Alphabetical Alumni
King, Kraton

King, Kraton
(See Edmund Creighton King)

Kraton King

Class of 1953. Kraton King -- See Edmund Creighton King.

King, Larry R.
581 South 630 East
Orem, Utah 84097 US

Larry and Alene King
  • Work: (801) 224-0241

Class of 1957. Larry R. King. Basketball, Lettermen, Band, Chorus, Graduation Committee. BYU BS Economics 1964. Mormon History Association Contact Information: Executive Directors, Larry and Alene King, Mormon History Association, 581 South 630 East, Orem, Utah 84097. Book: Larry R. King, The Kings of the Kingdom: The Life of Thomas Rice King and His Family. He attended BYH in his senior year.

King, Lasca

King, Lasca
Orem, Utah US

Lasca and Leon Poulson

Class of 1939. Lasca King [female]. Orchestra. Fauvines. She married Leon Wadsworth Poulson~ ~ ~ ~ HER OBITUARY: Lasca King Poulson, age 85, of Orem, passed away peacefully December 11, 2006. She was born April 29, 1921 in Escalante, Utah to Thomas Arthur and Myra Spencer King. She graduated from Brigham Young University High School in the Class of 1939. Lasca's love of learning resulted in her receiving a Master's Degree in Elementary Education and then becoming a school teacher, teaching children for over 40 years in Utah and California. She married Leon Wadsworth Poulson on August 18, 1964 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They made their first home in Oakland, California, where they remained for 42 years, before moving to Orem in June of 2000. Her testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ was validated in her unselfish service and love for everyone. She served in many capacities in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Relief Society President, Seminary Teacher and Temple Worker. She is survived by her husband Leon of Orem; her sister LuWana Edwards of Orem; two brothers, Joe (Kay) King of San Diego and Eugene (Lenadra) King of South Jordan; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a sister, Ethel Burgess and by a brother, Lynn King. The family is grateful for the tender, loving compassion shown to Lasca, by her care giver and friend, Lila Zec. Funeral services were held Thursday, December 14, 2006, in the Cherry Hill Third Ward, Orem, Utah. Interment, Provo City Cemetery. [Provo Daily Herald, December 13, 2006.]

King, Lois

King, Lois
Teasdale, Utah US

Lois King

Class of 1924. Lois King (female). There are two photographs of people with the surname King in the BYH Class of 1924, one male and one female. Source: 1924 BYU Banyan yearbook, BYH section. ~ ~ ~ ~ Who the 1924 female student named King is not easy to determine. There are two female students named King, and both are a little too young. ~ ~ ~ ~ Gladys King, of Teasdale, Utah, was a 1st Year (freshman) student at BYH in 1923. In 1924 Gladys was a 2nd Year (sophomore) student at BYH. In 1925 she is listed as a 3rd Year (junior) BYH student. She is definitely listed as a BYH graduate in the Class of 1926. ~ ~ ~ ~ Lois King, of Teasdale, Utah, was a 1st Year (freshman) student at BYH in 1923. In 1924 Lois was a 2nd Year (sophomore) student at BYH. In 1925 she is listed as a 4th Year (senior) BYH student. This gives Lois a slight edge in having her photo in the 1924 Banyan yearbook, BYH section. Background sources: BYU/BYH Annual Catalogues for the School Years 1923-24, 1924-25, and 1925-26.

King, M. E.

King, M. E.

M. E. King

[BY Academy Collegiate Normal Class of 1896. M. E. King. This person gave the 1896 Class Poem at Commencement Exercises on May 19, 1896, but is not listed with the class as an 1896 graduate.]

King, Oscar Harvey, Jr.

King, Oscar Harvey, Jr.
Laguna Niguel, California US

Harvey & Rosemary King

Class of 1942. Harvey King. President of the Senior Class, 1941-1942. Boys' Organization. French Club. Banter Student Newspaper Staff, Associate Editor. Fencing. Tennis. College Enrollment. Honored as Representative Boy, 1942. OBITUARY: Oscar Harvey King, Jr. Harvey/Os King died December 19, 2005 of lung cancer at the age of 80. He was born June 20, 1925. He graduated from Brigham Young High School, then the Lawrenceville School and Princeton University, and then did post graduate studies at the University of Utah. He served in the CID for the Army at the end of World War II. He lived in Provo, Utah until 1970, Salt Lake City, Utah 1970-1984, San Diego, California 1984-2003, and Laguna Niguel, California 2003 until his death. He was an avid fencer, skier, golfer, tennis player, and sailor who helped establish the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla at the Great Salt Lake. He served as an executive for Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe company in Springville, Utah, and Alpa Corporation in Salt Lake City until retiring in 1984, and was active in the Episcopal Churches and civic affairs in those communities. Surviving him are his wife of 55 1/2 years, Rosemary/Rosie, two daughters Susan McLaughlin and Deborah Cobo, two sons Oscar III and William, eight grandchildren and one great-grandson. [Provo Daily Herald, January 6, 2006.] ~ ~ ~ ~ SECOND OBITUARY, PRINCETON ALUMNI: Oscar Harvey King Jr. ’47. Os King died Dec. 19, 2005, of lung cancer. He was 80. All who knew him will remember Os, also known as “Harvey,” for his warmth, humor, and joy in life. Prior to Princeton he attended Brigham Young High School and the Lawrenceville School. Os was a member of Princeton’s undefeated épée team of 1949 and the winner of the Princeton Fencing Medal that year. His highly successful business career was spent in Provo and Salt Lake City until 1984, when Os and his beloved Rosie moved to Laguna Niguel, Calif. A lifelong Episcopalian, Os was active in civic and church affairs. It is characteristic of Os that he suffered his first stroke following an evening of jitterbugging with Rosie during our 25th reunion. He survived a second stroke with continued good humor and optimism before succumbing to cancer. Always an enthusiastic sportsman and sailor and one of the founders of the Flotilla of the Great Salt Lake, Os was awarded the U.S. Medal for Meritorious Achievement for his role in saving the crew of an endangered ship in 1978. He is survived by Rosie, his wife of 55 years; two sons; two daughters; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. To all of them, the class extends heartfelt sympathy. [Memorial, The Princeton Class of 1947 ~ ~ http://www.princeton.edu/~paw/archive_new/PAW06-07/11-0404/memorials.html ]

