Chronology of the First Presidency (LDS Church)

Last updated

What follows is a chronological table that sets out the changes in the composition of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) through time. [1]

Date rangePresident of the Church
(and Assistant Presidents)		First CounselorSecond CounselorOther Counselors
(3C = Third Counselor)
C = Counselor
AC = Assistant Counselor)		Change from previous organization
8 March 1832 –
3 December 1832		Initial organization of First Presidency [2]
3 December 1832 –
18 March 1833		 Jesse Gause excommunicated
18 March 1833 –
5 December 1834		 Sidney Rigdon called as First Counselor; Frederick G. Williams called as Second Counselor
5 December 1834 –
3 September 1837		 Oliver Cowdery called as Assistant President of the Church
3 September 1837 –
7 November 1837		 Hyrum Smith, John Smith and Joseph Smith, Sr. called as Assistant Counselors; Oliver Cowdery also given the title of Assistant Counselor
7 November 1837 –
11 April 1838		 Frederick G. Williams rejected as Second Counselor at church conference; Hyrum Smith called as Second Counselor
11 April 1838 –
14 September 1840		 Oliver Cowdery excommunicated
14 September 1840 –
24 January 1841		Death of Joseph Smith, Sr.
24 January 1841 –
8 April 1841		 Hyrum Smith called as Assistant President of the Church; William Law replaces Hyrum Smith as Second Counselor
8 April 1841 –
25 May 1842		 John C. Bennett called as Assistant President [3]
25 May 1842 –
4 February 1843		 John C. Bennett disfellowshipped
4 February 1843 –
18 April 1844		 Amasa Lyman called as Counselor
18 April 1844 –
27 June 1844		Apostasy of William Law
27 June 1844 –
27 December 1847		No organized First Presidency: Death of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith; dissolution of First Presidency
27 December 1847 –
11 March 1854		First Presidency reorganized after deaths of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith
11 March 1854 –
7 April 1854		Death of Willard Richards
7 April 1854 –
1 December 1856		 Jedediah M. Grant called as Second Counselor
1 December 1856 –
4 January 1857		Death of Jedediah M. Grant
4 January 1857 –
1 July 1866		 Daniel H. Wells called as Second Counselor
1 July 1866 –
22 June 1868		 Joseph F. Smith called as Counselor
22 June 1868 –
7 October 1868		Death of Heber C. Kimball
7 October 1868 –
8 April 1873		 George A. Smith called as First Counselor
8 April 1873 –
9 May 1874		 John Willard Young, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., Lorenzo Snow, and Albert Carrington called as Counselors
9 May 1874 –
1 September 1875		Titles of all additional counselors (except Joseph F. Smith) changed from Counselor to Assistant Counselor
1 September 1875 –
8 October 1876		Death of George A. Smith
8 October 1876 –
29 August 1877		 John Willard Young called as First Counselor
29 August 1877 –
10 October 1880		No organized First Presidency; Death of Brigham Young; dissolution of First Presidency
10 October 1880 –
25 July 1887		First Presidency reorganized after death of Brigham Young
25 July 1887 –
7 April 1889		No organized First Presidency; Death of John Taylor; dissolution of First Presidency
7 April 1889 –
2 September 1898		First Presidency reorganized after death of John Taylor
2 September 1898 –
13 September 1898		No organized First Presidency; Death of Wilford Woodruff; dissolution of First Presidency
13 September 1898 –
12 April 1901		First Presidency reorganized after death of Wilford Woodruff
12 April 1901 –
6 October 1901		Death of George Q. Cannon
6 October 1901 –
10 October 1901		 Joseph F. Smith called as First Counselor; Rudger Clawson called as Second Counselor.
NOTE: These counselors were sustained but not set apart due to the death of Snow 4 days later
10 October 1901 –
17 October 1901		No organized First Presidency; Death of Lorenzo Snow; dissolution of First Presidency
17 October 1901 –
27 March 1910		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Lorenzo Snow
27 March 1910 –
7 April 1910		Death of John R. Winder
7 April 1910 –
13 October 1911		 Anthon H. Lund called as First Counselor; John Henry Smith called as Second Counselor
13 October 1911 –
7 December 1911		Death of John Henry Smith
7 December 1911 –
19 November 1918		 Charles W. Penrose called as Second Counselor
19 November 1918 –
23 November 1918		No organized First Presidency; Death of Joseph F. Smith; dissolution of First Presidency
23 November 1918 –
2 March 1921		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Joseph F. Smith
2 March 1921 –
10 March 1921		Death of Anthon H. Lund
10 March 1921 –
16 May 1925		 Charles W. Penrose called as First Counselor; Anthony W. Ivins called as Second Counselor
16 May 1925 –
28 May 1925		Death of Charles W. Penrose
28 May 1925 –
11 December 1931		 Anthony W. Ivins called as First Counselor; Charles W. Nibley called as Second Counselor
11 December 1931 –
6 April 1933		Death of Charles W. Nibley
6 April 1933 –
23 September 1934		 J. Reuben Clark called as Second Counselor
23 September 1934 –
11 October 1934		Death of Anthony W. Ivins
11 October 1934 –
14 May 1945		 J. Reuben Clark called as First Counselor; David O. McKay called as Second Counselor
14 May 1945 –
