Aurelia Spencer Rogers

Aurelia Spencer Rogers

Aurelia Read Spencer Rogers (October 4, 1834 – August 19, 1922) was the founder of Primary, the children's organization and official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Rogers was also a women's rights activist and suffragette.

Early life

Aurelia Read Spencer was born at Deep River, Middlesex County, Connecticut, the eldest child of Orson Spencer and Catherine Cannon Curtis. When Aurelia was 12 years old, her mother died at Sugar Creek, Iowa. A few months later, her father was asked by Brigham Young to become the new mission president for the church in Europe. As the second eldest child, Aurelia and her elder sister were made responsible for assisting the other four siblings in the move to the Salt Lake Valley, which the Spencer children completed in 1848. Orson Spencer returned from Europe in September 1849 and joined the family in Salt Lake City.

Marriage and family

On March 27, 1851, Aurelia married Thomas Rogers in the Salt Lake Temple. The Rogers moved to Farmington, Utah Territory, where Rogers would raise ten children.

Founding the Primary Association

In 1878, Rogers had become concerned that younger Latter-day Saint children had too much unsupervised time. In particular, Rogers felt that the younger boys in the community were becoming unruly and mischievous. While praying for guidance, Rogers said she heard a voice say "that there was an auxiliary organization [in the church] for all ages except the children". [Church Educational System, "Church History in the Fulness of Times", rev. ed., Salt Lake City: LDS Church, 1993, p. 410.]

Rogers met with Church President John Taylor and received permission to operate a church organization for children. With the assistance of general Relief Society president Eliza R. Snow, Rogers organized a Primary Association for her local Farmington congregation on August 11, 1878. Two weeks later, the first meeting was held on August 25, with 215 children in attendance. That day, boys were specifically taught not to steal fruit from orchards and girls were taught not to hang on wagons. In addition, they were given lessons on faith, manners, obedience, and other principles.

Snow assisted the church in spreading Primary to other church congregations. In 1880, Primary was adopted churchwide as the official organization for children in the LDS Church. From 1893 until her death, Rogers served on the general board of the Primary organization.

uffragette

Rogers was a delegate to the Woman's Suffrage Convention in Georgia in 1895. That same year, she was a delegate to the meeting of Susan B. Anthony's National Council of Women in Washington, D.C.

Death

Rogers died in Farmington, Utah at the age of 87. [ [http://images.archives.utah.gov/data/81448/2259286/2259286_0001456.jpgState of Utah Death Certificate] ]

ee also

*Richard Ballantyne

Notes

References

* Church Educational System, "Church History in the Fulness of Times", rev. ed., Salt Lake City: LDS Church, 1993


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Orson Spencer — Born March 14, 1802(1802 03 14) West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Died October 15, 1855( …   Wikipedia

  • List of Brigham Young University residence halls — This is a list of residential buildings at Brigham Young University. Besides the actual buildings where people live, dining facilities, housing area offices, laundry facilities and other buildings directly connected with the residence halls are… …   Wikipedia

  • Chronologie du mormonisme — La chronologie du mormonisme commence par la première vision de Joseph Smith dans l’État de New York au printemps 1820. Sommaire 1 1820 1829 2 1830 1839 3 1840 1849 4 1850 1859 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Primary (LDS Church) — Primary Motto Faith and Service. Formation 11 August 1878 Type Non profit Purpose/focus religious instruction; personal standards and development; child/family support Headquarters …   Wikipedia

  • Eliza R. Snow — Eliza Roxcy Snow Young (January 21, 1804 ndash; December 5, 1887) was one of the most celebrated Latter day Saint women of the nineteenth century. A renowned poet, she chronicled history, celebrated nature and relationships, and expounded… …   Wikipedia

  • Heritage Halls — is a dormitory at Brigham Young University. It consists of 24 buildings, listed below. Built in 1953, Heritage Halls are the oldest dorms on campus. It is located on the East side of campus [http://map.byu.edu] . Students that live in the halls… …   Wikipedia

  • Horton D. Haight — (1832 1900) was a Mormon pioneer. He first came to Utah at age 14 in 1847 as a member of Daniel Spencer s immigrant company. He was in charge of a freight company that came to Utah Territory in 1859 and led four down and back companiesclarifyme… …   Wikipedia

  • Eliza R. Snow — Eliza Roxcy Snow Young (21 janvier 1804 5 décembre 1887) est une personnalité du XIXe siècle, membre de l Église de Jésus Christ des saints des derniers jours. Elle fut une des épouses supposée de Joseph Smith, puis une… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia —   …   Wikipedia

  • John Taylor (Latter Day Saints) — LDSInfobox English name=John Taylor birth name=John Taylor birth date=birth date|1808|11|01 birthplace=Milnthorpe (Cumbria), England dead=dead death date=death date and age|1887|07|25|1808|11|01 deathplace=Kaysville, Utah Territory prophet… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”