Thomas E. McKay

Who was Thomas E. McKay?

Thomas Evans McKay was a Utah politician and farmer and was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1941 until his death.

McKay was born in Huntsville, Utah Territory, the son of David McKay and Jennette Evans. McKay's older brother was David O. McKay, who would become the ninth president of the LDS Church.

After graduating from the University of Utah in 1899, McKay traveled to Switzerland and Germany as an LDS Church missionary. During his mission, he was president of the Frankfurt Conference of the church for three months.

After returning to Utah, McKay taught at the Weber Academy and the Agricultural College of Utah. Later he became the superintendent of the Weber County schools.

From 1909 to 1912, McKay returned to Europe as the president of the church's Swiss–German Mission. He also was the mission president of the Swiss–Austrian Mission from 1927 until the Anschluss in 1938. During the Second World War, McKay was, in theory, the mission president over all German-speaking areas of Europe, although he resided in Salt Lake City at the time.

In 1918, McKay was elected to the Utah House of Representatives as the representative for Weber County.