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 range | President of the Church (and Assistant Presidents) |
First Counselor | Second Counselor | Other 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 |
John Smith (AC)
|
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 (C)
|
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 |
Joseph F. Smith (C)
John Willard Young (C) George Q. Cannon (C) Brigham Young, Jr. (C) Lorenzo Snow (C) Albert Carrington (C) |
John Willard Young, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., Lorenzo Snow, and Albert Carrington called as Counselors | |||||
| 9 May 1874 – 1 September 1875 |
Joseph F. Smith (C)
John Willard Young (AC) George Q. Cannon (AC) Brigham Young, Jr. (AC) Lorenzo Snow (AC) Albert Carrington (AC) |
Titles of all additional counselors (except Joseph F. Smith) changed from Counselor to Assistant Counselor | |||||
| 1 September 1875 – 8 October 1876 |
Joseph F. Smith (C)
John Willard Young (AC) George Q. Cannon (AC) Brigham Young, Jr. (AC) Lorenzo Snow (AC) Albert Carrington (AC) |
Death of George A. Smith | |||||
| 8 October 1876 – 29 August 1877 |
Joseph F. Smith (C)
George Q. Cannon (AC) Brigham Young, Jr. (AC) Lorenzo Snow (AC) Albert Carrington (AC) |
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
edit
Notes
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "President Monson Dies at Age 90". Church News. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-16.