Called to be Apostles by Joseph F. Smith:
Hyrum M. Smith, George Albert Smith,
Charles W. Penrose, Orson F. Whitney,
George F. Richards, David O. McKay,
Anthony W. Ivins, Joseph Fielding Smith,
James E. Talmage, Stephen L. Richards,
Richard R. Lyman
(December 11, 1821 - March 27, 1910)
Second Counselor - October 17, 1901
Winder was born and raised in England. He heard about the church while working at a shoe store. He and his wife were baptized and moved to Utah in 1853. he was able to set up a franchise of successful tanneries. He was renowned as a successful businessman in every profession he tried. He was a business mentor to Heber J. Grant.
During the polygamy raids of the 1880's, members would put all their money under Winder's name so it couldn't be confiscated. He had a reputation of being trustworthy and financially sound. He was also involved with many charities.
Winder was called into the First Presidency but he was never ordained an Apostle. Having him in the First Presidency may have aided members in trusting the church with their tithing money, knowing that it would be put to good use.
HYRUM M. SMITH
(March 21, 1872 - January 23, 1918)
Apostle - October 24, 1901
Hyrum was the eldest son of Joseph F. Smith, and the first Apostle called when Joseph F. took over as prophet. He then served as president of the European mission from 1913-1916, but activities for that mission had to be suspended due to World War I.
A few months before his father died, Hyrum died from a ruptured appendix at the young age of 45. His grandson M. Russell Ballard is one of the current members of the Quorum of the Twelve. (In fact, both of M. Russell Ballard's grandfathers were Apostles).
(April 4, 1870 - April 4, 1951)
Apostle - October 8, 1903
President of Q12 - June 21, 1943
Prophet/President - May 21, 1945
George was the son of Apostle John Henry Smith, grandson of Apostle George A. Smith, therefore a second cousin once removed to Joseph F. Smith. John Henry Smith was still an Apostle when George was called to join him in the Q12.
George graduated from what would later be known as BYU and also got a degree from the future University of Utah. He was active in Republican politics and campaigned for William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
He married Lucy Woodruff, granddaughter of Wilford, in 1892. They both then served in the Southern states mission. He made his living as a salesman at ZCMI and became an Apostle at age 33.
He became the 8th President of the LDS church right as World War II was winding down. He made it a priority to send aid to the wore-torn areas in Europe. He emphasized missionary work and spreading the Gospel.
He was plagued by health problems throughout his life. He received permanent damage to his vision from the sun's glare while he worked as a surveyor. He had bouts of depression, and he was diagnosed with lupus. He ultimately died from the effects of lupus on his 81st birthday.
CHARLES W. PENROSE
(February 4, 1832 - May 16, 1925)
Apostle - July 7, 1904
Second Counselor (JFS, HJG) - December 7, 1911
First Counselor - March 10, 1921
Penrose was another Englishman, born and raised in London. He only had one wife, Lucetta, but they had 15 children together. He joined the church when he was 18 and wound serving a six-year mission, preaching all over the United Kingdom. In 1861, he and his family migrated to Utah.
He served in the Utah legislature, and he introduced the bill in 1880 that allowed women to serve in any public office. He was a talented writer and wrote the lyrics for a few of the hymns, including "God of Our Fathers." He was a BYU professor of theology.
He was called to be an Apostle after the sudden death of Abraham Woodruff, and seven years later, he became part of Joseph F. Smith's First Presidency. When Smith died, the new prophet Heber J. Grant retained him as 2nd counselor, and he made him 1st counselor when Anthon H. Lund died in 1921.
ORSON F. WHITNEY(July 1, 1855 - May 16, 1931)
Apostle - April 9, 1906
Orson was the son of Horace Whitney and Helen Kimball. Helen was the daughter of Heber C. Kimball, and she became a plural wife to Joseph Smith. After Joseph died, the 16-year-old widow was soon courted by Horace.
Orson made his living as a reporter and editor for the Deseret News, and he later taught English and Theology at the college in Logan that eventually become Utah State University. He served as assistant Church Historian until he was called to be an Apostle.
After Matthias F. Cowley and John W. Taylor resigned from the Q12 over polygamy issues, and Marriner W. Merrill died, there were three vacancies in the Quroum. Orson, George F. Richards, and David O. McKay were called the same day, but Orson had seniority.
Orson was a writer and a poet. He wrote a biography of his grandfather Heber C. Kimball and wrote the lyrics for tsome of the hymns including "Savior Redeemer of My Soul." He died from the flu at age 75.
GEORGE F. RICHARDS
(February 23, 1861 - August 8, 1950)
Apostle - April 9, 1906
President of Q12 - May 21, 1945
George was the son of Apostle Franklin D. Richards, great-nephew to Apostle Willard Richards, and he'd later be the father of Apostle LeGrand Richards. There are three instances of three generations being in the Quroum of the Twelve - George A., John Henry, and George Albert Smith; Amasa, Francis M., and Richard Lyman; and Franklin D., George F., and LeGrand Richards.
George worked as a railway clerk, farmer and school board member. He did a term in the Utah Legislature in 1899.
He was one of the three called to be an Apostle at the April 1906 General Conference. While an Apostle, he also served as the Salt Lake City Temple president. After Heber J. Grant became prophet, and he instructed the church to remove all references to vengeance and retaliation from church sermons, hymns and litertaure, Richards was the key in implementing the changes in the temple ceremony.
