Chronology of The First Presidency
| Dates | Prophet–President of the Church | Counselors | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 March 1832— 3 December 1832 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. | Jesse Gause Sidney Rigdon |
Initial organization of First Presidency |
| 3 December 1832— 18 March 1833 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. | Sidney Rigdon | Jesse Gause excommunicated |
| 18 March 1833— 5 December 1834 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. | Sidney Rigdon Frederick G. Williams |
Frederick G. Williams called as Counselor |
| 5 December 1834— 3 September 1837 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. Oliver Cowdery (Assistant President) |
Sidney Rigdon Frederick G. Williams |
Oliver Cowdery called as Assistant President of the Church |
| 3 September 1837— 7 November 1837 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. Oliver Cowdery (Assistant President) |
Sidney Rigdon Frederick G. Williams Oliver Cowdery (Assistant Counselor) Hyrum Smith (Assistant Counselor) John Smith (Assistant Counselor) Joseph Smith, Sr. (Assistant Counselor) |
Hyrum Smith, John Smith and Joseph Smith, Sr. called as Assistant Counselors; Oliver Cowdery also given the title of Assistant Counselor |
| 7 November 1837— 11 April 1938 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. Oliver Cowdery (Assistant President) |
Sidney Rigdon Hyrum Smith Oliver Cowdery (Assistant Counselor) Joseph Smith, Sr. (Assistant Counselor) John Smith (Assistant Counselor) |
Frederick G. Williams rejected as Counselor at church conference; Hyrum Smith called as Counselor |
| 11 April 1838— 14 September 1840 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. | Sidney Rigdon Hyrum Smith Joseph Smith, Sr. (Assistant Counselor) John Smith (Assistant Counselor) |
Oliver Cowdery excommunicated |
| 14 September 1840— 24 January 1841 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. | Sidney Rigdon Hyrum Smith John Smith (Assistant Counselor) |
Death of Joseph Smith, Sr. |
| 24 January 1841— 8 April 1841 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President) |
Sidney Rigdon William Law John Smith (Assistant Counselor) |
Hyrum Smith called as Assistant President of the Church; William Law replaces Hyrum Smith as Counselor |
| 8 April 1841— 25 May 1842 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President) John C. Bennett (Assistant President) |
Sidney Rigdon William Law John Smith (Counselor) |
John C. Bennett called as Assistant President |
| 25 May 1842— 4 February 1843 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President) |
Sidney Rigdon William Law John Smith (Assistant Counselor) |
John C. Bennett disfellowshipped |
| 4 February 1843— 18 April 1844 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President) |
Sidney Rigdon William Law John Smith (Assistant Counselor) Amasa M. Lyman (Counselor) |
Amasa M. Lyman called as Counselor |
| 18 April 1844— 27 June 1844 |
Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President) |
Sidney Rigdon John Smith (Assistant Counselor) Amasa M. Lyman (Counselor) |
Apostasy of William Law |
| 6 April 1860— 6 April 1863 |
Joseph Smith III | Reorganization of church with Joseph Smith III as prophet–president | |
| 6 April 1863— May 22, 1872 |
Joseph Smith III | William Marks | William Marks called as Counselor |
| May 22, 1872— April 10, 1873 |
Joseph Smith III | Death of William Marks | |
| April 10, 1873— 1885 |
Joseph Smith III | William W. Blair David Hyrum Smith |
William W. Blair and David Hyrum Smith called as Counselors |
| 1885— April 18, 1896 |
Joseph Smith III | William W. Blair | Release of David Hyrum Smith due to ill health and incapacitation |
| April 18, 1896— April 18, 1902 |
Joseph Smith III | Death of William W. Blair | |
| April 18, 1902— April 19, 1909 |
Joseph Smith III | R. C. Evans Frederick M. Smith |
R. C. Evans and Frederick M. Smith called as Counselors |
| April 19, 1909— December 10, 1914 |
Joseph Smith III | Frederick M. Smith Elbert A. Smith |
R. C. Evans released and Elbert A. Smith called as replacement |
| May 5, 1915— October 2, 1922 |
Frederick M. Smith | Elbert A. Smith | Frederick M. Smith ordained prophet–president after death of Joseph Smith III; Elbert A. Smith retained as Counselor |
| October 2, 1922— April 7, 1938 |
Frederick M. Smith | Elbert A. Smith Floyd M. McDowell |
Floyd M. McDowell called as Counselor |
| April 7, 1938— October 1938 |
Frederick M. Smith | Floyd M. McDowell | Elbert A. Smith released as Counselor |
| October 1938— March 20, 1946 |
Frederick M. Smith | Israel A. Smith Lemuel F.P. Curry |
Floyd M. McDowell resigns as Counselor; Israel A. Smith and Lemuel F.P. Curry added as Counselors |
| April 9, 1946— March 1949 |
Israel A. Smith | John F. Garver F. Henry Edwards |
Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Frederick M. Smith |
| March 1949— April 2, 1950 |
Israel A. Smith | F. Henry Edwards | Death of John F. Garver |
| April 2, 1950— June 14, 1958 |
Israel A. Smith | F. Henry Edwards W. Wallace Smith |
W. Wallace Smith called as Counselor |
| October 8, 1958— April 18, 1966 |
W. Wallace Smith | F. Henry Edwards Maurice L. Draper |
Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Israel A. Smith |
| April 18, 1966— March 29, 1976 |
W. Wallace Smith | Maurice L. Draper Duane E. Couey |
F. Henry Edwards released and replaced with Duane E. Couey |
| March 29, 1976— April 3, 1978 |
W. Wallace Smith Wallace B. Smith (Assistant and prophet–president designate) |
Maurice L. Draper Duane E. Couey |
Wallace B. Smith added as an assistant to W. Wallace Smith and given title prophet–president designate |
| April 3, 1978— March 29, 1982 |
Wallace B. Smith | Duane E. Couey Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. |
Reorganization of First Presidency upon retirement of W. Wallace Smith |
| March 29, 1982— April 5, 1992 |
Wallace B. Smith | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. Alan D. Tyree |
Duane E. Couey released and replaced with Alan D. Tyree |
| April 5, 1992— April 15, 1996 |
Wallace B. Smith | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. W. Grant McMurray |
Alan D. Tyree released and replaced with W. Grant McMurray |
| April 15, 1996— April 2000 |
W. Grant McMurray | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. Kenneth N. Robinson |
Reorganization of First Presidency upon retirement of Wallace B. Smith |
| April 2000–June 3, 2005 | W. Grant McMurray | Kenneth N. Robinson Peter A. Judd |
Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. released and replaced with Peter A. Judd |
| June 3, 2005– March 1, 2007 |
Stephen M. Veazey | Kenneth N. Robinson David D. Schaal |
Reorganization of First Presidency upon resignation of W. Grant McMurray |
| March 1, 2007 – May 7, 2012 | Stephen M. Veazey | David D. Schaal Becky L. Savage |
Kenneth N. Robinson released and replaced with Becky L. Savage |
| March 7, 2012 – | Stephen M. Veazey | Becky L. Savage | David D. Schaal released |
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