Heber J. Grant(1856-1945)

Heber Jeddy Grant was the 7th president of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. He served for 27 years as church president from 1918 to his death in 1945. He was raised by his widowed mother Rachel Ridgeway Ivins Grant who was widowed by his father Jedediah Morgan Grant who died just weeks after his birth on December 1, 1856. His father was the mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah. By the time he was 15 he had begun a very successful business career and had been ordained to the office as a Seventy. Ten years later,He was called to the Quorum Of The Twelve Apostles where he served for 37 years. After becoming church president on November 23, 1918 he dedicated three new temples,developed the church welfare program and helped the Latter Day Saints cope with the tragedy of World War II. His business experience enabled him to modernize church organizations and procedures. His missionary efforts including extensive speaking engagements and friendships with national leaders brought the church to the attention of the World. He was the secretary to the first church president Joseph Smith. He helped develop the Avenues area of Salt Lake City. He also served a term as a representative to the Utah Territorial Legislature. He died of old age on May 14, 1945 in Salt Lake City, Utah at the age of 88 years old and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery on May 18, 1945.