Heber Chase Kimball (1801–1868) was one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and later served as first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency for over twenty years. Born in Vermont, he learned the potter’s trade from his brother and joined the Church in 1832 after hearing the preaching of missionaries.
In 1837, Joseph Smith called Kimball to lead the first LDS missionary effort in England. Beginning in Preston, Lancashire, the mission baptized about 1,500 converts before Kimball’s departure in 1838. This established a pattern of missionary work that would bring thousands of British converts to the Church in subsequent decades.
A physically impressive man and powerful speaker, Kimball was known for his faith and devotion. When the First Presidency was reorganized in 1847, Brigham Young chose him as first counselor, a position he held until his death in 1868. At Kimball’s funeral, Young remarked that he had known him for 43 years.