Genealogical Society of Utah
Encyclopedia
The Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU), established in 1894, does business as FamilySearch
International, which is the genealogical arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (LDS Church),
FamilySearch is the consumer brand for a variety of products and services, including the FamilySearch.org website, the world-famous Family History Library
in Salt Lake City, and 4,600 local family history centers around the world. All of these resources were created to help people find their ancestors and are available free of charge to the public.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that tracing family lineage is essential for special religious ceremonies that seal family units together for eternity. According to Mormons, this fulfills a Biblical prophecy stating that the prophet Elijah would return to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers."
's term. However, the title "President of the Genealogical Society of Utah" and other GSU titles were still used and bestowed upon department officers.
In 2000, the LDS Church consolidated its Family History and Historical departments into the Family and Church History Department, and Richard E. Turley, Jr.
became managing director of the new department and president of the GSU. This broke with tradition, since the President of the GSU was no longer the department's executive director or a General Authority
of the LDS Church.
FamilySearch
FamilySearch is a genealogy organization established and run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch consists of a collection of records, resources, and services designed to help people learn more about their family...
International, which is the genealogical arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (LDS Church),
FamilySearch is the consumer brand for a variety of products and services, including the FamilySearch.org website, the world-famous Family History Library
Family History Library
The Family History Library is a genealogical research facility in downtown Salt Lake City. The library is open to the public free of charge and is operated by FamilySearch, the genealogical arm of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-History:The origins of the Family History...
in Salt Lake City, and 4,600 local family history centers around the world. All of these resources were created to help people find their ancestors and are available free of charge to the public.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that tracing family lineage is essential for special religious ceremonies that seal family units together for eternity. According to Mormons, this fulfills a Biblical prophecy stating that the prophet Elijah would return to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers."
Operations
The headquarters of FamilySearch/GSU is in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, where hundreds of employees and volunteers help inquiring researchers. GSU began microfilming records of genealogical importance in 1938 and began digital imaging of records in 1998. FamilySearch preserves these images from more than 100 nations in the Granite Mountain Records Vault.History
In 1975, the GSU became the Genealogical Department of the LDS Church, which later became the Family History Department. At that time, its head officer was renamed President from Executive Director, starting during Theodore M. BurtonTheodore M. Burton
Theodore Moyle Burton was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one of the main leaders of the Genealogical Department of the church in the 1960s...
's term. However, the title "President of the Genealogical Society of Utah" and other GSU titles were still used and bestowed upon department officers.
In 2000, the LDS Church consolidated its Family History and Historical departments into the Family and Church History Department, and Richard E. Turley, Jr.
Richard E. Turley, Jr.
Richard Eyring "Rick" Turley, Jr. is an American historian and genealogist, and the Assistant Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Biography:...
became managing director of the new department and president of the GSU. This broke with tradition, since the President of the GSU was no longer the department's executive director or a General Authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of the LDS Church.
List of presidents
| Name | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin D. Richards | 1894–1899 | |
| Anthon H. Lund Anthon H. Lund Anthon Henrik Lund was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a prominent Utah leader.-History:... |
1900–1921 | |
| Charles W. Penrose Charles W. Penrose Charles William Penrose was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from July 7, 1904. Penrose was also a member of the First Presidency of the church under Church Presidents Joseph F. Smith and Heber J... |
1921–1925 | |
| Anthony W. Ivins Anthony W. Ivins Anthony Woodward Ivins born in Toms River, New Jersey, was a high-ranking official of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life and family :... |
1925–1934 | |
| Joseph Fielding Smith Joseph Fielding Smith Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church... |
1934–1961 | |
| Junius Jackson | 1961–1962 | |
| N. Eldon Tanner | 1963 | |
| Howard W. Hunter Howard W. Hunter Howard William Hunter was the fourteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1994 to 1995. His nine month presidential tenure is the shortest in the history of the Church... |
1964–1972 | |
| Theodore M. Burton Theodore M. Burton Theodore Moyle Burton was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one of the main leaders of the Genealogical Department of the church in the 1960s... |
1972–1978 | |
| J. Thomas Fyans J. Thomas Fyans Joseph Thomas Fyans was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1974 until his death.-Early life:Born in Moreland, Idaho, Fyans was the son of Joseph Fyans and Mae Farnsworth... |
1978 | |
| Royden G. Derrick Royden G. Derrick Royden Glade Derrick was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1976 until his death.... |
1979–1984 | |
| Richard G. Scott Richard G. Scott Richard Gordon Scott is an American nuclear engineer and a current member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Currently, he is the seventh most senior apostle among the ranks of the church.-Early years:Richard G... |
1984–1988 | |
| J. Richard Clarke J. Richard Clarke John Richard Clarke has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1976. He has been a member of the church's presiding bishopric and a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.... |
1988–1993 | |
| Monte J. Brough Monte J. Brough Monte James Brough was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1988 until his death. He was a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1988 and 1989 and from 1991 to 2007 and was a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy from 1989 to 1991... |
1993-? | |
| Richard E. Turley, Jr. Richard E. Turley, Jr. Richard Eyring "Rick" Turley, Jr. is an American historian and genealogist, and the Assistant Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Biography:... |
2000?-2008 |
See also
- Nephi AndersonNephi AndersonChristian Nephi Anderson was a prolific LDS author and the most well-known from the "Home Literature" period of LDS fiction. His most successful work was his first novel, Added Upon , but his writing career also included short stories, poetry, and non-fiction...
- librarian of the GSU and editor of the Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine from 1910–1923 - Archibald F. BennettArchibald F. BennettArchibald Fowler Bennett was a longtime employee of the Genealogical Society of Utah who was such a figure in the promotion of family history research in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that he became known as "Mr...
- secretary of the GSU from 1928 to 1961 - Theodore M. BurtonTheodore M. BurtonTheodore Moyle Burton was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one of the main leaders of the Genealogical Department of the church in the 1960s...
- FamilySearchFamilySearchFamilySearch is a genealogy organization established and run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch consists of a collection of records, resources, and services designed to help people learn more about their family...
- Family historyFamily historyFamily history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...
- Family History Center (LDS Church)Family History Center (LDS Church)Family History Centers are units of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
- GenealogyGenealogyGenealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
- Granite Mountain Record Vault
- John JaquesJohn Jaques (Mormon)John Jaques was a Latter Day Saint hymnwriter and missionary and an Assistant Church Historian for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....
- first librarian of the GSU - Joseph Fielding SmithJoseph Fielding SmithJoseph Fielding Smith, Jr. was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church...
- president of the GSU from 1934 to 1961, who had previously served as secretary of the GSU.
External links
- Taylor, Rebecca M. "Exploring: A Century of Genealogy" The FriendThe Friend (LDS magazine)The Friend is the monthly English language children's magazine published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is aimed at those of Primary age , approximately ages 3 through 12...
, March 1994. - "Genealogical Society: A century of steady growth and development" LDS Church News, November 1994.