Richard R. Lyman

Richard Roswell Lyman (November 23, 1870 – December 31, 1963) was an American engineer and religious leader who was an apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1918 to 1943.

Lyman is often noted as the most recent LDS Church apostle to have been excommunicated. In 1943, the church's First Presidency became aware that Lyman had for a number of years been in an intimate relationship with a woman other than his legal wife. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles convened a disciplinary council and Lyman was immediately excommunicated. Lyman was rebaptized in 1954 at age 83, nine years prior to his death.

In 1888, while attending BYA, Lyman began courting Amy Brown, but then left for the University of Michigan. After his graduation, from 1895 to 1896, Lyman taught at BYA. After eight years of courtship, Lyman married Brown on September 9, 1896; the marriage was performed by Joseph F. Smith in the Salt Lake Temple.

Amy Brown Lyman was a member of the church's Relief Society general board, which had appointed her to lead the church's newly formed Social Service Department to oversee aid to the needy. She had studied and engaged in social work during Lyman's University of Chicago years. She later served as general secretary of the Relief Society, As an apostle, he also served as Assistant Commissioner of the Church Educational System from 1919 to 1924, and as a member of the superintendency of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association until 1935. He was also president of the church’s European Mission from 1936 to 1938. After the Salt Lake City Police Department, who were at the time enforcing anti-polygamy laws, joined the investigation by church leaders, Lyman and Jacobsen's relationship was proven.

Lyman's wife, Amy B. Lyman, was the general president of the Relief Society at the time of his excommunication. She continued to serve for an additional 16 months before her release. but there is little indication that at any point they considered themselves being actually married.