King, Samuel Andrew

King, Samuel Andrew
Salt Lake City, Utah US

Sam and Maynetta King

BY Academy High School Class of 1888. Samuel A. King. He received a Diploma: Domestic Science. Source: Deseret Evening News, May 28, 1888. Samuel Andrew King, Criminal Lawyer in Salt Lake City. Born January 9, 1868 in Fillmore, Utah, Samuel A. King, affectionately known as "Sam" possessed the talk and wit of his Irish ancestry. He came to BY Academy in his teens and felt the influence of Karl G. Maeser and his devoted faculty. Nearly four years younger than his brother, William H. King, he emulated William's leadership by enrolling in the Acadmey and completing his courses in 1888. As his interests turned to law he attended the University of Utah for one year. In 1890 he was called on a mission to Ireland, the ancestral home of his grandmother Creighton and the mission field of his father, William King. He served with distinction for nearly three years at a time when Home Rule discussions were at their height. Advanced schooling took him to the University of Michigan where he received his LLB in 1893. He had married beautiful Maynetta Bagley, a BYA student, in September of 1892. After her death, he married LaRen Watson of St. George, Utah, on September 22, 1929. He opened a law office in Provo in 1893, becoming a member of the firm King and King, brothers in legal pursuits, and was elected County Attorney in Utah County, 1896-1898. He also served as Provo City Attorney and Prosecuting Attorney for the 4th Judicial District, 1898-1900. It was in these later offices that he decided to devote most of his practice to criminal law, as he enjoyed talking to juries, winning his points when victory was often most problematical. Sam moved to Salt Lake City for the major years of his legal life, being a partner for the most part with his talented brother, William H. King. The Salt Lake Tribune in the issue of August 28, 1943, in an obituary records: "Mr. King probably defended more persons charged with murder than any other lawyer in the nation. None of his murder clients was ever executed, although some were sentenced to prison terms. Most of these, however, were subsequently pardoned." Among his many celebrated clients were Jack Dempsey, Marie Dressler and Charles Chaplin. He died at seventy-five while on a visit to Salt Lake, on August 27, 1943.

King, William Henry

King, William Henry
Provo, Utah US

William and [3] King

Class of 1881. William Henry King. He was born in Fillmore, Utah Territory, in 1963. King was fascinated with property rights, water problems, federal, state or individual ownership, the nature of a contract, and the binding power of a deed or will. William H. King completed his Brigham Young Academy high school curriculum when he was seventeen years of age [1881]. He entered the University of Utah for a year, then served a mission to Europe for two and a half years. There he observed the various types of government with monarchy and experimental democracy. Returning home, he entered the University of Michigan Law School and graduated with his LLB. ~ ~ ~ ~ BYA Faculty & Staff. William Henry King, Law teacher, 1879-1880, 1891-1894. Source: Book, The Sons of Brigham, by T. Earl Pardoe, pp. 113-115. ~ ~ ~ ~ William H. King was born in Fillmore, Utah Territory in 1863. He attended Brigham Young Academy in Provo, Utah and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He served as a missionary of the Mormon Church in Great Britain from 1880 to 1883. After holding local offices and serving two terms in the territorial legislature, he graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, joined the Utah bar and practiced law. He held other territorial offices and then served as an associate justice of the Utah Supreme Court between 1894 and 1896. After Utah became a state in 1896, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served in the 55th Congress from March 4, 1897 to March 3, 1899. He was not nominated for a second term, but when his replacement, Brigham H. Roberts was denied his seat because he was a polygamist, King was elected to complete Roberts' term and served from April 2, 1900 and March 3, 1901. He ran for the same position in 1900 and again in 1902, but lost both times. King was elected to the Senate four times and served between March 4, 1917 and January 3, 1941. He failed to win renomination in 1940. In 1918 and 1919, he served on the Overman Committee, which investigated seditious pro-German activity during World War I and Bolshevik-inspired anti-Americanism in the months following the war's end. He served as the President pro tempore of the Senate in 1939-41 during the Seventy-sixth Congress. He practiced law in Washington, D.C. until April 1947. He then returned to Utah and died there in 1949. His son, David S. King, also served in Congress. William Henry King (June 3, 1863 – November 27, 1949) was an American lawyer, politician, and jurist from Salt Lake City, Utah. A Democrat, he represented Utah in the United States Senate from 1917 until 1941. ~ ~ ~ ~ William King also served on the Utah Supreme Court (1894-96) and in the U.S. House of Representatives (1897-99, 1900-01). From 1939-41, King was President pro tem of the U.S. Senate, i.e. highest-ranking Senator.

Kinsman, Emily

Kinsman, Emily

Emily Duggins

Emily Kinsman. She is included on a list of 59 names of the earliest students of Brigham Young Academy, taken from a file in the BYU Archives, made by an unknown contemporary student. She married _______ Duggins.

Kirk, Annie Jean

Kirk, Annie Jean
Holladay, Utah US

Annie and Leonard Brimley

Class of 1920. Annie Kirk. She received a BYH Normal Certificate in 1920. Source: Annual Record, B.Y. University, Book 10, page 322. ~ ~ ~ ~ HER OBITUARY: Annie Jean Kirk Brimley, 96, passed away July 19, 1998 in Holladay, Utah. She was born on February 5, 1902, Pleasant Grove, Utah, the daughter of Samuel Hynd Kirk and Lydia Ann Mayhew Kirk. Annie married Leonard Brimley, June 25, 1924 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. She and her husband served a mission to Southwest British Mission, England. She served as Relief Society president, volunteered at the Genealogical History Center. She helped start the girls program in the LDS Church. Attended Brigham Young Academy [actually Brigham Young High School] and was a school teacher. She was survived by children, Elaine (Ray) Dabb, North Ogden, Utah; Kirk L. (Carole), Holladay, Utah; L. Wayne (Jean), Holladay, Utah; Myrna Jean (Robert L.) Jardine, Niter, Idaho; Sharon Louise (Thomas) Ockey, Farmington, Utah; 25 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren; two half-sisters, Madge Stoner, Hamilton, Montana; Erva Bowden, Vernal, Utah. Preceded in death by husband, Leonard Brimley; two sons, Thomas Eugene and Paul; several brothers and sisters. Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 22, 1998 in Holladay, Utah. Interment, Salt Lake City Cemetery. [Deseret News, Tuesday, July 21, 1998]

Kirk, Katherine

Katherine Kirk

Class of 1939. Katherine Kirk. College Enrollment. Opera -- Accompanist. Katherine came to BYH from Pleasant Grove H.S.

Kirk, Rebecca

Kirk, Rebecca
Chesapeake, Virginia US

Rebecca Kirk

Class of 1934. Rebecca Kirk. ~ ~ ~ ~ Her parents: Martin Horton Kirk and Luella Merle Cullimore Kirk. Their children include: Helma Kirk, Salt Lake City, Utah and Portsmouth, Virginia; Rebecca Kirk [BYH Class of 1934], born September 2, 1916 in Utah, died February 13, 2004 at Portsmouth, Virginia, resided at Chesapeake, Virginia; and Vernon H. Kirk, Portsmouth, Virginia.

Kirk, Vernon Horton, Sr.

Kirk, Vernon Horton, Sr.
Waleska, Georgia US

Vernon & Lyda Kirk

Class of 1932. Vernon Kirk. Graduated from Brigham Young High School on Thursday, June 2, 1932. Source: The Evening Herald, Provo, Utah, Wednesday, June 1, 1932. ~ ~ ~ ~ Vernon H. Kirk was born October 28, 1914 in Salt Lake City, Utah. His parents were Luella "Merel" Cullimore & Martin Horton Kirk of Utah. Vernon married Lyda Freeman on October 3, 1936 in Yuma, Arizona. Vernon served in the US Merchant Marine, US Navy Lt, S1 World War II. Vernon died on August 31, 2008, in Waleska, Cherokee County, Georgia, at the age of 93. Interment, Georgia National Cemetery, Canton, Georgia. Source. ~ ~ ~ ~ HIS WIFE'S OBITUARY: Lyda Kirk, 96 of Waleska, Georgia, passed away Thursday, November 11, 2010 at Northside Hospital Cherokee, Georgia. Private family memorial services will be held at a later date. Survivors include son, Dr. Vernon H. Kirk Jr., St. George, Utah; daughter, Arlene Vernon DeLange, Waleska, Georgia; sister, Edith Elswood, Mt. Pleasant, Utah; 6 Grandchildren, 11 Great Grandchildren, 2 Great Great Grandchildren. The caring staff of Darby Huey Funeral Home, Canton, Georgia, in charge of arrangements. Source.

Kirkham, Alice

Kirkham, Alice

Alice Kirkham

Class of 1921. Alice Kirkham. She received a BYH Normal Certificate in 1921. Source: Annual Record, B.Y. University, Book 10, page 380.

Kirkham, E. J.

Kirkham, E. J.
Lehi, Utah US

E. J. Kirkham

Class of 1908. E. J. Kirkham. He is listed as a 3rd year BY High School student in 1907. He was elected Yell Leader in 1907. ~ ~ ~ ~ IS THIS? Ebenezer J. Kirkham, born February 3, 1885 in Lehi, Utah. Married Mary Ethel Wright of Idaho Falls, Idaho, on September 6, 1916, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He died on October 3, 1966 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Kirkham, Francis Washington

