Church History Biographical Database
Wilford Woodruff
Born in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut, United States
1807 March 1
Mother
Beulah Thompson
Father
Aphek Woodruff
Date Details
Occurred On 1807 March 1
Baptized by Zera Pulsipher
1833 December 31 (Age 26)
Served in Early Church Mission: North America
1835 January 12 (Age 27) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Marital Status
Single
Priesthood Office
Priest
Residence When Called
Clay County, Missouri
Location Served
Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky
Date Details
Started On 1835 January 12
Departed from Home
End Date Not Found
Married Phebe Whittemore Carter
1837 April 13 (Age 30)
Served in Eastern States Mission
1837 May 31 – 1838 April (Age 30) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Marital Status
Married
Priesthood Office
Seventy
Residence When Called
Kirtland, Ohio
Location Served
New York, Canada, Eastern States, Fox Islands
Date Details
Started On 1837 May 31
Departed from Home
Ended On 1838 April
Departed from Field
On 1838 July 8
Appointed To Council Of Twelve
Mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 118:6
1838 July 8 (Age 31)
Doctrine and Covenants 118:6 in Far West, Missouri.
Doctrine and Covenants 124:129 in Nauvoo, Illinois.
Doctrine and Covenants 136:13 in Winter Quarters, Nebraska.
Doctrine and Covenants 138:53 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Official Declaration 1 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Date Details
Occurred On 1838 July 8
Served in Central States Mission
1839 April 18 (Age 32) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Other
Marital Status
Married
Priesthood Quorum When Called
Quorum of the Twelve
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Quincy, Illinois
Location Served
Far West, Missouri
Date Details
Ended On 1839 April
Departed from Field
Started On 1839 April 18
Departed from Home
Served in British Mission
1839 August 8 – 1841 April 21 (Age 32) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Marital Status
Married
Missionary Activity Notes
On the way to England he preached in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and New York.
Priesthood Quorum When Called
Quorum of the Twelve
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Montrose, Iowa
Date Details
Started On 1839 August 8
Departed from Home
Ended On 1841 April 21
Departed from Field
Images
Mission Photo
Mission Photo
Served in Central States Mission
1842 (Age 34) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Other
Marital Status
Married
Missionary Activity Notes
He went to purchase paper for the Times and Seasons newspaper.
Priesthood Quorum When Called
Quorum of the Twelve
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Nauvoo, Illinois
Location Served
St Louis, Missouri
Date Details
Started On 1842
Departed from Home
End Date Not Found
Served in Eastern States Mission
1843 July 9 – November 19 (Age 36) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Marital Status
Married
Priesthood Quorum When Called
Quorum of the Twelve
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Nauvoo
Date Details
Started On 1843 July 9
Departed from Home
Ended On 1843 November 19
Arrived at Home
Served in Joseph Smith Presidential Campaign Mission
1844 May 13 – August 6 (Age 37) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Other
Marital Status
Married
Missionary Activity Notes
He was sent to visit conferences in these states and to campaign for Joseph Smith as US President.
Priesthood Quorum When Called
Quorum of the Twelve
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Nauvoo, Illinois
Location Served
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan
Date Details
Started On 1844 May 13
Departed from Home
Ended On 1844 August 6
Arrived at Home
Called as President to British Mission
1845 January 3 – 1846 April 23 (Age 37) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Marital Status
Married
Priesthood Quorum When Called
Quorum of the Twelve
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Nauvoo, Illinois
Date Details
Started On 1845 January 3
Arrived in Field
Ended On 1846 April 23
Arrived at Home
Married Mary Ann Jackson
1846 April 15 (Age 39)
Married Sarah Elinor Brown
1846 August 2 (Age 39)
Traveled in Brigham Young Vanguard Company (1847)
1847 April 16 – July 21 (Age 40) Pioneers in Company
Additional Information
Called to help organize a company for the westward journey (D&C 136:12-14).
Date Details
Started On 1847 April 16
Joined Company
Ended On 1847 July 21
Company Arrived
Called as President to Eastern States Mission
1848 April 22 – 1850 April (Age 41) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Marital Status
Married
Priesthood Quorum When Called
Quorum of the Twelve
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Winter Quarters, Nebraska
Location Served
Eastern States, Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and adjacentislands
Date Details
Started On 1848 April 22
Called
Ended On 1850 April
Departed from Field
Called as Captain to Wilford Woodruff Company (1850)
1850 June 16 – October 14 (Age 43) Pioneers in Company
Roles
Captain
Traveling Group
Date Details
Started On 1850 June 16
Joined Company
Ended On 1850 October 14
Company Arrived
Married Mary Meek Giles
1852 March 28 (Age 45)
Married Clarissa Henrietta Hardy
1852 April 20 (Age 45)
Married Sarah Brown
1853 March 13 (Age 46)
Married Emma Smith
1853 March 13 (Age 46)
Married Sarah Delight Stocking
1857 July 31 (Age 50)
Served in California Mission
1872 September 9 (Age 65) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Other
Marital Status
Married
Missionary Activity Notes
California As Delegate For Agricultural Society
Priesthood Quorum When Called
Quorum of the Twelve
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States
Set Apart By
Twelve Apostles
Date Details
Ended On 1872 September
Arrived at Home
Started On 1872 September 9
Departed from Home
Served in Turkish Mission
1872 October 13 – 1873 June 18 (Age 65) See Missionaries
Mission Type
Proselytizing
Marital Status
Plurally Married
Missionary Activity Notes
Traveled with George Albert Smith, Lorenzo Snow, John Taylor, Daniel Hanmer Wells, Anson Call and others.
Priesthood Office
Apostle
Residence When Called
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States
Set Apart By
Location Served
Palestine
Date Details
Started On 1872 October 13
Set Apart
On 1872 October 14
Departed from Home
Ended On 1873 June 18
Arrived at Home
Married Eudora Lovina Young
1879 March 1 (Age 72)
Died in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
1898 September 2 (Age 91)
Media
Wilford Woodruff (1807 - 1898) Profile
Mission Photo
Mission Photo