PROPHETS – Family Relationships
QUESTION: Two of our Church Presidents were nephews
to previous Church Presidents. Can you
name these two nephews and their two uncles who all served as Church
Presidents?
ANSWER: President Joseph F. Smith was the son of Hyrum Smith, the brother of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Thus Joseph F. Smith was the nephew of the Prophet Joseph. President Spencer W. Kimball was the son of Andrew Kimball. Andrew Kimball was the twin brother of Alice Kimball Smith, a wife of President Joseph F. Smith. Thus, Spencer W. Kimball was a nephew of President Joseph F. Smith.
QUESTION: Eight of our Church presidents have had a wife pass away while they were serving as Church President. Can you name these eight brethren?
ANSWER: 1) Brigham Young married Clarissa Ross on
QUESTION: How many of the mothers of our latter-day prophets lived long enough to see their sons serve as the President of the Church? How many of these same mothers were alive when their sons were ordained apostles?
ANSWER: The only mother of a church president who was alive during her son's service as President is Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet Joseph. Joseph was martyred in 1844 and Lucy Smith died in 1856. Eight of the mothers of our church presidents were alive when their sons were ordained apostles. These eight are Lucy Mack Smith (Joseph Smith), Agnes Taylor (John Taylor), Rachel Ridgway Ivins Grant (Heber J. Grant), Sarah Farr Smith (George Albert Smith), Julina Lambson Smith (Joseph Fielding Smith), Louisa Emeline Bingham Lee (Harold B. Lee), Nellie Marie Rasmussen Hunter (Howard W. Hunter), and Gladys Condie Monson (Thomas S. Monson).
QUESTION: Can you identify the first prophet (future prophet) who was born to LDS parents and the first prophet (future prophet) born in the 20th century?
ANSWER: The
first prophet born to LDS parents was Joseph F. Smith, the son of Hyrum Smith
and Mary Fielding. The first prophet
born in the 20th century was Howard W. Hunter, being born on
QUESTION: President Gordon B. Hinckley had two close relatives who served as apostles. Can you name these two apostles?
ANSWER: The two apostles who were relatives of President Hinckley are Joseph B. Wirthlin and Alonzo A. Hinckley. Gordon Bitner Hinckley and Joseph Bither Hinckley were cousins, having the same grandfather (Brenemen Barr Bitner) but different grandmothers. President Hinckley's uncle, Alonzo Hinckley, served as an apostle in the 1930's. Alonzo was a brother of Bryant Stringham Hinckley, President Hinckley's father.
QUESTION: Four of our latter-day prophets have had sons serve as apostles. Can you name these four prophets?
ANSWER: Following are the four prophets with sons as
apostles (the sons are listed after the fathers) -- Brigham
Young (Joseph A. Young, Brigham Young Jr., John Willard Young), John Taylor (John W.
QUESTION: One of our prophets was not only the son of an apostle, but he was also the son-in-law of an apostle. Can you name this prophet?
ANSWER: Heber J. Grant was the son of Jedediah M. Grant, an apostle who served as a counselor to Brigham Young. He was also the son-in-law of Daniel H. Wells, another apostle that served as a counselor to Brigham. President Grant was married to Emily Harris Wells, Daniel H. Wells’ daughter.
QUESTION: One of our apostles had the unique privilege of being considered “the son of President Joseph Smith”. Can you name this apostle and the circumstances surrounding this designation?
ANSWER: Heber J. Grant was the
apostle with this unique designation. He
wrote of this is his own personal journal thusly: “I then spoke for 15 minutes…
Brother Joseph F. Smith followed, occupying the remainder of the time. He announced that he looked upon me as being
the seed actually of the Prophet Joseph Smith under the new and everlasting covenant,
my mother having been sealed to the Prophet for all eternity, and only married
to my father [Jedediah M. Grant] for time.
This remark was called forth because of Joseph E. Taylor saying that the
Lord would not forget the seed of the Prophet Joseph Smith, but that they would
be remembered… Joseph F. Smith did not
mention my name, but he announced that the Lord had not forgotten the seed of
the Prophet Joseph, that his seed held the high priesthood in the church, and
that he had a son who was sitting not far from where he was then standing… I knew Brother Smith meant me as on other
occasions he had referred to me as the son of President Joseph Smith.” (Succession In The Church,
QUESTION: One of our Church presidents had a brother serve as one of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy. Can you name the prophet and his brother?
ANSWER: President Brigham
Young’s older brother, Joseph Young, was
ordained as one of the Presidents of the Seventy on
QUESTION: One of our Church presidents had a son serve as one of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy. Can you name the prophet and his son?
ANSWER: President John
Taylor’s son, William Whitaker Taylor, was
sustained as one of the First Seven Presidents on
QUESTION: One of our Church presidents had a father that served as one of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy. Can you name the prophet and his father?
ANSWER: President Heber J.
Grant’s father, Jedediah Morgan Grant, was
set apart as one of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy
QUESTION: One of our church
presidents called his nephew to serve as his first counselor in the First
Presidency. Can you name the prophet and
his nephew?
ANSWER: President John Taylor called his nephew, George Q. Cannon
to serve with him in the First Presidency.
President Taylor was married to Leonora Cannon, who was the sister of
George Cannon, the father of George Q. Cannon.
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