Rulon S. Wells
Encyclopedia
Rulon Seymour Wells was a Utah
politician and was a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1893 until his death.
to LDS Church leader Daniel H. Wells
(1814–1891) and Louisa Free (1824–1886). In 1875, Wells travelled to Europe
as a Mormon missionary
and worked primarily in Germany
and Switzerland
. He returned to the United States
in 1877. On January 18, 1883 he married Josephine Eliza Beatie (1857–1923).
In April 1893, Wells was chosen as a member of the seven-man First Council of the Seventy. In 1896, he succeeded Anthon H. Lund
as the president
of the European Mission
of the church, headquartered in Liverpool
, England
.
In December 1898, Wells returned to Utah. In the United States election in 1900, Wells was elected to the Utah House of Representatives
. He served as a member of the house for its 4th session, which lasted from January to March 1901. He did not stand for re-election in 1902.
Wells died in Salt Lake City from colon cancer; he had been a general authority of the church for almost 50 years.
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...
politician and was 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) from 1893 until his death.
Biography
Wells was born in Salt Lake City, Utah TerritoryUtah 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 LDS Church leader Daniel H. Wells
Daniel H. Wells
Daniel Hanmer Wells was an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the third mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States....
(1814–1891) and Louisa Free (1824–1886). In 1875, Wells travelled to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as a Mormon 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...
and worked primarily in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1877. On January 18, 1883 he married Josephine Eliza Beatie (1857–1923).
In April 1893, Wells was chosen as a member of the seven-man First Council of the Seventy. In 1896, he succeeded Anthon H. Lund
Anthon H. Lund
Anthon Henrik Lund was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a prominent Utah leader.-History:...
as 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 European 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...
of the church, headquartered in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, 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...
.
In December 1898, Wells returned to Utah. In the United States election in 1900, Wells was elected to the Utah House of Representatives
Utah House of Representatives
The Utah House of Representatives is the lower house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The House is composed of 75 representatives elected from single member constituent districts. Each district contains an average population of 35,000 people...
. He served as a member of the house for its 4th session, which lasted from January to March 1901. He did not stand for re-election in 1902.
Wells died in Salt Lake City from colon cancer; he had been a general authority of the church for almost 50 years.