Kirkham, Francis Washington
Provo, Utah US

Francis and Martha Kirkham

Brigham Young High School Graduate, Class of 1904, Faculty. Francis W. Kirkham. He graduated from BYH on May 23, 1904. He was the Valedictorian of his class, delivering the Valedictory address. Source: Program, Graduation Exercises 1904, BYU High School & Normal Departments, Monday, May 23, 1904, College Hall. (Note: 1904 is the first year for BY High and BYU -- previously both were called Brigham Young Academy.) ~ ~ ~ ~ Brigham Young High School Class of 1904. Francis W. Kirkham. He received a High School Diploma. Source 2: Students Record of Class Standings B. Y. Academy, Book 1, Page 200. ~ ~ ~ ~ Faculty & Staff. Francis Kirkham, History teacher, 1901-1902, 1906-1910. ~ ~ ~ ~ Website ~ ~ ~ ~ Francis W. Kirkham, author of a book, A New Witness for Christ in America, (1951, the Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., Indianapolis, New York). ~ ~ ~ ~ Francis W. Kirkham, LL.B., PH.D., occupies a special place among those who have taken pen in hand to write of the Book of Mormon. At a time when others lacked either the opportunity or the inclination to do so, he set out to gather many early documents related to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon — source materials that were still available but in jeopardy of loss or deterioration. He analyzed these sources and compiled them into a work that has had a lasting impact on our understanding of this book of scripture. His humble beginning belies his later accomplishments and education. He was born in the small farming town of Lehi, Utah, on 6 January 1877. Brigham Young was still President of the Church, and the United States had just finished celebrating its centennial. His parents were James Kirkham and Martha Mercer; James was a farmer, storekeeper, and tithing clerk. Ninety-five years later, after a long and vigorous life, Francis died on 14 September 1972. When Francis was eight, he wanted to have a middle name like his friends. His father told him to pick one and he could be baptized with it. He was baptized Francis Washington Kirkham, after George Washington. The choosing of his name was characteristic of him through his life: he aimed high. 1 Possessing a great desire for an education, he first attended school for a few months at age eleven. This early schooling helped spark an interest in the Book of Mormon — especially one lecture on the Book of Mormon by George Reynolds. Formal education eluded him a few more years as he continued working in the family store, where he read many books and newspapers while waiting for customers. When Francis was thirteen his father received a call to serve a mission. For the children, this was a very upsetting prospect; but their mother, who was soon going to bear her eighth child, called them to her side and explained how pleased she was for their father to be so honored. The servants of God had called her husband to the Lord’s service; therefore, she explained, they must prepare for his departure. He never left, however. There were complications when the baby was born, and in a few days Martha died. Francis grieved over the loss of his beloved mother; but life went on, and his father’s second wife cared well for the motherless children. Still, he did feel a great responsibility to his younger brother Oscar, whom he once referred to affectionately as “a fat plump healthy boy with a voice suitable for a long eared donkey, yet he had a good heart.” Francis wrote: “How often have I guarded him against the evils that often fall unawares upon the youth & how my heart rejoices today, in seeing him a son of God, respected by all and looked upon by all as a boy of the brightest prospects.” 2 In 1941, that brother, Oscar A. Kirkham, became a member of the First Council of the Seventy. Francis’s longing for an education was partially satisfied when, at age fifteen, he went to Salt Lake City to study business for twelve weeks under the direction of James E. Talmage. He then returned to Lehi and the family business. Finally his yearning to go to Brigham Young Academy was fulfilled. “How long and often I had longed for school and now I was to realize it,” he wrote. It was while he attended the academy that his spirituality was awakened. Smallpox struck the school, and many were taken ill and were on the brink of death. This alarmed Francis, but after much faith and prayer he received assurance from the Lord that “the disease would be stayed.” Seeing this promise fulfilled was a deep spiritual experience for him. The event caused him to reflect that it was “better to be a Deacon who merits the daily protection and guidance of the Spirit of God than he who [is] blessed a few times with gifts, straightway is overcome & is left lonely and alone.” 3 At age nineteen he was called as a missionary to New Zealand, where he served for three years among the Maoris. He threw himself into his missionary work, learning the language so well that he ultimately wrote a simplified Maori grammar for new missionaries. 4 Returning to Brigham Young Academy following his mission, Francis met Martha Alzina Robison. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1901 and became the parents of seven children. After his marriage, Francis was torn between work and school. Longing for more education, he took his family to Canada to earn money to continue. In less than three years he had not only earned sufficient funds to continue his schooling, but was on the verge of becoming well to do. At this point, he abandoned his successful business and enrolled at the University of Michigan. Many of his acquaintances felt he was foolish, and they reminded him that his former salary was greater than any he would ever earn as a teacher. In his journal Francis explained why he made such a “foolish” decision: “I tell my children in great sincerity that there was only one reason and that was the ideals of the Gospel, ‘The Glory of God is Intelligence. We are saved no faster than we gain knowledge’ and the great thing that we can do on earth is to bring souls to the knowledge of the Gospel.” 5 Francis received his bachelor’s degree at Michigan and became a faculty member at Brigham Young Academy for two years. But more education beckoned. He was a member of the first graduating class at the University of Utah Law School, graduating with an LL.B. degree. For most, this would have been enough education; but not for Francis Washington Kirkham. He pursued graduate work at Stanford and was awarded a Ph.D. by the University of California in 1930. He served in many educational positions in his lifetime, including the presidency of the LDS Business College in Salt Lake City. He was chosen by the Utah State Board of Education as the first state director of vocational education. Finally he became superintendent of the Granite School District, one of the largest in Utah. While he was superintendent of the Granite School District, his work attracted national attention. The result was publication by the U.S. Office of Education of a work by Dr. Kirkham entitled Educating All the Children of All the People. This publicity brought with it an offer in 1929 to become director of the National Child Welfare Association in New York City. He accepted. Many of his co-workers and companions in the association were Protestant ministers. Learning that he was a Latter-day Saint, they bombarded him with many questions about the Church and the Book of Mormon. Their main question was, after all his years of advanced learning, did he still believe the Joseph Smith story? They also questioned him about the appearance of the Angel Moroni and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. They wondered what evidence he had for the reality of these events. 6 Because of these encounters, Dr. Kirkham determined that he would be better able to respond to these questions by locating as much information as possible about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon from the area in which it came forth. What better source could there be, Brother Kirkham reasoned, than the newspapers published during the time and from the area where Joseph Smith resided? This set him on a quest to locate these periodicals. Taking advantage of his location in the East, he visited many repositories of early New York newspapers. On one of his many trips to these sites he discovered a Mrs. Sanford Durfee Van Alstyne in Rochester, New York. Visiting with her at her home, he asked if she had any newspapers published in Palmyra, New York, during the period of the 1820s and 1830s. She replied that she had “all of them.” Surprised by this discovery, he was even more startled when he looked around and realized that this valuable collection was upstairs in a two-story frame house that could easily be destroyed by fire. He further inquired if these newspapers contained any articles on the Prophet Joseph Smith. Again to his amazement, she replied that there were many. Her husband had been curious what these newspapers might say about Joseph Smith, and he had marked those portions. Brother Kirkham gleaned much information from these important historical sources. 7 He also traveled to many other locations in the East, particularly in New York and the Western Reserve in Ohio, searching out other newspaper accounts of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. The result of these trips was the discovery of many newspaper articles which contained some of the first references to Joseph Smith’s early visions and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. This allowed Brother Kirkham to publish many early sources of Latter-day Saint history and enabled him to write a strong defense of the Book of Mormon, a work he entitled Source Material Concerning the Origin of the “Book of Mormon,” published in 1937. This work was expanded when he decided to gather and evaluate all the newspaper articles he could locate about the Book of Mormon. He called this later effort A New Witness for Christ in America, The Book of Mormon. 8 This two-volume work is an important contribution to Book of Mormon scholarship, largely because of Brother Kirkham’s careful gathering of these early sources. In A New Witness for Christ, Dr. Kirkham examined five explanations for the origin of the Book of Mormon, showing the validity or weakness of each. 1. The first explanation came from the Prophet Joseph Smith and those who assisted him. The Prophet’s testimony of how the book came about was simple and straightforward. But its simplicity caused difficulty for many people. Joseph Smith explained that he was visited periodically by the angel Moroni during a four-year period. At the end of the four years, Moroni entrusted to him the gold plates, and the Prophet subsequently translated them by the gift and power of God. A valuable contribution of Brother Kirkham’s books is his compilation of details about the production of the Book of Mormon as related by close associates of the Prophet. The person who recounted these events most thoroughly was Oliver Cowdery, the personal scribe of the Prophet who, as he said, wrote the entire Book of Mormon (except for a few pages) as Joseph Smith dictated. Oliver possessed a very inquisitive mind, and because of his close association with Joseph Smith, he had many opportunities to query the Prophet about Moroni’s visits and the subsequent circumstances which ultimately produced the Book of Mormon. Oliver wrote a series of letters to W. W. Phelps concerning these events—letters that give us valuable insights not found in Joseph Smith’s history. For example, Oliver was told the location where Joseph had found the plates on the Hill Cumorah: “the west side of the hill, not far from the top.” 9 He also learned the approximate time when the angel Moroni appeared to Joseph during the night of 21 September 1823. Although Joseph was not able to tell him the exact time, he said it must have been 11:00 p.m., midnight, or later, “as the noise and bustle of the family, in retiring, had long since ceased.” 10 If it was that late at night, Joseph Smith must have prayed for several hours before Moroni appeared. Oliver discussed the temptation the Prophet had on his first trip to the Hill Cumorah. There were two forces operating upon young Joseph’s mind, one urging him to obtain the plates to glorify God, and the other tempting him to seek wealth so he could live out his life in ease. (This reminds us of Jesus’ temptation when Satan offered him the kingdoms of the world and their glory. See Matt. 4:8–9.) Elder Cowdery cautioned against judging Joseph too harshly for allowing Satan’s temptation to attract him, since he was young and, like us all, his mind was easily turned from correct principles, “unless he could be favored with a certain round of experience.” 11 This accounts for Joseph Smith’s failure to get the record in 1823. After reaching for the plates three times and failing, he cried out: “Why can I not obtain this book?” A voice answered immediately: “Because you have not kept the commandments of the Lord.” Moroni then gave him a great vision. Joseph first saw the glory of the Lord; then Moroni said to him, “Look!” He next saw the prince of darkness and his terrible hosts. This was shown to him, Joseph was informed, so that henceforth he never need to be deceived. Joseph Smith saw that there was nothing desirable in Satan’s program. It could not bring happiness—only misery. On the other hand, those who followed the Lord were blessed with unspeakable joy. This was an important experience for him in determining the difference between divine and satanic influence. There was another sign by which Joseph would know the work was true. “This is the sign,” Moroni said. “When these things begin to be known … the workers of iniquity will seek your overthrow; they will circulate falsehoods to destroy your reputation, and also will seek to take your life.” 12 These falsehoods have been the basis of most anti-Mormon articles and books ever since. Brother Kirkham concluded this portion of the book by stating that members of the Church accepted Joseph Smith’s explanation of the origin of the Book of Mormon. “They were able to learn from persons who participated, including the Prophet himself, and by their study with faith and prayer in the promise of God recorded in the book, that the Book of Mormon had come forth by divine power and that it contained the teachings of the resurrected Christ to the ancient people of the American Continent. “This, briefly, is the first explanation of the Book of Mormon. If this explanation is true, the greatest knowledge that can come to man has been revealed.” 13 2. According to Francis Kirkham, a second explanation for the coming forth of the Book of Mormon came from the residents of Palmyra, New York, where the book was published, and from others who knew of its initial publication. Their statements were circulated immediately before and after the Book of Mormon appeared in print. These people knew the time, place, and circumstances surrounding the writing and publication of the book, and they all affirmed the same thing: that Joseph Smith from his own mind dictated or wrote the Book of Mormon, and that its contents were nonsensical. Most of those who put forth this explanation knew the Prophet personally. They felt that it was impossible for him to write a book of any consequence and rejected his claim that the book had divine origins. One account reported: “Most people entertain an idea that the whole matter is a result of a gross imposition, and a grosser superstition. It is pretended that it will be published as soon as the translation is completed.” 14 There were others who spoke in even stronger terms: “Smith, its real author, as ignorant and as impudent a knave as ever wrote a book, betrays the cloven foot in basing his whole book upon a false fact, or a pretended fact, which makes God a liar.” 15 3. Kirkham states that the above explanation was the only one used by opponents at first. But when many people began to accept the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, another theory was formulated to explain its authorship: Some person or persons with far greater ability than Joseph Smith must have produced the Book of Mormon. This interpretation initially appeared in the first anti-Mormon book, Mormonism Unvailed, a work published by Eber D. Howe and, most believe, authored by Philastus Hurlburt, an apostate. This hypothesis for the formulation of the Book of Mormon can best be summed up thus: “The Book of Mormon is the joint production of Solomon Spaulding and some other designing knave.” They conjectured this “knave” to be Sidney Rigdon. 