Henry D. Moyle

Henry D. Moyle
First Counselor in the First Presidency
October 12, 1961 – September 18, 1963
Called by David O. McKay
Predecessor J. Reuben Clark
Successor Hugh B. Brown
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
June 12, 1959 – October 12, 1961
Called by David O. McKay
Predecessor J. Reuben Clark
Successor Hugh B. Brown
End reason Called as First Counselor in the First Presidency
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
April 10, 1947 – June 12, 1959
Called by George Albert Smith
Predecessor Matthew Cowley
Successor Delbert L. Stapley
End reason Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency
LDS Church Apostle
April 10, 1947 – September 18, 1963
Reason Death of Charles A. Callis
Reorganization
at end of term		 Thomas S. Monson ordained and N. Eldon Tanner added to First Presidency
Personal details
Born Henry Dinwoodey Moyle
April 22, 1889
Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States
Died September 18, 1963 (aged 74)
Deer Park, Florida, United States
Resting place Salt Lake City Cemetery
40°46′37.92″N 111°51′28.8″W / 40.7772000°N 111.858000°W

Henry Dinwoodey Moyle (April 22, 1889 – September 18, 1963) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Early life

Moyle was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to politician James Moyle, of a well known Cornish American family,[1] and his wife Alice Dinwoodey. He studied at the University of Utah and served as an LDS Church missionary in Switzerland[2] and in Germany. During World War I, Moyle served in the United States military.

Moyle continued his studies at the University of Chicago and Harvard Law School. He was also a student at the School of Mines in Freiberg, Saxony. In 1920, Moyle was appointed to the position of United States attorney for the state of Utah.[3]

Employment

Moyle was for many years a lawyer and a part-time member of the University of Utah faculty. He was also a businessman involved in various railroad, trucking, oil, insurance and finance businesses. During World War II, he was the director of the Petroleum Industries Council.

LDS Church Service

From 1927 to 1937, Moyle was the president of the LDS Church's Cottonwood Stake, located in the south-east suburbs of Salt Lake City. He also served as chairman of the church's Welfare Committee.

Apostle and member of the First Presidency

Moyle was ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 10, 1947. Moyle served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president David O. McKay from June 12, 1959, to October 12, 1961, when he was called as First Counselor. He was First Counselor in the First Presidency until his death.

Moyle spearheaded much of the church's building program in the early 1960s. He believed that the Church Office Building, the headquarters of the LDS Church, should have been twice its size. He was also convinced that by building larger meetinghouses, the church would attract more converts. His optimistic building programs placed a considerable financial strain upon the church and McKay eventually relieved Moyle from many of his administrative responsibilities.[4]

Moyle was a successful cattleman and originated the idea of the church establishing a cattle ranch in Florida. He was convinced that Florida's climate would prove ideal for raising cattle, as the key to success in that industry is growing grass.[5] The church bought the original 54,000-acre (220 km2) tract in 1950, and over 50 years, the ranch grew to more than 312,000 acres (1,260 km2). Deseret Cattle and Citrus Ranch, which is east of Orlando, is today the world's largest beef ranch, and the land is worth an estimated $858 million.[6]

Moyle died of heart disease[7] in Deer Park, Florida, aged 74, and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Grave monument to the Moyle family
.
Henry D. Moyle's headstone

Family

In 1920, Moyle married Clara Alberta Wright in the Salt Lake Temple; they were the parents of six children.[3] One of his sons, Henry D. Moyle, Jr., was the first president of the French East Mission (based in Geneva, Switzerland) starting in 1961.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Rowse, A. L. The Cousin Jacks, The Cornish in America.
  2. ↑ Palmer, Spencer J. (1978). The Expanding Church. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book. p. 90.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia 4. p. 756.
  4. ↑ Prince, Gregory A.; Wright, William Robert (2005). David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism. University of Utah Press. ISBN 0-87480-822-7.
  5. ↑ Barnett, Cynthia. "The Church's Ranch". Florida Trend Archives. December 2001.
  6. ↑ Biema, 1997
  7. ↑ Poll, Richard D. (1999). Larson, Stan, ed. Working the Divine Miracle: The Life of Apostle Henry D. Moyle. Salt Lake City: Signature Books. p. 229. ISBN 1-56085-129-5.
  8. ↑ 2005 Deseret Morning News Church Alamanc (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Morning News, 2004) p. 471.

Sources

External links

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles
Preceded by
J. Reuben Clark		 First Counselor in the First Presidency
October 12, 1961 – September 18, 1963 		Succeeded by
Hugh B. Brown
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
June 12, 1959 – October 12, 1961
Preceded by
Matthew Cowley		 Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
April 10, 1947 – June 12, 1959 		Succeeded by
Delbert L. Stapley