French

Founded
1850 June 18

The French Mission was organized 18 June 1850. It was closed in 1864, though missionary work did continue under the direction of the other missions in Europe. On 15 October 1912 the mission was reorganized, but it was closed two years later, on 18 September 1914, due to the outbreak of World War I. A few years after the war, the French Mission was reorganized from the Swiss-German Mission and the Netherlands Mission in December 1923. It remained open until World War II, closing on 14 December 1939 due to the war. On 23 April 1946 the mission reopened once again.

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John Taylor Called as President

1849 October 7 – 1851 December 21  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1849 October 7
Set Apart
Ended On 1851 December 21
Departed from Field

Timeline Activity

1850

Publication of Étoile du Déséret began in May 1851 and ran until April 1852. Le Réflecteur began in 1853, but ceased by the end of the year. The French translation of the Book of Mormon, overseen and completed by officers of the French Mission, came off the press in January 1852.

Date Details

Occurred On 1850

Mission Founded

1850 June 18

Publications

1851 May – 1853

Publication of Étoile du Déséret began in May 1851 and ran until April 1852. Le Réflecteur began in 1853, but ceased by the end of the year. The French translation of the Book of Mormon, overseen and completed by officers of the French Mission, came off the press in January 1852. 

Date Details

Started On 1851 May
Ended On 1853

Curtis Edwin Bolton Called as President

1851 December 20 – 1853 October 17  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1851 December 20
Called
Ended On 1853 October 17
Departed from Field

Andrew Losee Lamoreaux Called as President

1852 August 28 – 1854  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1852 August 28
Called
Ended On 1854
Released

William Cameron Dunbar Called as President

1854 December 2 – 1856 July 26  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1854 December 2
Called
Ended On 1856 July 26
Departed from Field

George Dennis Keaton, Jr. Called as President

1855 December 8 – 1858  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1855 December 8
Called
Ended On 1858
Released

Mark Barnes Called as President

1858 May 18 – 1859  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1858 May 18
Departed from Home
Ended On 1859
Departed from Field

Louis Auguste Bertrand Called as President

1859 September 17 – 1864 June 3  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1859 September 17
Called
Ended On 1864 June 3
Released

Timeline Activity

1910

When the mission was reorganized in 1912 it encompassed France and the French-speaking inhabitants of Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy. This boundary included the branches of Lausanne, Lyons, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Paris, Neuchatel, Geneva, Liege, Seraing, Verviers, Brussles, and Lille.

Date Details

Occurred On 1910

Boundary Change

1912

When the mission was reorganized it encompassed France and the French-speaking inhabitants of Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy. This boundary included the branches of Lausanne, Lyons, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Paris, Neuchatel, Geneva, Liege, Seraing, Verviers, Brussles, and Lille. 

Date Details

Occurred On 1912

Edgar Bernard Brossard Called as President

1912 October 15 – 1914 May 10  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1912 October 15
Set Apart
Ended On 1914 May 10
Released

Benjamin Francis Howells Called as President

1914 May 10 – September 18  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1914 May 10
Called
Ended On 1914 September 18
Departed from Field

Timeline Activity

1920

During a meeting at Lausanne held 20 August 1923, it was decided to unify the French-speaking areas of the Swiss-German and Netherlands Missions into one mission. When the French Mission was reorganized on 1 December 1923 it encompassed France, Belgium, and the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

The mission home was located at 12 Avenue de la Gare des eaux-Vives, Geneva, Switzerland.

Date Details

Occurred On 1920

Boundary Change

1923 December 1

During a meeting at Lausanne held 20 August 1923, it was decided to unify the French-speaking areas of the Swiss-German and Netherlands Missions into one mission. When the French Mission was reorganized it encompassed France, Belgium, and the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

The mission home was also moved to 12 Avenue de la Gare des eaux-Vives, Geneva, Switzerland.

Date Details

Occurred On 1923 December 1

Russell Henry Blood Called as President

1923 December 26 – 1925 August 30  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1923 December 26
Called
Ended On 1925 August 30
Released

Ernest Crabtree Rossiter Called as President

1925 July 28 – 1928 September 20  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1925 July 28
Set Apart
Ended On 1928 September 20
Released

Golden LeGrand Woolf Called as President

1929 December 4 – 1933 June 30  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1929 December 4
Set Apart
Ended On 1933 June 30
Arrived at Home

Timeline Activity

1930

In 1931, the mission home moved to Rue Saint Cloud, 40 bis Ville d'Avray, France. It moved again in 1934 to 37 Ave., du General Serrail, Paris, France. In 1936 it was relocated to 65 Rue de Campine, Leige, Belgium.

The mission was closed on 14 December 1939 due to World War II.

Date Details

Occurred On 1930

Daniel Joseph Lang Called as President

1933 May 20 – 1936 January 31  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1933 May 20
Called
Ended On 1936 January 31
Released

Octave Frederick Ursenbach Called as President

1936 January 31 – 1938 July 9  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1936 January 31
Set Apart
Ended On 1938 July 9
Departed from Field

Joseph Ephraim Evans Called as President

1938 June 10 – 1939 October 26  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1938 June 10
Set Apart
Ended On 1939 October 26
Departed from Field

Gaston Chappuis Called as President

1939 August 30 – 1940 September 6  See Missionaries

Date Details

Started On 1939 August 30
Set Apart
Ended On 1940 September 6
Arrived at Home
Media
French (1850 - ?) Profile
French (1850 - ?) Profile
The Lyons District
The Lyons District
Missionaries Transferred from the French Mission
Missionaries Transferred from the French Mission
The First Bordeaux District
The First Bordeaux District
Missionnaires des districts de Belgique et Paris
Missionnaires des districts de Belgique et Paris

Sources

Mission