Moses Thatcher
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| Moses Thatcher | |
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| Full name | Moses Thatcher |
| Born | February 2, 1842 |
| Place of birth | Sangamon County, Illinois |
| Died | August 21, 1909 (aged 67) |
| Place of death | Logan, Utah |
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| Called by | John Taylor |
| Ordained | April 9, 1879 (aged 37) |
| Reason for ordination | Deaths of Brigham Young and Orson Hyde[1] |
| End of term | August 21, 1909 (aged 67)[2] |
| Reason for end of term | Death |
| Reorganization at end of term | No apostles ordained[3] |
Moses Thatcher (2 February 1842 – 21 August 1909) was an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was one of only a few members of the Quorum of the Twelve to be dropped from the Quorum but to remain in good standing in the church and retain the priesthood office of apostle.
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[edit] Early life
Moses' parents were Hezekiah and Alena Kitchen Thatcher. Moses was born in Sangamon County, Illinois. The Thatcher family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1843, and moved to Macedonia, Illinois and later to Nauvoo. Together with the main body of the church, they began their trek westward in 1846 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in September 1847.
Hezekiah and Alena, with seven of their eight living children (including Moses), departed for California in 1849, seeking to acquire wealth by taking advantage of the Gold Rush, but they returned to Utah in 1857. Moses, although only fifteen years of age, was called to serve a mission for the church, from which he returned in 1858. In 1859, the family settled in Cache Valley, where Moses helped Hezekiah locate canal and mill sites.
From 1860 to 1861 Moses studied at the University of Deseret. From 1866 to 1868 he served a second mission, this one to the United Kingdom and France. He later served as the church's first mission president in Mexico.
[edit] Apostolic Service
Moses Thatcher was called to be an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in April of 1879. He was called to replace Orson Hyde, who died on November 28, 1878.
In the April 1896 General Conference of the church, Thatcher was dropped from the Quorum of the Twelve in consequence of his not being "in harmony" with the other leaders of the church. However, Thatcher was not excommunicated from the church and held the priesthood office of Apostle until his death. His problems were of a political nature (he sought public office without the approval of his employer, the church) rather than a matter of doctrine or morals. Thatcher remained supportive of the church after being removed from the Quorum, testifying on many occasions of the divinity of the work and the divinity of the calling of its leaders. Matthias F. Cowley was called to replace Thatcher in the Quorum of the Twelve.
[edit] Post-Quorum of the Twelve Service
After being removed from the quorum, Thatcher testified in the Reed Smoot Investigation held before the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections. He was supportive of the church and its positions.
Thatcher died at his home on August 21, 1909 in Logan, Utah. He is buried in the Logan, Utah Cemetery.
[edit] Notes
- ^ After Thatcher was added to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles it still was only composed of 11 apostles.
- ^ Thatcher was removed from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by a vote of the church in 1896; however, he retained the priesthood office of apostle until his death.
- ^ Since Thatcher was not a member of the Quorum of the Twelve when he died, his death did not create a vacancy that needed to be filled by the calling of a new apostle.
[edit] External links
- Moses Thatcher's Missionary Diaries Digital Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Moses Thatcher
| Preceded by Albert Carrington |
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 9, 1879 – April, 1896 |
Succeeded by Francis M. Lyman |
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