See also: Apostolic succession (LDS Church). What follows is a chronological table that sets out the changes in the composition of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) through time.[1]
Date range | President of the Church (and Assistant Presidents) | First Counselor | Second Counselor | Other Counselors (3C = Third Counselor) C = Counselor AC = Assistant Counselor) | Change from previous organization | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 March 1832 – 3 December 1832 | Joseph SmithFile:Olivercowdery-sm.jpg | Oliver CowderyFile:Hyrum Smith ca 1880-1920.png | Hyrum SmithFile:John C. Bennett engraving.jpg | John C. Bennett | Oliver CowderyFile:Hyrum Smith ca 1880-1920.png | Hyrum SmithFile:Joseph Smith, Sr.jpg | Joseph Smith, Sr.File:John Smith (uncle of Joseph Smith, Jr).jpg | John SmithFile:Amasamlyman.png | Amasa Lyman | Initial organization of First Presidency | ||||||
3 December 1832 – 18 March 1833 | Jesse Gause excommunicated | |||||||||||||||
18 March 1833 – 5 December 1834 | Sidney Rigdon called as First Counselor; Frederick G. Williams called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
5 December 1834 – 3 September 1837 | Oliver Cowdery called as Assistant President of the Church | |||||||||||||||
3 September 1837 – 7 November 1837 | Oliver Cowdery (AC) | Hyrum Smith, John Smith and Joseph Smith, Sr. called as Assistant Counselors; Oliver Cowdery also given the title of Assistant Counselor | ||||||||||||||
7 November 1837 – 11 April 1838 | Oliver Cowdery (AC) | Frederick G. Williams rejected as Second Counselor at church conference; Hyrum Smith called as Second Counselor | ||||||||||||||
11 April 1838 – 14 September 1840 | Joseph Smith, Sr. (AC) | Oliver Cowdery excommunicated | ||||||||||||||
14 September 1840 – 24 January 1841 | John Smith (AC) | Death of Joseph Smith, Sr. | ||||||||||||||
24 January 1841 – 8 April 1841 | Hyrum Smith called as Assistant President of the Church; William Law replaces Hyrum Smith as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
8 April 1841 – 25 May 1842 | John C. Bennett called as Assistant President | |||||||||||||||
25 May 1842 – 4 February 1843 | John C. Bennett disfellowshipped | |||||||||||||||
4 February 1843 – 18 April 1844 | John Smith (AC) | Amasa Lyman called as Counselor | ||||||||||||||
18 April 1844 – 27 June 1844 | Apostasy of William Law | |||||||||||||||
27 June 1844 – 27 December 1847 | No organized First Presidency: Death of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
27 December 1847 – 11 March 1854 | Joseph F. SmithFile:John W Young.gif | John Willard YoungFile:George Q. Cannon - Brady-Handy.jpg | George Q. CannonFile:Brigham Young, Jr.jpg | Brigham Young, Jr.File:Lorenzosnow.jpg | Lorenzo SnowFile:Albert Carrington2.jpg | Albert Carrington | First Presidency reorganized after deaths of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith | |||||||||
11 March 1854 – 7 April 1854 | Death of Willard Richards | |||||||||||||||
7 April 1854 – 1 December 1856 | Jedediah M. Grant called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
1 December 1856 – 4 January 1857 | Death of Jedediah M. Grant | |||||||||||||||
4 January 1857 – 1 July 1866 | Daniel H. Wells called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
1 July 1866 – 22 June 1868 | Joseph F. Smith (C) | Joseph F. Smith called as Counselor | ||||||||||||||
22 June 1868 – 7 October 1868 | Death of Heber C. Kimball | |||||||||||||||
7 October 1868 – 8 April 1873 | George A. Smith called as First Counselor | |||||||||||||||
8 April 1873 – 9 May 1874 | Joseph F. Smith (C) | John Willard Young, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., Lorenzo Snow, and Albert Carrington called as Counselors | ||||||||||||||
9 May 1874 – 1 September 1875 | Joseph F. Smith (C) | Titles of all additional counselors (except Joseph F. Smith) changed from Counselor to Assistant Counselor | ||||||||||||||
1 September 1875 – 8 October 1876 | Joseph F. Smith (C) | Death of George A. Smith | ||||||||||||||
8 October 1876 – 29 August 1877 | Joseph F. Smith (C) | John Willard Young called as First Counselor | ||||||||||||||
29 August 1877 – 10 October 1880 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Brigham Young; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
10 October 1880 – 25 July 1887 | First Presidency reorganized after death of Brigham Young | |||||||||||||||
25 July 1887 – 7 April 1889 | No organized First Presidency; Death of John Taylor; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
7 April 1889 – 2 September 1898 | First Presidency reorganized after death of John Taylor | |||||||||||||||
2 September 1898 – 13 September 1898 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Wilford Woodruff; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
13 September 1898 – 12 April 1901 | First Presidency reorganized after death of Wilford Woodruff | |||||||||||||||
12 April 1901 – 6 October 1901 | Death of George Q. Cannon | |||||||||||||||
6 October 1901 – 10 October 1901 | Joseph F. Smith called as First Counselor; Rudger Clawson called as Second Counselor. NOTE: These counselors were sustained but not set apart due to the death of Snow 4 days later | |||||||||||||||
10 October 1901 – 17 October 1901 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Lorenzo Snow; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
17 October 1901 – 27 March 1910 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Lorenzo Snow | |||||||||||||||
27 March 1910 – 7 April 1910 | Death of John R. Winder | |||||||||||||||
7 April 1910 – 13 October 1911 | Anthon H. Lund called as First Counselor; John Henry Smith called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
