APOSTLES -- Vital Information
(births, deaths, events of note, etc.) Quizzes

QUESTION: In what year was the largest number of future apostles born?
ANSWER: The largest number of future apostles born in a given year was FIVE in the year 1811. The five apostles who were born in 1811 are Ezra T. Benson, William B. Smith, Orson Pratt, John F. Boynton, and Lyman E. Johnson.

QUESTION: In what decade was the largest number of future apostles born?
ANSWER: The largest number of future apostles was born in the decade of the 1870's. Fourteen future apostles were born during the years 1870-1879. These 14 apostles were George Albert Smith (1870), Alonzo A. Hinckley (1870), Richard R. Lyman (1870), J. Reuben Clark Jr. (1871), John A. Widtsoe (1872), Hyrum Mack Smith (1872), Abraham O. Woodruff (1872), Melvin J. Ballard (1873), David O. McKay (1873), George Q. Morris (1874), Albert E. Bowen (1875), Joseph Fielding Smith (1876), Sylvester Q. Cannon (1877), and Stephen L. Richards (1879). Three of these 14 were future Presidents of the Church (Elders Smith, McKay, and Smith).

QUESTION: On several occasions we have had two apostles serving concurrently in the Quorum of the Twelve who shared the same birthday (day and month). Can you identify any of these occasions?
ANSWER: Answer: On at least four occasions there have been two apostles serving concurrently in the Quorum of the Twelve who shared the same birthday. Orson Hyde and Albert Carrington served together for 8 years, both having the birthday of January 8. Presidents Harold B. Lee and Spencer W. Kimball served side-by-side for almost 3 decades, sharing the birthday of March 28. Thomas B. Marsh and John Taylor served together in the Quorum for 3 months, sharing the birthday of November 1. John W. Taylor and Anthon H. Lund served together for 16 years, both having been born on May 15.

QUESTION: Who are the only members of the original Quorum of the Twelve that are buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery? (Hint: The original Twelve were Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, William E. M'Lellin, Parley P. Pratt, Luke S. Johnson, William B. Smith, Orson Pratt, John F. Boynton, and Lyman E. Johnson.)
ANSWER: The only members of the original Quorum of the Twelve that are buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery are Orson Pratt and Luke S Johnson.

QUESTION: Can you name the first apostle who was born in Utah (the Great Basin) and the first apostle to die in Utah (the Great Basin)?
ANSWER: The first apostle (future apostle) to be born in Utah was Orson F. Whitney, being born in Salt Lake City on July 1, 1855. He was ordained an apostle on April 9, 1906 at the age of 50. The first apostle to die in Utah was Willard Richards, who died in Salt Lake City on March 11, 1854 at the age of 49.

QUESTION: Can you name the first apostle (future apostle) born in the twentieth century?

ANSWER: The first apostle born in the 20th century was Elder Mark E. Peterson, being born on November 7, 1900.  Some would consider 1900 to be the last year of the 19th century.  If that is the case, then Alvin R. Dyer would be the first future-apostle born in the 20th century (January 1, 1903).

 

QUESTION: Sylvester Q. Cannon and Rudger Clawson, two apostles who served earlier in this century, died within 24 days of each other.  Have any two of our other apostles passed away within a shorter time interval than 24 days?

ANSWER:  The Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum (both apostles) died within minutes of each other on June 27, 1844.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell died on July 21, 2004 and Elder David B. Haight died on July 31, 2004, an interval of just 10 days.  Jedediah M. Grant died on December 1, 1856 and Lyman E. Johnson died on December 20, 1856, an interval of 19 days (Lyman was estranged from the Church at the time of his death).  Elder Cannon died May 29, 1943 and Elder Clawson died June 21, 1943, an interval of 24 days.

 

QUESTION: Not surprisingly, Utah ranks 1st as the state of birth for latter-day apostles. Numerically, which state ranks 2nd to Utah as the state of birth for latter-day apostles?

ANSWER: Surprisingly, Vermont ranks second to Utah as the state of birth for latter-day apostles. Ten of our 100 apostles were born in Vermont. These 10 apostles (listed by the order in which they were ordained) were Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Luke S. Johnson, William B. Smith, Lyman E. Johnson, Hyrum Smith, Erastus Snow, and Albert Carrington.

QUESTION: Of the many brethren who have been ordained apostles in this dispensation, all but six of them have been born in either the United States or England. Can you name the 6 apostles who were born in countries other than the United States or England? (Hint: the countries of birth of the other 6 are Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, and Czechoslovakia.)
ANSWER: The six apostles who were not born either in the United States or England are Marriner W. Merrill (Canada), Anthon H. Lund (Denmark), Charles A. Callis (Ireland), Marion G. Romney (Mexico), John A. Widtsoe (Norway), and Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Czechoslovakia).

