David John (Mormon)
Encyclopedia
David John was a leading figure in Utah at the dawn of the 20th century. He served as a stake president and a member of the BYU board of trustees.
John was born in Pembrokeshire
, Wales
. He was raised in a Baptist family and studied for the ministry. He joined the LDS Church in 1847. His parents were so opposed to the Church at that time that on the advice of Orson Pratt
John ended his association with it for a time and continued to study for the Baptist ministry.
In 1856 he returned to association with the LDS Church. He was rebaptized on Feb. 6, 1856. John was ordained an elder on March 29th, 1856 and in June began to serve as an LDS missionary in various parts of Wales. By December he was the president of the Flintshire Conference
in which position he served a year. He also served as a counselor in the Presidency of the Welsh Mission
from December 1857-December 1858. In January 1859 he was reassigned to the Nottingham Conference in the British Mission. He also served as president here from that time until March 1860. He then served about a year as pastor of the "pastorate" which consisted of Nottingham and two other conferences, for a total of about 100 Branches. This is a position that has only really existed in mid-19th Century Britain in the history of the LDS Church. In modern usage if pastor is applied to any specific LDS position it would be to the bishops who preside over individual Wards.
John emigrated to Utah in 1861. In 1860 he had married Mary Wride in Cardiff
. In 1862 John was called as a counselor in the bishopric of the Provo 3rd Ward. He served in the bishopric for 15 years. John was called as superintendent of the Utah Stake Sunday School
in 1865 in which position he served until 1893. From 1877-1901 John was a counselor in the Utah Stake to first Abraham O. Smoot
and then Edward Partridge, Jr.
. At this time the Utah stake covered all of Utah County
. In 1883 he was ordained a bishop and appointed the regional presiding bishop of Utah Stake, overseeing the activities of the various bishops in Utah County in temporal matters. John was simultaneously regional presiding bishop and a counselor in the stake presidency and Stake Sunday School Superintendent. However his position of regional presiding bishop was a paid full-time position, somewhat like various full-time positions in the Presiding Bishops office today. He also served another mission to Great Britain in the early 1870s.
At the start of his time in Utah John worked as a school teacher and then was trustee of the Provo district schools for 15 years. He also was a partner in the firm of Smoot and John, a lumber business he ran with Abraham O. Smoot.
John married a second wife, Jane Cree, in 1865. He had nine children with Mary and 11 children with Jane. In 1887 he spent time in prison for violating the Edmunds Act.
Among John's children was Mary John who married Benjamin Cluff
, who served as president of BYU during part of the time John was the vice president of the Board of Trustees.
John served as president of the stake from 1901-1908. At the time of his call as president the stake was divided, and reduced to Provo, Springville, Utah
and the farm area that would latter become part of Orem, Utah
. He also served as vice president of the Brigham Young University
Board of Trustees, with Joseph F. Smith
, who was also president of the LDS Church as president, making John the senior member of the board who could devote a large amount of his time to its operations. John served on the Brigham Young Academy and then BYU board of trustees from 1891-1908.
David John wrote a diary that has been cited for historical purposes, including his comments on Utah receiving statehood.
One of Helaman Halls at BYU is named for David John.
John was born in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. He was raised in a Baptist family and studied for the ministry. He joined the LDS Church in 1847. His parents were so opposed to the Church at that time that on the advice of Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
John ended his association with it for a time and continued to study for the Baptist ministry.
In 1856 he returned to association with the LDS Church. He was rebaptized on Feb. 6, 1856. John was ordained an elder on March 29th, 1856 and in June began to serve as an LDS missionary in various parts of Wales. By December he was the president of the Flintshire Conference
District (LDS Church)
A district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative unit composed of a number of congregations called branches. A district is a subdivision of a mission of the church and in many ways is analogous to a stake of the church. The leader of a district is the...
in which position he served a year. He also served as a counselor in the Presidency of the Welsh Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
from December 1857-December 1858. In January 1859 he was reassigned to the Nottingham Conference in the British Mission. He also served as president here from that time until March 1860. He then served about a year as pastor of the "pastorate" which consisted of Nottingham and two other conferences, for a total of about 100 Branches. This is a position that has only really existed in mid-19th Century Britain in the history of the LDS Church. In modern usage if pastor is applied to any specific LDS position it would be to the bishops who preside over individual Wards.
