People of the Time
Sample Biographies
This sample directory contains brief biographical sketches for many people mentioned in The Joseph Smith Papers. Each letterpress volume of the Papers will provide biographical descriptions like these for people mentioned in the volume. In addition, this website will ultimately provide a comprehensive biographical directory for all the volumes, including a listing of sources from which each biographical sketch was compiled. Names listed in this directory include church leaders, Smith family members, people Joseph Smith encountered in his travels, contributors to the cause, and acquaintances.
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Beman (Beaman), Alvah(22 May 1775–15 November 1837)
Farmer; born at New Marlboro, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Reuben Beman and Miriam. Married Sarah (Sally) Burtts, 18 August 1796, at Livonia, Livingston Co., New York. Moved to Avon, Livingston Co., 1831. Among the first to be acquainted with JS and his work at Palmyra, New York. Assisted JS in concealing Book of Mormon plates from a Palmyra mob and in fashioning a box to contain the plates. Appointed to preside over Kirtland elders quorum, 1836. Died at Kirtland.
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Bishop, Francis Gladden(19 June 1809–30 November 1864)
Watchmaker; born at Livonia, Ontario (now Livingston) Co., New York. Son of Isaac Gates Bishop and Mary Hyde. Served as a minister in Freewill Baptist church, by 1831. LDS baptism, July 1832. Engaged in extensive missionary work from North Carolina to Canada, 1833–1840, and served as president of the Westfield, New York, branch. Organized schismatic movement called the “Kingdom of God,” 1842. Lived at Kirtland, 1850. Instrumental in eight religious movements between 1847 and circa 1860. Died in Salt Lake City.
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Black, Adam(11 September 1801–14 July 1890)
Farmer, judge; born at Henderson Co., Kentucky. Son of William Black and Jane Wilson. Elected sheriff of Ray Co., Missouri, 1824. Married Mary W. Morgan, 6 September 1825, at Ray Co. Moved to what later became Daviess Co., Missouri, 1833. Served as justice of the peace and county judge in Daviess Co. Died at Spring Hill, Livingston Co., Missouri.
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Corrill, John(17 September 1794–26 September 1842)
Carriage builder; born near Barre, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Married Margaret, circa 1830. Lived at Harpersfield, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, 1830. LDS baptism, 10 January 1831, at Kirtland. Counselor to Bishop Edward Partridge; presided over Independence, Jackson Co., branch of the church. Forced from Jackson Co. and located at Clay Co., Missouri, November 1833. Labored on Kirtland temple. Expelled from Clay Co., 1836. Elected state representative from Caldwell Co., Missouri, 1838. Appointed church historian, 1838. Testified for the state at JS’s November 1838 Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri, hearing. Excommunicated, 17 March 1839, at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Published A Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), 1839. Died in Adams Co.
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Cowdery, Oliver(3 October 1806–3 March 1850)
Teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor; born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, 1825–1828. Taught term as local schoolmaster at Manchester, New York, 1828–1829. Assisted JS as scribe in translation of the Book of Mormon. Received the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood, 1829. Appointed Second Elder, 1829. One of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. Helped oversee printing of the Book of Mormon by E. B. Grandin, 1829–1830. Among the six original members of the church, 6 April 1830. Led small group of missionaries to Ohio and Missouri on mission to unorganized Indian Territory, 1830–1831. Assisted William W. Phelps in setting up and running the church’s printing operations at Jackson Co., Missouri, 1832–1833. Married Elizabeth Ann Whitmer, 1832, in Jackson Co. Member of the United Firm, Literary Firm, and Kirtland high council, 1832–1837. Edited The Evening and the Morning Star and LDS Messenger and Advocate, 1833–1836, at Kirtland. Appointed assistant president of the church, 5 December 1834. Appointed as church recorder, 1835. Elected justice of the peace in Kirtland, 1837. Moved to Far West, 1837. Excommunicated from the church, 1838. Helped incorporate and affiliated himself for a time with the Methodist Protestant church at Tiffin, Ohio, 1843–1847. Practiced law at Tiffin, 1840–1847, and Elkhorn, Wisconsin, 1847–1848. Ran unsuccessfully for Wisconsin state assembly, 1848. Coeditor of Walworth County Democrat, 1848. Requested and received readmission to the church, 1848. Died at Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri.
