Biographical Sketches of Authors

Marvin Jeremy Ashton

Samuel Otis Bennion

Born June 9, 1874 in Taylorsville, Utah.
Ordained a seventy March 14, 1904 by Samuel Gerrard.
Sustained as one of the First Seven Presidents of the Seventy April 6, 1933 at age 58.
Died March 8, 1945 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 70.

Ezra Taft Benson

Born August 4, 1899 in Whitney, Idaho.
Called to the Council of the Twelve on October 7, 1943 at age 44.
Became the President of the Council of the Twelve on December 30, 1973.
Ordained and set apart as the 13th President of the Church on November 10, 1985 at age 86.
Died May 30, 1994 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 94.

Richard Louis Evans

Born March 23, 1906 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sustained as a member of the First Council of the Seventy October 7, 1938 at age 32.
Ordained an apostle October 8, 1953 at age 47.
Died November 1, 1971 at Salt Lake City, Utah, at age 65.

Gordon Bitner Hinckley

Born June 23, 1910 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sustained an Assistant to the Twelve April 6, 1958.
Ordained an apostle October 5, 1961 at age 51.
Called as a counselor to Spencer W. Kimball in the First Presidency July 23, 1981.
Sustained as the President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles October 1, 1994.
Ordained and set apart as the President of the Church March 12, 1995 at age 84.

Howard William Hunter

Born November 14, 1907 in Boise, Idaho.
Sustained to the Council of the Twelve October 10, 1959 and ordained an apostle October 15, 1959, at age 51.
Set apart as the Acting President of the Council of the Twelve November 10, 1985.
Set apart as the President of the Council of the Twelve June 2, 1988.
Ordained and set apart as President of the Church June 5, 1994 at age 86.
Died March 3, 1995 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 87.

Spencer Wooley Kimball

Born March 28, 1895 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ordained an apostle October 7, 1943 at age 48.
Became the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles after the death of President David O. McKay on January 18,1970.
Became President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles July 7, 1972.
Ordained and set apart as the President of the Church December 30, 1973 at age 78.
Died November 5, 1985 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 90.

David Oman McKay

Born September 8, 1873 in Huntsville, Utah.
Ordained an apostle April 9, 1906 at age 32 by Joseph F. Smith.
Sustained as second counselor to President Heber J. Grant in the First Presidency October 6, 1934.
Sustained as second counselor to President George Albert Smith in the First Presidency May 21, 1945.
Sustained as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles September 30, 1950.
Sustained as the President of the Church April 9, 1951 at age 77.
Died January 18, 1970 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 96.

William A. Morton

Brother Morton is not a General Authority of the Church, so I have no biographical information about him.

Russell Marion Nelson

Boyd Kenneth Packer

Born September 10, 1924 in Brigham City, Utah.
Named an Assistant to the Twelve September 30, 1961.
Sustained to the Council of the Twelve April 5, 1970.
Ordained an apostle April 9, 1970 at age 45.
Sustained as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 8, 1995.

Mark Edwards Petersen

LeGrand Richards

Stephen Louis Richards

Born June 18, 1879 in Mendon, Utah.
Ordained an apostle January 18, 1917 at age 37 by Joseph F. Smith.
Sustained as first counselor to President David O. McKay April 9, 1951 at age 71.
Died May 19, 1959 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 79.

Brigham Henry Roberts

Joseph Smith

Born December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont.
Received the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordained an apostle in May 1829 at age 23 by Peter, James, and John.
Sustained as First Elder of the Church April 6, 1830 at age 24.
Ordained high priest June 3, 1831 by Lyman Wight.
Sustained as president of the High Priesthood January 25, 1832 at a conference at Amherst, Loraine County, Ohio.
Martyred June 27, 1844 at Carthage Jail, Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, at age 38.

Joseph Fielding Smith

Born July 19, 1876 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ordained an apostle April 7, 1910 at age 33 by Joseph F. Smith.
Sustained as acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles September 30, 1950.
Sustained as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 9, 1951.
Sustained as counselor in the First Presidency October 29, 1965.
Ordained and set apart as president of the Church January 23, 1970 at age 93.
Died July 2, 1972 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 95.

Nathan Eldon Tanner

Born May 9, 1898 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sustained as Assistant to the Twelve October 8, 1960 at age 62.
Ordained an apostle October 11, 1962 at age 64.
Sustained as second counselor to President David O. McKay October 4, 1963.
Sustained as second counselor to President Joseph Fielding Smith January 23, 1970.
Sustained as first counselor to President Harold B. Lee July 7, 1972.
Sustained as first counselor to President Spencer W. Kimball December 30, 1973.
Died November 27, 1982 at Salt Lake City, Utah at age 84.