Church Historian and Recorder

Church Historian and Recorder (usually shortened to Church Historian) is a priesthood calling in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The role of the Church Historian and Recorder is to keep an accurate and comprehensive record of the church and its activities. His office gathers history sources and preserves records, ordinances, minutes, revelations, procedures, and other documents. The Church Historian and Recorder also chairs the Historic Sites Committee and Records Management Committee, and may act as an authoritative voice of the church in historical matters.

History This office is based on revelations to Joseph Smith calling for keeping records and preparing a church history.Doctrine and Covenants 21:1, 47:1, 69:3, 85:1 Oliver Cowdery, the first in this position, originally recorded meeting minutes, patriarchal blessings, membership information, priesthood ordinations, and a kind of narrative church history. For a time, the callings of Church Historian and Church Recorder were separate, but in 1842 these callings were merged and now the Church Historian also acts as the Church Recorder.

In 1972, the Church Historian's Office was renamed to become the Historical Department. In 2000, this department was merged with the Family History Department to become the Family and Church History Department. On March 12, 2008, the Church Historian separated again from the Family History Department to become the Church History Department.

While the majority of Church Historians and Recorders have been general authorities of the church, there have been some exceptions to the practice.

Chronology In the following tables, general authorities are listed in bold. The date ranges span from the sustaining date to the release date unless otherwise indicated.

Church Historian and Church Recorder Date range Church Historian Church Recorder Notes 1830-31 Oliver Cowdery Although Cowdery did not receive an official call to be Church Historian, he was Joseph Smith's scribe and was appointed to keep minutes and records in an early conference.Minute Book 2, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed 30 Dec. 2015, http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/?target=X1F070313-CB05-49BB-A39C-2C6F4776617F#!/paperSummary/minute-book-2&p=3. Therefore, he is widely regarded as the first unofficial Church Historian and Recorder. 1831-35 John Whitmer Whitmer was called to be the Church Historian by a revelation to Smith,Revelation, circa 8 March 1831–B [D&C 47], The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed 30 Dec. 2015, http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/?target=x6506. which is now Doctrine and Covenants section 47. He was the first official historian of the Latter Day Saint church. 1835-37 John Whitmer Oliver Cowdery Beginning in 1835, a new calling of "Recorder for the Church" was created, with Oliver Cowdery being the first appointee.Minute Book 1, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed 30 Dec. 2015, http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/?target=X5DC3AFA7-7FC3-4682-A442-EAA9E3053E51#!/paperSummary/minute-book-1&p=111. 1837-38 John Whitmer George W. Robinson Robinson was sustained "as General Clerk & recorder of the whole Church" to replace Cowdery.Minute Book 1, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed 30 Dec. 2015, http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/?target=XDA13C966-4445-489E-A9D2-4D119ED6F002. 1838 John Corrill George W. Robinson Corrill and Higbee were both called to this position at the same time.Minute Book 2, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed 30 Dec. 2015, http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/?target=X2AD5F438-886E-4A15-92B7-46B86303B3B0. Corrill apostatized from the church later that year and was excommunicated in March 1839.History, 1838-1856, volume C-1, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed 30 Dec. 2015, http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/?target=X70B3ABDE-E179-47FC-B7F1-CA8D0E460F3E#!/paperSummary/history-1838-1856-volume-c-1-2-november-1838-31-july-1842&p=80. 1838–40 Elias Higbee George W. Robinson It is assumed that Robinson was released on 3 October 1840 since his replacement, Robert B. Thompson, was sustained that day.“Minutes of the general conference of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints…”, Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, page 185, http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/9361. 1840–41 Elias Higbee Robert B. Thompson 1841–42 Elias Higbee James Sloan When Sloan was sustained his position was given as "General Church Clerk."“Minutes of a Conference,” Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1841, 2:577. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/9086. 1842–43 Willard Richards James Sloan Richards was appointed as Joseph Smith's private secretary and Church Historian in late 1842.Willard Richards journals and papers: Journals, Journal (volume 9), 1842 July-1844 February. Church History Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/record/692b9f3e-0ea2-464b-9027-e6a4d8f7af06/comp/f7cd9020-db11-4469-8375-1eeb9ed26a37?view=browse&subView=arrangement (image 26).

