Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia

Many printed sources and original records contain biographical details and life sketches of LDS Church members. The most prominent printed publication is Andrew Jenson’s Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia.

These four volumes comprise more than three thousand biographies of the early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many accompanied by photographs. The author has included accounts of all the general authorities and many of the presidents and bishops of the stakes and wards.

Andrew Jenson was Assistant Church Historian, and so these sketches carry the authorization of the church. The sketches are organized hierarchically, beginning with Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and continuing through the fifth president, Lorenzo Snow, still living at the time of the publication of this volume. These are followed by accounts of the counsellors to the presidents, the members of the Council of Twelve Apostles, and so on down the church structure.

Sketches of many women are included. This is especially the case in the final volume, which includes biographical information on the leaders of the missions and of the many support groups of the church, such as the Mutual Improvement Associations.

 

Man of the men listed in the Biographical Encyclopedia and many of their sons participated in the Zion's Camp, Nauvoo Legion, and Mormon Battalion. A research aid has been created for your use... Military Service Records of LDS Men, to help you identify whether one of your ancestors was one of the men. This help section includes the history and records of several military operations in which Latter Day Saint members were directly involved from 1834-1848.