Joseph Smith’s family Bible? Washington’s wallet? A flag that flew to the moon? You name it, and this Utah collector may have it.

Provo • In a small alcove tucked between Provo’s Center Street and University Avenue lies a treasure trove of history.

In a building basement, visitors enter a makeshift museum and meet its owner Brent Ashworth, a 76-year-old Latter-day Saint historian and collector who has accrued valuable relics for more than half a century.

Ashworth likes to invite visitors to sit in a rocking chair, once belonging to pioneer-prophet Brigham Young, and tell them about his vast collection.

However, B. Ashworth’s, the name of this storefront, exhibits just a small slice of his monumental collection.

It boasts Mormon memorabilia, early Americana artifacts and other relics dating back for centuries. Containing close to 2 million items and housed in more than 20 storage units spread across the state, it represents one of Utah’s largest private collections.

History buff Ron Fox, a fellow collector and friend of Ashworth, said that the stash’s size isn’t the only reason for its value.

“He has items,” Fox said, “that would be well found in the Library of Congress or the Smithsonian.”

The relished relics include Joseph and Emma Smith’s family Bible; the flag that traveled to the moon with Apollo 11; letters signed by the Founding Fathers; George Washington’s wallet; a handwritten letter signed by Elvis Presley; Amelia Earhart’s flight jacket; a signed photograph of Marilyn Monroe; a Bible William Bradford brought to America aboard the Mayflower in 1620; and a brick from the first White House torched by the British in 1814.

“He has items,” Fox said, “that are worth in excess of a million dollars.”

Fox said two passions drive his friend: the hunt for the past and the learning he provides in the present.

“He enjoys sharing those items,” Fox said. “Whether it’s schoolchildren or adults, he really enjoys the opportunity to educate the public.”

Besides showcasing his historical riches, Ashworth also has donated many of his prized acquisitions. He said he has given tens of thousands of items to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a number of other artifacts to Brigham Young University and the Smithsonian.

How his love for collecting began

Ashworth traces his love for all things old back to a grandmother he barely knew.

She died when he was 1-year-old. A “pack rat,” she left behind boxes and boxes of baubles, trinkets, knickknacks and family memories.

“I remember [my grandfather] saying he sure wished he could pull his car into the garage,” Ashworth said. “But he never had the heart to go through her stuff.”

After his grandfather’s death, family members cleared out the garage and built a big bonfire. Ashworth watched in horror as they dumped items into the flames.

“I thought, ‘This is crazy,’” Ashworth recalled. “Nobody’s looking at anything.”

Ashworth asked his mother if the family had saved anything. She said there was one box left in the rafters of the garage. After years of pestering his mom, she finally let him have the box, telling him that it probably contained just junk.

Inside, though, he found a dozen letters written to his grandma from Heber J. Grant, seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ashworth pored over the letters and learned about his grandmother’s history — from her Latter-day Saint conversion to her questions to Grant about her son on his mission.

“I know more about President Grant reading those letters than I do of anything I heard in Junior Sunday school‚” Ashworth said. “Wouldn’t it be good if I could collect something personal of each prophet of the church?”

Thus, a passion was born. He started tracking down everything he could get about church leaders — their books, letters, signatures and furnishings.

Close, scary encounters

Along the way, Ashworth collected not only documents but also unforgettable experiences, including some interactions with infamous killers.

In 1985, Ashworth, as a document dealer, had multiple encounters with “Mormon bomber” Mark Hofmann, who killed two people in an effort to cover up his forgery schemes. Ashworth learned from police that he may have been one of Hofmann’s targets.

When Ashworth, an attorney by profession, attended law school, his criminal law class sat in alphabetical order, and he found himself sitting next to a “big, strong guy” named Ted Bundy.

During this time, Ashworth lost one of his textbooks.

“I always blamed Ted for stealing my book,” he said. “I don’t know if he did or not. I figured he had bigger problems.”

Ashworth even has in his store a log, cut down in the Millcreek area, with the serial killer’s name carved into its side.

Ashworth isn’t known solely for his colossal collection but also for his archival prowess and quick understanding. When he obtains an artifact, Fox said, he dives into its past and its association with the original owner.

“He’s got incredible recall,” Fox said. “Memory does start to fail at some point, but he is extremely quick-witted and he has just an encyclopedic memory.”

Fox said Ashworth’s historical contributions will have ripple effects on the public for generations to come.

“Brent really does go out and tries to evoke emotion,” Fox said. “He’s the best professor I know for any university or college.”

Ashworth, who welcomes appointments to show visitors his in-store collection in Provo, is currently serving his fifth church mission but has no plans to end his research and collecting.

So the past remains very much in his future.

Note to readers • Dylan Eubank is a Report for America corps member covering faith in Utah County for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories.