Tribute to the Late Honorable William H. Folland
| Publication year | 1993 |
| Pages | 22 |
| Citation | Vol. 6 No. 7 Pg. 22 |
August, 1993
J. Allan Crockett, Judge
Freedom of thought is the greatest of liberties. It can see the sometimes error and sham in accepted creeds and ideas and can be careless of the so-called wisdom of the ages. It can be scornful and defiant of selfish greed. It can see and appreciate the beauty and miracles of life. It can pierce the expanses of the universe or look into the pit of hell and be neither dismayed nor afraid. It is aware that the areas in which we have knowledge are far less than those in which we do not. Yet thought proceeds fearlessly on, seeking more facts to discover and more fields to conquer. It is the light of the world, the chief glory of man.
The foregoing, rooted in ideas in the writings of Bertrand Russell, is aptly illustrative of the extent of learning and the depth of wisdom of William H. Folland.
He was born December 5, 1877, in Salt Lake City, a son of Eli A. and Rachel A. Lewis. He was educated in the grade and high schools of Salt Lake, later attended the L.D.S. Academy and Business College, and then went to the University of Utah. During the time he was attending college, he worked as a court reporter in the Third Judicial District. He graduated from the law school and was admitted to the Bar in 1909.
Having been born of L.D.S. parents, he took some interest in and participated in activities in the L.D.S. Church. He served as a missionary in Wales from 1900 to 1903. However, he was a firm believer in the principle of separation of church and state, which principle he scrupulously adhered to in the conduct of his duties.
By his superior qualities of learning, experience, and integrity, he was a complement to the enlightenment and security of society and engaged in numerous activities: in social work in the community, including the Red Cross, for which he served as chairman for Salt Lake County.
He married Grace Freeze in 1909, the same year he was admitted to the Bar. They became the parents of three sons, Harold (who died in 1992), Edward, and Donald, each of whom married and had families, all respected and well-thought-of members of their respective communities.
After his graduation, he became associated in the firm of Evans, Evans and Folland. In 1913, he left that firm and accepted a position as Assistant City Attorney for Salt Lake and in 1917 was named City Attorney. He served in that...
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