16 This explanation, originating in 1834, has been repeated by many anti-Mormon writers ever since. Because of this, Francis Kirkham spent a great deal of time in both volumes of A New Witness for Christ in America discussing this argument. The historical portion of the Book of Mormon, the proponents of this theory insisted, came from Solomon Spaulding’s novel, Manuscript Found. They contended that the fictionalized account became “scripture” as part of a careful scheme to defraud and deceive unthinking people. This explanation became an excuse for attacking the new religion. Brother Kirkham explained that, in addition to creating the Spaulding theory, Hurlburt gathered many affidavits from the residents of Palmyra, New York, talking of Joseph Smith’s ignorance, delusion, and superstition. This, the anti-Mormon writers believed, added additional weight to their “true” explanation of the origin of the book. While this theory is still occasionally appealed to, most current anti-Mormon writers have abandoned this explanation. The reason is very simple. In 1884 the original of Spaulding’s Manuscript Found was discovered in Honolulu, Hawaii. When this document was then published, it very obviously bore no relation to the Book of Mormon. Significantly, the theorized link between the works of Joseph Smith and Spaulding was further discredited by Spaulding’s statement attached to the manuscript “that he did not accept the Bible as the revealed word of God to man” and that “the Bible’s only value is its ethical teachings.” Francis Kirkham pointedly proclaimed, “How could a confessed unbeliever in the Bible be the author of the Book of Mormon?” 17 4. The fourth explanation of the Book of Mormon’s origin simply modified the previous theory. Obviously, the critics claimed, the manuscript found in Honolulu was not the one used by Sidney Rigdon to produce the Book of Mormon. Thus, there must have been a longer version written later. What happened to this manuscript? Of course, the theory ran, it was lost or destroyed! Brother Kirkham quickly refuted this argument, pointing out that Solomon Spaulding’s wife and daughter both stated that the Spaulding manuscript (the only one that would have been available for Sidney Rigdon to plagiarize) had been returned to the family from the printing shop where Manuscript Found was published. Later it was examined by Philastus Hurlburt—the anti-Mormon writer—who took the manuscript and never returned it despite repeated requests by the family. 18 5. Because the fourth explanation proved inadequate, Brother Kirkham stated, confusion and lack of unity among modern critics of the Book of Mormon has led to a fifth hypothesis. This theory tries to explain the Book of Mormon on various psychological grounds. I. W. Riley theorized that Joseph Smith was an epileptic. No, declared Harry Beardsley, he was “a paranoid.” Never, stated James Black; he possessed “a disassociated personality.” You are all wrong, insisted Faun Brodie; he was “a ne’er-do-well, careless youth, … a superstitious religious believer, and … a ‘myth maker of prodigious talents,’ who was able to write a fable he called the Book of Mormon.” Other modern critics state that Joseph Smith must have been the author of the book, but its contents can be explained by the environment and the knowledge common to the area in which it was produced. 19 To conclude Brother Kirkham’s discussion of the five explanations of the Book of Mormon’s origins, we return to his original statement: “It is hoped that this book, which describes the attempts to prove the Book of Mormon man-made will cause the reader to ponder, Did Joseph Smith tell the truth? Are the spiritual events he describes actual, objective realities? Is the Book of Mormon a record that ‘came forth’ by divine power and was it translated by divine power, to convince all men that Jesus is the Christ, or is the book man-made? … Do we, in truth and reality have in America ‘A New Witness for Christ’? Surely the Book of Mormon is the challenge of a century!” 20 And the same must be asked of the man who translated the book. Was Joseph Smith a prophet of God? Elder Kirkham believed that the fruits of the work Joseph Smith initiated and the failures of his critics in the many years since the Book of Mormon appeared make it very difficult for anyone to maintain that the Prophet was a deceiver. Neither can he be considered an “ignorant, fanatical leader of deluded followers.” According to Brother Kirkham, there are only two possible explanations of the dilemma posed by the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Was he a rare, mystic leader with ability to write the book and deceive the witnesses and thousands of followers who lived with him? Or is it possible he spoke the truth. Was he, in reality, a prophet of God?” 21 With these final questions Francis W. Kirkham came to one conclusion: “To confirm to all men that Jesus is the Christ, an ancient record containing the fulness of the Gospel was brought forth and translated by divine power through the instrumentality of a man, chosen of God, who had neither the help of another nor the ability himself to write the glorious messages of the book. One hundred and twenty years [now one hundred and fifty-four] have passed since its publication. Today every earnest seeker for the truth may know for himself if the book came forth by divine power.” 22 Francis Kirkham’s answer to the Book of Mormon dilemma was that the book is indeed a “New Witness for Christ in America.” [photos] Photography by Eldon Linschoten [photo] Clockwise from left: Francis W. Kirkham in his later years; the Kirkham family home in Lehi, Utah; Brother Kirkham during his years as a student; the Reflector, a newspaper printed in Palmyra, which often ran articles on Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. [photo] At a time when others lacked either the opportunity or the inclination to do so, Francis W. Kirkham set out to gather many early documents related to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon—source materials that were still available but in jeopardy of loss or deterioration. [photo] Left to right: Brother Kirkham; copies of the Palmyra Reflector containing stories about the Book of Mormon; Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Notes 1. See Church News, 13 January 1968, p. 16. 2. Francis W. Kirkham, “No. 1, Private Journal, July 22, 1893 to Dec. 27, 1893: Brief Account of Life from Birth to above date,” Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, pp. 7–8, 31. 3. Journal, n.d., n.p. 4. George S. Dibble, “A Builder of Boys and Girls,” Improvement Era, July 1935, p. 421. 5. Journal, n.d., n.p. 6. See Francis W. Kirkham, “A New Witness for Christ in America,” BYU Leadership Week Lecture (Provo: Brigham Young University Extension Division, 1954), p. 1. 7. See Francis W. Kirkham, “Presentation of the Copyrights of ‘A New Witness for Christ in America’ to Brigham Young University, April 12, 1961,” Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, 1960–61 (Provo: Brigham Young University, 1961), p. 5. 8. Francis W. Kirkham, A New Witness for Christ in America, The Book of Mormon (Independence, Mo.: Zion’s Printing and Publishing Co., 2 vols., 1942 and 1951). 9. Ibid., 1:94. 10. Ibid., 1:86. 11. Ibid., 1:87. 12. See New Witness for Christ, 1:98–100. 13. Ibid., 2:19. 14. As quoted in New Witness for Christ, 1:148. 15. Ibid., 1:296. 16. See New Witness for Christ, 2:142, 144. 17. Ibid., 2:125. 18. See New Witness for Christ, 2:153, 323. 19. Ibid., 2:323–24. 20. Ibid., 2:4–5. 21. Ibid., 2:325. 22. Ibid., 2:6–7. Notes Keith W. Perkins, department chairman of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University, currently serves as bishop of the Orem (Utah) Forty-eighth Ward. He and his wife, Vella, are the parents of four children. [Keith W. Perkins, “Francis W. Kirkham: A ‘New Witness’ for the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, Jul 1984, p. 53.]

