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Sessions, J. Wyley (James Wyley), 1885-1977

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1885 - 1977

Biographical History

J. Wyley Sessions (1885-1977) was an educator and missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah and Idaho.

James Wyley Sessions was born on December 11, 1885 in Marion, Idaho to Harvey and Alice Bryson Sessions. He studied agriculture at Utah State Agricultural College, earning his bachelor's degree in 1911. He married Annie Magdalen Funk on September 17, 1913 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and they had three children together. In 1917, Sessions took a position as professor of agriculture at the University of Idaho, Southern Branch. However, in 1919 he was called to service as a mission president for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in South Africa between 1920 and 1926.

Upon his return, Sessions was sent to establish the institute program at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. He was transferred to the University of Idaho, Southern Branch in 1930, then to the University of Wyoming in 1935. In 1936 he was called to be the director of the Missionary Training School in Salt Lake City, Utah before returning to the institute program in Logan, Utah in 1938.

In 1939 Sessions was appointed as head of the Division of Religion at Brigham Young University. During his tenure he worked to organize the division into subject-based departments, and supervised the building of the Joseph Smith Building. He also worked to arrange for religious activities on campus, such as devotionals, Sunday School, and a Mutual Improvement Association. In 1947 he resigned from the university, but remained in Provo, Utah working as a home builder and developer. Sessions retired to Los Angeles, California in 1965, and passed away there on April 21, 1977.

Citation:
Papers, 1911-1978 (J. Wyley Sessions)

FamilySearch, 28 July 2010 (James Wyley SESSIONS; b. 11 Dec 1885, Marion, Idaho; d. 19 Apr 1977, Los Angeles)

Wikipedia, via WWW, Apr. 18, 2014 (J. Wyley Sessions; James Wyley Sessions; b. Dec. 11, 1885; d. April 21, 1977; first Institute director in Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Moscow, Idaho, 1926; served as head of mission home in Salt Lake City, Utah; president of South African Mission, 1921-1926; established institutes throughout West; Institute director in Pocatello, Idaho, 1935; head of Division of Religious Education, Brigham Young University, 1939-1947)

Ancestry.com, via WWW, Apr. 18, 2014 (James Wyley Sessions; parents: Harvey Sessions and Alice Bradshaw Bryson; m. Sept. 17, 1913 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Annie Magdalen Funk; three children)

UPB files, Apr. 18, 2014 (B.S., Utah State Agricultural College, 1911; M.A., University of Idaho, 1928; professor of agriculture, University of Idaho, Southern Branch, 1917-1919; director, L.D.S. Institute, University of Idaho, 1927-1930; University of Idaho, Southern Branch, 1930-1935; University of Wyoming, 1935-1936; director, Missionary Training School, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1936-1938; professor of religion, L.D.S. Institute, Logan, Utah, 1938-1939; worked in real estate in Provo, Utah after resigning from BYU; retired to Southern California in 1965)

Religious educator, 2010: vol. 11 p. 194 (organized departments for ancient scripture, church history, church administration; organized religious activities on campus, including devotionals, Sunday School and Mutual Improvement Association; organized a chapter of Lambda Delta Sigma on campus) p. 195 (involved in building of Joseph Smith Building for religion division)