Joseph A. Silver, Secretary, Treasurer and General Manager of the Silver Brothers Iron Foundry and Machine Company, and one of the most prominent business men of Salt Lake City, was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1857, and came to Utah with his parents when only three and a half years old, and spen his boyhood days in Salt Lake City, most of the time working in his father's shop. He was educated in the schools of Salt Lake City, and later in the Deseret University, now the University of Utah. When he was seventeen years old he started on his business career, and the successful establishment which he and his brothers have erected through their own efforts and by the exercise of their ability and industry, makes him one of the most prominent business men in Utah, and their foundry the largest one in the inter-mountain region. From a very small beginning this establishment has grown into large proportions; employing in the beginning no one except the three brothers, it now affords employment to over one hundre men and its reputation has spred from the confines of Salt Lake City throughout the entire West. Its success has been achieved, not through any lucky chance, or through financial backing, but by the unflagging industry and application which these three brothers brought to the performance of the tasks which confronted them in making their business a success.

The first work which our subject did was in the carpenter trade, which he followed for eight months, later securing employment in the millwright department of the Ontario Mill, and there he devoted a like period, later being promoted and put in charge of the machinery of the mill, and then acting as its Superintendent for over three years. He resigned this position and returned to Salt Lake CIty, where he for eight onths was engaged in building his home at No. 633 North First West, and also working for his father in the foundry. Afdter remaining two years in Salt Lake City, he returned to West Jordan, bordering on the Sandy District, and took charge of all the smelters and machinery of the different works there, giving his time largely to the care of the Telegraph smelters and visiting other works, He again came to Salt Lake City and secured a position in the shops of the Utah Central Railroad, where he remained for three years, leaving there and entering the service of the Union Pacific Railroad at Logan, where he was made foreman of the locomotive department of that company, where he remained about ten months. He resigned this position to accept a better one on the Rio Grande Western, in the same department of that road in Salt Lake CIty, later being placed in entire charge of that work. He returned to the Utah Central Railroad, and was made Assistant Superintendent, but resigned that position two years later to take his share in the partnership of the Silver Brothers Iron WOrks, with which business he has ever since been identified. Much of this city's growth is due to his wide experience in the iron business and to the capacity which he had acquaired for the handling of large contracts and the solving of difficult engineering problems.

Joseph married in Salt Lake City, Miss Mary Ellen Watson, daughter of Bishop James Watson and Mary Gibbison Watson, of the Nineteenth Ward of Salt Lake City.

The members of the family are:
1- James W. Silver (1881-1965), twenty-one years of age, now [1902] absent in New Zealand on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2- Mary "Mamie" Frances Silver Cannon (1883-1972),
3- Gertrude Silver (1885-1888), who died at the age of three years,
4- Ellen Leona Silver Capener (1887-1980) ,
5- Joseph W. Silver (1889-1962) ,
6- John W. Silver (1893-1982),
7- Clarence W. Silver(1895-1962 md. Marnie Richards, granddaughter of F.D. Richards) ,
8- Watson Askie Silver (1898-1983); one daughter,
9- William Watson Silver (1900-1900), who died in infancy, and also
10- Moralee Watson Silver (1902-1997 md. Ruby Amy Griffin, their son Edward Morley Silver married Barbara Brown, granddaughter of Orson Pratt Brown)
11- Ralph Watson Silver (1904-1904)

Our subject has always been identified with the Mormon Church, and has taken a prominent part in its work,a and has also been one of the seven Predisents of the Thirtieth Quorum of Seventies, but was later transferred to the same position of the One Hundredth Quorum, which position he continues to hold [in 1902]."

Joseph married his first polygamous wife, Elizabeth Farnes Silver on January 24, 1898 in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. Elizabeth was the daughter of Ebenezer Farnes and Mary Catherine Bullock.

The members of the family are:
1- Eleanor Farnes Silver (1899-1961) md. (1) Maynard Gregory 1925(div); md (2) Henry Royden Herriman in 1943.; died 7 April 1961.
2- Harold Farnes Silver (1901-1984) md. Madelyn Cannon Stewart 1929; died in Denver.
3- Emily Catherine Silver (1902-1974) md. Byron Arthur Chadwick 1926;
4- Richard Farnes Silver (1904-1974) md. Ann (Anne) Cannon 1939)
5- David Farnes Silver (1912-1963) md. Sylvia Ellen Woodhouse 1945 at Oakland, CA.
6-

Joseph married the widow of Mark Cook, Laura Blanche Clark, on September 20, 1913. They had four children. Laura was the daughter of Ezra Thompson Clark and Susan Leggett Clark. Laura married a third husband, George E. Cook on December 14, 1949, nineteen years after Joseph's death.

Joseph married Elizabeth Bowman, but very little is known about this marriage.

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