Kirkham, Myrtle

Kirkham, Myrtle
Of Lehi, Utah US

Myrtle Kirkham

Class of 1912. Myrtle Kirkham, of Lehi, Utah. Graduated from Brigham Young High School in 1912. Source 1: 1912 BYU Mizpah, BYH section, photos and names on pp. 1 - 62, 105. ~ ~ ~ ~ Myrtle Kirkham. She received a BYH Normal Diploma in 1912. Source 2: Annual Record, B.Y. University, Book 3, page 283.

Kirkham, Oscar A.

Kirkham, Oscar A.
Salt Lake City, Utah US

Oscar and Josephine Kirkham

Class of 1898? Oscar A. Kirkham. Member, BY High School Imperial Quartette, baritone. Sang in choir concert Tuesday, March 12, 1912, Bountiful, Utah [Davis County Clipper, March 8, 1912]. LDS General Authority. Oscar A. (Ammon) Kirkham, 1880 - 1958. ~ ~ ~ ~ Born 1880 Lehi, Utah. Baptized 1888. Oscar A. Kirkham entered Brigham Young Academy high school at 17. After graduation he studied music in Germany, while he was set apart as a missionary. Mission in Germany 1900-1903. He later studied music and education at Columbia University in New York where he paid for some of his schooling by singing in a professional choir and coaching students. Oscar's first job was at Ricks Academy in Rexburg, Idaho, where he taught music from 1903-1906. While still on the Ricks faculty, he married Josephine Idha Murdock 1905; nine children. Ordained Seventy 1905. First Council of the Seventy 1941-1958. Died 1958, Salt Lake City, Utah. ~ ~ ~ ~ Oscar Ammon Kirkham, of the First Council of the Seventy and executive secretary of the Y.M.M.I.A. for many years, was born Jan. 22, 1880, in Lehi, Utah, the fourth child of nine born to James Kirkham and Martha Mercer. He was baptized Jan. 1, 1888, and filled a mission to Germany in 1900-1903. Upon his return he married on May 24, 1905 in the Salt Lake Temple Miss Josephine Murdock. Together they had nine children. Elder Kirkham was ordained a Seventy February 26, 1905 by Joseph W. McMurrin. He graduated from the Brigham Young University [high school?] in Provo, Utah, then studied music in Berlin, Germany and taught school in the Latter-day Saints University. He was Scout Executive of Region 12, Boy Scouts of America. During the International Boy Scout Jamboree, held at Artowe Park, Birkenhead, England, in 1929, he was a member of the national staff, was general morale officer and member of the program committee, and had charge of the religious exercises of the American scouts and assisted in the general supervision of the American contingent. On October 5, 1941 Elder Kirkham was sustained to the First Council of the Seventy at the age of sixty one. He was set apart by President Heber J. Grant. ~ ~ ~ ~ In 1953 Elder Kirkham spoke in General Conference of the importance of our youth, "As youth goes, so will civilization go. Thus we must safeguard their future with noble example on the part of worthy parents and leadership, with devoted personal attention, then our civilization will continue to progress." President Kirkham continued to serve in the First Council of the Seventy until his death March 10, 1958 in Salt Lake City, Utah. ~ ~ ~ ~ Some years later Elder Cree-L Kofford of the Seventy spoke of President Kirkham: "Oscar Kirkham was one of the great men of the Church and among the Church's most respected Scouters. He served in the First Council of the Seventy and was a significant presence wherever he went. Often in meetings he would rise to a "point of personal privilege" and then, when recognized, would proceed to say something good about someone. Near the end of his life, he spoke briefly at Brigham Young University on the theme "say the good word." On the morning that Elder Kirkham died, Elder Marion D. Hanks was invited to the Kirkham family home. There he was handed a small, inexpensive notebook in which Elder Kirkham had kept his notes. The last two entries were: "Say the good word" and "Your name is safe in our home" (see Marion D. Hanks, foreword to Say the Good Word, by Oscar A. Kirkham [1958], 4).

Kirkham, Wanda

Kirkham, Wanda

Wanda Kirkham

Class of 1918. Wanda Kirkham. She received a BYH Normal Certificate in 1918. Source: Annual Record, B.Y. University, Book 10, page 118.

Kirkman, James Julian, Jr.
8923 Douglas Circle
Helena, Montana 59602 US

James Kirkman
  • Work: (406) 458-9281

Class of 1962. James J. Kirkman, Jr. Football, Wrestling, Tennis, Forensics, Chorus, Seminary Graduate, Model U.N., Y Club. Ricks College, 1968. His parents: James Julian Kirkman, Sr., and Eloise Kirkman. Their children: Sally Kirkman (Kent) Reimann [BYH Class of 1959]; Janet Eloise Kirkman (Gerald) Hixon [BYH Class of 1961]; James Julian Kirkman, Jr. [BYH Class of 1962]; John (Maria) Kirkman [BYH Class of 1966 Honorary]; and Lee (Susie) Kirkman. @2007