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Doniphan, Alexander William(9 July 1808–8 August 1887)
Born near Maysville, Mason Co., Kentucky. Son of Joseph Doniphan and Ann Smith. Opened law office at Lexington, Lafayette Co., Missouri, 1830. In 1833, moved to Liberty, Clay Co., Missouri. Employed as legal counsel by the Latter-day Saints during their expulsion from Jackson Co., Missouri, 1833. Elected to Missouri General Assembly representing Clay Co. as a Whig, 1836, 1840, 1854. Married Elizabeth Jane Thornton, 21 December 1837. Appointed brigadier general in state militia by Governor Lilburn W. Boggs. Refused an order from Major General Samuel Lucas to execute JS and other church leaders at Far West, 1 November 1838. Again defended JS and others in courts, 1838–1839. Served as colonel in Mexican War, 1846–1847. Died at Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri.
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Gause, Jesse(ca. 1784–ca. September 1836)
Schoolteacher; born at East Marlborough, Chester Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Gause (Goss) and Mary Beverly. Joined the Society of Friends, 1806. Married first Martha Johnson, 1815, at Philadelphia. After Martha died, 1828, married second Minerva and joined the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing (Shakers). Moved to Shaker community at North Union, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1831. LDS baptism, by March 1832, when appointed counselor to JS. Began mission with Zebedee Coltrin to Shaker community at North Union; Thompson, Geauga Co., Ohio; and the Rappite community of Economy near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1 August 1832. Visited Minerva and tried to persuade her to leave the Shakers. Parted company with Coltrin, 19 August 1832. Apparently excommunicated, 3 December 1832. Resided in Chester Co., Pennsylvania, at time of his death.
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Greene, John Portineus(3 September 1793–10 September 1844)
Farmer, shoemaker; born at Herkimer, Herkimer Co., New York. Son of John Coddington Greene and Anna Chapman. Married Brigham Young’s sister Rhoda Young, 11 February 1813. LDS baptism by Eleazer Miller, 13 April 1832, at Mendon Township, Monroe Co., New York. Organized branch of the church at Warsaw, Genesee Co., New York, 1832. Migrated from New York to Kirtland, October 1832. Member of Kirtland high council, then Far West high council. Participated in Battle of Crooked River, near Ray Co., Missouri, 25 October 1838. Located at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, November 1838. Elected to Nauvoo City Council, 1841, and became city marshal, 1843. Carried out orders of JS and city council to suppress the Nauvoo Expositor press, 10 June 1844. Died at Nauvoo.
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Harris, Martin(18 May 1783–10 July 1875)
Farmer; born at Easton, Albany (now Saratoga) Co., New York. Son of Nathan Harris and Rhoda Lapham. In 1793, moved with parents to Swift’s Landing (later Palmyra), New York, area. Married his first cousin, Lucy Harris, 1808, at Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York. Served in War of 1812 in New York militia. Became landowner of some 320 acres (130 hectares) at Palmyra. Reportedly investigated the Quakers, Universalists, Restorationists, Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians. Took a transcript of Book of Mormon characters to Charles Anthon and Samuel Latham Mitchill at New York City, February 1828. Assisted JS as a scribe during translation of the first 116 pages of the Book of Mormon, 12 April–14 June 1828. One of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, 6 April 1830. Ordained a priest, by 9 June 1830. Paid printing costs for publication of the Book of Mormon through sale of 151 acres (61.2 hectares). Led members of the Manchester branch from Palmyra to Kirtland, May 1831. Ordained a high priest, 6 June 1831, at Kirtland. Participant in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Member of Kirtland high council, 1834. Excommunicated, December 1837. Rebaptized, 1842, at Kirtland. Member of high council of James Strang’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at Kirtland, 7 August 1846. Joined with William McLellin’s religious movement, 1847. Joined with William Smith to organize a church at Kirtland, 1858. Migrated to Salt Lake City, 1870. LDS rebaptism, 1870. Died at Clarkston, Cache Co., Utah.
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Hurlbut, Doctor Philastus(3 February 1809–16 June 1883)
Clergyman, farmer; born at Chittenden Co., Vermont. LDS baptism, 1832 or 1833. Ordained an elder by Sidney Rigdon, 18 March 1833. Excommunicated, June 1833. Married Maria Sheldon Woodbury, 29 April 1834, in Ashtabula Co., Ohio. Employed by Geauga Co., Ohio, citizens to collect information about the Smith family and the origin of the Book of Mormon. His findings were published in E. D. Howe’s Mormonism Unvailed, 1834. Arrested for allegedly threatening JS’s life, 1834, and ordered to enter into a recognizance to keep the peace. Lived at Elk Creek, Erie Co., Pennsylvania. Moved to Mentor, Geauga Co. Lived at Bedford, St. Laurence Co., Michigan, where he became United Brethren minister. Settled at Sandusky Co., Ohio. Died at Madison/Gibsonburgh, Sandusky Co.
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Hyde, Orson(8 January 1805–28 November 1878)
Clerk, storekeeper, schoolteacher, editor, businessman, lawyer; born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Joined the Methodist church, circa 1827. Later affiliated with the Reformed Baptists (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellites). LDS baptism by Sidney Rigdon, 2 October 1831, at Kirtland. Baptized sixty during proselytizing mission with Samuel Smith to eastern states, 1832. Appointed clerk to First Presidency, 1833. Member of Kirtland high council, 1834. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Married to Marinda Nancy Johnson by Sidney Rigdon, 4 September 1834, at Kirtland. Member of Quorum of the Twelve, 1835. Served mission to western New York and Upper Canada (later Ontario), 1836. Served mission to England with Heber Kimball, 1837–1838. Sided with dissenters against JS, 1838. Lived at Howard Co., Missouri, winter 1838–1839. Restored to the church and to Quorum of the Twelve at Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, 27 June 1839. Member of Nauvoo City Council, 1841. Served mission to Palestine to dedicate the land for the gathering of Israel, 1841. Departed Nauvoo during the exodus to the West, mid-May 1846. Served mission to Great Britain, 1846–1847. Presided over the Latter-day Saints in Iowa, 1847–1852. Published Frontier Guardian at Kanesville (Council Bluffs), Pottawattamie Co., Iowa. Migrated to Utah, 1852. Elected to Utah Territory legislative council, 27 November 1852. Presided over church in Carson Co., Utah Territory (later in Nevada), 1855–1856. Moved to Sanpete Co., Utah, 1860. Died at Spring City, Sanpete Co.
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Kimball, Heber Chase(14 June 1801–22 June 1868)
Blacksmith, potter; born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 November 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of the Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. LDS baptism by Alpheus Gifford, 15 or 16 April 1832, at Mendon. Ordained an elder by Joseph Young, 1832. Moved to Kirtland, 1833. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Ordained member of Quorum of the Twelve, 1835. Served mission to the East with Quorum of the Twelve, 1835. Presided over first Latter-day Saint missionaries to British Isles, 1837–1838. Moved from Kirtland to Far West, 1838. Worked closely with Brigham Young and others in supervising the removal of the Latter-day Saints from Missouri, 1838–1839. Present at the Far West temple site on 26 April 1839, when members of Quorum of the Twelve formally began their missionary assignment to British Isles. In removing from Missouri, initially located at Quincy and then Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, May 1839. Served mission with Quorum of the Twelve to British Isles, 1839–1841. Elected to Nauvoo City Council, 1841. Served mission to eastern states, 1843. Labored on Nauvoo temple. Joined the exodus from Illinois into Iowa, February 1846. Member of Brigham Young’s pioneer company to Salt Lake Valley, arriving July 1847. Sustained first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency at Kanesville, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa, 27 December 1847. Elected lieutenant governor in provisional State of Deseret. Served in territorial legislature. Died at Salt Lake City.
