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James Edward Talmage

21 September 1862—27 July 1933

Emmeline B. Wells

Born 21 Sept. 1862 at Hungerford, Berkshire, England.1 Son of Gabriel James Joyce Talmage and Susanna Prater (Praeter).2 Baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by James J. Talmage, 21 July 1873.3 Educated at Hungerford and Ramsbury, Wiltshire, 1874; Brigham Young Academy, 1876–1879, in Provo, Utah Co., Utah Territory; Lehigh University, 1882–1883, receiving his BA in 1891; Johns Hopkins University, 1883–1884; and Illinois Wesleyan University, receiving his PhD and ScD in 1896.4 Immigrated to the U.S. with his family abord the Nevada, arriving in New York 5 June 1876.5 Served as a missionary to the eastern U.S., Sept. 1882–June 1884.6 Professor of chemistry at Brigham Young Academy, 1884–1888; assistant to the president and executive committee, 1886–1888.7 Married Mary May Booth, 14 June 1888.8 President of Latter-day Saints’ College, 1888–1907.9 Curator of the Deseret Museum, 1891–1918.10 Participated in the Relief Society jubilee celebration with EBW, 17 Mar. 1892.11 President of the University of Utah, 1894–1897; professor of geology, 1897–1907.12 Officiated at the marriage of Martha Ann Royle, family friend of EBW, 5 June 1895.13 Principal of Latter-day Saints’ College, 1897–1892.14 Delivered a speech on Rome as a benefit for the Kindergarten Association, attended by EBW, 3 Dec. 1897.15 Delegate from the Royal Society of Edinburgh to the Seventh International Geological Congress held in Russia, 1897; lecture given in Utah attended by EBW, 23 Jan. 1898.16 Prolific and lauded author of scientific and religious publications; EBW attended and noted many lectures, 1900–1918.17 Gave the benediction at the memorial service for President William McKinley held in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, attended by EBW, 19 Sept. 1901.18 Member of the Sunday School general board, 1901–1911.19 Elected as president of the Utah Historical Society, 1909.20 Served on the Deseret Sunday School Union board, 1909–1910.21 Ordained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 7 Dec. 1911.22 Awarded numerous honorary degrees, 1911–1922.23 Visited EBW with Elder Charles Penrose, 27 Jan. 1918.24 President of the British mission, Oct. 1824–Jan. 1928.25 Died 27 July 1933 in Salt Lake City.26

The First Fifty Years of Relief Society

27 Born at Hungerford, Berkshire, England; son of Susannah Preater and James Joyce Talmage. 28 Baptized, 1873. 29 Immigrated to the United States; arrived in Utah Territory, 1876. 30 Studied at Brigham Young Academy, Lehigh University, and Johns Hopkins University. 31 Taught at Brigham Young Academy, 1884–1888. 32 Married Merry May Booth, 1888. 33 Served as president of Latter-day Saints’ University, 1888–1892. 34 Awarded a doctoral degree from the church board of education, 1889. 35 Served as president of the University of Deseret, 1894–1897. 36 Ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 1911. 37 Awarded an honorary doctoral degree from Lehigh University, 1912. 38 Awarded honorary law degrees from Brigham Young University and the University of Utah, 1922. 39 Died at Salt Lake City. 40 (See Document 4.28)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Church of England, Parish Church of Hungerford, Berkshire, England, “Parish Registers for Hungerford, 1559–1914, Baptisms, 1832–1885,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com, accessed 16 July 2020), James Edward Talmage. “Private Journal of James Edward Talmage,” vol. 1, 1879–1883, p. 1, James E. Talmage, Papers, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. Arthur White Talmadge, The Talmadge, Tallmadge, and Talmage Genealogy (New York: Grafton Press, 1909), 323. John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 19 June 2020), James Edward Talmage (KWC2-KSJ). 

  2. 2 Church of England, Parish Church of Hungerford, Berkshire, England, “Parish Registers for Hungerford, 1559–1914, Baptisms, 1832–1885,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com, accessed 16 July 2020), James Edward Talmage. “Private Journal of James Edward Talmage,” vol. 1, 1879–1883, p. 1, James E. Talmage, Papers, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. Arthur White Talmadge, The Talmadge, Tallmadge, and Talmage Genealogy (New York: Grafton Press, 1909), 323.

  3. 3 Missionary Department, Missionary Registers, 1860–1959, vol. B, p. 65, CR 301 22, box 1, folder 2, image 66/148, CHL.

  4. 4 John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7. “Private Journal of James Edward Talmage,” vol. 1, 1879–1883, pp. 2, 5–7, James E. Talmage, Papers, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.

  5. 5 “James E. Talmage,” Saints by Sea (https://saintsbysea.lib.byu.edu/, accessed 19 June 2020). 

  6. 6 Missionary Department, Missionary Registers, 1860–1959, vol. B, p. 65, CR 301 22, box 1, folder 2, image 66/148, CHL.

