Oscar Ammon Kirkham , of the First Council of theSeventy and executive secretary of the Y. M. M. I. A. for many years, wasborn Jan. 22, 1880, in Lehi, Utah, the fourth child of nine born to JamesKirkham and Martha Mercer. He was baptized Jan. 1, 1888, and filled a missionto Germany in 1900-1903.
Upon his return he married on May 24, 1905 in theSalt Lake Temple Miss Josephine Murdock. She would bless Elder Kirkhamwith nine children.
Elder Kirkham was ordained a Seventy February 26,1905 byJoseph W. McMurrin.
He graduated from the Brigham Young University inProvo, Utah, then studied music in Berlin, Germany and taught school inthe Latter-day Saints University.
He was Scout Executive of Region 12, Boy Scouts ofAmerica. During the International Boy Scout Jamboree, held at Artowe Park,Birkenhead, England, in 1929, he was a member of the national staff, wasgeneral morale officer and member of the program committee, and had chargeof the religious exercises of the American scouts and assisted in the generalsupervision of the American contingent.
On October 5, 1941 Elder Kirkham was sustained tothe First Council of the Seventy at the age of sixty one He was set apartby PresidentHeber J. Grant.
In 1953 Elder Kirkham spoke in General Conferenceof the importance of our youth, "As youth goes, so will civilization go.Thus we must safeguard their future with noble example on the part of worthyparents and leadership, with devoted personal attention, then our civilizationwill continue to progress."
President Kirkham continued to serve in the FirstCouncil of the Seventy until his death March 10, 1958 in Salt Lake City,Utah.
Some years later ElderCree-LKofford of the Seventy spoke of President Kirkham: "Oscar Kirkham wasone of the great men of the Church and among the Church's most respectedScouters. He served in the First Council of the Seventy and was a significantpresence wherever he went. Often in meetings he would rise to a "pointof personal privilege" and then, when recognized, would proceed to saysomething good about someone. Near the end of his life, he spoke brieflyat Brigham Young University on the theme "say the good word." On the morningthat Elder Kirkham died, ElderMarion D. Hanks was invited to the Kirkham family home. There he was handed a small, inexpensive notebook in whichElder Kirkham had kept his notes. The last two entries were: "Say the goodword" and "Your name is safe in our home" (see MarionD. Hanks, foreword to Say the Good Word, by Oscar A. Kirkham [1958],p.4).
