Stephen L Richards
Encyclopedia
Stephen L Richards was a prominent leader in the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church and as First Counselor in the First Presidency
.
, Utah Territory
. He was the oldest of ten children born to Stephen Longstroth Richards and Emma Louise Stayner. He was raised in the Cache Valley
. He was the grandson of Willard Richards
, an early apostle of the church and colleague of Joseph Smith. Willard Richards witnessed Smith and his brother Hyrum
murdered by a mob in Carthage, Illinois
. Willard Richards served as Brigham Young
's Second Counselor in the First Presidency. He died before Stephen was born.
Stephen L Richards married Irene Smith Merrill (a maternal granddaughter of George A. Smith
) in 1900. The couple had nine children.
. He received his law degree from the University of Chicago
in 1904. He began his law school career at the University of Michigan
before transferring to Chicago.
After graduating from the University of Chicago Richards practiced law in Salt Lake City and was a professor of law at the University of Utah
. Richards considered running for governor of Utah in the 1918 election, but when he was selected as an Apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1917, he decided not to run for office.
called Richards to be an apostle at the age of 37. Richards became a member of the Superintendency of the Deseret Sunday School Union under David O. McKay
in 1918. In April 1919 McKay was appointed Church Commissioner of Education and chose Richards as his first counselor. Richards would remain a counselor in the Deseret Sunday School Union Superintendency until 1934 when apostles were released from these positions and men were called who could devote their full time to the Sunday School, also freeing up the apostles to focus more on their specific calling.
When McKay became LDS Church president, he selected Richards as his first counselor. Richards served in that position from April 9, 1951 until his death. Richards followed his grandfather, Willard by first serving as an Apostle and then in the First Presidency.
The Christus statue that is at the visitors center on Temple Square
in Salt Lake City was purchased by Richards as a gift to David O. McKay.
Richards was a mentor to Gordon B. Hinckley
as he was in charge of the Radio, Publicity and Missionary Literature Committee when Hinckley served as its executive secretary.
Richards died in Salt Lake City at the age of 79, shortly before his 80th birthday.
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
.
Early Life
Richards was born in MendonMendon, Utah
Mendon is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,282 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Mendon is located at ....
, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
. He was the oldest of ten children born to Stephen Longstroth Richards and Emma Louise Stayner. He was raised in the Cache Valley
Cache Valley
The Cache Valley is an agricultural valley of northern Utah and southeast Idaho that includes the Logan metropolitan area. The valley was used by 19th century mountain men and was the site of the 1863 Bear River Massacre.-History:...
. He was the grandson of Willard Richards
Willard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
, an early apostle of the church and colleague of Joseph Smith. Willard Richards witnessed Smith and his brother Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
murdered by a mob in Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
. Willard Richards served as Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
's Second Counselor in the First Presidency. He died before Stephen was born.
Stephen L Richards married Irene Smith Merrill (a maternal granddaughter of George A. Smith
George A. Smith
George Albert Smith was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the church's First Presidency.-Childhood:Smith was born in Potsdam, St...
) in 1900. The couple had nine children.
Education and profession
Richards did undergraduate studies at the University of UtahUniversity of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. He received his law degree from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1904. He began his law school career at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
before transferring to Chicago.
After graduating from the University of Chicago Richards practiced law in Salt Lake City and was a professor of law at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. Richards considered running for governor of Utah in the 1918 election, but when he was selected as an Apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1917, he decided not to run for office.
Church leadership
Joseph F. SmithJoseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
called Richards to be an apostle at the age of 37. Richards became a member of the Superintendency of the Deseret Sunday School Union under David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
in 1918. In April 1919 McKay was appointed Church Commissioner of Education and chose Richards as his first counselor. Richards would remain a counselor in the Deseret Sunday School Union Superintendency until 1934 when apostles were released from these positions and men were called who could devote their full time to the Sunday School, also freeing up the apostles to focus more on their specific calling.
When McKay became LDS Church president, he selected Richards as his first counselor. Richards served in that position from April 9, 1951 until his death. Richards followed his grandfather, Willard by first serving as an Apostle and then in the First Presidency.
The Christus statue that is at the visitors center on Temple Square
Temple Square
Temple Square is a ten acre complex located in the center of Salt Lake City, Utah, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In recent years, the usage of the name has gradually changed to include several other church facilities immediately adjacent to Temple Square...
in Salt Lake City was purchased by Richards as a gift to David O. McKay.
Richards was a mentor to Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
as he was in charge of the Radio, Publicity and Missionary Literature Committee when Hinckley served as its executive secretary.
Death