Ezra Taft Benson
A staunch anti-communist who served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture before leading the Mormon church into late 20th-century conservatism.
1899–1994 (age 95)·President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints·Birthday: August 4·The Lost Generation
Biography
Ezra Taft Benson was a man of two powerful callings: faith and the farm. Raised on an Idaho homestead, his life was rooted in the soil and the doctrines of the LDS Church. His political ascent was unexpected; a devout Mormon called to serve as Secretary of Agriculture under President Eisenhower, he became a vocal and controversial figure, using his platform to fiercely condemn communism and big government. After decades as an apostle, he became the church's president in his late eighties, a patriarch figure whose tenure was defined by a forceful emphasis on the Book of Mormon and traditional family values. His leadership cemented a conservative political and theological identity for the church during a period of rapid social change, leaving a legacy that continues to shape its public stance.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Ezra was born in 1899, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ezra Was Born
The biggest hits of 1899
Ezra's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1899Born
President: William McKinley
1904Started school
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Became a teenager
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1915Could drive
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Could vote
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Turned 21
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1929Turned 30
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 40
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 50
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 60
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 70
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 80
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1994Died at 95
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 15th U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for the entirety of Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency.
- Was ordained as the 13th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1985.
- Authored the influential pamphlet "The Proper Role of Government," a cornerstone of Mormon political thought.
- Oversaw the 1989 publication of the LDS edition of the King James Bible, which included extensive new study aids.
Did You Know?
He was the first and only LDS Apostle to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet.
He performed the marriage ceremony for his political ally, evangelist Billy Graham, and his wife Ruth.
As a young man, he served a mission for the LDS Church in the United Kingdom.
His great-grandfather was an early Mormon pioneer and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion.”
