Abraham O. Woodruff
| Abraham O. Woodruff | |
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| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| October 7, 1896 – June 20, 1904 | |
| Called by | Wilford Woodruff |
| LDS Church Apostle | |
| October 7, 1896 – June 20, 1904 | |
| Called by | Wilford Woodruff |
| Reason | Removal of Moses Thatcher from Quorum of the Twelve; death of Abraham H. Cannon[1] |
| Reorganization at end of term | Charles W. Penrose ordained |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Abraham Owen Woodruff November 23, 1872 Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States |
| Died | June 20, 1904 (aged 31) El Paso, Texas, United States |
| Cause of death | Smallpox |
| Resting place | Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37.92″N 111°51′28.8″W / 40.7772000°N 111.858000°W |
Abraham Owen Woodruff (November 23, 1872 – June 20, 1904), born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was also the son of LDS Church president Wilford Woodruff. He was ordained an apostle at the young age of 23, but served less than 8 years due to his death.
Woodruff was born November 23, 1872 to Wilford Woodruff and Emma Smith Woodruff just south of Salt Lake City in a log house built by his father. He attended Latter-day Saints' College after he graduated from high school. Upon completion of his studies, he became employed in a bank at the age of 18. In 1893, at 21 years of age, he was called to the Swiss-German Mission, despite his father's poor health that year. While on his mission, he had to endure persecution of the missionaries and Latter-day Saints that lived in Germany. In order to preach and meet, he would dress and act like a common worker in the cities, and preach in secret in private homes at night. He was released after three years of service in 1896.
After his mission, Woodruff returned to work at the bank. On June 30, 1896, he married Helen May Winters. That October, in General Conference, he was called by his father as an Apostle at the very young age of 23. He was ordained by his father on October 7, 1896. He served as the other apostles, in helping to establish settlements and organize stakes and the church throughout the area. He developed a close and very personal relationship with his father during this time as well.
Woodruff took a second wife, Eliza Avery Clark, on November 1, 1900, thus practicing plural marriage 10 years after the 1890 Manifesto. It is not known who sealed the marriage or where it was performed. It is possible that the marriage was performed outside of the United States. He had one child with his second wife.
In May 1904, Woodruff was called to visit the settlements of the Latter-day Saints in Mexico with his family. There, his wife, Helen Woodruff, contracted smallpox. She died on June 7, 1904 from that disease, with her husband patiently and faithfully waiting by her side. He contracted the disease himself, and died on June 20, 1904 in El Paso, Texas, at the young age of 31, after serving as an apostle for less than 8 years. Woodruff was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery.
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Grave marker of Abraham O. Woodruff.
Notes [edit]
- ^ Matthias F. Cowley and Woodruff were ordained at the same time to fill two vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve.
References [edit]
- LDS Biographical Encyclopedia[clarification needed]
External links [edit]
Media related to Abraham O. Woodruff at Wikimedia Commons
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles | ||
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| Preceded by Matthias F. Cowley |
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles October 7, 1896–June 20, 1904 |
Succeeded by Rudger Clawson |
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- 1872 births
- 1904 deaths
- 19th-century Mormon missionaries
- American Latter Day Saints
- American Mormon missionaries in Germany
- Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Burials at Salt Lake City Cemetery
- Deaths from smallpox
- Infectious disease deaths in Texas
- American Mormon missionaries in Switzerland
- Smoot–Rowlett family
