Kirkham, Francis W. (Francis Washington), 1877-1972
Dates
- Existence: 1877 - 1972
Biographical History
Francis W. Kirkham (1877-1972) was an educator and businessman in Utah.
Francis Washington Kirkham was born in 1877 in Lehi, Utah. He is known as a prominent educator as well as the author of "New Witness for the Christ in America: Evidence of Divine Power in the 'Coming Forth' of the Book of Mormon." At the young age of fifteen, Kirkham studied business under James E. Talmage, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kirkham attended Brigham Young Academy; however, his studies were placed on hold for three years while he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New Zealand. His mission inspired him to write a grammar book to help new missionaries learn the Maori language. In 1901, Francis W. Kirkham was married in the Salt Lake City Temple to Martha Alzina Robinson. He also returned to Brigham Young Academy (BYU), graduating in 1904 as valedictorian. After graduating from BYA, Kirkham worked as a businessman in Canada for three years. He later attended the University of Michigan for his bachelors degree, following which he taught at Brigham Young University for two years. Francis W. Kirkham decided to enroll in law school at the University of Utah where he was in the law school's first graduating class. He continued his graduate studies at Stanford and went on to earn his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkley. For a period of time Francis W. Kirkham served as the president of the LDS Business College, the head of vocational education for the State of Utah and the superintendent of the Granite School District. While serving as the superintendent of the Granite School District he wrote the book "Educating all the Children of all the People." The book gained him national recognition and led to Kirkham being appointed the head of the New York City-based National Child Welfare Association. During his time in New York, Kirkham studeied the Book of Mormon in depth as he had greater access to resources within the area. He published a compilation of these works in 1937 entitled "Source Material on the Book of Mormon" which was the main basis for his book "A New Witness..." Kirkham later also worked as a manager for a Salt Lake City-based insurance company for several years. Francis W. Kirkham died in 1972.
Citation:
A new witness for Christ in America, the Book of Mormon, 1967:t.p. (Francis W. Kirkham)Francis W. Kirkham papers, 1877-1972 (Francis W. Kirkham; educator and businessman)
FamilySearch, 14 July 2010 (Francis Washington KIRKHAM; b. 8 Jan 1877; d. 14 Sep 1972)
Ancestry.com, Nov. 19, 2010 (Francis W. Kirkham; Francis Kirkham; W. Francis Kirkham; Francis Washington Kirkham; b. Jan. 8, 1877 in Lehi, Utah; d. Sept. 14, 1972 in Salt Lake City, Utah; resident of Provo, Utah; farmer, canal builder, teacher; served as a missionary to New Zealand; taught at Brigham Young University)
Found in 7 Collections and/or Records:
Francis W. Kirkham correspondence
Typewritten and signed correspondence. Eight of the items were sent to Kirkham and one was sent by him. These items were to and from General Authorities and other leaders of the Mormon Church. The collection includes letters from Oscar A. Kirkham, A. Theodore Tuttle, Marvin J. Ashton, LeGrand Richards, S. Dilworth Young, and Reed Smoot. These persons thank Kirkham for sending them copies of his books.
Francis W. Kirkham correspondence
Handwritten correspondence to and from Francis and to and from his wife, Zina Robinson Kirkham (died in 1941). The items deal largely with personal and family matters.
Francis W. Kirkham letters
Four typed and signed letters by Mormon Church leaders Ezra Taft Benson (1943), Bruce R. McConkie (1960), LeGrand Richards (1958), and J. Reuben Clark (1948), addressed to Francis W. Kirkham in Utah. Benson mentions visiting a number of "cooperatives,' McConkie expresses appreciation for a book received, Richards talks about the gathering of the Jews to Israel, and Clark speaks of his intention to write a book on the life of the Savior.
David O. McKay letter
Typewritten and signed letter dated 12 Dec. 1942 and addressed to Francis W. Kirkham, Mormon author and businessman. McKay thanks Kirkham for giving him a book which Kirkham had written.
David O. McKay letters
Two typewritten and signed letters dated 16 Sept. 1936 and 28 Jan. 1937. The items were addressed to Judge Daniel Harrington and Francis W. Kirkham. McKay informs Harrington that he agrees with him on the matter of Herman W. Peery of, mayor of Odgen, Utah. McKay also believes that Peery should withdraw his candidacy for governor of Utah. McKay thanks Kirkham for sending him copies of some of his publications and looks forward to reading them.
LeGrand Richards letter
Typewritten letter dated 19 Dec. 1942 and addressed to Francis W. Kirkham of Brigham Young University. Richards thanks Kirkham for a copy of Kirkham's "A New Witness for Christ in America."
John Andreas Widtsoe letter
Typewritten and signed letter dated 31 March 1932 and addressed to Francis W. Kirkham, Mormon author and businessman. Widtsoe tells Kirkham how some statistics on the Mormon Church were compiled.
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