William Weeks

Who was William Weeks?

William Weeks, was the first church architect of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and is best known as the architect of the Nauvoo Temple.

Weeks was the son of James Weeks, Jr., and Sophronia Fisher and was born on March 11, 1813 on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. He came from a family of builders; his father taught architectural and building skills to his two sons, William and Arwin. Raised as a Quaker, Weeks converted to Mormonism in the southeastern states. Apparently, he was in Missouri when the Mormons were driven from that state during the winter of 1838–1839, and he settled in Quincy, Illinois. There on June 11, 1839 he married Caroline Matilda Allen, youngest child of Elihu Marcellus Allen and his first wife Laura Foote. Caroline was ten years his junior. Their marriage lasted sixty-one years and produced ten children, seven of whom died in early infancy.