Born in 1855 to Charles C. Rich and Sarah D. Pea, Ben E. Rich grew up in a prominent Latter-day Saint family. He began his service to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a missionary in Great Britain from 1881 to 1883, where he also managed the emigration of church members to the United States. Upon returning, he worked in sales and retail management before moving to Rexburg, Idaho, in 1893. There, he established himself as a publisher, operating the Rexburg Press (later renamed the Silver Hammer).
During his time in Idaho, Rich authored his notable novel, Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City: That Mormon, which engaged with contemporary perceptions of his faith. He was also highly active in politics as a leading Republican and an associate of President Theodore Roosevelt, blending his civic engagement with his religious advocacy.
In 1898, Rich was appointed president of the Southern States Mission. Over the next fifteen years, he served in leadership roles across the Middle States and Eastern States Missions. During a period of intense public scrutiny for his church, including the Reed Smoot hearings, Rich became a leading public defender of his faith. He participated in high-profile debates with Protestant ministers, such as A. A. Bunner, and authored numerous missionary tracts addressing religious opposition and defending the rights of Latter-day Saint missionaries. He served as mission president in the Eastern States until his death in 1913.