21 May 1945		No organized First Presidency; Death of Heber J. Grant; dissolution of First Presidency
21 May 1945 –
4 April 1951		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Heber J. Grant
4 April 1951 –
9 April 1951		No organized First Presidency; Death of George Albert Smith; dissolution of First Presidency
9 April 1951 –
19 May 1959		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of George Albert Smith
19 May 1959 –
12 June 1959		Death of Stephen L Richards
12 June 1959 –
22 June 1961		 J. Reuben Clark called as First Counselor; Henry D. Moyle called as Second Counselor
22 June 1961 –
6 October 1961		 Hugh B. Brown called as Third Counselor
6 October 1961 –
12 October 1961		Death of J. Reuben Clark
12 October 1961 –
18 September 1963		 Henry D. Moyle called as First Counselor; Hugh B. Brown called as Second Counselor
18 September 1963 –
4 October 1963		Death of Henry D. Moyle
4 October 1963 –
28 October 1965		 Hugh B. Brown called as First Counselor; N. Eldon Tanner called as Second Counselor
28 October 1965 –
29 October 1965		 Thorpe B. Isaacson called as Counselor
29 October 1965 –
6 April 1968		 Joseph Fielding Smith called as Counselor
6 April 1968 –
18 January 1970		 Alvin R. Dyer called as Counselor
18 January 1970 –
23 January 1970		No organized First Presidency; Death of David O. McKay; dissolution of First Presidency
23 January 1970 –
2 July 1972		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of David O. McKay
2 July 1972 –
7 July 1972		No organized First Presidency; Death of Joseph Fielding Smith; dissolution of First Presidency
7 July 1972 –
26 December 1973		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Joseph Fielding Smith
26 December 1973 –
30 December 1973		No organized First Presidency; Death of Harold B. Lee; dissolution of First Presidency
30 December 1973 –
23 July 1981		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Harold B. Lee
23 July 1981 –
27 November 1982		 Gordon B. Hinckley called as Counselor
27 November 1982 –
2 December 1982		Death of N. Eldon Tanner
2 December 1982 –
5 November 1985		 Marion G. Romney called as First Counselor; Gordon B. Hinckley called as Second Counselor
5 November 1985 –
10 November 1985		No organized First Presidency; Death of Spencer W. Kimball; dissolution of First Presidency
10 November 1985 –
30 May 1994		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Spencer W. Kimball
30 May 1994 –
5 June 1994		No organized First Presidency; Death of Ezra Taft Benson; dissolution of First Presidency
5 June 1994 –
3 March 1995		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Ezra Taft Benson
3 March 1995 –
12 March 1995		No organized First Presidency; Death of Howard W. Hunter; dissolution of First Presidency
12 March 1995 –
10 August 2007		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Howard W. Hunter
10 August 2007 –
6 October 2007		Death of James E. Faust [4]
6 October 2007 –
27 January 2008		 Henry B. Eyring called as Second Counselor
27 January 2008 –
3 February 2008		No organized First Presidency; Death of Gordon B. Hinckley; dissolution of First Presidency
3 February 2008 –
2 January 2018		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Gordon B. Hinckley [5]
2 January 2018 – 14 January 2018
No organized First Presidency; Death of Thomas S. Monson; dissolution of First Presidency
14 January 2018 –Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Thomas S. Monson [6]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ For purposes of this chart, the First Presidency of the LDS Church is assumed to be a continuation of the First Presidency established by Joseph Smith in 1832.
  2. 1 2 3 Gause and Rigdon were never formally designated as "first" and "second" counselor. However, one researcher has provided several pieces of circumstantial evidence which suggest that Gause could be regarded in today's terms as Smith's "first" counselor. See Quinn, D. Michael (1983). "Jesse Gause: Joseph Smith's Little Known Counselor". BYU Studies. 23 (4): 487–493 at 489–490.
  3. 1 2 Smith appointed Bennett to serve "as Assistant President until President [Sidney] Rigdon's health should be restored.": History of the Church , 4:341. However, since Rigdon was a member of the First Presidency but not the Assistant President, many have speculated that Bennett's intended role was as a fill-in for Rigdon as a counselor in the First Presidency. Unlike both Oliver Cowdery and Hyrum Smith, Bennett was not ordained to the priesthood office of apostle and he was not given all of the keys of the priesthood. Therefore, it appears that Bennett's status as "Assistant President" may not have been commensurate with the position held by Cowdery and Hyrum Smith.
  4. ↑ "President James E. Faust dies at age 87". Deseret Morning News. 2007-08-10. Archived from the original on 2007-08-18. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  5. ↑ "LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley dies at age 97". Deseret Morning News. 2008-01-27. Archived from the original on January 31, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
  6. ↑ "President Monson Dies at Age 90". Church News. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-16.

