Chronology of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)

1830s

14 February 1835 

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is organized. Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer choose the first 12 members. Lyman E. Johnson, Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball ordained.

15 February 1835 

Orson Hyde, David W. Patten, Luke S. Johnson, William E. M'Lellin, John F. Boynton and William Smith ordained.

21 February 1835 

Parley P. Pratt ordained.

25 April 1835

Thomas B. Marsh ordained.

26 April 1835 

Orson Pratt ordained.

2 May 1835 

Thomas B. Marsh sustained as President of the Quorum of the Twelve

3 September 1837 

John F. Boynton disfellowshipped. He was excommunicated later that year.

13 April 1838 

Lyman E. Johnson and his brother, Luke S. Johnson excommunicated.

11 May 1838 

William E. M'Lellin excommunicated.

25 October 1838 

David W. Patten killed in Battle of Crooked River.

19 December 1838 

John Taylor and John E. Page ordained.

17 March 1839 

Thomas B. Marsh excommunicated.

26 April 1839 

Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith ordained.

4 May 1839 

William Smith and Orson Hyde removed from the Quorum by vote of the church.

25 May 1839 

William Smith restored to Quorum by vote of the Church.

27 June 1839 

Orson Hyde restored to the Quorum by vote of the church.

1840s

14 April 1840 

Willard Richards ordained in England. Also the first occasion where Brigham Young was formally sustained President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

8 April 1841 

Lyman Wight ordained.

20 August 1842 

Orson Pratt excommunicated. Amasa M. Lyman ordained.

20 January 1843 

Orson Pratt rebaptized and restored to former office in the Quorum. Amasa M. Lyman replaced.

4 February 1843 

Amasa M. Lyman made a Counselor to First Presidency.

27 June 1844 

Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith martyred. Amasa M. Lyman retires from First Presidency.

12 August 1844 

Amasa M. Lyman returned to the Quorum.

6 October 1845 

William Smith dropped from Quorum. He was excommunicated 19 October 1845.

9 February 1846 

John E. Page disfellowshipped. He was excommunicated on 27 June 1846

16 July 1846 

Ezra T. Benson ordained.

27 December 1847 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with Brigham Young President, Heber C. Kimball First Counselor, and Willard Richards Second Counselor. Orson Hyde becomes President of the Quorum.

3 December 1848 

Lyman Wight excommunicated.

12 February 1849 

Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, and Franklin D. Richards ordained.

1850s

11 March 1854 

Willard Richards dies.

4 January 1857 

Daniel H. Wells ordained an apostle and set apart as a counsellor to Brigham Young.

13 May 1857 

Parley P. Pratt is assassinated.

1860s

26 August 1860 

George Q. Cannon ordained.

4 February 1864 

Brigham Young, Jr. ordained an apostle, but not a member of the Quorum. John Willard Young ordained an apostle, but not a member of the Quorum. (Set apart as counselor to Brigham Young in 1867, and to Twelve in 1877.) Joseph Angell Young ordained an apostle, but not a member of the Quorum.

1 July 1866 

Joseph F. Smith ordained and simultaneously set apart Counselor to President Brigham Young.

6 October 1867 

Amasa M. Lyman deprived of apostleship. He was excommunicated on 12 May 1870.

8 October 1867 

Joseph F. Smith was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. (He was previously ordained an apostle.)

22 June 1868 

Heber C. Kimball dies.

7 October 1868 

George A. Smith set apart First Counselor to President Brigham Young.

9 October 1868 

Brigham Young, Jr. sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. (He was previously ordained an apostle.)

3 September 1869 

Ezra T. Benson dies.

1870s

3 July 1870 

Albert Carrington ordained.

8 April 1873 

Brigham Young, Jr., Albert Carrington, John Willard Young and George Q. Cannon set apart as Counselors to President Brigham Young.

9 May 1874 

George Q. Cannon set apart Assistant Counselor to President Brigham Young. Albert Carrington set apart Counselor to President Brigham Young.

10 April 1875 

Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt are moved down in seniority in the Quorum due to earlier apostasy, putting them in the places they would be had they entered the Quorum at the time of their reinstatements. John Taylor becomes President of the Quorum.

5 August 1875 

Joseph Angell Young dies. He had never been a member of the First Presidency and was never added to the Quorum of the Twelve.

1 September 1875 

George A. Smith dies.

29 August 1877 

Brigham Young dies.

28 November 1878 

Orson Hyde dies.

7 April 1879 

Moses Thatcher ordained.

