Genealogical Society of Utah

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GSU Centennial Logo 1984.jpg

Organization[edit | edit source]

The Genealogical Society of Utah was organized on November 13, 1894, in the Church Historian's Office. The founding members of the organization included: Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith, John Nicholson, James H. Anderson, Amos Milton Musser, Lorenzo Snow, Franklin D. Richards, James B. Walkley, Abraham H. Cannon, George Reynolds, John Jaques, and Duncan McAllister.

  • "President Franklin Dewey Richards," Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine 1 (January, 1910):1-5
  • "Amos Milton Musser," Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine 1 (January 1910):30-33
  • John Henry Evans. "John Nicholson," Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine 1 (April 1910):49--54 (Vice-President of the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1894-1907)
  • John Henry Evans. "John Jaques," Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine 1 (July 1910): 97-100 (First Librarian of the Genealogical Society of Utah)
  • Adam Bennion. "George Reynolds," Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine 1 (October 1910): 145-148. (Director Genealogical Society of Utah)
  • "Life and Ancestry of Joseph Christensen," Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine (October 1937): 145-156 (Vice-President of the Genealogical Society of Utah and Recorder of the Salt Lake Temple)

Organizational Purposes in 1894[edit | edit source]

When the society was organized the foundational purposes were identified as:

  • "Benevolent in collecting, compiling, establishing and maintaining a genealogical library for the use and benefit of its members and others"
  • "Educational in disseminating information regarding genealogical matters"
  • "Religious in acquiring records for deceased persons in connection with ordinances of the religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as that religion is understood in the doctrines and discipline of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and set forth in the revelations of God"

The GSU is an incorporated, nonprofit educational institution entirely funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its headquarters are in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA with local representatives in all parts of the world. The Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) is dedicated to gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical information throughout the world.

Presidents of the Genealogical Society of Utah[edit | edit source]

The first fifteen presidents of the Genealogical Society of Utah were:

  1. Franklin D. Richards, 1894-1899
  2. Anthon H. Lund, 1900-1921
  3. Charles W. Penrose, 1921-1925
  4. Anthony W. Ivins, 1925-1934
  5. Joseph Fielding Smith, 1934-1961
  6. Junius Jackson, 1961-1962
  7. N. Eldon Tanner, 1963
  8. Howard W. Hunter, 1964-1972
  9. Theodore M. Burton, 1972-1978
  10. J. Thomas Fyans, 1978
  11. Royden G. Derrick, 1979-1984
  12. Richard G. Scott, 1984-1988
  13. J. Richard Clarke, 1988-1993
  14. Monte J. Brough, 1993-1998
  15. Richard E. Turley, Jr., 2000-2008

The wiki aricle The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives more detail about the role of family history in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Microfilming[edit | edit source]

In 1938 the GSU began microfilming records in the United States of America. After the end of World War II the GSU began microfilming projects internationally.

World Conference on Records 1969 and 1980[edit | edit source]

August 5-8,1969 - Record Protection in an Uncertain World

August 12-15,1980 - Preserving our Heritage

FamilySearch International[edit | edit source]

In the 1990's, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expanded the activities of the Genealogical Society of Utah. During the 1990's, Monte J. Brough, a General Authority and Executive Director of the Family History Department and president of the Genealogical Society of Utah, conceived of an Internet genealogy service which he proposed to church leaders. His ideas eventually developed into what today is known as FamilySearch.org. In 1999, the new website, FamilySearch.org, went live, providing an online medium for making genealogical records easily available to the public anywhere in the world at no cost. In 2005 the Genealogical Society of Utah began operating as FamilySearch International.

Publications[edit | edit source]

Historical Reference Sources[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Catalog[edit | edit source]

Hathi Trust[edit | edit source]

The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine

External Links[edit | edit source]

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