Charles W. (Charles William) Penrose

Born in Camberwell, Surrey, on February 4, 1832, Charles William Penrose joined the Latter-day Saint movement in England as a young man and later emigrated to Salt Lake City. He went on to become a prominent figure in the church, serving in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and later in the First Presidency.

Penrose was also deeply involved in publishing and public writing. He worked as an editor for the Deseret News and became known for clear, persuasive prose as well as for verse and hymn texts, including the well-known hymn Oh, Say, What Is Truth?

He died in Salt Lake City on May 16, 1925. For readers today, his work offers a window into the religious, cultural, and literary life of the 19th-century Latter-day Saint world.