QUESTION: Of the first 15 brethren who held the apostleship in this dispensation, four of them were slain by gunmen. Can you name these four?
ANSWER: The four brethren of the first fifteen apostles in this dispensation who were killed by gunmen were Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith on June 27, 1844, David W Patten on October 25, 1838, and Parley P Pratt on May 13, 1857. Hyrum obtained the apostleship on November 7, 1837 due to Oliver Cowdery's apostacy. Elder Patten died in the Battle of Crooked River, defending the rights of the Saints against the Missourians. Elder Pratt was assassinated in Arkansas while serving a mission (he was both stabbed and shot by three assassins).

QUESTION: The Prophet Joseph organized the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in February of 1835, with the original Twelve being ordained in February and April of that same year. Can you name the first of these original Twelve to die, and also the last of the original Twelve to die?
ANSWER: The first of the original 12 apostles to die was David W. Patten, who was killed in the Battle of Crooked River on October 15, 1838. The last of the original 12 apostles to die was William B. Smith (Joseph's brother), who died on November 13, 1894 at the age of 82 years and 10 months. Ironically, Elder Patten died as a martyr for the Gospel, and William Smith died estranged from the Church.

QUESTION: Three of our sixteen latter-day Church presidents were born in Idaho, and one is buried in Idaho. Can you name these prophets?
ANSWER: Presidents Harold B. Lee, Ezra Taft Benson, and Howard W. Hunter were all born in Idaho. President Lee was born in Clifton on March 28, 1899, President Benson in Whitney on August 4, 1899, and President Hunter in Boise on November 14, 1907. Remarkably, Clifton and Whitney are in the same county in Idaho (Franklin), only 13 miles apart. Only President Benson is buried in Idaho, his gravesite being located in Whitney.

QUESTION: Of the fifteen apostles currently serving (April 2009) in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, all but four were born in either Utah or Idaho. Can you name the four apostles who were born outside of Utah or Idaho?
ANSWER: All of our fifteen currently-serving apostles were born in either Utah or Idaho except Elders Robert D. Hales, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, and David A. Bednar. Elder Hales was born in New York City, New York where his father worked as an artist. Elder Eyring was born in Princeton, New Jersey where his father taught chemistry at Princeton University. Elder Uchtdorf was born in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, and Elder Bednar was born in San Leandro, California.

QUESTION: Amazingly, one of the apostles of this dispensation died in Paris. Can you name him and the circumstances that caused him to be in Paris at the time of his death?
ANSWER: I hope you don’t consider this a trick question.  Charles C. Rich died in Paris, Idaho on November 17, 1883. Brigham Young appointed Elder Rich to explore and settle the Bear Lake valley in 1863. Elder Rich and his family lived the rest of their lives in and around Paris, which is just north of Bear Lake. Rich County, the northeastern-most county of Utah, was named after Elder Rich.

QUESTION:  Which of our apostles in this dispensation have lived to the oldest age?

ANSWER:  Elder David B. Haight was 97 years 10 months 29 days old when he passed away.  President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away on January 27, 2008 at the age of 97 years 7 months 4 days.  Elder LeGrand Richards was 96 years 11 months 5 days old when he passed away.  President David O. McKay lived to the age of 96 years 04 months 10 days.  Nine other apostles have lived into their 90’s (Joseph Fielding Smith, Ezra Taft Benson, Charles W. Penrose, Hugh B. Brown, Wilford Woodruff, Marion G. Romney, Spencer W. Kimball, J. Reuben Clark, and Joseph B. Wirthlin).

 

QUESTION: Who was the first apostle to die in this dispensation?

ANSWER:  Elder David W. Patten was the first apostle to die in this dispensation.  He died in the Battle of Crooked River, defending the rights of the saints against the Missouri mobs.  He died on October 25, 1838 at the age of 38.

 

QUESTION:  Who was the first future apostle to be born in Utah (the Territory of Utah)?

ANSWER:  The first apostle to be born in Utah was Elder Orson F. Whitney, born in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 1, 1855.  President Heber J. Grant was born in Salt Lake City one year later, on November 22, 1856.

 

QUESTION: What has been the longest interval between the sequential deaths of apostles in this dispensation?

ANSWER: The longest interval between the deaths of two apostles in this dispensation has been 9 years and 5 months.  This was the interval between the death of President Howard W. Hunter (March 3, 1995) and Elder Neal A. Maxwell (July 21, 2004).  The second longest interval was 6 years, which elapsed between the deaths of Elders Charles W. Penrose and Orson F. Whitney.

 

QUESTION:  Which member of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is buried in Spring City, Sanpete County, Utah?

ANSWER:  Elder Orson Hyde is the original apostle that is buried in Spring City.  Upon migrating west, Elder Hyde resided in Salt Lake City until 1860.  At that point, he was assigned to preside of the saints in Sanpete County.  He performed great spiritual and temporal services for the saints in this area.  He played a leading role in the construction of the Manti Temple.  He was the father of a large and faithful family.

 

QUESTION:  How close have we come to having future apostles born on the same day?

ANSWER:  Elders Russell M. Nelson and Boyd K. Packer were born one day apart (September 9 and 10, 1924), Elders Orson Pratt and John F. Boynton were born one day apart (September 19 and 20, 1811), and Elders Dallin H. Oaks and Robert D. Hales were born 12 days apart (August 12 and 14, 1932).

 

 

 

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