John A. Widtsoe (1872-1952) is one of my favorite Church figures from the first half of the 20th century – university president, apostle, mission president, scholar, editor, author. He was an amazing man. If you’re on Facebook and want to build a good sense of his achievements and personality, you’re invited to follow my Widtsoe page there for frequent bite-size pieces of his writing.

Elder Widtsoe had a younger brother, Osborne (1877-1920), who is much less widely known, but who was on track to make as brilliant contributions as Elder Widtsoe himself. He died too young. Elder Widtsoe didn’t want him to be forgotten, and in 1922 he outlined Osborne’s life in the article below. While it is a listing of Osborne’s achievements without much interpretation or elaboration, it is impossible to miss the love and pride of one brother for the other.

My brother, Professor Osborne J.P. Widtsoe, was born December 12th, 1877. His father died when my brother was less than two months old. At six years of age my brother, with his mother and myself, came to Utah as converts to the “Mormon” faith and settled in Logan, Utah. My brother was first educated in the public schools of Logan, and later in the Brigham Young College. When he was about fifteen or sixteen years of age he entered the Agricultural College of Utah. He graduated with his degree of Bachelor of Science at the early age of nineteen years.

He was a brilliant student and was especially gifted as a linguist. At nineteen years of age he knew the Scandinavian languages, French, German, Latin, and of course the English language. When he had graduated from the Agricultural College he prepared to go East to study further at Harvard University where I was educated. His ticket was bought, his room arranged for in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and he was about to leave on a Saturday, in the fall of the year. The Thursday before he was about to leave he received a telephone message from Salt Lake city calling him to labor in the Tahitian Mission, chiefly, I suppose, because of his knowledge of French, and Tahiti was under French control. My brother served as a missionary in the South Sea Islands for over three years and a half. During the time he was away he was sent to open the mission in the island of Rarotonga. There he had to acquire a new language dialect and wrote the first tracts published in that language.

When he returned from his mission he first worked at the Agricultural College, later became an instructor at the Latter-Day Saints University in Salt Lake city. he then went to Harvard University to continue his studies according to his ambition of many years before, and there took the degree of Master of Arts in English language and literature. Upon his return he took charge of the English work at the Latter-day Saints University. In time he became Principal of the Latter-day Saints High School of the L.D.S.U. and at last was selected President of the Latter-day Saints University.

However, at that time his services were needed in the University of Utah, and in 1916 he was elected Professor of English at the University of Utah. During his service there he built up the department into excellent proportions and rendered a great deal of service.

During his whole life my brother was an active worker in the church. He served in the various Priesthood quorums and in the auxiliary organizations. In the Sunday School he was a teacher in various departments, later Ward Superintendent, and in time became the Stake Superintendent of Sunday Schools of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion. he was also an officer and teacher at various times in the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association and became in time a member of the General Board of the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association, where he did very much good work.

He wrote extensively on various subjects, and many of his articles on theology and “Mormon” doctrine and “Mormon” history are of great value. The two books which I have mentioned above are outstanding contributions to “Mormon” literature.

He was all in all one of the ablest men in the Church, and always a great defender of the truth.

He married Miss Rose Homer, and when he died left his widow and two children, Karine and Rosetta. He died suddenly after twenty-four hours’ illness two years ago this month.