Wilford Woodruff papers

Collection

Identifier: MS 0373

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Wilford Woodruff papers (1833-1898) contain a handwritten document by Woodruff regarding the successions of the Mormon Church Presidency, concerning Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt and their placement in line of succession of the LDS Church. Also included is a revelation of Wilford Woodruff from December 1877, two reels of microfilm which are of his original journals from 1833-1898, and two typed copies of extracts from his journal covering the years of 1834-1898.

Dates

1833-1898

Creator

Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical Sketch

Wilford Woodruff (1807-1898) was one of the most important record keepers in Mormon and early Utah History. His journal, which covers 1833-1898, is the best record for many of Joseph Smith's sermons. Born in Conneticut, Woodruff was in the saw-mill industry when he began a quest to find religion. He soon encountered the Mormon missionaries and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Within the decade he followed in the footsteps of those missionaries by serving missions in the Southern States, New England, and Great Britain. He was called as an apostle in 1839 and in eight years participated in the vanguard group that entered the Salt Lake Valley on 24 July 1847. He was responsible for helping with Mormon temple work and was the first President of the St. George Temple when it opened. He also supervised a good portion of the construction of the Salt Lake Temple and dedicated it when finished in 1893. He had five wives and thirty-three children. He succeeded John Taylor as LDS Church President in the midst of the Polygamy controversy. With Federal laws fracturing the Church, Woodruff officially ended polygamy in 1890. In the last years of his tenure as President he dealt with the LDS Church's financial difficulties and church-owned businesses being hit by the Panic of 1893. He died in San Francisco in 1898.

Extent

2.35 Linear Feet (2 Boxes and 2 Microfilm Reels)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Wilford Woodruff papers (1833-1898) contain a handwritten document by Woodruff regarding the successions of the Mormon Church Presidency, concerning Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt and their placement in line of succession of the LDS Church. Also included are copies of his journal as well as a revelation from 1877. Wilford Woodruff was the fourth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Guy Potter in 1973.

Box 1, folder 2 was purchased in 2016.

Box 2 was purchased in 2017.

Existence and Location of Originals

Microfilm provided by the LDS Church Historian's Office, Salt Lake City, Utah in 1965.

Original diaries are located at the LDS Church Historical Department, Salt Lake City, Utah.