Cowley, Matthew, 1897-1953
Dates
- Existence: 1897 - 1953
Biography
Matthew Cowley (1897-1953) was an ecclesiastical leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who lived in Utah and New Zealand.
Matthew Cowley was born on August 2, 1897 in Preston, Idaho to Matthias F. Cowley and Abbie Hyde. He attended L.D.S. University in Salt Lake City, Utah prior to receiving a mission call to New Zealand in 1914. As a missionary he was involved in revising the translation of the Book of Mormon into Maori, and helped to prepare translations of the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. After his return to Utah he studied at the University of Utah, and later attended George Washington University Law School. He returned to Utah from Washington, D.C. after his graduation to open his own law firm. In 1922 he married Elva Eleanor Taylor in the Salt Lake Temple, and they had one daughter.
In 1938 Cowley was called by the Church to return to New Zealand as mission president, where he remained until 1945. He was then called to serve as an apostle, where he continued to assist with the growth of the Church in the Pacific. His service included presiding over missions in the region, as well as contributing to the building of the New Zealand Temple and the development of the Church College of New Zealand. Cowley died on December 13, 1953 in Los Angeles, California.
Citation:
Matthew Cowley : man of faith, 1954Dictionary of NZ biography WWW site, Nov. 27, 2006 (Cowley, Matthew; missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; b. Aug. 2, 1897; Māori called him Matiu Kauri; d. Dec. 13, 1953)
Wikipedia, via WWW, Mar. 31, 2014 (Matthew Cowley; b. Aug. 2, 1897 in Preston, Idaho; parents: Matthias F. Cowley and Abbie Hyde; attended L.D.S. University in Salt Lake City, Utah; called to serve mission to New Zealand, 1914; prepared revised translation of Book of Mormon in Maori, 1917; also translated Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price; attended University of Utah; graduated from George Washington University Law School; practiced law in Salt Lake City; m. Elva Eleanor Taylor in Salt Lake Temple, 1922, one daughter; served as mission president in New Zealand, 1938-1945; called to serve as apostle, Oct. 1945; presided over church missions in Pacific, involved in building of New Zealand Temple and the Church College of New Zealand; d. Dec. 13, 1953 in Los Angeles, Calif.)
Found in 12 Collections and/or Records:
Glen L. Rudd devotional
Contains one six-inch reel-to-reel tape with Glen L. Rudd's devotional address entitled "Keeping the Gospel Simple," given on February 16, 1988. Address describes his missionary service in New Zealand under the direction of Matthew Cowley.
Matthew and Linda Sheffield collection on Matthew and Elva Cowley family
Contains material concerning Cowley's mission to New Zealand, time as a student in Washington, D.C., his life as a mission president and Apostle, and the development of missionary activity in the South Pacific and Orient, particularly New Zealand and Hawaii. Included are journals, photographs, correspondence, mission papers, speeches and notes, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia. Also contained are scrapbooks, post cards, envelopes, maps, film and film reels, and other ephemera.