Anthony Woodward Ivins was an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and was a member of the church's First Presidency for many years. He also was the superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association.
Background
Anthony Woodward was born on September 16, 1852 at Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The third child and only son of Israel and Anna (Ivins) Ivins, second cousins. His parents were of Quaker ancestry but had been converted to Mormonism and in 1853 moved to Utah.
The family lived in Salt Lake City until 1861 and then moved to St. George in the extreme southern part of the state, where they participated in the building of a pioneer community. Here young Ivins grew to manhood.
Education
His formal schooling was limited to not more than a few months' attendance at elementary schools, but through intensive study and extensive reading he acquired an education far beyond that possessed by most of his contemporaries in that frontier community.
Career
Ivins engaged in farming and livestock production and at various times filled local offices in Washington County, including those of assessor, deputy sheriff, prosecuting attorney, and mayor of St. George.
He read enough law to enable him to gain admittance to the Utah bar. For seventeen years he was a trustee of the State Agricultural College and for fourteen years president of the board. As early as 1880 the Mormons had planted colonies throughout the Rocky Mountain area from southern Canada to northern Mexico.
In 1875-76 and again in 1882-83 Ivins had gone on preaching missions to Mexico. In 1895 he was "called" by the leaders of the Church to preside over the colonies in the northern part of that country. For the next thirteen years he lived in Colonia Juarez.
In 1908 he returned to Utah and took up his residence in Salt Lake City, having been appointed one of the twelve apostles the previous year. A large share of the burdensome details of administering the far-flung business and industrial organizations of the Church, as well as its purely ecclesiastical and educational interests, rested upon him. He was president of the Utah State National Bank, a member of the board of directors of Zion's Savings Bank, the Beneficent Life Insurance Company, Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution, Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, and other financial and industrial enterprises.
During his earlier career, in addition to his participation in the political life of Washington County, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the territorial legislature in 1894 and was a member of the Utah constitutional convention.
His death was occasioned by a heart attack and he was buried in City Cemetery, Salt Lake City
Achievements
Anthony Woodward Ivins was known as the First Counselor in the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints's First Presidency, and he served in this position until his death. His influence was notably manifest in improving relations between Mormon and "Gentile, " in promoting the spirit of tolerance among his own people, in encouraging freedom of inquiry among Mormon scholars and academic freedom within the institutions of higher learning sponsored by the Church, and in maintaining closer relations between its leaders and the membership, particularly in the outlying districts.
The small city of Ivins, Utah, is named after him.
His influence was notably manifest in improving relations between Mormon and "Gentile, " in promoting the spirit of tolerance among his own people, in encouraging freedom of inquiry among Mormon scholars and academic freedom within the institutions of higher learning sponsored by the Church, and in maintaining closer relations between its leaders and the membership, particularly in the outlying districts.
Politics
Ivins was an avid member of the Democratic Party. He was regarded as the leading Democratic possibility for governor of the state at the time he was sent to Mexico. Because of his wide acquaintance in the West and his interest in social welfare, he was not indifferent to political developments after his return, but his devotion to his ecclesiastical duties kept him from direct participation in governmental affairs.
Views
His long years as a farmer and stockman gave him an understanding of the problems of the agricultural population, which composed the majority of the Church's membership.
Personality
His reputation for fairness and integrity brought him unusually high prestige with all classes. He was widely known and respected by Mormons and others alike as an understanding, tolerant, and devoted religious leader.
Connections
On November 9, 1878, Ivins married Elizabeth Ashby Snow, by whom he had nine children - Anthony, Antoine, Anna, Florence, Leah, Heber, Stanley, Augusta, and Fulvia.