John emigrated to Utah in 1861. In 1860 he had married Mary Wride in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. In 1862 John was called as a counselor in the bishopric of the Provo 3rd Ward. He served in the bishopric for 15 years. John was called as superintendent of the Utah Stake Sunday School
Sunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
in 1865 in which position he served until 1893. From 1877-1901 John was a counselor in the Utah Stake to first Abraham O. Smoot
Abraham O. Smoot
Abraham Owen Smoot was a Mormon pioneer, the second mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah, mayor of Provo, Utah, and an early supporter of Brigham Young Academy .-Early life:...
and then Edward Partridge, Jr.
Edward Partridge, Jr.
Edward Partidge Jr. was a member of the Utah Territorial Legislature, the Utah State Constitutional Convention and president of the Utah Stake when it included all of Utah County, Utah....
. At this time the Utah stake covered all of Utah County
Utah County, Utah
Utah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish name for the Ute Indians. The county seat and largest city is Provo...
. In 1883 he was ordained a bishop and appointed the regional presiding bishop of Utah Stake, overseeing the activities of the various bishops in Utah County in temporal matters. John was simultaneously regional presiding bishop and a counselor in the stake presidency and Stake Sunday School Superintendent. However his position of regional presiding bishop was a paid full-time position, somewhat like various full-time positions in the Presiding Bishops office today. He also served another mission to Great Britain in the early 1870s.
At the start of his time in Utah John worked as a school teacher and then was trustee of the Provo district schools for 15 years. He also was a partner in the firm of Smoot and John, a lumber business he ran with Abraham O. Smoot.
John married a second wife, Jane Cree, in 1865. He had nine children with Mary and 11 children with Jane. In 1887 he spent time in prison for violating the Edmunds Act.
Among John's children was Mary John who married Benjamin Cluff
Benjamin Cluff
Benjamin Cluff, Jr. was the first President of Brigham Young University, and the school's third principal. Under his administration, the students and faculty more than doubled in size, and the school went from an academy to a university and was officially incorporated by The Church of Jesus...
, who served as president of BYU during part of the time John was the vice president of the Board of Trustees.
John served as president of the stake from 1901-1908. At the time of his call as president the stake was divided, and reduced to Provo, Springville, Utah
Springville, Utah
Springville is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 20,424 at the 2000 census, while the 2008 estimates placed it at 28,520. Just minutes south of Provo, Springville is a bedroom community for...
and the farm area that would latter become part of Orem, Utah
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
. He also served as vice president of the Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
Board of Trustees, with Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, who was also president of the LDS Church as president, making John the senior member of the board who could devote a large amount of his time to its operations. John served on the Brigham Young Academy and then BYU board of trustees from 1891-1908.
David John wrote a diary that has been cited for historical purposes, including his comments on Utah receiving statehood.
One of Helaman Halls at BYU is named for David John.
Sources
- Andrew JensonAndrew JensonAndrew Jenson, born Anders Jensen, was a Danish immigrant to the United States who acted as an Assistant Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for much of the early-twentieth century...
. Latter-Day Saint biographical encyclopedia: a compilation of biographical sketches of prominent men and women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Volume 1, pages 488-490. - Orson F. WhitneyOrson F. WhitneyOrson Ferguson Whitney born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 9, 1906 until his death.-Early life:...
. History of Utah: Biographical. p. 348. - Frederick S. Buchanan. "Education Among the Mormons: Brigham Young and the Schools of Utah" in History of Education, 1982.