Ezra Taft Benson (February 22, 1811 – September 3, 1869) (commonly referred to as Ezra T. Benson to distinguish him from his great-grandson of the same name) was an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

After hearing Joseph Smith speak in a debate against a Dr. Nelson, Benson and his wife were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on July 19, 1840, in Quincy, Illinois.

[2] He had moved to Quincy previously, and first met members of the church when they came there at the time they were driven out of Missouri.

[5] Benson served as a church missionary in the United States, Europe, and the Sandwich Islands.

During his second mission, Benson was in New Jersey, serving with John Pack, when they received news of Joseph Smith's murder.

On April 27, 1844, Benson married his first plural wife, Adeline Brooks Andrus, the sister of Pamelia.

[6] After moving to Utah, Benson married Adeline Brooks Andrus, Desdemona Fullmer (a widow of Joseph Smith), Eliza Ann Perry, Lucinda West, Elizabeth Gollaher, Olive Mary Knight, and Mary Larsen.