These four volumes comprise more than three thousand biographies of the early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many accompanied by photographs. The author has included accounts of all the general authorities and many of the presidents and bishops of the stakes and wards.
<>Andrew Jenson was Assistant Church Historian, and so these sketches carry the authorization of the church. The sketches are organized hierarchically, beginning with Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and continuing through the fifth president, Lorenzo Snow, still living at the time of the publication of this volume. These are followed by accounts of the counsellors to the presidents, the members of the Council of Twelve Apostles, and so on down the church structure.
Sketches of many women are included. This is especially the case in the final volume, which includes biographical information on the leaders of the missions and of the many support groups of the church, such as the Mutual Improvement Associations.
