May Anderson

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For the Danish supermodel, see May Andersen

May Anderson (June 8, 1864 – June 11, 1946) was the second general president of the children's Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) between 1925 and 1939. Anderson also served as the first counselor to general Primary president Louie B. Felt from 1905 to 1925.

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[edit] Early life

Anderson was born in Liverpool, England, the third of Scott Anderson and Mary Bruce's twelve children. She emigrated to Utah Territory with her family after the family had been baptized by missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During the journey to Utah, Anderson met Louie B. Felt, who would become a lifelong friend and co-worker in the Primary Association of the church.

[edit] Involvement with the Primary Association

On October 5, 1890, Louie B. Felt, the general president of the Primary Association, asked Anderson to become a member of the general board of the organization. For the next forty-nine years, Anderson would work in some capacity in the Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was the general board's secretary for fifteen years (1890–1905), Felt's first counselor in the general presidency for twenty years (1905–1925), and general president of the organization for fourteen years (1925–1939). Anderson was also the first editor-in-chief of The Children's Friend, the church's official magazine for children.

During her tenure in the presidency of the Primary, Anderson initiated the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, which is today part of Intermountain Healthcare. Anderson also helped establish kindergartens in Utah. Anderson's successor to the Primary general presidency was May Green Hinckley.

Anderson did not marry and died and was buried at Salt Lake City.

[edit] Relationship with Louie Felt

Anderson had a life-long friendship with fellow church leader Louie B. Felt. When Felt was suffering an illness in 1889, Felt's husband Joseph requested May to stay there to care for her while he was away on a business trip. During the period that Anderson was the editor-in-chief of The Children's Friend, it published an anonymous account of the friendship that existed between Felt and Anderson; the article referred to the couple as the "David and Jonathan of the Primary" organization.[1]


Several LDS scholars have disagreed with this theory calling it a distortion of LDS history and a misrepresention of facts.[2][3][4] Two researchers have stated: "No evidence exists to lead us to believe that their relationship was anything but that of true and chaste Christian friendship and sisterly love."[2]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "Mary and May", The Children's Friend, vol. 18, Oct. 1919, 420-21.
  2. ^ a b George L. Mitton, Rhett S. James A Response to D. Michael Quinn's Homosexual Distortion of Latter-day Saint History Review of Same-Sex Dynamics among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example by D. Michael Quinn Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1998. Pp. 141–263.
  3. ^ Klaus J. Hansen Quinnspeak Review of Same-Sex Dynamics among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example by D. Michael Quinn Provo, Utah,
  4. ^ Vella Neil Evans, Women's Studies, University of Utah, at the Sunstone Symposium, Salt Lake City, 16 August 1996. Audio Tape No. 238

[edit] References

[edit] External links

v • d • e
General presidents of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Felt (1880–1925) • Anderson (1925–1939) • Hinckley (1940–1943) • Howells (1943–1951) • Parmley (1951–1974) • Shumway (1974–1980) • Young (1980–1988) • Grassli (1988–1994) • Pinegar (1994–1999) • Menlove (1999–2005) • Lant (2005– )