Martha H. Tingey

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Martha Jane Horne Tingey (15 October 1857–11 March 1938) was the second general president of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1905 to 1929. She spent a total of 49 years as a member of the general presidency of what is today called the Young Women Organization.

Martha Jane Horne was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. In 1880, as a single 22-year-old, Horne was asked to become the second counselor to Elmina Shepard Taylor in the LDS Church's Young Ladies' National Mutual Improvement Association. Horne served in this capacity for 24 years. During her time as a counselor to Taylor, Horne married Joseph S. Tingey.

On December 6, 1904, Taylor died. Early in 1905, Tingey was selected as Taylor's successor as the general president of what by then had been renamed the [[Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association. Tingey's counselors in the presidency included Ruth May Fox and Lucy Grant Cannon, both of whom would go on to serve as presidents of the church organization for young women. In 1929, Tingey was released from her position as president and was succeeded by Fox, her first counselor. Tingey had been a member of the general presidency from age 22 to age 72.

During her tenure as president, the YLMIA instituted yearly slogans, roadshows, the Beehive program, and camps for young women. In 1922, Tingey selected green and gold as the official colors of the LDS Church's organization for young women.

Tingey died in Salt Lake City.

[edit] References

• Janet Peterson and LaRene Gaunt (1993). Keepers of the Flame: General Presidents of the Young Women (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book)
• Susa Young Gates (1911). History of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association (Salt Lake City: Deseret News)