1880s

10 October 1880 

The First Presidency is reorganized with John Taylor President, George Q. Cannon First Counselor, and Joseph F. Smith Second Counselor. Wilford Woodruff becomes President of the Quorum.

27 October 1880 

Francis M. Lyman and John Henry Smith ordained.

3 October 1881 

Orson Pratt, the last surviving member of the original quorum, dies.

16 October 1882 

George Teasdale and Heber J. Grant ordained.

17 November 1883 

Charles C. Rich dies.

9 April 1884 

John W. Taylor ordained.

7 November 1885 

Albert Carrington excommunicated.

25 July 1887 

John Taylor dies.

27 May 1888 

Erastus Snow dies.

7 April 1889 

The First Presidency is reorganized with Wilford Woodruff President, George Q. Cannon First Counselor, and Joseph F. Smith Second Counselor. Lorenzo Snow becomes President of the Quorum.

7 October 1889 

Marriner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, and Abraham H. Cannon ordained.

1890s

13 November 1893 

William Smith dies.

6 April 1896 

Moses Thatcher is not sustained by the church and dropped from the Quorum.

19 July 1896 

Abraham H. Cannon dies.

7 October 1896 

Matthias F. Cowley and Abraham O. Woodruff ordained.

2 September 1898 

Wilford Woodruff dies.

13 September 1898 

The First Presidency is reorganized with Lorenzo Snow President, George Q. Cannon First Counselor, and Joseph F. Smith Second Counselor. Franklin D. Richards becomes President of the Quorum.

10 October 1898 

Rudger Clawson ordained.

9 December 1899 

Franklin D. Richards dies. George Q. Cannon becomes President of the Quorum.

1900s

8 April 1900 

Reed Smoot ordained.

12 April 1901 

George Q. Cannon dies. Joseph F. Smith becomes President of the Quorum.

10 October 1901 

Lorenzo Snow dies.

17 October 1901 

The First Presidency is reorganized with Joseph F. Smith President John Rex Winder as First Counselor and Anthon H. Lund Second Counselor. Brigham Young, Jr. becomes President of the Quorum.

24 October 1901 

Hyrum M. Smith ordained.

January 1903 

Reed Smoot elected to the U.S. Senate.

11 April 1903 

Brigham Young, Jr. dies. Francis M. Lyman becomes President of the Quorum.

8 October 1903 

George Albert Smith ordained.

20 June 1904 

Abraham O. Woodruff dies.

7 July 1904 

Charles W. Penrose ordained.

28 October 1905 

John W. Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley resign.

6 February 1906 

Marriner W. Merrill dies.

9 April 1906 

George F. Richards, Orson F. Whitney, and David O. McKay ordained.

20 February 1907 

A motion to remove Reed Smoot from the U.S. Senate is defeated. (See Smoot Hearings)

9 June 1907 

George Teasdale dies.

6 October 1907 

Anthony W. Ivins ordained.

21 August 1909 

Moses Thatcher dies.

1910s

27 March 1910 

John Rex Winder, First Counselor in the First Presidency, dies.

7 April 1910 

Joseph F. Smith reorganizes First Presidency. Anthon H. Lund set apart as First Counselor, and John Henry Smith as Second Counselor. Joseph Fielding Smith ordained.

13 October 1911 

John Henry Smith dies.

7 December 1911 

Charles W. Penrose ordained Second Counselor to President Joseph F. Smith.

8 December 1911 

James E. Talmage ordained.

18 November 1916 

Francis M. Lyman dies.

23 November 1916 

Heber J. Grant becomes President of the Quorum.

18 January 1917 

Stephen L. Richards ordained.

23 January 1918 

Hyrum M. Smith dies.

7 April 1918 

Richard R. Lyman ordained.

19 November 1918 

Joseph F. Smith dies.

23 November 1918 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with Heber J. Grant President, Anthon H. Lund First Counselor, and Charles W. Penrose Second Counselor. Anthon H. Lund becomes President of the Quorum.

7 January 1919 

Melvin J. Ballard ordained.

1920s

2 March 1921 

Anthon H. Lund dies. Rudger Clawson becomes President of the Quorum.

10 March 1921 

Charles W. Penrose set apart as First Counselor in the First Presidency, Anthony W. Ivins as Second Counselor to Heber J. Grant.

17 March 1921 

John A. Widtsoe ordained.

15 May 1925 

Charles W. Penrose dies.

28 May 1925 

Anthony W. Ivins set apart as First Counselor to Heber J. Grant, with Charles W. Nibley as Second Counselor.

