Succession of Branch Presidents, #1, Giles Vanderhoof

Sparks Branch Presidents

   The designation of branch president defines the priesthood holder responsible for a congregation too small for the designation of a ward. A branch, therefore, is dependent upon substantial leadership from the mission they reside in or a nearby stake or ward.

   The next several blog posts, will highlight the successive Sparks and Reno branch presidents from 1919 to 1941 when the two branches became wards. 

Giles Vanderhoof, First Branch President 1919-1923

   Giles Vanderhoof was the first branch president of the Sparks Branch. Membership in Reno were far too few for an independent branch of their own. The duration of a four year tenure does not adequately illustrate the length of Giles' leadership. From the beginning in 1910 as an dependent branch, Giles conducted its affairs through his leadership capacity as Presiding Elder and Sunday School Superintendent. If combined, his tenure from 1910 to 1923 is more indicative of his overall service as the chief elder of the branch.

   The ensuing years brought a variety of callings after Giles was released from his duties as branch president. For many years he served as a diligent branch clerk, recording the names of who talked, who gave prayers, songs, and announcements of branch meetings. Everything was handwritten with very few cross outs, words left out or unfinished sentences. The records of the church were sacred to him.

   Oliver Hansen wrote about President Vanderhoof in his, “History of the Sparks Branch, Nevada District of the California Mission, dated February 20, 1973. “In the early days I remember Brother Giles Vanderhoof bearing his testimony in Fast Meeting which was held on Fast Sunday in the afternoon. It seems to me that some people would groan inwardly when he would arise to bear his testimony because of the repetitious nature of it. But to me, and others, his testimony was interesting, inspiring and enlightening.”

   “He told of the days in 1918, when he was branch president and would often look out of his window and see a funeral going down the street. This was due to the terrible flu epidemic at the time. He fervently related that during the terrible epidemic, many people in Sparks and Nevada died, but that not one Latter-day Saint who was on record in the Sparks Branch died of the flu. The branch included all the territory from the California state line to Wells, Nevada; even so, the Sparks branch included only a few members.”

   “Brother Leland T. Fife, succeeded Brother Vanderhoof as branch president. Both he and Vanderhoof had very bald heads. They were constantly joking with each other about their lack of hair. In fact their banter was a welcome part of our parties and social gatherings. Such thoughts as flies not being able to land on the slippery, billiard ball-like domes as they would fall off and kill themselves, were good for many humorous moments.”    

   “Brother Fife used to tell this story on Vanderhoof. When Vanderhoof was branch clerk working on his books at home his daughter looked up from the floor where she was playing at his big, shiny bald head. She asked, “Daddy, why doesn’t hair grow on your head?” Vanderhoof replied, “The same reason grass doesn’t grow on a busy street!” The daughter thought this over for a while, then stated, “Oh, I see, it can’t come up through the concrete.”

   President Vanderhoof’s tremendous leadership from 1910-1923 encompassed some significant transitional tests of faith and commitment. His astute leadership carried the branch over the threshold of infancy to the pangs of full-fledged adolescence.