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King, Austin Augustus(21 September 1802–22 April 1870)
Attorney, judge; born at Sullivan Co., Tennessee. Son of Walter King and Nancy Sevier. Married Nancy Harris Roberts, May 1828, at Jackson, Tennessee. Moved to Missouri in 1830, where he practiced law at Columbia, Boone Co. Elected to state legislature as a Jacksonian Democrat from Boone Co., 1834 and 1836. In 1837, removed to Richmond, Ray Co., where received an appointment as circuit judge in northwestern Missouri by Governor Lilburn W. Boggs. Between 1837 and 1848, served as judge of Missouri’s fifth judicial circuit, consisting of the counties of Clinton, Ray, Caldwell, Clay, Daviess, Carroll, and Livingston. In November 1838, presided at the preliminary hearing of JS and other Mormons at Richmond at which King committed them to jail pending trials to be held the following March. Governor of Missouri, 1848–1852. Represented Missouri in the U.S. Congress, 1862–1864. Died at St. Louis. Buried in Richmond.
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Knight, Lydia Goldthwaite Bailey(9 June 1812–3 April 1884)
Born at Sutton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Daughter of Jesse G. Goldthwaite and Sally Burt. Married first Calvin Bailey, fall 1828, but was deserted by her husband, 1831. Moved to home of Eleazer Freeman Nickerson at Mount Pleasant, Upper Canada (later Ontario), February 1833. LDS baptism by JS, 27 October 1833, at Mount Pleasant. Moved to Kirtland, 1835. Married second to Newel Knight by JS, 24 November 1835, at Kirtland. Moved to Missouri, 1836, and Illinois, 1839. Left Nauvoo with Mormon exodus, 1846. Traveled with Newel and others to Camp Ponca on Niobrara River in what is today Knox Co., Nebraska, 1846. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley as widow, 1850. Died at St. George, Washington Co., Utah.
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Knight, Newel(13 September 1800–11 January 1847)
Miller, farmer; born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Knight Sr. and Polly Peck. Moved to Colesville, Broome Co., New York, 1811. Married first Sally Coburn, 7 June 1825. Became acquainted with JS when Knight’s father hired JS as farmhand, 1826. LDS baptism by David Whitmer, last week of May 1830, at Seneca Lake, Seneca Co., New York. As branch president, led the Colesville branch from Broome Co. to Thompson, Geauga (later Lake) Co., Ohio, 1831. Colesville branch again moved, this time to Kaw, Jackson Co., Missouri, June–July, 1831. Ordained a high priest, by 3 July 1832. Expelled from Jackson Co., 1833. Member of Clay Co., Missouri, high council, 1834. Married second to Lydia Goldthwaite Bailey by JS, 24 November 1835, at Kirtland. Lived at Clay Co., 1836–1838. Located at Far West, February 1838. Member of Far West high council, 1837–1838. Left Far West during the exodus, 18 February 1839. Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, high council member, 1839–1845. Bishop of Nauvoo Lower Ward, 1839. Left Nauvoo, 18 April 1846. Directed by Brigham Young to assist intended advance party to Rocky Mountains, 1846. Died at Camp Ponca on Niobrara River in what is today Knox Co., Nebraska.
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Knight, Vinson(14 March 1804–31 July 1842)
Farmer, druggist; born at Norwich, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Rudolphus Knight and Rispah (Rizpah) Lee. Married Martha McBride, 6 July 1826, at Perrysburg, Cattaraugus Co., New York. Owned farm at Perrysburg when received LDS baptism, spring 1834. Moved to Kirtland, by 1835. Ordained an elder, 2 January 1836. Ordained a high priest and appointed counselor to Bishop Newel K. Whitney, 13 January 1836, at Kirtland. Located at Adam-ondi-Ahman, Daviess Co., Missouri, summer 1838. Appointed as acting bishop at Adam-ondi-Ahman. Exiled from Missouri; located at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, 1839. Church land agent; with others purchased approximately 19,000 acres in Half-breed Tract in Lee Co., Iowa, from Isaac Galland, 1839. Appointed bishop of Nauvoo Lower Ward, 6 October 1839. Elected to Nauvoo City Council, 1 February 1841. Died at Nauvoo.
