President [N. Eldon] Tanner brought to my attention a question that had been raised regarding temple work for [United States] Presidents Martin Van Buren, James Buchanan and Ulysses S. Grant. In this connection reference was made to President Wilford Woodruff 's statement that he had done the work for all the presidents of the United States excepting these three. President Tanner referred to information that had been given to him by Henry Christiansen of the Genealogical Society to the effect that in the case of James Buchanan the records indicate that baptism was performed for him and he has been sealed to his parents, this work having been done by relatives. In the case of Martin Van Buren, baptismal work was done for him August 9, 1876 in the Endowment House, which apparently was not known to President Wilford Woodruff at the time he had the work done for the other presidents. Subsequently, the baptism was done again for Martin Van Buren in 1948 and was followed by endowments, but he is not sealed to his parents, nor has there been a sealing between him and his wife. In the case of Ulysses S. Grant, his baptism and endowment work were done in 1926 at the instance of President Heber J. Grant. President Tanner raised the question as to whether, in view of President Woodruff 's attitude, these ordinances should be cancelled or if the necessary additional work should be done in each case. I ruled that we should leave these cases as they are until the Lord gives us further direction in the matter.
[Source: David O. McKay diary, Feb. 7, 1964; emphasis in original, as quoted in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]
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