Richards was known as a practical man in his sermons, using every-day events to illustrate larger Gospel principles. He became President of the Quorum of the Twelve when Pres. Grant died and George Albert Smith was made prophet, but he died the year before Smith.
(September 8, 1873 - January 18, 1970)
Apostle - April 9, 1906
Second Counselor (HJG, GS) - October 11, 1934
President of Q12 - August 8, 1950
Prophet/President - April 9, 1951
McKay was only 32 when he was ordained an Apostle, and at almost 64 years, he was an Apostle or First Presidency member longer than anyone in LDS Church history.
McKay was the son of a Scottish immigrant and Welsh immigrant, born in Utah. He worked as a principal at LDS Weber Stake Academy and taught religion and literature classes. He was the youngest of the three Apostles called at the April 1906 General Conference. He toured the world and dedicated a few countries (including China) for missionary work.
In 1934, after the death Anthony W, Ivins, McKay was called into the First Presidency. He served in that capacity under Presidents Heber J. Grant and George Albert Smith.
McKay became prophet in 1951 and is largely credited for bring the LDS church into the modern era. He oversaw the Priesthood correlation program to ensure the structure in every ward was the same worldwide. He would grant national interviews and build coalitions with other religious groups. He was consulted on 1954's The Ten Commandments. He coined the phrase "Every member a missionary." In his 19 years, the church grew from 1.1 to 2.9 million members. He was an outspoken opponent of communism.
ANTHONY W. IVINS
(September 16, 1852 - September 23, 1934)
Apostle - October 6, 1907
Second Counselor - March 10, 1921
First Counselor - May 25, 1925
I'm noticing a lot of relatives being called in this era. Ivins was a first cousin to fellow Apostle Heber J. Grant when Pres. Smith called him. He was also the son-in-law of Erastus Snow.
He served his mission in Mexico and then became active in the Democratic party. He served exploratory missions to help colonize areas in Arizona and New Mexico. He was the first stake president of Juarez, Mexico.
He was 55 when he was called to be an Apostle and later served in Grant's First Presidency. He died at age 82.
(July 19, 1876 - July 2, 1972)
Apostle - April 7, 1910
President of Q12 - April 9, 1951
Counselor - October 29, 1965
Prophet/president - January 23, 1970
Joseph F. Smith called two of his sons to be Apostles, the second being Joseph Fielding Smith. JFS was the first son by his father's second wife, and due to the polygamy prosecutions in the 1880's, JFS wouldn't see his parents for years at a time and was raised mostly by his sisters and his father's other wives. JFS and Hyrum M. Smith were the first set of brothers to serve in the Q12 since Luke & Lyman Johnson.
JFS married Emyla Shurtliff in 1898, and they had two daughters, but Emyla died from complications with her third pregnancy in 1908. A few months later he married Ethel Reynolds, and at age 33, he was called to be an Apostle. He had nine more children with Ethel, but she died from a cerebral hemorrage in 1937. A few months later, he married Jessie Evans, who died the year before he died.
JFS became President of the Q12 when McKay became prophet, and he served in that capacity the next 19 years. He was also made an additional counselor in the First Presidency when McKay and his counselors were getting older and suffering health problems and couldn't fully perform all of their duties.
JFS was the oldest person in church history to become prophet, at age 93. He was able to serve for 2 1/2 years before his own death.
(September 21, 1862 - July 27, 1933)
Apostle - December 8, 1911
Talmage was born in England, making him the third Englishman that Joseph F. Smith called into the Q12 or First Presidency. Talmage was baptized at age 10, and he and his family moved to Utah in 1877.
Talmage was an academic and specialized in chemistry, geology and received the first diploma from BYU's science department. He wound up getting a PhD from llinois Wesleyan. He was a science professor at BYU and went on to be president of the future University of Utah. He wrote several religious books, including The Articles of Faith (1899) and Jesus the Christ (1915).
He brought a real cerebral, academic approach to the Gospel when called to be an Apostle at age 49. He died at only age 70.
STEPHEN L. RICHARDS
(June 18, 1879 - May 19, 1959)
Apostle - January 18, 1917
First Counselor - April 9, 1951
Stephen was the grandson of Willard Richards, who'd served in Brigham Young's First Presidency, but Willard died before Stephen was born. More relatives in the Q12. Stephen also married George A. Smith's granddaughter Irene Smith Merrill.
Stephen worked as a law professor at the University of Utah when he was called to be an Apostle, and when Pres. McKay became prophet, Stephen was his first counselor. He died at age 79.
(November 23, 1870 - December 31, 1963)
Apostle - April 7, 1918
Excommunicated - November 12, 1943
Rebaptized - 1954
After Pres. Smith son Hyrum died, he called Richard Lyman, son of Apostle Francis Lyman. His grandmother was George A. Smith's sister. Pres. Smith himself ordained Richard an elder when he was 21, and Pres. Smith married Richard to hs wife Amy Brown. Richard was the last Apostle Pres. Smith called before he died. Amy Brown Lyman would eventually become President of the General Relief Society.
Around 1925, he entered a secret polygamous relationship with Anne Hegsted. They were able to keep their relationship secret until 1943. Richard didn't feel like he'd done anything wrong, but he was excommunicated for adultery. Not even his wife was aware of the relationship. He's the last Apostle to ever get excommunicated from the LDS church. Sis. Lyman eventually asked to be released from her calling.
He was rebaptized in 1954 but his full Priesthood blessings were only restored posthumously.
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