Udall Family - Sons of David King Udall

Sons of David King Udall

Twelve of David King Udall's children lived to adulthood: six by each of his wives. Four of his sons became attorneys; of those, all were elected or appointed to political and judicial offices. All of the Udall politicians descended from David's wife Eliza have been Democrats, while most of the politicians descended from his wife Ida have been Republicans.

The first of David's children to seek office was Levi Stewart Udall, who ran for clerk to the Arizona Superior Court in 1922 as a Democrat. His older brother, John Hunt Udall, then filed to run for the same office as a Republican. John won.

John was later elected mayor of Phoenix, Arizona, and he served in that office from 1936–1938. He later served as a judge, and was narrowly defeated as a candidate for U.S. Congress in 1948. He was first married to Ruth Kimball, sister of Spencer W. Kimball and niece of Joseph Smith, Jr.. Ruth died at a young age, and he remarried to Leah Smith, daughter of Jesse Nathaniel Smith.

Levi followed a career in the judiciary, and was elected Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court in 1946. He served on that Court from 1947 until his death in 1960, and he was Chief Justice from 1951–53 and 1957–59. Levi was married to Louisa Lee. His brother, Jesse, was married to Louisa's sister Lela Lee. For this reason, their respective descendants are double cousins. The Lee sisters were granddaughters of John D. Lee and Jacob Hamblin.

Jesse Addison Udall served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 1931–1938. Upon his brother Levi's death, he was appointed by the governor to fill the same seat on the Arizona Supreme Court. He served from 1960–72, and he was Chief Justice in 1964 and 1969.

Don Taylor Udall served as Representative to the Arizona State Legislature from 1941–42. He resigned to serve in World War II, and would later become a judge.