Clarissa S. Williams
Clarissa Smith Williams was the sixth Relief Society General President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1921 to 1928. Williams was the first native of Utah to serve in this role.
Biography
Clarissa Smith was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Susan West, the seventh wife of LDS Church apostle George A. Smith.Williams married William N. Williams on July 17, 1877, and was the mother of eleven children.
In 1901, Williams was called to serve as treasurer of the Relief Society by Bathsheba W. Smith, first wife of George A. Smith. Williams served in this position until 1910, when she became the first counselor to president Emmeline B. Wells in the Relief Society general presidency. She held this position until 1921, when she was called to succeed Wells as president after the death of Wells.
Due to failing health, in 1928, Williams became the first general president to ask to be released from her calling and she was succeeded by Louise Y. Robison. At the October general conference of the Relief Society she stated, "You will recollect that it has always been my policy to advocate to you that we do not retain our positions too long, that there are many capable women and that such honor and dignity as comes with positions of this kind, should rotate."
Williams died of nephritis in Salt Lake City and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.