Missionary work had been conducted in the region during the early Church period, but the Southern States mission wasn't officially organized until the April Conference of 1876 when John Brown and several others were called to open the southern states of the U.S. to missionary work.
The mission would shrink between 1893 and 1902 losing: Maryland (1893), Arkansas (1895), Texas (1897), West Virginia (1902), North Carolina (1902), Kentucky (1902), and Tennessee (1902). Although it would gain a few of these states back when the Middle States Mission closed in 1903.
Formed in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
1876 April 8
Date Details
Occurred On 1876 April 8
Formed
Henry Green Boyle Set Apart as Mission President
1876 October 9 – 1877 November 13
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1877 November 13
Arrived at Home
John Morgan Set Apart as Mission President
1878 January 25 – 1888 January 4
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1888 January 4
Released
William Spry Called as Mission President
1888 January 4 – 1891 August 13
Start Date Details
Called
End Date Details
Ended On 1891 August 13
Released
J. Golden Kimball Set Apart as Mission President
1891 July 31 – 1894 May 23
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1894 May 23
Released
Elias Smith Kimball Set Apart as Mission President
1894 May 11 – 1898 June 27
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1898 June 27
Departed from the Field
Benjamin Erastus Rich Set Apart as Mission President
1898 June 10 – 1902 July 3
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1902 July 3
Arrived at Home
Ephraim Hesmer Nye Called as Mission President
1902 May 22 – 1903 May 15
Start Date Details
Called
End Date Details
Ended On 1903 May 15
Died in Position
Nathan John Harris Called as Mission President
1903 June 1 – August 7
Start Date Details
Called
End Date Details
Ended On 1903 August 7
Released
Benjamin Erastus Rich Called as Mission President
1903 August 7 – 1908 August 8
Start Date Details
Called
End Date Details
Ended On 1908 August 8
Released
Charles A. Callis Set Apart as Mission President
1908 April 14 – 1934 February 3
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1934 February 3
Released
LeGrand Richards Set Apart as Mission President
1933 December 29 – 1937 June 19
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1937 June 19
Released
Merrill Daniel Clayson Set Apart as Mission President
1937 June 8 – 1940 August 4
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1940 August 4
Arrived at Home
William Porter Whitaker Set Apart as Mission President
1940 July 17 – 1943 September 10
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1943 September 10
Departed from the Field
Heber Meeks Set Apart as Mission President
1943 August 25 – 1948 April 22
Start Date Details
Set Apart
End Date Details
Ended On 1948 April 22
Released
Media
Southern States (1876 - ?) Profile

Missionaries in an Airplane

Southern States Missionaries

Missionaries of the Southern States Mission

United States Mission Presidents

Publications Office Staff

Mississippi Conference

First Annual Conference of the Presidents in the Southern States Mission

Arriving Elders

East Tennessee Conference, 1895

South Carolina District Conference, November 1928

Arriving Elders

Southern States Mission Photograph, circa 1910

Florida Conference

Southern States Mission Headquarters

Missionaries in North Carolina

New Arrivals

Missionaries at Lookout Mountain

Conference Presidents of the Southern States Mission

Arriving Elders

1902/11: South Carolina Conference - Southern States Mission, 1902 November 15

Southern States Mission Caricature 1907, Circa 1907

Missionaries from the Southern States Mission about 1926, Between 1925 October – 1927 November

Southern States Mission, about 1926, Between 1925 November – 1927 November

First Southern States Mission Home, Circa 1867

Jacksonville, Florida Chapel, Circa 1926

Southern States Mission Companions with John Henry Gibbs and William Shanks Berry, 1884

Tribute to Elders William Shanks Berry and John Henry Gibbs, Circa 1884

Southern States Mission Home in Chattanooga, Tennessee