Edward H. Anderson facts for kids

Edward Henry Anderson (born October 8, 1858, died February 1, 1928) was an important person in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a missionary and a local leader. He was also a talented writer and editor.

One of Anderson's most famous books is The Life of Brigham Young. This book tells the story of Brigham Young, a key leader of the Church. It talks about Young's early life in the Church, his close friendship with Joseph Smith, and how he became a leader after Smith's death.

Early Life and Education

Edward Henry Anderson was born in Billeberga, Sweden. His family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he was young. In 1864, his family traveled to Utah Territory with a group of Mormon pioneers led by William B. Preston.

In 1869, Edward was baptized a member of the Church. He grew up in places like Millcreek, Farmington, and Huntsville, Utah. He worked hard in school and graduated from the University of Utah in 1877. After college, he became a teacher in Weber County, Utah.

In 1881, Edward married Jane Ballantyne. Jane's father, Richard Ballantyne, was important because he started the Church's Sunday School program.

Church and Public Service

Around 1880, Anderson started working in the newspaper business in Ogden, Utah. He later joined the team at The Contributor, which was a Church magazine.

Missionary and Leadership Roles

From 1890 to 1892, Anderson served as the president of the Scandinavian Mission for the Church. This meant he was in charge of all the missionaries in that area.

In 1893, he became a member of the General Board for the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association (YMMIA). This group helped young men in the Church. In 1899, he took over from B. H. Roberts as an associate editor of the Improvement Era magazine. In 1900, he also became a member of the Weber Stake High Council. He continued to serve with the YMMIA until 1907. Even in 1922, he was still listed as an editor for the Improvement Era, working alongside Heber J. Grant, who was the President of the Church at that time.

Anderson also helped with the Church's general conference many times in the 1910s and 1920s, working as a clerk.

Government Work

In 1900, Edward Henry Anderson was elected to the Utah House of Representatives. This meant he helped make laws for the state of Utah. The next year, in 1901, he was chosen to be the surveyor-general for Utah. This was a federal job, meaning it was a position for the United States government.

Writings

Besides his biography of Brigham Young, Anderson also wrote another book called A Brief History of the Church. Some of his writings were also included in the Latter-day Saints Biographical Encyclopedia by Andrew Jenson.

Family Life

Edward Henry Anderson and his wife, Jane, had seven children together.