Harold B. Lee correspondence, 1936-1973

Series — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSS 9392 Series 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Contains letters to and from Harold B. Lee as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Series includes handwritten letters from family members including a handwritten note from Sister Lee to Harold B. Lee as he attended a conference; typed responses by Harold B. Lee to letters received from members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints including many letters from young children, a photograph of Harold B. Lee's first Bishop Erastus Grenig Farmer, and a handwritten letter from the wife of Joseph F. Smith after his passing; conversations about Lee family history; and condolence letters to Sister Lee on the death of Harold B. Lee. Materials are dated 1936 to 1973.

Dates

Creation: 1936-1973

Creator

Lee, Harold B., 1899-1973 (contributor, Person)
Goates, L. Brent (1922-2016) (collector, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Restricted for five years until 2027.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to use material from this collection must be obtained from Reference Services at specialcollections@byu.edu.

Biographical / Historical

From the Collection:

Harold B. Lee (1899-1973) was the eleventh president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Harold Bingham Lee was born in Clifton, Idaho on March 28, 1899 to parents Samuel Marion and Louisa Emily Bingham Lee. He grew up in Idaho, attending Oneida Stake Academy until he was 17. After graduating from the academy, he taught school for four years until he was called to serve a mission in the western United States. After his mission, he was hired as the principal of the Granite School District in 1923. He was appointed a member of the Salt Lake City Commission in December 1932. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints called him to organize the Church Security Welfare Program in 1935. He was called as an apostle in 1941, and served in that position until 1972 when he was called to be the president of the church. He died on December 26, 1973 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He married Fern L. Tanner on November 14, 1923. Together they had two children. After her death in 1962, he married Freda Joan Jensen on June 17, 1963.

Biographical / Historical

From the Collection:

L. Brent Goates was born on February 2, 1922 to Lesley and Leda (Kirkham) Goates in Salt Lake City, Utah. He married Helen Lee, daughter of Harold B. Lee, on June 24, 1946, and they had six children. He wrote the definitive biography of Harold B. Lee, the eleventh president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. L. Brent Goates died in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 20, 2016.