13 October 1911 – 7 December 1911 | Death of John Henry Smith | |||||||||||||||
7 December 1911 – 19 November 1918 | Charles W. Penrose called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
19 November 1918 – 23 November 1918 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Joseph F. Smith; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
23 November 1918 – 2 March 1921 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Joseph F. Smith | |||||||||||||||
2 March 1921 – 10 March 1921 | Death of Anthon H. Lund | |||||||||||||||
10 March 1921 – 16 May 1925 | Charles W. Penrose called as First Counselor; Anthony W. Ivins called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
16 May 1925 – 28 May 1925 | Death of Charles W. Penrose | |||||||||||||||
28 May 1925 – 11 December 1931 | Anthony W. Ivins called as First Counselor; Charles W. Nibley called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
11 December 1931 – 6 April 1933 | Death of Charles W. Nibley | |||||||||||||||
6 April 1933 – 23 September 1934 | J. Reuben Clark called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
23 September 1934 – 11 October 1934 | Death of Anthony W. Ivins | |||||||||||||||
11 October 1934 – 14 May 1945 | J. Reuben Clark called as First Counselor; David O. McKay called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
14 May 1945 – 21 May 1945 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Heber J. Grant; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
21 May 1945 – 4 April 1951 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Heber J. Grant | |||||||||||||||
4 April 1951 – 9 April 1951 | No organized First Presidency; Death of George Albert Smith; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
9 April 1951 – 19 May 1959 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of George Albert Smith | |||||||||||||||
19 May 1959 – 12 June 1959 | Death of Stephen L Richards | |||||||||||||||
12 June 1959 – 22 June 1961 | J. Reuben Clark called as First Counselor; Henry D. Moyle called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
22 June 1961 – 6 October 1961 |
| Hugh B. Brown called as Third Counselor | ||||||||||||||
6 October 1961 – 12 October 1961 | Death of J. Reuben Clark | |||||||||||||||
12 October 1961 – 18 September 1963 | Henry D. Moyle called as First Counselor; Hugh B. Brown called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
18 September 1963 – 4 October 1963 | Death of Henry D. Moyle | |||||||||||||||
4 October 1963 – 28 October 1965 | Hugh B. Brown called as First Counselor; N. Eldon Tanner called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
28 October 1965 – 29 October 1965 | IsaacsonFile:Joseph Fielding Smith.jpg | SmithFile:Alvin R. Dyer2.jpg | Dyer | Thorpe B. Isaacson called as Counselor | ||||||||||||
29 October 1965 – 6 April 1968 | Joseph Fielding Smith called as Counselor | |||||||||||||||
6 April 1968 – 18 January 1970 | Thorpe B. Isaacson (C) | Alvin R. Dyer called as Counselor | ||||||||||||||
18 January 1970 – 23 January 1970 | No organized First Presidency; Death of David O. McKay; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
23 January 1970 – 2 July 1972 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of David O. McKay | |||||||||||||||
2 July 1972 – 7 July 1972 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Joseph Fielding Smith; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
7 July 1972 – 26 December 1973 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Joseph Fielding Smith | |||||||||||||||
26 December 1973 – 30 December 1973 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Harold B. Lee; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
30 December 1973 – 23 July 1981 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Harold B. Lee | |||||||||||||||
23 July 1981 – 27 November 1982 | Gordon B. Hinckley called as Counselor | |||||||||||||||
27 November 1982 – 2 December 1982 | Death of N. Eldon Tanner | |||||||||||||||
2 December 1982 – 5 November 1985 | Marion G. Romney called as First Counselor; Gordon B. Hinckley called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
5 November 1985 – 10 November 1985 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Spencer W. Kimball; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
10 November 1985 – 30 May 1994 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Spencer W. Kimball | |||||||||||||||
30 May 1994 – 5 June 1994 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Ezra Taft Benson; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
5 June 1994 – 3 March 1995 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Ezra Taft Benson | |||||||||||||||
3 March 1995 – 12 March 1995 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Howard W. Hunter; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
12 March 1995 – 10 August 2007 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Howard W. Hunter | |||||||||||||||
10 August 2007 – 6 October 2007 | Death of James E. Faust[4] | |||||||||||||||
6 October 2007 – 27 January 2008 | Henry B. Eyring called as Second Counselor | |||||||||||||||
27 January 2008 – 3 February 2008 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Gordon B. Hinckley; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
3 February 2008 – 2 January 2018 | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Gordon B. Hinckley[5] | |||||||||||||||
2 January 2018 – 14 January 2018 | No organized First Presidency; Death of Thomas S. Monson; dissolution of First Presidency | |||||||||||||||
14 January 2018 – | Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Thomas S. Monson[6] |