Journals of President Heber J. Grant now digitally accessible in Church History Catalog

Latter-day Saints can now explore the life and writings of the 7th president of the Church

5 March 2025, 7:00 a.m. MST

President Heber J. Grant speaks into a microphone as several others look on. — Church President Heber J. Grant, right, speaks into a microphone as part of the first radio broadcast on KZN (now KSL) on May 6, 1922. Elder George Albert Smith, middle left, and Augusta Grant, center, listen and look on. Provided by the Church History Library

The journals of Heber J. Grant, seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are now available digitally in the Church History Catalog of the Church History Library.

The digitized Heber J. Grant Collection, 1852–1945 (MS 1233), which provides rich details about his life and service in the Church, includes the following:

38 volumes of bound, handwritten journals from 1880 to 1925.
Eight volumes of letterpress copybooks from 1886 to 1898.
Unbound journal entries from 1886 to 1945.

A Feb. 17 article by Jeff Morley, Scott Marianno and Audrey Dunshee announcing the release of the journals was first posted on history.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Church President Heber J. Grant, and Utah Senator Reed Smoot outside the Senate Office Building in about 1907. | Library of Congress

Life of Heber J. Grant

President Grant was born on Nov. 22, 1856, to Rachel Ridgeway Ivins and Jedediah M. Grant, in Salt Lake City, Utah. His father was serving as second counselor in the First Presidency with Brigham Young but died from pneumonia just nine days after Heber’s birth.

His widowed mother became the dominant influence in his life, and her commitment to the gospel left a lasting impression on him. She served as ward Relief Society president and frequently bore testimony to her son of the truthfulness of the Restoration.

He was called and ordained an Apostle in 1882, a month before he turned 26 years old.

Grant succeeded President Joseph F. Smith as president of the Church on Nov. 23, 1918, and served until his death on May 14, 1945, at the age of 88.

In 1901, future Church President Heber J. Grant, seated in the center, was called to be a mission president and open missionary work in Japan. | Provided by Deseret Book

The journals

The Heber J. Grant Collection includes correspondence, letterbooks, journals, financial and business papers, family papers and subject files as well as other miscellaneous papers compiled and written by him.

Latter-day Saints can learn about his faith, dedication, hardships and perseverance during pivotal periods of the Church’s history.

The article states that those who read President Grant’s journals will encounter at least three prominent and recurring themes:

His business interests and financial challenges.
His missionary service and defense of truth.
His ministry as a Church leader.

To read the full story and learn more about the Heber J. Grant digital journals, visit history.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Church History Catalog

The Church History Catalog has hundreds of thousands of collections of documents and media from the history of the Church and is accessible by anyone at catalog.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.