Archives West Finding Aid

John Andreas Widtsoe (1872-1952) was born in Norway to John A. and Anna C. Gaarden Widtsoe. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1881 when his widowed mother joined. In 1883 the small Widtsoe family moved to Utah where John A. Widtsoe later attended Brigham Young College in Logan. He eventually went to Harvard for his Master's and obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Goettingen in Germany. Upon returning to Utah he worked in various agricultural experiments before becoming a professor of agriculture at Brigham Young University in Provo. After two years of teaching, he was appointed President of the Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) and later the President of the University of Utah. At the end of his tenure as President of the University of Utah, he was called to be an apostle for the LDS Church, a position which he filled until his death. Throughout his life he was a prolific writer. His book, Dry Farming, A System of Agriculture for Countries Under Low Rainfall was published in 1911. His many articles encouraged members of the LDS Church to understand the doctrines taught and have an active faith.