Church Historian and Recorder No. Date range Church Historian and Recorder Assistant(s) Notes 1 30 July 1843Willard Richards journals and papers: Journals, Journal (volume 9), 1842 July-1844 February. Church History Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/record/692b9f3e-0ea2-464b-9027-e6a4d8f7af06/comp/f7cd9020-db11-4469-8375-1eeb9ed26a37?view=browse&subView=arrangement (image 42). – 11 March 1854He died in office. Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News, 16 Mar. 1854, page . http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews1/id/178000. Willard Richards office not yet created In 1843, the callings of Church Historian and Church Recorder were merged when Richards, already serving as Church Historian, was appointed Church Recorder. Although, he wasn't sustained by the general church membership until 1845.“Historic Men Served as Church Historians,” Church News, 14 Feb 1970, page 15. Thomas Bullock was Richards' assistant (as was Charles Wesley Wandell), but the Assistant Church Historian priesthood calling wasn't given until Wilford Woodruff. 2 7 April 1854“Minutes,” Deseret News, 13 Apr 1854, page , http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews1/id/174950. – 8 October 1870 George A. Smith Wilford Woodruff (1856–1881) Woodruff was the first Assistant Church Historian. 3 8 October 1870“Fortieth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,” Deseret News, 12 Oct 1870, page 419, http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews2/id/43733. – 9 May 1874 Albert Carrington 4 9 May 1874“Forty-Fourth Annual Conference,” Deseret News, 13 May 1874, page 232, http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews3/id/193805. – 3 October 1881He died in office. “Death of Apostle Orson Pratt,” Deseret News, 5 Oct 1881, http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews3/id/196551; “Death of Orson Pratt,” The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Oct 1881, http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/slt5/id/18369. Orson Pratt 1881–83Wilford Woodruff (Acting) After Pratt's death in 1881, no official Church Historian was chosen, but Pratt's assistant Woodruff acted as Church Historian until he was formally selected as such. 5 7 October 1883“Fifty-Third Semi-Annual Conference,” Deseret News, 10 Oct 1883, page 604, http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews3/id/2214409 – 7 April 1889 Wilford Woodruff Franklin D. Richards (1884–1889) 6 7 April 1889“General Conference,” Deseret [News] Weekly, 13 Apr 1889, page 487, http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews4/id/9935 – 9 December 1899He died in office; “Franklin D. Richards Dead,” Deseret Evening News, 9 Dec 1899, page 1, http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/den1/id/4612.Franklin D. Richards John Jaques (1889–1900)Charles W. Penrose (1896–1904)Andrew Jenson (1897–1941) Penrose became a general authority when released as an Assistant. 1899–1900 Andrew Jenson and John Jaques (Acting) After the death of Richards on December 9, 1899, no Church Historian was chosen until July 26, 1900. 7 7 October 1900Conference Report, October 1900, page 42, https://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1900sa/conferencereport711chur#page/42/mode/2up/. – 2 March 1921He died in office. J. M. Sjodahl, “President Anthon H. Lund,” Improvement Era, April 1921, page 499, https://archive.org/stream/improvementera2406unse#page/498/mode/2up. Anthon H. Lund Charles W. Penrose (until 1904)Andrew JensonOrson F. Whitney (1902–1906)A. Milton Musser (1902–1909)B. H. Roberts (1902–1933)Joseph Fielding Smith (1906–1921)A. William Lund (1911–1971) Whitney became a general authority when released as an Assistant. Smith became a general authority in 1910, during Lund's tenure. 8 6 April 1921Conference Report, April 1921, page 189, https://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1921a#page/n189/mode/2up/. – 23 January 1970“New First Presidency Called,” Church News, 24 Jan 1970, page 3. Joseph Fielding Smith Andrew Jenson (until 1941)B. H. Roberts (until 1933)A. William LundJunius F. Wells (1921–1930)Preston Nibley (1957–1963)E. Earl Olson (1965–1972) Smith's tenure as Church Historian and Recorder is by far the longest in church history. He was released when he was called as President of the Church. 9 6 April 1970Conference Report, April 1970, page 110, https://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1970a#page/n113/mode/2up. – 1972Howard W. Hunter A. William Lund (until 1971)E. Earl Olson

Church Historical Department In 1972, the Church Historian's Office was renamed to become the Historical Department. In 2000, this department was merged with the Family History Department to become the Family and Church History Department. On March 12, 2008, the Church Historian separated again from the Family History Department to become the Church History Department.

No. Date range Church Historian and Recorder Assistant Notes 10 6 April 1972Conference Report, April 1972, page 9, https://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1972a#page/n11/mode/2up. – February 1982 Leonard J. Arrington Davis Bitton"Noted LDS historian R. Davis Bitton dies", Deseret Morning News, 2007-04-16.James B. Allen (1972–1979) Arrington was the first non-general authority Church Historian since 1842 and the first to simply be Church Historian, instead of Church Historian and Recorder, since Willard Richards.He was only sustained as Church Historian, Conference Report, April 1972, page 9, https://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1972a#page/n11/mode/2up. He was also the first in the position to be a professional historian. Arrington is reported to have lost the title of Church Historian in 1978, though he was formally released in 1982. 11 February 1982 – 10 January 1985 G. Homer Durham Durham became Church Historian without formal public pronouncement by the church nor sustaining by the general church membership. Although, it was mentioned as an aside in General Conference.Conference Report, April 1982, page 96, https://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1982a#page/n99/mode/2up. Some claim his tenure as Historian began when Arrington lost the title in 1978, or when Durham became Managing Director of the church Historical Department. 12 6 April 1985 – 4 October 1997 Dean L. Larsen Larsen was also the first Executive Director of the Historical Department, in which he was replaced by John K. Carmack in 1989. Larsen then moved on to other assignments, such as serving in the Temple Department and Area Presidencies and was not active in any historical role, though technically he was still the Church Historian until his release in 1997.

Executive Director of the Historical Department