Related Research Articles

In Mormonism, the Melchizedek priesthood, also referred to as the high priesthood of the holy order of God or the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, is the greater of the two orders of priesthood, the other being the Aaronic priesthood.

President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Normally, the president of the Quorum of the Twelve is the most senior apostle in the church, aside from the president of the church. When the president of the church dies, it is the president of the Quorum of the Twelve who becomes the new church president. The calling of President of the Twelve has been held by 27 men. 16 Quorum Presidents have subsequently become President of the Church. Since January 2018, Dallin H. Oaks has been the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. Since Oaks is also first counselor in the First Presidency, M. Russell Ballard served as acting president until his death on November 12, 2023. Jeffrey R. Holland became the new acting president on November 15, 2023.

Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency include the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Community of Christ, Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

In the Latter Day Saint movement, an apostle is a "special witness of the name of Jesus Christ who is sent to teach the principles of salvation to others." In many Latter Day Saint churches, an apostle is a priesthood office of high authority within the church hierarchy. In many churches, apostles may be members of the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency of the church. In most Latter Day Saint churches, modern-day apostles are considered to have the same status and authority as the Biblical apostles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)</span> Governing body of LDS Church

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy. Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are apostles, with the calling to be prophets, seers, and revelators, evangelical ambassadors, and special witnesses of Jesus Christ.

