John Widtsoe
| John A. Widtsoe | |
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| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| 17 March 1921 – 29 November 1952 | |
| LDS Church Apostle | |
| 17 March 1921 – 29 November 1952 | |
| Reason | Death of Anthon H. Lund; Anthony W. Ivins added to First Presidency |
| Reorganization at end of term |
Adam S. Bennion ordained |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Andreas Widtsoe 31 January 1872 Frøya, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway, United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway |
| Died | 29 November 1952 (aged 80) Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Resting place |
Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37.92″N 111°51′28.8″W / 40.7772000°N 111.858000°W |
| Spouse(s) | Leah Dunford |
| Parents | John and Anna Widtsoe |
John Andreas Widtsoe (/ˈwɪtsoʊ/; 31 January 1872 – 29 November 1952) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1921 until his death. Widtsoe was also a noted author, scientist, and academic.
Widtsoe was born on the island of Frøya in Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. At birth his hand was attached to the side of his head, but had an operation to correct this problem. When Widtsoe was two, his family moved to the Norwegian mainland city of Namsos. His father, also named John, died in February 1878. This left his mother, Anna, as a widow with two young sons to take care of: Widtsoe, who was then five, and his younger brother Osborne Widtsoe. The family moved to Trondheim, where they were introduced to the LDS Church by a shoemaker.
In 1883, Widtsoe immigrated to the United States with his mother and brother. They arrived in Utah Territory in mid-November. Widtsoe was baptized a member of the LDS Church the following April.
Widtsoe graduated from Brigham Young College in Logan, Utah. He then attended Harvard University, graduating with honors in 1894.
In 1898, Widtsoe was ordained to the office of seventy and set apart to do missionary work in connection with his studies in Europe. He entered the University of Göttingen, Germany, and graduated with the degrees of A.M. and Ph.D. in 1899. For part of his time in Europe, Widtsoe lived in Switzerland. The police wanted proof that he and his wife were married, and since they had neglected to bring their American wedding certificate with them, they were married a second time.
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