Jacob Spori (March 26, 1847 – September 27, 1903) was the first principal of the Bannock Stake Academy, an institution that would eventually become

Brigham Young University–Idaho Brigham Young University–Idaho (BYU–Idaho or BYU–I) is a private college in Rexburg, Idaho. Founded in 1888, the college is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Previously known as Ricks Colleg ...

. A native of

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, Spori was a high school principal and government officer in that country. He was also elected to the Reformed Church's Synod Council. However, he resigned his seat due to disagreements with the leaders of that church. In 1877, he joined

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church). In 1879 he emigrated to

Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th state. ...

. His wife, Magdalena Roschi, and children stayed in Switzerland because they had not joined the LDS Church. In 1884 Spori, returned to Switzerland as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

for the LDS Church. He baptized his wife. One week later, he set off to preach in the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. While there he baptized Mischa Markow. In 1886, he performed the first-ever

Latter-day Saint Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

baptism in

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

. In 1888, Spori was released from his mission. He went to Switzerland and gathered his family. After arriving in the United States, they settled in

Rexburg, Idaho Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 39,409 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statist ...

. It was here that Spori served as principal of the school that eventually became Ricks College and later Brigham Young University—Idaho. Spori was a highly educated man who had degrees in "mathematics, arts and music, and metallurgy.".Public Relations Office – BYU–Idaho
/ref> He was a friend of

Karl G. Maeser Karl Gottfried Maeser (January 16, 1828 – February 15, 1901) was a prominent Utah educator and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He served 16 years as principal of Brigham Young Academy. Although h ...

who instructed him on the desired set up for the new school in Rexburg.

Notes

References

*. *Denton Y. Brewerton
“Istanbul and Rexburg—Jacob Spori’s Mission Field,”
'' Tambuli'', February 1981, p. 11 * 1847 births 1903 deaths 19th-century Mormon missionaries American Latter Day Saints Converts to Mormonism Mormon missionaries in Palestine (region) Mormon missionaries in Switzerland Mormon missionaries in Turkey Mormon missionaries in the Ottoman Empire Presidents of Brigham Young University–Idaho Swiss Latter Day Saints Swiss Mormon missionaries Swiss emigrants to the United States {{LDS-stub

See also

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