Oscar Walter McConkie (May 9, 1887 – April 9, 1966) was a Utah State Senator and leader in

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). He was the father of

Bruce R. McConkie Bruce Redd McConkie (July 29, 1915 – April 19, 1985) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1972 until his death. McConkie was a member of the First Council o ...

, a member of the

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to ''Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...

of the LDS Church. A second son, Oscar W. McConkie, Jr., was a member of the

Utah State Senate The Utah State Senate is the upper house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The Utah Senate is composed of 29 elected members representing an equal number of senate districts. Each senate district is ...

Early years

McConkie was born in Buena Vista, Utah, a small town close to

Moab, Utah Moab () is the largest city and county seat of Grand County in eastern Utah in the western United States, known for its dramatic scenery. The population was 5,366 at the 2020 census. Moab attracts many tourists annually, mostly visitors to th ...

. At the time, his father was sought by government officials for recognizing his three wives. As such, so not long after his birth, Oscar moved to

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. His father died in Pacheco,

Galeana, Chihuahua Galeana is one of the 67 municipalities of Chihuahua, in northern Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United Stat ...

in December 1890. After his father's death, the family moved to

Mona, Utah Mona is a city in Juab County, Utah, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,547. It is part of the Provo–Orem metropolitan area. The city is about halfway between Santaquin and Nephi along Interstate 15. The populatio ...

, where McConkie was raised. The McConkies moved to Moab when Oscar was ten years old. After graduating from Moab High School, McConkie attended the

University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...

. In 1913, he married Margaret Vivian Redd in the

Salt Lake Temple The Salt Lake Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. At , it is the largest Latter-day Saint temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple ...

. In 1914, McConkie began his law studies at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

, which led to his son, Bruce, being born in

Ann Arbor Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...

Early career

After two years at law school, McConkie was having eye troubles and so returned to Utah. He worked as editor of the ''San Juan Record'', based from

Monticello, Utah Monticello ( ) is a city located in San Juan County, Utah, United States and is the county seat. It is the second most populous city in San Juan County, with a population of 1,972 at the 2010 census. The Monticello area was settled in July 1887 ...

, where he also practiced law until 1922. In 1925, McConkie returned to Ann Arbor to finish his law studies at the University of Michigan after which he moved to Salt Lake City in the fall of 1926.

Judicial positions

McConkie served as a judge in San Juan County, Utah, from 1919 to 1922, and Utah's Third District Court Judge, from 1928 to 1940. He also served as Salt Lake City commissioner. In 1940, McConkie unsuccessfully sought to be the Democratic candidate for

Governor of Utah A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

LDS Church service

Throughout his life, McConkie served in callings and leadership positions in the LDS Church. From 1920 to 1923, he was

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

of the

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...

Ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

, before becoming a counselor in the

presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified by a ...

of the church's San Juan Stake to Wayne H. Redd, his wife's uncle, from 1923 to 1925. McConkie also served in the stake presidency of the Ensign Stake (in Salt Lake City) during the late 1930s and early 1940s. He later served as a member of the church's

Sunday School A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. Su ...

General Board. From 1946 to 1950, McConkie was

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the California

Mission Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...

, which then included most of California and a large part of

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

Publications

McConkie's writings should not be confused with those by his son, Oscar W. McConkie, Jr. * *

Notes

Sources

* McConkie, Joseph Fielding. ''The Bruce R. McConkie Story''. (Salt Lake City:

Deseret Book Deseret Book () is an American publishing company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that also operates a chain of bookstores throughout the western United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation (DMC), the ...

, 2003) p. 32-55.