Francis M. Lyman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Francis M. Lyman |
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| President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| October 6, 1903 – November 18, 1916 | |
| Predecessor | Brigham Young Jr. |
| Successor | Heber J. Grant |
| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| October 27, 1880 – November 18, 1916 | |
| Called by | John Taylor |
| LDS Church Apostle | |
| October 27, 1880 – November 18, 1916 | |
| Called by | John Taylor |
| Reason | Reorganization of First Presidency |
| Reorganization at end of term |
Stephen L Richards ordained |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Francis Marion Lyman January 12, 1840 Good Hope, Illinois, United States |
| Died | November 18, 1916 (aged 76) Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Children |
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| Signature | |
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Francis Marion Lyman (born January 12, 1840 – died November 18, 1916) was an important leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a group of senior leaders in the church. From 1903 until his death, he served as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve.
Francis M. Lyman came from a family of church leaders. His father, Amasa M. Lyman, and his son, Richard R. Lyman, also served as apostles. Both his father and son faced challenges during their time as apostles, but they were later welcomed back into the church.
Contents
Early Life and Family Moves
Francis M. Lyman was born in Good Hope, Illinois, in 1840. He was the first son of Amasa M. Lyman and Louisa Maria Tanner. His family moved often during his childhood.
- In 1840, they moved to Iowa.
- About a year later, they moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, to be with other members of the church.
- In 1843, they moved to Alquina, Indiana.
- After the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, they returned to Nauvoo.
Francis's father left with the first group of pioneers heading west. Francis and his family moved to Winter Quarters in June 1846. In 1848, when Francis was only 8 years old, his family traveled to the Salt Lake Valley. He even helped drive a wagon and a team of cattle! He was baptized by his father in the Elkhorn River on July 1, 1848. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on October 19, 1848.
By 1851, when Francis was 11, his father and another church leader bought land in San Bernardino, California. Francis helped drive animals from Salt Lake to southern California. He was also present when the first stone of the Salt Lake Temple was laid on April 6, 1853.
Becoming a Church Leader
In 1856, around age 16, Francis Lyman received the Melchizedek priesthood and was ordained an elder. These were important steps in his church service. In 1857, he was asked to serve a mission in Great Britain. However, the Utah War began, and he was told to return to Utah to help settlers from California move back.
Francis married Rhoda Ann Taylor on November 18, 1857.
In 1859, Francis and his family settled in Farmington, Utah. He was ordained a seventy on January 7, 1860. He built a cabin for his family in Beaver, Utah, before leaving for his delayed mission.
Mission in England
On his way to New York City, Francis stopped in Kirtland, Ohio. There, he was shown the Kirtland Temple by Martin Harris, an early church member. Francis left the United States from New York and arrived in Liverpool, England, on July 27, 1860.
Francis served as a missionary for about two years. When his mission ended, he helped about 800 church members travel back to the United States. They arrived in New York on June 25, 1862, and Francis was put in charge of the group. By early July, they reached Florence, Nebraska. Francis was reunited with his wife in Beaver, Utah, in mid-October.
Community Service in Utah
In March 1863, President Brigham Young asked Francis to settle in Fillmore, Utah. For the next fourteen years, Francis was very active in the community. He held many important roles in the church, local government, and businesses.
- He was an assistant assessor for the United States.
- He became a lieutenant-colonel in the local militia at age 25.
- He served in the General Assembly of the State of Deseret and the Utah Territorial legislature.
- He was also a county clerk, recorder, superintendent of schools, and prosecuting attorney.
In Fillmore, Francis was ordained a high priest and later became a member of the stake high council.
On October 4, 1869, Francis married Clara Caroline Callister. Her grandfather was John Smith, an uncle of Joseph Smith. Francis and Clara's son, Richard R. Lyman, would later become an apostle himself.
Francis was called on a second mission to England. He left Salt Lake City on October 20, 1873, and arrived in Liverpool on November 12. During this mission, he also visited and shared his beliefs in Wales, Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and France. He returned to Utah with 300 church members in October 1875.
Leading in Tooele County
In April 1877, Francis Lyman was asked to lead the Tooele Stake, which was formed on June 24, 1877, in Tooele County, Utah. He also became involved in the local government there. By August 1878, he was elected county recorder and a representative to the territorial legislature.
Tooele County had been controlled by the Liberal Party since 1874. In 1878, a new law was passed for voter registration. After claims of corruption by the Liberal Party, the People's Party won the election of 1878. However, Liberal Party officials refused to count the votes. Francis Lyman played a key role in challenging these election results. The courts sided with the People's Party on March 29, 1879. Because of this victory, Francis gained a reputation for fighting against government corruption.
Becoming an Apostle
At the General Conference on October 10, 1880, Francis Lyman and John Henry Smith were chosen to be members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Francis was away on a mission at the time, surveying parts of southern Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. So, he was ordained an apostle on October 27 by church president John Taylor.
During his time as an apostle, Francis Lyman visited almost every town in the West where church members lived. He also kept a detailed daily record of his work.
In early 1883, Francis served a mission to the Ute Native American people on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in Utah. He and his group preached actively, and government agents allowed them to share their message freely. Many Native Americans joined them and were baptized. Francis returned to Provo, Utah, on May 28, 1883.
In 1901, Francis was called to lead the European Mission. He made several important changes and opened more mission homes across Europe. In 1903, Francis and Joseph J. Cannon visited and preached in Finland and Russia.
In spring 1902, Francis visited Palestine and offered a special prayer on the Mount of Olives. In 1903, Brigham Young Jr. passed away, which made Francis Lyman the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He returned to Utah in 1904. Soon after, he went to Washington, D.C., to speak at the Reed Smoot hearings before the Senate Committee.
Francis Lyman passed away at his home from pneumonia on November 18, 1916. After his death, Stephen L Richards was called to join the Quorum of the Twelve, and Heber J. Grant became the new President of the Quorum of the Twelve.
Images for kids
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Francis M. Lyman's signature