  7. 7 “Brigham Young Academy,” Salt Lake Herald, 22 July 1886, 8. John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7.

  8. 8 Utah Co., UT, Marriage Records, 1887–1966, Marriage Applications, Jan. 1897–Sept. 1899, p. 87, James Edward Talmage and Mary May Booth, microfilm 488399, DGS 4624274, image 92/808, FHL. John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7. 

  9. 9 “University of Utah,” Salt Lake Herald, 23 July 1896, 6. John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7. “High School of L.D.S. Church Celebrations, Salt Lake Telegram, 15 Nov. 1920, 8. “Faculty of the L.D.S. College,” Salt Lake Herald, 15 Aug. 1900, 6.

  10. 10 “New Museum Built at Salt Lake City,” San Jose (CA) Mercury News, 2 Sept. 1918, 2. “Dr. Talmage Gets Exhibits for Museum,” Salt Lake Telegram, 21 June 1912, 14. John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7. Donald V. Hague, “Museums in Utah,” Utah History Encyclopedia (https://www.uen.org, accessed 16 July 2020).

  11. 11 “Relief Society Jubilee: Exercises at the Tabernacle,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 Apr. 1892, 140.

  12. 12 “University of Utah,” Salt Lake Herald, 23 July 1896, 6. “University Regents,” Salt Lake Regents, 13 Apr. 1897, 6. “Dr. Talmage Resigns Chair,” Salt Lake Herald, 9 July 1907, 2.

  13. 13 “Two June Weddings,” Salt Lake Herald, 6 June 1895, 6. EBW, Diary, 6 June 1895.

  14. 14 “Two Principals, Dr. Talmage Is Relieved by Prof. Done,” Salt Lake Herald, 12 Jan. 1892, 3.

  15. 15 EBW, Diary, 3 Dec. 1897. “Dr. James E. Talmage Will Give a Lecture on Rome, the Eternal City,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 3 Dec. 1897, 4.

  16. 16 John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7. EBW, Diary, 23 Jan. 1898.

  17. 17 John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7. EBW, Diary, 23 May 1900; 3 Nov. 1901; 4 Sept. 1904; 17 Mar. 1908; 6 June 1909; 16 Feb. 1912; 27 Jan. 1918.

  18. 18 EBW, Diary, 19 Sept. 1901. “Twenty Years Ago,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 19 Sept. 1921, 4.

  19. 19 John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7.

  20. 20 “Officers Elected by Historical Society,” Salt Lake Telegram, 9 Jan. 1909, 4.

  21. 21 “Sunday School Election Held,” Salt Lake Herald-Republican, 4 Oct. 1909, 12. 

  22. 22 “James E. Talmage Promoted to Apostleship to Fill Vacancy Made,” Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Dec. 1911, 17. John Henry Evans, “Elder James Edward Talmage,” Juvenile Instructor, Jan. 1912, 7.

  23. 23 “University Graduates Class,” Salt Lake Telegram, 6 June 1922, 1. “Dr. Talmage Is Honored,” Salt Lake Telegram, 12 June 1912, 3.

  24. 24 EBW, Diary, 1 Mar. 1917.

  25. 25 Missionary Department, Missionary Registers, 1860–1959, vol. E, p. 123, CR 301 22, box 3, folder 2, image 128/287, CHL.

  26. 26 “Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov, accessed 19 June 2020); Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death Certificates, series 81448, file no. 1127/452 (1933), James Edward Talmage. 

  27. 27 “Utah Death Certificate Index, 1904–1961,” database and images, Utah State Archives (http://archives.utah.gov, accessed Jan. 2015); from Utah Department of Health, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, series 81448, file no. 1127/452 (1933), James Edward Talmage.
  28. 28 Utah death certificate, file no. 1127/452. John R. Talmage, The Talmage Story: Life of James E. Talmage—Educator, Scientist, Apostle (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1972), 1.
  29. 29 Talmage, The Talmage Story, 3–4.
  30. 30 “Apostle Dies at S.L. Home; Funeral Set,” Salt Lake Tribune, July 28, 1933, 13.
  31. 31 Ibid.
  32. 32 “Leader in Church Finishes Career,” Deseret News, July 27, 1933, 2. “Apostle Dies at S.L. Home,” 13.
  33. 33 “Apostle Dies at S.L. Home,” 13.
  34. 34 “Leader in Church Finishes Career,” 2. “Apostle Dies at S.L. Home,” 13.
  35. 35 “Apostle Dies at S.L. Home,” 13.
  36. 36 “Leader in Church Finishes Career,” 2. “Apostle Dies at S.L. Home,” 13.
  37. 37 Ibid.
  38. 38 “Apostle Dies at S.L. Home,” 13.
  39. 39 Ibid.
  40. 40 Utah death certificate, file no. 1127/452. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed Jan. 7, 2016), James Edward Talmage KWC2-KSJ .