25 June 1991.
From the guide to the Hampton Godbe papers, 1864-1990, (J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)