1930s

16 May 1931 

Orson F. Whitney dies.

8 October 1931 

Joseph F. Merrill ordained.

11 December 1931

Charles W. Nibley dies.

1932 

Reed Smoot loses the election for the U.S. Senate.

6 April 1933 

J. Reuben Clark called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to Heber J. Grant, but is not an apostle.

27 July 1933 

James E. Talmage dies.

12 October 1933 

Charles A. Callis ordained.

23 September 1934 

Anthony W. Ivins dies.

11 October 1934 

J. Reuben Clark and Alonzo A. Hinckley ordained. J. Reuben Clark set apart as First Counselor, with David O. McKay as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to Heber J. Grant.

22 December 1936 

Alonzo A. Hinckley dies.

8 April 1937 

Albert E. Bowen ordained.

6 April 1938 

Sylvester Q. Cannon ordained an apostle, and set apart as an Associate to the Twelve.

30 July 1939 

Melvin J. Ballard dies.

6 October 1939 

Sylvester Q. Cannon becomes a member of the Quorum.

1940s

9 February 1941 

Reed Smoot dies.

10 April 1941 

Harold B. Lee ordained.

29 May 1943 

Sylvester Q. Cannon dies.

21 June 1943 

Rudger Clawson dies. George Albert Smith becomes President of the Quorum.

7 October 1943 

Spencer W. Kimball and Ezra Taft Benson ordained.

12 November 1943 

Richard R. Lyman excommunicated.

20 April 1944 

Mark E. Petersen ordained.

14 May 1945 

Heber J. Grant dies.

21 May 1945 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with George Albert Smith as President, J. Reuben Clark as First Counselor, and David O. McKay as Second Counselor. George F. Richards becomes President of the Quorum.

11 October 1945 

Matthew Cowley ordained.

21 January 1947 

Charles A. Callis dies.

10 April 1947 

Henry D. Moyle ordained.

1950s

8 August 1950 

George F. Richards dies. David O. McKay becomes President of the Quorum.

5 October 1950 

Delbert L. Stapley ordained.

4 April 1951 

George Albert Smith dies.

9 April 1951 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with David O. McKay as President, Stephen L. Richards as First Counselor, and J. Reuben Clark as Second Counselor. Joseph Fielding Smith becomes President of the Quorum.

11 October 1951 

Marion G. Romney ordained.

3 February 1952 

Joseph F. Merrill dies.

10 April 1952 

LeGrand Richards ordained.

29 November 1952 

John A. Widtsoe dies.

9 April 1953 

Adam S. Bennion ordained.

15 July 1953 

Albert E. Bowen dies.

8 October 1953 

Richard L. Evans ordained.

13 December 1953 

Matthew Cowley dies.

8 April 1954 

George Q. Morris ordained.

11 February 1958 

Adam S. Bennion dies.

10 April 1958 

Hugh B. Brown ordained.

19 May 1959 

Stephen L. Richards dies.

12 June 1959 

J. Reuben Clark is called as First Counselor to David O. McKay. Henry D. Moyle is called as Second Counselor.

15 October 1959 

Howard W. Hunter ordained.

1960s

22 June 1961 

Hugh B. Brown set apart as a Third Counselor to David O. McKay.

5 October 1961 

Gordon B. Hinckley added to the Quorum.

6 October 1961 

J. Reuben Clark dies.

12 October 1961 

Henry D. Moyle set apart as First Counselor in the First Presidency, with Hugh B. Brown as Second Counselor to David O. McKay.

23 April 1962 

George Q. Morris dies.

11 October 1962 

N. Eldon Tanner ordained.

18 September 1963 

Henry D. Moyle dies.

4 October 1963 

Hugh B. Brown sustained as First Counselor in the First Presidency, with N. Eldon Tanner as Second Counselor to David O. McKay.

4 October 1963 

Thomas S. Monson added to the Quorum.

28 October 1965 

Thorpe B. Isaacson called as an additional counselor in the First Presidency to David O. McKay.

29 October 1965 

Joseph Fielding Smith called as an additional counselor in the First Presidency to David O. McKay.

5 October 1967 

Alvin R. Dyer ordained but not added to Quorum.

6 April 1968 

Alvin R. Dyer called as an additional counselor in the First Presidency to David O. McKay.

1970s

18 January 1970 

David O. McKay dies.

