Explore information on thousands of people who are included in Wilford Woodruff's records. Discover their stories through his daily journal entries and their correspondence with him.
These short biographies identify individuals by name; birth date and location; parentage; marriage date and location (if applicable); baptism date and location (if applicable); death date and location; and a brief description of their association with Wilford Woodruff. A biographical reference is included for individuals who are mentioned in the Papers but may not have associated directly with him, such as historical and scriptural figures.
This list is regularly updated as new documents are transcribed and published on this site.
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were the first individuals ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood office of apostle in this dispensation in May of 1829. Joseph Smith was ordained as President of the High Priesthood, and Oliver Cowdery as Assistant President, on January 25, 1832. Joseph Smith appointed Jesse Gause and Sydney Rigdon as counselors March 8, 1832, forming the First Presidency (a title formally used beginning in 1838). The first members of what would become the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were ordained on February 14, 1835, and the Quorum of the Twelve has functioned since the 1830s as the second highest governing body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, under the direction of the First Presidency. Not all of those ordained to the office of apostle have served as official members of the Quorum of the Twelve. For example, some like Hyrum Smith, Daniel H. Wells, Jedediah M. Grant, and John W. Young, have been called to serve in other offices including counselors or assistant counselors to the First Presidency.
This list includes the names of the 53 individuals ordained as apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1829 and 1898.