In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, founder of the movement, and the office assumed by many of Smith's claimed successors, such as Brigham Young, Joseph Smith III, Sidney Rigdon, and James Strang. Several other titles have been associated with this office, including First Elder of the church, Presiding High Priest, President of the High Priesthood, Trustee-in-Trust for the church, Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator. Joseph Smith was known by all of these titles in his lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Latter Day Saint movement</span>

The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement within Christianity that arose during the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century and that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism, and to the existence of numerous Latter Day Saint churches. Its history is characterized by intense controversy and persecution in reaction to some of the movement's doctrines and practices and their relationship to mainstream Christianity. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the different groups, beliefs, and denominations that began with the influence of Joseph Smith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. Russell Ballard</span> American businessman and religious leader (1928–2023)

Melvin Russell Ballard Jr. was an American businessman and religious leader who served as the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2018 until his death in 2023. He had been a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since 1985. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ballard was accepted by church members as a prophet, seer, and revelator. At the time of his death, he was the third most senior apostle in the church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyrum Smith</span> American Mormon leader (1800–1844)

Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, and was killed with his brother at Carthage Jail where they were being held awaiting trial.

The succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement occurred after the killing of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, on June 27, 1844.

A Rigdonite is a member of the Latter Day Saint movement who accepts Sidney Rigdon as the successor in the church presidency to the movement's founder, Joseph Smith Jr. The early history of the Rigdonite movement is shared with the history of the Latter Day Saint movement, but as of the 1844 succession crisis becomes distinct. Sidney Rigdon and other church leaders, including Brigham Young and James J. Strang, presented themselves as leaders of the movement and established rival church organizations. Rigdon's group was initially headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was known at one point as the Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion, and its adherents are referred to as Rigdonites, or sometimes "Pennsylvania Latter Day Saints" or "Pennsylvania Mormons." The only surviving organization that traces its succession back to Rigdon's organizations is The Church of Jesus Christ, founded by a group of Rigdon's followers led by William Bickerton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Presidency (LDS Church)</span> Highest ecclesiastical body in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The First Presidency, also called the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church or simply the Presidency, is the presiding governing body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of Russell M. Nelson and his two counselors: Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring.

Assistant President of the Church was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith. The Assistant President was the second-highest authority in the church and was a member of the church's governing First Presidency. As President of the Church, Smith appointed two men to serve in the position of Assistant President. After Smith's death, most Latter Day Saint denominations discontinued the position of Assistant President of the Church.

In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Common Council of the Church is a body of the church that has the power to discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency due to misbehavior. Its existence and status are uncertain and controversial, and the body has only been formally convened twice, once to try Joseph Smith in 1834 and once in 1844 when Sidney Rigdon was excommunicated in absentia. The Common Council of the Church is sometimes confused with the Council of the Church.

What follows is a list of events in chronological order that affected the membership of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) is part of the Latter Day Saint movement. When Joseph Smith, the founder of the movement, died there was a dispute regarding who should lead the church as his successor. The Quorum of the Twelve, led by Brigham Young, argued that they should have the right to lead the church while the First Counselor of the First Presidency, Sidney Rigdon, argued that he should act as protector of the church until a permanent leader was chosen. Those who followed Rigdon formed the "Church of Christ" with its center being Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After an attempt to start a communitarian society, Church of Christ broke apart by 1847. William Bickerton associated himself for two years with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and later left them behind refusing to accept some of their beliefs, including polygamy. In the 1850s Bickerton's preaching led to the formation of a new church in Eastern Pennsylvania. Over the following years Bickerton's church faced two schisms related to doctrinal issues. Its current official name, The Church of Jesus Christ, was adopted by 1941.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mormonism in the 19th century</span>

This is a chronology of Mormonism. In the late 1820s, Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, announced that an angel had given him a set of golden plates engraved with a chronicle of ancient American peoples, which he had a unique gift to translate. In 1830, he published the resulting narratives as the Book of Mormon and founded the Church of Christ in western New York, claiming it to be a restoration of early Christianity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of the Church (LDS Church)</span> Highest office of the LDS church

The President of the Church is the highest office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, the church's founder. The church's president is its leader and the head of the First Presidency, its highest governing body. Latter-day Saints consider the president of the church to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator" and refer to him as "the Prophet", a title that was originally given to Smith. When the name of the president is used by adherents, it is usually prefaced by the title "President". Russell M. Nelson has been the president since January 14, 2018.

Apostolic succession in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the process of transition to a new church president when the preceding one has died.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.