Saturday, March 22, 2014

Notable Relatives: General Authorities and General Officers of the Church [updated]

Since General Conference is coming up, here's a list of the general authorities and officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are descended from the ancestors featured on this blog. If you know of others, please leave a note in the comments so I can add them to the list.

 The first nine mentioned are relatives of Wallace Tanner (Francis Marion Lyman through Delbert Stapley). The next three are relatives of Maxine Morgan Tanner (her grandfather John Morgan, as well as Frank Gibbons and Timothy Dyches). The last four are relatives of Beverly Glade Wessman (Marion G. Romney, Royden G. Derrick, LeGrand Curtis Jr., and May Green Hinckley).



Descendants of John Tanner and Lydia Stewart

(1840-1916)

Oldest son of Apostle Amasa M. Lyman and his wife Louisa Maria Tanner. Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1880-1916), President of the Quorum (1903-1916). Many children were named after him, particularly in the Arizona settlements where he was greatly loved; see, for example, Francis M. Gibbons below.
Francis M. Lyman [of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles] had to come from Tooele the night before our meeting and spend one night [in Salt Lake City] and all day in order to be at the meetings of the Presidency and Apostles, which lasted two or three hours, but he never missed one of them. 
I said to him one day: “It is remarkable to me that you are so prompt and always present at our meetings.” 
He said: “I do not want to miss any inspiration from the Lord; I do not want the Spirit of the Lord to come to me second hand. I want to partake of it, and to feel it, and to realize it, and to know it for myself.” (Heber J. Grant, in Conference Report, October 1934, 122-123, as quoted in Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant.)
* * *

(1870-1963)

Son of Francis M. Lyman. Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1918-1943). Excommunicated in 1943. Richard's wife Amy Brown Lyman (1872-1959) served as General President of the Relief Society from 1940 to 1945.
Since the gospel is to be preached to every nation, every kindred, every tongue, every people, everywhere in the world, and since its purpose is to bring peace on earth and good will to men, that great blessing for which all good people everywhere are praying this very Sabbath day, are not those words of the Prophet prophetic when he said: “Now behold, a marvelous work and a wonder is about to come forth among the children of men” (Doctrine & Covenants 4:1).
* * *

(1883-1975)

Educator and lawyer. Member of the Canadian military in World War I. Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve (1953-1958). Member of the Quorum of the Twelve (1958-1961, 1970-1975). Counselor in the First Presidency (1961-1970).
You young people live in an age when freedom of the mind is suppressed over much of the world. We must preserve it in the Church and in America and resist all efforts of earnest men to suppress it, for when it is suppressed, we might lose the liberties vouchsafed in the Constitution of the United States. 
Preserve, then, the freedom of your mind in education and in religion, and be unafraid to express your thoughts and to insist upon your right to examine every proposition. We are not so much concerned with whether your thoughts are orthodox or heterodox as we are that you shall have thoughts. One may memorize much without learning anything. In this age of speed there seems to be little time for meditation. 
Dissatisfaction with what is around us is not a bad thing if it prompts us to seek betterment. … (BYU Address, May 13, 1969, LDS Church News. Source and discussion.)
* * *

(1898-1982)

Canadian educator and politician. Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve (1960-1962). Member of the Quorum of the Twelve (1962-1962). Counselor in the First Presidency (1963-1982).
The people with whom you associate respect you if you live according to the teachings of the church of Jesus Christ. People expect a great deal from the members of this Church because we profess much. I have never at any time found that my membership in the Church and living according to the teachings of the gospel were deterrents. 
Let each of us every day live an exemplary life, that our influence may be felt for good and that others, seeing our good works, may be led to glorify God. (Ensign, February 1980, 5.)
* * *

(1921-2011)

Member of the First Council (1953-1968) and Quorum (1976-1992) of the Seventy. Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve (1968-1976). Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy (1976-1980) and Seventy (1984-1992). Missionary in the Northern States Mission, served in the Navy during World War II, lawyer, author of "That Easter Morn" (Hymn 198). ("In Memoriam.")

* * *

(1950-)

Educator. Counselor in the General Sunday School Presidency (2014-). Married to Susan Winder Tanner (1953-), President of the Young Women (2002-2008) and author of Daughters in My Kingdom.


— o o O o o —


Descendant of John Tanner and Elizabeth Beswick

(1859-1927)

Member of the Presidency of the Sunday School (1901-1906) and Commissioner of Church Education (1901-1905). Prolific author. He was the husband of author Annie Clark Tanner and father of Utah educator and philanthropist O.C. Tanner.


