Wilford Woodruff (1807-1898)
1 Mar. 1807–2 Sept. 1898. Farmer, miller. Born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. Moved to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Zera Pulsipher, 31 Dec. 1833, near Richland. Ordained a teacher, 2 Jan. 1834, at Richland. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, Apr. 1834. Participated in Camp of Israel expedition to Missouri, 1834. Ordained a priest, 5 Nov. 1834. Served mission to Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky, 1834–1836. Ordained an elder, 1835. Appointed member of the Seventy, 31 May 1836. Stockholder in Kirtland Safety Society. Married to Phebe Carter by Frederick G. Williams, 13 Apr. 1837, at Kirtland. Served missions to New England and Fox Islands off coast of Maine, 1837–1838. Ordained member of Quorum of the Twelve by Brigham Young, 26 Apr. 1839, at Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri. Served mission to Great Britain, 1839–1841. Appointed assistant chaplain in Nauvoo Legion, 3 July 1841. Member of city council, 1841–1843, in Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois. Member of Nauvoo Masonic Lodge. Served mission to eastern U.S. to raise funds for building Nauvoo temple, 1843. Admitted to Council of Fifty, 13 Mar. 1844. Served mission to eastern U.S. to campaign for Joseph Smith as candidate for U.S. president, 1844. Presided over British mission, Aug. 1844–Apr. 1846. Member of Brigham Young pioneer company that journeyed to Salt Lake Valley, 1847. Served mission to eastern U.S., 1848–1850. Member of Utah territorial legislature. Appointed assistant church historian, 7 Apr. 1856. President of temple in St. George, Washington Co., Utah Territory, 1877. President of Quorum of the Twelve, 1880. Sustained as church historian and general church recorder, 1883. After death of John Taylor, presided over church, 7 Apr. 1889–2 Sept. 1898. Died at San Francisco.
Retrieved with permission from The Joseph Smith Papers.