Counselor in the Firsr Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the age of fifty-eight, he became the fifth Presiding Bishop of the Church. He held that position for the next seventeen years. During his time The Church did away with tithing scrip, and he placed the church on a strict cash payment basis. He also was influential in getting the church to build Hotel Utah. Some seventeen years later, President Heber J. Grant called him to be his Second Counselor, which position he held until his death in 1931. Of interest is that he was not ordained an Apostle when called into the First Presidency, serving as a High Priest.

CHARLES WILSON NIBLEY
Charles Wilson Nibley, now presiding bishop in charge of the temporal affairs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, was graduated to that position from a long and successful career of aggressive business enterprise which made itself felt throughout the whole Northwest. Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho have been his especial fields, and the lumber and sugar industries have benefited most by his energies, although his activities have by no means been confined to these branches of commercialism.

Mr. Nibley is by birth a Scotchman, and, although he came early to this country, yet his make up possesses many of those characteristics which have made the Scot a leader among pioneers in every land. Born near Edinburgh, Scotland, February 5th, 1849, Mr. Nibley came to America with his parents, James and Jean Nibley, when he was six years old. Five years later, in 1860, the family came to Utah, and at Wellsville, in Cache County, the elder Nibley resumed the life of farmer, which he had followed in Scotland. Three years later, when the boy was fourteen years old, he went to Brigham City to live, and in the year 1869 he went on a mission to the Eastern States. On his return thence he engaged in railroad work, and afterwards, following a trip to England, he started on his business career in Logan, about 1880.

His ability at once made him prominent in religious and social as well as business affairs in the Cache County seat. Soon he began to Seek wider fields for his energy, and about 1889 turned his attention to the Northwest, where, until he assumed his present position, he attained his greatest success. The prominent part he has taken in commercial and industrial progress is indicated by his prominence in organizing the Oregon Lumber Company. He is vice president of the Sumpter Valley Railroad, president of the Payette Valley Railroad, and founder of the La Grande Sugar Company. He is also president of the Lewiston Sugar Company, president of the Grande Ronde Lumber Company, and the San Vicento Lumber Company. In the development and colonization of the Grande Ronde and Payette valleys he has played a most important part.

He is known as a man of active and progressive business instincts, of irreproachable integrity, and of sound judgment. Withal, he is prominent in religious work, and also well liked socially. He is a member of and takes an active interest in the work of the Salt Lake Commercial Club.

Mr. Nibley was married in 1869, and has seventeen children. His home is at the corner of West Temple and North Temple Streets, facing Temple Square.

From:
Sketches of the Inter-Mountain States
1847 - 1909
Utah Idaho Nevada
Published by: The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake City, Utah 1909