23 January 1970 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with Joseph Fielding Smith as President, Harold B. Lee as First Counselor, and N. Eldon Tanner as Second Counselor. Harold B. Lee becomes President of the Quorum, with Spencer W. Kimball as Acting President.

6 April 1970 

Boyd K. Packer added to the Quorum.

1 November 1971 

Richard L. Evans dies.

2 December 1971 

Marvin J. Ashton ordained and added to the Quorum.

2 July 1972 

Joseph Fielding Smith dies.

7 July 1972 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with Harold B. Lee as President, N. Eldon Tanner as First Counselor, and Marion G. Romney as Second Counselor. Spencer W. Kimball becomes President of the Quorum.

12 October 1972 

Bruce R. McConkie added to the Quorum.

26 December 1973 

Harold B. Lee dies.

30 December 1973

The First Presidency is reorganized, with Spencer W. Kimball as President, N. Eldon Tanner as First Counselor, and Marion G. Romney as Second Counselor. Ezra Taft Benson becomes President of the Quorum.

6 April 1974 

L. Tom Perry added to the Quorum.

2 December 1975

Hugh B. Brown dies.

8 January 1976 

David B. Haight ordained.

5 March 1977 

Alvin R. Dyer dies. Although Dyer was an ordained Apostle, he was never a member of the Quorum.

19 August 1978 

Delbert L. Stapley dies.

30 September 1978 

James E. Faust added to the Quorum.

1980s

23 July 1981 

Gordon B. Hinckley called as a Counselor in the First Presidency. Neal A. Maxwell ordained.

27 November 1982 

N. Eldon Tanner dies.

2 December 1982 

Marion G. Romney set apart as First Counselor in the First Presidency. Gordon B. Hinckley set apart as Second Counselor.

11 January 1983 

LeGrand Richards dies.

11 January 1984 

Mark E. Petersen dies.

12 April 1984 

Russell M. Nelson ordained.

3 May 1984 

Dallin H. Oaks ordained.

19 April 1985 

Bruce R. McConkie dies.

10 October 1985 

M. Russell Ballard ordained.

5 November 1985 

Spencer W. Kimball dies.

10 November 1985 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with Ezra Taft Benson as President, Gordon B. Hinckley as First Counselor, and Thomas S. Monson as Second Counselor. Marion G. Romney becomes President of the Quorum, but due to suffering from health and age difficulties, Howard W. Hunter was set apart as Acting President of the Quorum.

9 October 1986 

Joseph B. Wirthlin ordained.

20 May 1988 

Marion G. Romney dies. Howard W. Hunter becomes President of the Quorum.

6 October 1988 

Richard G. Scott ordained.

1990s

25 February 1994 

Marvin J. Ashton dies.

2 April 1994 

Robert D. Hales added to the Quorum.

30 May 1994 

Ezra Taft Benson dies.

5 June 1994 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with Howard W. Hunter as President, Gordon B. Hinckley as First Counselor, and Thomas S. Monson as Second Counselor. Hinckley becomes President of the Quorum, with Boyd K. Packer as Acting President.

23 June 1994 

Jeffrey R. Holland added to the Quorum and ordained.

3 March 1995 

Howard W. Hunter dies.

12 March 1995 

The First Presidency is reorganized, with Gordon B. Hinckley as President, Thomas S. Monson as First Counselor, and James E. Faust as Second Counselor. Monson becomes President of the Quorum, with Boyd K. Packer as Acting President.

1 April 1995 

Henry B. Eyring added to the Quorum.

2000s

21 July 2004 

Neal A. Maxwell dies.

31 July 2004 

David B. Haight dies.

2 October 2004 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf and David A. Bednar added to Quorum.

10 August 2007 

James E. Faust dies.

6 October 2007 

Henry B. Eyring sustained as Second Counselor in the First Presidency; Quentin L. Cook added to Quorum

27 January 2008 

Gordon B. Hinckley dies.

3 February 2008 

First Presidency reorganized with Thomas S. Monson as President, Henry B. Eyring as First Counselor, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf as Second Counselor. Boyd K. Packer becomes President of the Quorum.

5 April 2008 

D. Todd Christofferson added to Quorum.

1 December 2008 

Joseph B. Wirthlin dies.

4 April 2009 

Neil L. Andersen added to Quorum.

2010s

30 May 2015 

L. Tom Perry dies.

3 July 2015 

Boyd K. Packer dies. Russell M. Nelson becomes President of the Quorum (set apart on July 15).

22 September 2015 

Richard G. Scott dies.

3 October 2015 

Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, and Dale G. Renlund added to Quorum.