— o o O o o —




(1936-2013)

Member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy (1999-2005). In the following conference address, he mentions his grandfather Lars Peter Oveson, the brother of our ancestor, Ove Oveson.
In the long run, offering ourselves for sacred uses might simply mean maintaining a consistent attitude of meek willingness to offer all we are capable of giving at any given time while we help those about us do the same. Consecration seems to be a day-to-day process of dedication, humility, refinement, and purification as we follow the example of the most consecrated person of all time—our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. (Stephen and Dixie Randall Oveson, "Personal Consecration," Ensign, September 2005.)


— o o O o o —




(1896-1978)

Missionary to the Southern States. Quorum of the Twelve (1950-1978). (We are descended from Charles's sister Sarai and Sarah's brother Samuel, so our four common ancestors are one generation further back.)


— o o O o o —



(1842-1894)

Union soldier in the Civil War. Utah educator and legislator. President of the Southern States Mission. Second counselor in the General Sunday School Presidency (1883-1894) and President of the Quorum of the Seventy (1884-1894). (See biographical information here and here and at Ancestral Ties.)
About half a century ago the Lord revealed His will to a humble youth and it was predicted that his name should be good and evil spoken of throughout the earth. Many of the predictions of Joseph Smith have been literally fulfilled as well as the predictions of the ancient prophets. It was revealed that men's blood would be shed and their lives sacrificed in the promulgation of the truth. These things tended to the accomplishment of the designs of God upon the earth and the bringing about of that liberty which men wish to enjoy. The time will come when men will have truth and liberty throughout the land. Through the sufferings and toils of the Latter-day Saints, shall these results, in the providences of the Almighty, be brought about. (Source.)


— o o O o o —



(1921-2016)
Lawyer. Prolific biographer. Secretary to First Presidency (1970-1986). First (1986-1989) and Second (1989-1991) Quorum of the Seventy. 
Born in the little town of St. Johns, and I told my friends over the years if you can't spot it in your minds, it's fifteen miles east of Concho. [Laughter.] And to many it's the end of the earth, but to those of us who were born there, it's the center of the earth. ("Sixteen Years as a Witness," General Conference, April 1986.)

— o o O o o —



(1951-)
Physician. Second Quorum of the Seventy (2013-2021).
Be assured the Savior still seeks to mend our souls and heal our hearts. He waits at the door and knocks. Let us answer by beginning again to pray, repent, forgive, and forget. Let us love God and serve our neighbor and stand in holy places with a life made clean. ("Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?" General Conference, October 2013.)


— o o O o o —



Descendant of Archibald Hill and Isabella Hood


(1897-1988)
Born in Mexico, cousin of the political Romneys, who are also descendants of Archibald and Isabella Hood Hill. Lawyer, politician. Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve (1941-1951). Alternately member of the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Presidency (1951-1988).

We lose our life by serving and lifting others. By so doing we experience the only true and lasting happiness. Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made. Oh, for the glorious day when these things all come naturally because of the purity of our hearts... We are truly happy only when we are engaged in unselfish service. Service is what godhood is all about. ("The Celestial Nature of Self-Reliance," General Conference, June 1984.)

— o o O o o —


Descendant of James Glade and Isabella Love

(1915-2009)
Engineer. Member of board of regents of University of Utah. First Quorum of the Seventy (1976-1989) and Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy (1980-1984).
Problems form an important part of our lives. They are placed in our path for us to overcome them, not to be overcome by them. We must master them, not let them master us. Every time we overcome a challenge, we grow in experience, in self assuredness, and in faith. (General Conference, April 1989.)

— o o O o o —


Descendant of James Glade and Eliza Mary Litson

(1952-)
Lawyer, professor at J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU. First Quorum of the Seventy (2011-2022). Church Historian and Recorder (2019–2022).
The redemption referred to in these three scriptures, of course, is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is the “plenteous redemption” provided by our loving God (Psalm 130:7). Unlike the redemptions under the law of Moses or in modern legal arrangements, this redemption does not come by “corruptible things, as silver and gold” (1 Peter 1:18). “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). ("Redemption," General Conference, October 2011.)

— o o O o o —


Daughter of William Green and Lucy Marsden

(1881-1943)
General President of the Primary (1940-1943). Stepmother of Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church, and step-grandmother of Virginia H. Pearce, a member of the Young Women General Presidency.



— o o O o o —


Descendant of James Pettit and Mary Ann Sealey

(1930-2001)
Businessman, hymn writer, President of Nauvoo Restoration, Inc., first President of the Boston Temple. First Council of the Seventy (1968-1976). First Quorum of the Seventy (1975-2000).
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

1 comment:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)