Ezra Taft Benson

Ezra Taft Benson
13th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
November 10, 1985 – May 30, 1994
PredecessorSpencer W. Kimball
SuccessorHoward W. Hunter
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
December 30, 1973 – November 10, 1985
PredecessorSpencer W. Kimball
SuccessorMarion G. Romney
End reasonBecame President of the Church
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 7, 1943 – November 10, 1985
Called byHeber J. Grant
End reasonBecame President of the Church
LDS Church Apostle
October 7, 1943 – May 30, 1994
Called byHeber J. Grant
ReasonDeaths of Sylvester Q. Cannon and Rudger Clawson[1]
Reorganization
at end of term
Jeffrey R. Holland ordained
15th United States Secretary of Agriculture
In office
January 21, 1953 – January 20, 1961
PredecessorCharles F. Brannan
SuccessorOrville Freeman
PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower
Political partyRepublican
Personal details
BornEzra Taft Benson
(1899-08-04)August 4, 1899
Whitney, Idaho, U.S.
DiedMay 30, 1994(1994-05-30) (aged 94)
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
EducationOneida Stake Academy Utah State University, Logan
Brigham Young University (BS)
Iowa State University (MS)
University of California, Berkeley
Spouse(s)
(m. 1926; d. 1992)
Children6, including Reed
Signature 
Signature of Ezra Taft Benson

Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader who served as the 15th United States secretary of agriculture during both presidential terms of Dwight D. Eisenhower and as the 13th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1985 until his death in 1994.

  1. ^ Benson and Spencer W. Kimball were ordained on the same date to fill the vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve resulting from the deaths of Sylvester Q. Cannon and Rudger Clawson.