Anthony W. Ivins

Summary

Anthony Woodward Ivins (September 16, 1852 – September 23, 1934) was an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and was a member of the church's First Presidency from 1921 until his death.

Anthony W. Ivins
Taken in 1921 at age 68/69
First Counselor in the First Presidency
May 25, 1925 (1925-05-25) – September 23, 1934 (1934-09-23)
PredecessorCharles W. Penrose
SuccessorJ. Reuben Clark
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
March 10, 1921 (1921-03-10) – May 25, 1925 (1925-05-25)
PredecessorCharles W. Penrose
SuccessorCharles W. Nibley
End reasonCalled as First Counselor in the First Presidency
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 6, 1907 (1907-10-06) – March 10, 1921 (1921-03-10)
End reasonCalled as Second Counselor in the First Presidency
LDS Church Apostle
October 6, 1907 (1907-10-06) – September 23, 1934 (1934-09-23)
ReasonDeath of George Teasdale
Reorganization
at end of term
Alonzo A. Hinckley ordained; David O. McKay added to First Presidency
Personal details
BornAnthony Woodward Ivins
(1852-09-16)September 16, 1852
Toms River, New Jersey, United States
DiedSeptember 23, 1934(1934-09-23) (aged 82)
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Resting placeSalt Lake City Cemetery
40°46′37″N 111°51′29″W / 40.777°N 111.858°W / 40.777; -111.858 (Salt Lake City Cemetery)
Spouse(s)Elizabeth A. Snow
Children9, including
Antoine R. Ivins
ParentsIsrael Ivins
Ann Lowrie

Early life and family edit

 
Ivins at age 35 (c. 1887)

Ivins was born in Toms River, New Jersey. When Ivins was still an infant, his parents migrated to Utah Territory. In 1861 they moved in St. George, Utah, as part of the original settling party for that city.[1]

Ivins was a cousin of Heber J. Grant: Ivins's mother and Grant's mother were sisters, surnamed Ivins, and were distant cousins of Ivins's father.[2] In 1878, Ivins married Elizabeth A. Snow, a daughter of Erastus Snow, an apostle; they had nine children. His son Antoine R. Ivins also served as a general authority of the LDS Church.

Politics and public service edit

On his return to St. George from an 1877 mission, Ivins was appointed a constable. He later served on the St. George city council and as a prosecuting attorney for Washington County, Utah. He served as mayor of St. George in the early 1890s. Under his administration the city built a canal to St. George.[3]

After a mission to Mexico City, Ivins served as Mohave County Assessor, as special Indian Agent for the Shivwits band of Southern Paiutes, and as a delegate to the 1895 Utah State Constitutional Convention.

Ivins was an avid member of the Democratic Party.

Church service edit

In 1875, Ivins was part of an exploratory mission that found many sites in New Mexico and Arizona which were later colonized by the Mormons. In 1877, he served a mission to New Mexico, where he focused much of his attention on the Native Americans, but also preached to people of Mexican descent.

In the years immediately after his marriage, he served as a member of the stake high council in St. George. In 1882, Ivins was called on a mission to Mexico City, where he served for about the next two years. He served as the first stake president in Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua; the Juárez Stake was the first stake in Mexico.[4] Ivins served in this position until his call to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1907.

Ivins was ordained an apostle and joined the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 6, 1907, after the death of George Teasdale. From 1918 to 1921, Ivins was the superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. In 1921, Ivins was called as second counselor to Heber J. Grant in the First Presidency, and was replaced in the Quorum of the Twelve by Alonzo A. Hinckley. In 1925, Ivins became the first counselor to Grant in the First Presidency, and he served in this position until his death.

Death edit

Ivins died in Salt Lake City of a coronary occlusion.[5] He was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Honors edit

The small city of Ivins, Utah, is named after him. Ivins Mountain, located in Zion National Park, was named after him in 1935. In 1958, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for his contributions to the cattle industry.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ Anthony W. Ivins, Washington County Historical Society. Accessed November 22, 2017. "Anthony Woodward Ivins was born September 16, 1852 in Toms River, New Jersey. He and his family emigrated to Salt Lake City, arriving in August 1853 after a 140-day journey."
  2. ^ Young "Tony" Ivins - Dixie Frontiersman by Ronald W. Walker (BYU Studies, 2001) at Washington County Historical Society. "Israel and Anna continued the tradition of marrying within the family. They were  distant  (perhaps  second)  cousins, both surnamed Ivins at birth." (p.107)
  3. ^ Senator Orval hafen and the Transformation of Utah's Dixie, ''Utah Historical Quarterly, Vol. 70, no. 1 (2002), p. 85[permanent dead link] by Douglas D. Alder [permanent dead link]
  4. ^ 2006 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac, p. 396.
  5. ^ State of Utah Death Certificate Archived July 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ "Hall of Great Westerners". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  • Wilson, Guy C.; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1921). "President Anthony Woodward Ivins". The Young woman's journal. Vol. 32. Salt Lake City, Utah: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association General Board. pp. 264–268. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles
Preceded by First Counselor in the First Presidency
May 25, 1925 – September 23, 1934
Succeeded by
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
March 10, 1921 – May 25, 1925
Succeeded by
Preceded by Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 6, 1907 – September 23, 1934
Succeeded by
Preceded by Superintendent of the
Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association

1918–1921
Succeeded by