B. H. Roberts
A brilliant, controversial Mormon intellectual who served as a church historian, politician, and defender of faith through rigorous scholarship.
1857–1933 (age 76)·American Mormon politician·Birthday: March 13
Biography
B. H. Roberts was a figure of formidable intellect and conviction in the Latter-day Saint movement. Born in England and immigrating to Utah as a child convert, he was largely self-educated, a fact that made his later scholarly output all the more remarkable. He served as a Seventy and became the church’s official historian, producing monumental works like the seven-volume 'History of the Church' and his six-volume 'Comprehensive History.' These works shaped the orthodox narrative for generations. His life took a dramatic political turn in 1898 when, after being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, he was denied his seat due to his practice of polygamy, a national controversy. Roberts was a complex thinker; his posthumously published 'Studies of the Book of Mormon' applied textual analysis that later fueled debates about the book’s origins, showcasing a mind committed to examining faith with the tools of reason. He embodied the tensions of modern Mormonism—a devoted leader navigating the demands of faith, history, and public life.
#1 When B. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1857
B.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1857Born
1862Started school
President: Abraham Lincoln
1870Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1873Could drive
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1875Could vote
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1878Turned 21
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1887Turned 30
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Turned 40
President: William McKinley
1907Turned 50
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1917Turned 60
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Turned 70
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1933Died at 76
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
Key Achievements
- Authored the seminal six-volume 'A Comprehensive History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.'
- Served as the official Church Historian and Recorder for the LDS Church from 1902 to 1933.
- Was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1898 but was excluded from serving due to his polygamist status.
- Wrote 'The Truth, The Way, The Life,' an ambitious theological work that was initially withheld from publication by church leadership.
Did You Know?
He ran away from home at age 12 and worked as a farmhand and miner before resuming his education.
Roberts served as a chaplain for the U.S. Army during World War I.
He was a talented orator and debated the prominent atheist Robert G. Ingersoll.
His 'Studies of the Book of Mormon' was published after his death and is a key text in Mormon studies.
“Truth is the diamond that will scratch every other stone.”
