Rudger Clawson
| Rudger Clawson | |
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| President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| March 17, 1921 – June 21, 1943 | |
| Predecessor | Anthon H. Lund |
| Successor | George A. Smith |
| Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| November 23, 1918 – March 17, 1921 | |
| End reason | Became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles |
| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| October 10, 1901 – June 21, 1943 | |
| Successor | Reed Smoot |
| Second Counselor in the First Presidency | |
| October 6, 1901 – October 10, 1901 | |
| Called by | Lorenzo Snow |
| Predecessor | Joseph F. Smith |
| Successor | Anthon H. Lund |
| End reason | Dissolution of First Presidency upon the death of Lorenzo Snow |
| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| October 10, 1898 – October 6, 1901 | |
| Called by | Lorenzo Snow |
| Predecessor | Abraham O. Woodruff |
| End reason | Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency |
| LDS Church Apostle | |
| October 10, 1898 – June 21, 1943 | |
| Called by | Lorenzo Snow |
| Reason | Death of Wilford Woodruff; reorganization of First Presidency |
| Reorganization at end of term |
Spencer W. Kimball and Ezra Taft Benson were ordained following the deaths of Clawson and Sylvester Q. Cannon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rudger Judd Clawson March 12, 1857 Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States |
| Died | June 21, 1943 (aged 86) Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Cause of death | Pneumonia |
| Resting place |
Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37.92″N 111°51′28.8″W / 40.7772000°N 111.858000°W |
| Spouse(s) | Florence Ann Dinwoody Lydia Spencer Pearl Udall |
| Children | 10 |
| Parents |
Hiram B. Clawson Margaret Judd |
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Rudger Judd Clawson (March 12, 1857 – June 21, 1943) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1898 until his death in 1943. He also served as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1921 until his death and as a member of the First Presidency of the LDS Church for five days in 1901.
Clawson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Hiram Bradley Clawson and Margaret Judd of Canada.
While serving his mission in Georgia, he faced many challenges, not the least of which was the mounting anti-Mormonism in that sector. On July 21, 1879, Clawson and his missionary companion were standing at Varnell Station, Georgia, when they were surrounded by an angry mob of anti-Mormons. One of the mobbers shot and killed his companion, Joseph Standing. One of the mobbers then turned and pointed to Clawson, and said, "Shoot that man!" Clawson coolly faced the mob and folded his arms. He exclaimed, "Shoot!" The mob soon dispersed in the face of Clawson's defiance and willingness to face the mob. He brought the body of his deceased missionary companion back to Salt Lake City, where a public funeral was held in the Tabernacle. Clawson became somewhat of a celebrity for his bravery that day.
August 1882 was a difficult time for Clawson, as he became the first practicing polygamist to be convicted and serve a sentence after the passage of the Edmunds Act. During the trial, one of his wives refused to testify against him. She was put in prison for contempt of court. Judge Charles S. Zane sentenced Clawson to the maximum possible penalty—he was punished with 3 1⁄2 years in prison and a $1500 fine. For his final words before being sent to prison, Clawson defended his right to practice his religion and challenged the court's ability to enforce a law aimed at destroying a particular establishment of religion in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. His appeal was heard and rejected by the Supreme Court of the United States in Clawson v. United States. Clawson was pardoned in 1887 by President Grover Cleveland mere months before his sentence was to expire.
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