Heber J. Grant | |
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"Heber Jeddy Grant, L.D.S.," Time cover, 1930 | |
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Personal details | |
Born | Heber Jeddy Grant November 22, 1856 |
Died | May 14, 1945 |
Heber J. Grant (November 22, 1856 – May 14, 1945) was the seventh President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormonism). He was ordained an apostle on October 16, 1882, on the same day as George Teasdale. Grant served as Church President from 1918 to his death in 1945.
Heber Jeddy Grant1 was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Jedediah M. and Rachel Ridgeway Ivins Grant. Jedediah Grant had served as Brigham Young's counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church. However, he died nine days after Heber was born, and Rachel became the dominant influence in Heber's life. In business, Heber J. Grant helped develop the Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City. In 1884 he served a term as a representative to the Utah Territorial Legislature.
In 1901, Grant was sent to Japan to open the Japanese Mission of the LDS church, where he served as its president until 1903 when he returned home but was almost immediately sent to preside over the British and European Mission.
Heber J. Grant succeeded Joseph F. Smith as President of the Church in November 1918. However, he was not sustained in the position by the general church membership until June 1919, as the widespread influenza pandemic of 1918-1920 forced a delay of the traditional April LDS General conference.
During his tenure as President, Grant enforced the Manifesto outlawing plural marriage throughout his tenure as president of the church, and gave inspired guidance as the church's social structure evolved away from its early days of plural marriages. One of his greatest legacies as Prophet and President of the Church is the welfare program of the Church, which was instituted by revelation in 1936. He said, "Our primary purpose was to set up, in so far as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift and self-respect be once more established amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people help themselves." (ibid, p. xxiv)
Heber J. Grant died in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Heber J. Grant was the last of the presidents of the LDS Church to practice "plural marriage". He married a first time in 1877 and then again twice in 1884. Some sources suggest the latter two marriages were annulled after the Manifesto ending plural marriages was issued by President Wilford Woodruff in 1890, but no evidence can be found to support this.
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(help)1His middle name was indeed "Jeddy", not "Jedediah", though his father, a Counselor in the First Presidency of Brigham Young, was Jedediah Morgan Grant.
Preceded by Joseph F. Smith |
President of the LDS Church November 23, 1918–May 14, 1945 |
Succeeded by George Albert Smith |
Preceded by Francis M. Lyman |
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles November 18, 1916–November 23, 1918 |
Succeeded by Anthon H. Lund |
Preceded by George Teasdale |
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles October 16, 1882–November 23, 1918 |
Succeeded by John W. Taylor |