Franklin D. Richards (Mormon seventy)
Encyclopedia
Franklin Dewey Richards (November 17, 1900 – November 13, 1987) was a national commissioner of the United States
Federal Housing Administration
and a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Richards was born in Ogden
, Utah
to Charles C. Richards and Louisa L. Peery. He was the youngest of eight children. He was named after his paternal grandfather, who was a member of the LDS Church Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1849 to 1899. Richards was married to Helen Kearnes and was the father of four children.
From 1920 to 1922, Richards was a LDS Church missionary
in the church's Eastern States Mission
. During his mission, he was the president of the New York
, Boston
, and Brooklyn
Districts
of the church.
In 1923, Richards received his Bachelor of Laws
degree from the University of Utah
. He practiced law in Salt Lake City until being named as the first Utah director of the Federal Housing Administration. In 1947, he became the national commissioner of the FHA in Washington, D.C.
Richards resigned this position in 1952 and pursued a career in mortgage banking.
Prior to his call as a general authority
in the LDS Church, Richards was the president
of the church's Northwestern States Mission. In 1960, he became an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
. He served in this capacity until 1976, when the position was discontinued. At this time, he became a member of the newly-constituted First Quorum of the Seventy. He served as a seventy until his death. Richards was the president
of the Washington D.C. Temple
of the church from 1983 to 1986.
Richards died at home in Salt Lake City and his funeral was held in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall
on his 87th birthday. The speakers at his funeral included LDS Church apostles Gordon B. Hinckley
, Thomas S. Monson
, Marvin J. Ashton
, and Richard G. Scott
.
Richards was credited with creating the six-part LDS Church missionary discussions which were used by the church for many years.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Federal Housing Administration
Federal Housing Administration
The Federal Housing Administration is a United States government agency created as part of the National Housing Act of 1934. It insured loans made by banks and other private lenders for home building and home buying...
and a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Richards was born in Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
to Charles C. Richards and Louisa L. Peery. He was the youngest of eight children. He was named after his paternal grandfather, who was a member of the LDS Church Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1849 to 1899. Richards was married to Helen Kearnes and was the father of four children.
From 1920 to 1922, Richards was a LDS Church missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in the church's Eastern States Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
. During his mission, he was the president of the New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
Districts
District (LDS Church)
A district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative unit composed of a number of congregations called branches. A district is a subdivision of a mission of the church and in many ways is analogous to a stake of the church. The leader of a district is the...
of the church.
In 1923, Richards received his Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. He practiced law in Salt Lake City until being named as the first Utah director of the Federal Housing Administration. In 1947, he became the national commissioner of the FHA in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Richards resigned this position in 1952 and pursued a career in mortgage banking.
Prior to his call as a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
in the LDS Church, Richards was the president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the church's Northwestern States Mission. In 1960, he became an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, commonly shortened to Assistant to the Twelve or Assistant to the Twelve Apostles, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1941 and 1976...
. He served in this capacity until 1976, when the position was discontinued. At this time, he became a member of the newly-constituted First Quorum of the Seventy. He served as a seventy until his death. Richards was the president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Washington D.C. Temple
Washington D.C. Temple
The Washington D.C. Temple is the 18th constructed and 16th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is located in Kensington, Maryland, USA, near the Capital Beltway just north of Washington, D.C...
of the church from 1983 to 1986.
Richards died at home in Salt Lake City and his funeral was held in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall
Salt Lake Assembly Hall
thumb|200px|right|Front entrance to the Assembly Hall with the [[Seagull Monument]] in foregroundthumb|200px|right|Inside Assembly HallThe Salt Lake Assembly Hall is one of the buildings owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the southwest corner of Temple Square in Salt Lake...
on his 87th birthday. The speakers at his funeral included LDS Church apostles Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
, Thomas S. Monson
Thomas S. Monson
Thomas Spencer Monson is an American religious leader and author, and the 16th and current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As president, Monson is considered by adherents of the religion to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator" of God's will on earth...
, Marvin J. Ashton
Marvin J. Ashton
Marvin Jeremy Ashton was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1971 until his death....
, and Richard G. Scott
Richard G. Scott
Richard Gordon Scott is an American nuclear engineer and a current member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Currently, he is the seventh most senior apostle among the ranks of the church.-Early years:Richard G...
.
Richards was credited with creating the six-part LDS Church missionary discussions which were used by the church for many years.
External links
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Franklin D. Richards
- “Opportunities to Serve,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 81 : Richards's last public sermon