Kirkman, Janet Eloise

Kirkman, Janet Eloise
Salt Lake City, Utah US

Janet and Gerald Hixson

Class of 1961. Janet Eloise Kirkman. Varsity Cheerleader, Dramatics, German Contest, Thespians President, Model U.N., Seminary Graduate, BYU Scholarship, Senior Honor Panel, Honor Roll. BYU BA History 1965. Married Gerald F. Hixson. ~ ~ ~ ~ HER OBITUARY: Janet Eloise Hixson, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend, age 54, passed away January 3, 1998 at Cottonwood Hospital. Born April 27, 1943, in Springville, Utah, to James and Eloise Kirkman. She married Gerald F. Hixson on March 11, 1966; later solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Janet was a graduate of BY High and BYU. She served faithfully in various church callings. Janet was a great wife, mother and grandmother and was her family's best friend. Survived by her husband; mother; daughter, Dana (Jon) Eagar; son, Robert Hixson; sister, Sally (Kent) Reimann; brothers, John (Maria) Kirkman, and Lee (Susie) Kirkman; and granddaughters, Morgan and Madison Eagar. Funeral services were held Tuesday, January 6, 1998, at the Brighton 10th Ward. Interment, Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. [Deseret News, Monday, January 5, 1998.] ~ ~ ~ ~ HER PARENTS: James Julian Kirkman, Sr., and Eloise Kirkman. Their Children: Sally Kirkman (Kent) Reimann [BYH Class of 1959]; Janet Eloise Kirkman (Gerald) Hixon [BYH Class of 1961]; James Julian Kirkman, Jr. [BYH Class of 1962]; John (Maria) Kirkman [BYH Class of 1966 Honorary]; and Lee (Susie) Kirkman.

Kirkman, John
6390 East Cedar Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80224-1019 US

John and Maria Kirkman
  • Work: (303) 355-5818
  • Home: (720) 941-0148
  • Fax: (303) 393-6499

Class of 1966 - Honorary Member. John Kirkman. Married Maria Valdes, Ph.D. His parents: James Julian Kirkman, Sr., and Eloise Kirkman. Their children: Sally Kirkman (Kent) Reimann [BYH Class of 1959]; Janet Eloise Kirkman (Gerald) Hixon [BYH Class of 1961]; James Julian Kirkman, Jr. [BYH Class of 1962]; John (Maria) Kirkman [BYH Class of 1966 ~ Honorary]; and Lee (Susie) Kirkman. @2006

Kirkman, Sally
1139 West 2325 North
Layton, UT 84041

Sally and Kent Reimann
  • Home: (801) 825-0707

Class of 1959. Sally Kirkman. Girls' State, My True Security, Best Actress, Drama Service Award, 10th, 11th and 12th Grade Scholarship, BYU Scholarship, Seminary Award, Pep Club Vice President, Model U.N., Festival Play, Senior Medal, Junior Class Secretary, State Debate, Interpretive Speech, Thespians, Graduation Committee. BYU BS History 1963. Married E. Kent Reimann. HER PARENTS: James Julian Kirkman, Sr., and Eloise Kirkman. Their Children: Sally Kirkman (Kent) Reimann [BYH Class of 1959]; Janet Eloise Kirkman (Gerald) Hixon [BYH Class of 1961]; James Julian Kirkman, Jr. [BYH Class of 1962]; John (Maria) Kirkman [BYH Class of 1966 Honorary]; and Lee (Susie) Kirkman. ~ ~ ~ ~ Sally is now retired. @2009

Kirkpatrick, Robert Albert

Kirkpatrick, Robert Albert
Provo, Utah US

Bob and Marilyn Kirkpatrick

Class of 1948. Robert Albert "Bob" Kirkpatrick. Senior Class Vice President 3, Class of 1947-48. Football 1, 3. Tennis 1, 2, 3. Region 3 Tennis Singles Champion 3. Letterman 2, 3. Basketball 1, 2, 3. State of Utah Tennis Singles champion in both 1947 and 1948~ ~ ~ ~ Bob married Marilyn Ross. (See their photo on Class of 1949 reunion page for 2003.) ~ ~ ~ ~ HIS OBITUARY: Robert Albert "Bob" Kirkpatrick, 1930 – 2016. On July 25, 2016, Robert Albert Kirkpatrick passed away. He was born on February 3, 1930, in Provo, Utah, the son of Violet Charter Kirkpatrick and Albert Kirkpatrick. Bob began his schooling at the BYU Training School, continuing his education there, graduating from BYU High School in the Class of 1948. While in high school, he lettered in basketball and tennis, winning the State Tennis Singles title in both 1947 and 1948. He served in the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean War. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Presidential Citation Medal for having been in combat at the Heartbreak Ridge Sector. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant. Returning to Provo, he continued his education at Brigham Young University, playing on the tennis team for four years, graduating in 1954. Bob joined his father in the insurance business. With the degree of a Charter Life Underwriter, he became a National Leader for the Equitable Life Assurance Co. for many years. In 1956, Bob married Marilyn Ross. They are the parents of two sons. Bob felt his best enjoying the sunshine, fishing and playing tennis or golf. He looked forward to his weekly time spent with his breakfast buddies. Bob was a member of the Provo Community Church. He was a charter member of the Riverside Country Club, he belonged to the Elks Lodge and the Provo Rotary Club. Survived by his wife, Marilyn, and sons, Ross of Provo and Scott of Sandy. In memory of his father, Bob requested contributions be made to Shriner’s Hospital for Children, 1275 E. Fairfax Rd., Salt Lake City, Utah 84103. A remembrance honoring Bob, followed by full Military Rites, will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at East Lawn Memorial Hills, 4800 North 650 East, Provo, Utah. Condolences may be expressed at www.bergmortuary.com [Provo Daily Herald, July 31, 2016]

Kirkwood, Maggie

Kirkwood, Maggie

Maggie Nielson

Maggie Kirkwood. She is included on a list of 59 names of the earliest students of Brigham Young Academy, taken from a file in the BYU Archives, made by an unknown contemporary student. She married ______ Nielson.

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