Marvin O. Ashton
Encyclopedia
Marvin Owen Ashton was a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1938 until his death. Prior to becoming a general authority, Ashton was a prominent local leader of the LDS Church in Salt Lake City, Utah
.
Ashton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory
to Mormon
parents. He married Rachel Grace Jeremy in 1906 and in 1907 went to England
as a missionary
for the LDS Church. He returned to Utah in 1909, and in 1917 Ashton became the bishop of the Wasatch Ward of the church in Salt Lake City, a position he held until 1924. In 1935, he became the president of the Highland Stake of the church in Salt Lake City.
In 1938, Ashton was asked to be the first counselor to LeGrand Richards
, the newly-called presiding bishop
of the church. Ashton and Richards were brothers-in-law. Ashton served in the presiding bishopric and as a general authority until his death from coronary occlusion
in Salt Lake City. Ashton was the chairman of the church's General Church Music Committee during his time as a general authority, and he was a frequent contributor to the Improvement Era
.
Ashton is the father of Marvin J. Ashton
, who became a general authority of the church in 1969 and a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1971. Ashton's half-sister Ina Jane Ashton was the wife of LeGrand Richards
.
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) from 1938 until his death. Prior to becoming a general authority, Ashton was a prominent local leader of the LDS Church in Salt Lake City, 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...
.
Ashton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
to Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
parents. He married Rachel Grace Jeremy in 1906 and in 1907 went to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as a 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...
for the LDS Church. He returned to Utah in 1909, and in 1917 Ashton became the bishop of the Wasatch Ward of the church in Salt Lake City, a position he held until 1924. In 1935, he became the president of the Highland Stake of the church in Salt Lake City.
In 1938, Ashton was asked to be the first counselor to LeGrand Richards
LeGrand Richards
LeGrand Richards was a prominent missionary and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as the seventh presiding bishop of the LDS Church from 1938 to 1952, and was then called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by Church President David O. McKay...
, the newly-called presiding bishop
Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)
The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.-Presiding Bishopric:...
of the church. Ashton and Richards were brothers-in-law. Ashton served in the presiding bishopric and as a general authority until his death from coronary occlusion
Coronary occlusion
A coronary occlusion is the partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery. This condition may cause a heart attack.In some patients coronary occlusion causes only mild pain, tightness or vague discomfort which may be ignored: the myocardium is however damaged....
in Salt Lake City. Ashton was the chairman of the church's General Church Music Committee during his time as a general authority, and he was a frequent contributor to the Improvement Era
Improvement Era
The Improvement Era was an official magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1897 and 1970....
.
Ashton is the father of 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....
, who became a general authority of the church in 1969 and a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1971. Ashton's half-sister Ina Jane Ashton was the wife of LeGrand Richards
LeGrand Richards
LeGrand Richards was a prominent missionary and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as the seventh presiding bishop of the LDS Church from 1938 to 1952, and was then called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by Church President David O. McKay...
.