Osborne J. P. Widtsoe
Encyclopedia
Osborne John Peder Widtsoe (December 12, 1877 – March 14, 1920) was principal of the Latter-day Saints University in Salt Lake City, Utah and a professor of English at the University of Utah
. He was also the first missionary
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) to serve in Rarotonga
,
, Norway
. He was the brother of John A. Widtsoe
. He was baptized in 1886 in Utah. From 1897-1901 Widtsoe served as an LDS missionary in the Society Islands
and in the Cook Islands
including Rarotonga. Rarotonga has since issued a stamp featuring Widtsoe.
Widtsoe married Rosetta Homer and they had at least two children.
Widtsoe received his bachelors degree from what is now Utah State University
and his masters degree from Harvard University
. He had also been a student at Brigham Young College
in Logan, Utah
. At the time of his appointment as head of the English Department at the University of Utah
he was also serving as an LDS Bishop.
Widtsoe also served for a time as assistant editor of the LDS publication, the Juvenile Instructor
.
At the time of his death Widtsoe was serving on the general board of the YMMIA.
and Franklin S. Harris
in compiling the sermons and writings of Joseph F. Smith
into the book Gospel Doctrine.
The following is a list of Widtsoe's own writings:
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 was also the first missionary
Missionary (LDS Church)
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...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) to serve in Rarotonga
Rarotonga
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...
,
Biography
Widtsoe was born in NamsosNamsos
is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Namsos. Other villages in the municipality include Bangsund, Klinga, Ramsvika, Skomsvoll, and Spillum....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He was the brother of John A. Widtsoe
John A. Widtsoe
John Andreas Widtsoe was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1921 until his death. Widtsoe was also a noted author, scientist, and academician.-Early life:...
. He was baptized in 1886 in Utah. From 1897-1901 Widtsoe served as an LDS missionary in the Society Islands
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
and in the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
including Rarotonga. Rarotonga has since issued a stamp featuring Widtsoe.
Widtsoe married Rosetta Homer and they had at least two children.
Widtsoe received his bachelors degree from what is now Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
and his masters degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He had also been a student at Brigham Young College
Brigham Young College
Brigham Young College was a college and high school in Logan, Utah. It was founded by Brigham Young on 6 August 1877, 23 days before he died. He deeded several acres of land to a board of trustees for the development of a college. This was just two years after he founded Brigham Young Academy in...
in Logan, Utah
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
. At the time of his appointment as head of the English Department at 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 was also serving as an LDS Bishop.
Widtsoe also served for a time as assistant editor of the LDS publication, the Juvenile Instructor
Juvenile Instructor
The Juvenile Instructor was an official periodical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1901 and 1930. It was first published in 1866 as a private publication...
.
At the time of his death Widtsoe was serving on the general board of the YMMIA.
Publications
In addition to his own writings, Widtsoe worked with Albert E. BowenAlbert E. Bowen
Albert Ernest Bowen was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
and Franklin S. Harris
Franklin S. Harris
Franklin Stewart Harris was president of Brigham Young University from 1921 until 1945, and president of Utah State University from 1945 to 1950....
in compiling the sermons and writings of Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
into the book Gospel Doctrine.
The following is a list of Widtsoe's own writings:
Sources
- Andrew Jenson. LDS Biographical Encyclopedia. Vol. 2, p. 403
- LDS Church News, Jan 15, 1994
- Thomas G. AlexanderThomas G. AlexanderThomas Glen Alexander is an American historian and academic who is professor emeritus from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he was also Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr. Professor of Western History and director of the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies.-Biography:Alexander was born in...
. Mormonism in Transition. (Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois PressUniversity of Illinois PressThe University of Illinois Press , is a major American university press and part of the University of Illinois system. Founded in 1918, the press publishes some 120 new books each year, plus 33 scholarly journals, and several electronic projects...
, 1999) p. 174-175