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Marsh, Thomas Baldwin(1 November 1800–1 January 1866)
Farmer, hotel worker, waiter, horse groom, grocer, type foundry worker, teacher; born at Acton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of James Marsh and Molly Law. Married Elizabeth Godkin, 1 November 1820, at New York City. Joined Methodist church at Boston. Migrated to Palmyra, New York, by September 1830. Baptized by David Whitmer, 3 September 1830, at Cayuga Lake, Seneca Co., New York. Ordained an elder by Oliver Cowdery, September 1830, at Fayette, Seneca Co. Moved to Kirtland with Manchester branch of the church, May 1831. Ordained a high priest by Lyman Wight, 6 June 1831, at Kirtland. Served mission to Missouri, June–August 1831. Moved to Jackson Co., Missouri, 10 November 1832. Appointed president of Big Blue River, Jackson Co., branch. Expelled from Jackson Co., 1833. Member of Clay Co., Missouri, high council, 1834. Ordained member of original Quorum of the Twelve, 26 April 1835, at Kirtland. Sustained as president of Quorum of the Twelve, 2 May 1835. Served mission with Twelve to eastern states and Canada, 1835. President pro tem of the church in Far West, 5 February 1838. Withdrew from the church at Far West, 22 October 1838. Excommunicated in absentia, 17 March 1839, at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Sought readmittance, January 1857. Rebaptized at Florence, Nebraska, 16 July 1857. Settled at Spanish Fork, Utah Co., Utah. Moved to Ogden, Weber Co., Utah, latter part of 1862. Died at Ogden.
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McBride, Reuben(16 June 1803–26 February 1891)
Born at Chester, Washington Co., New York. Son of Daniel McBride and Abigail Mead. Married Mary Ann Anderson, 22 September 1830, at Villanova, Chautauqua Co., New York. LDS baptism, 4 March 1834. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Lived at Kirtland, 1836–1848. Assigned to oversee church interests there after the departure of the main body of the Latter-day Saints in 1838. Appointed counselor in Kirtland bishopric, 22 May 1841. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley, by 1850. Returned to Kirtland, 1851, and led company of Latter-day Saints from there to Utah, 1853. Died at Fillmore, Millard Co., Utah.
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McCleary, Sophronia Smith Stoddard(18 May 1803–22 July 1876)
Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Daughter of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. Married first Calvin Stoddard, 30 December 1827, at Palmyra. Lived at Macedon, Wayne Co., New York, 1830. Lived at Kirtland, by 1832. Married second William McCleary, 11 February 1838, at Kirtland. Left Kirtland for Far West, May 1838. Fled to Illinois, February 1839. Lived at Ramus, Hancock Co., Illinois, 1843. Lived at Tennessee, McDonough Co., Illinois, 1860. Received into RLDS church, 8 April 1873, based on her original baptism. Died at Fountain Green, Hancock Co, Illinois. Buried at Colchester, McDonough Co., Illinois.
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McCleary, William(9 October 1793–ca. 1847)
Born at Rupert, Bennington Co., Vermont. Married Sophronia Smith Stoddard, 11 February 1838, at Kirtland. Ordained an elder by Reuben Hedlock, 26 February 1838, at Kirtland. Left Ohio for Caldwell Co., Missouri, May 1838. Exiled from Missouri, February 1839, and located initially at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Lived at Kirtland, March 1841. Lived at Ramus, Hancock Co., Illinois, when appointed to conduct election for a board of trustees for that community, 3 March 1843. Built wagons in Nauvoo in preparation for Mormon exodus, 1845–1846, but remained in Illinois.
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McLellin, William E.(18 January 1806–24 April 1883)
Farmer, schoolteacher, physician, publisher; born at Smith Co., Tennessee. Son of Charles McLellin. Married first Cynthia Ann, 30 July 1829. LDS baptism by Hyrum Smith, 20 August 1831, in Jackson Co., Missouri. Ordained an elder by Hyrum Smith and Edward Partridge, 24 August 1831. Served two short-term missions. Married second Emeline Miller, 26 April 1832, at Ravenna, Portage Co., Ohio. Left Ohio for Independence, Jackson Co., Missouri, 2 May 1832. Served mission to Missouri and Illinois with Parley P. Pratt, January–June 1833. Fled with fellow Latter-day Saints from Jackson Co. into Clay Co., Missouri, November 1833. Proselytized in Indiana on his way to Kirtland, 1834. Appointed as instructor in Kirtland School, 1834–1835. Appointed and ordained one of Quorum of the Twelve, 15 February 1835. Disfellowshipped over difficulties arising during eastern mission with Quorum of the Twelve; reinstated on 26 September 1835. Wrote letter of withdrawal from church, August 1836. Again sustained to Quorum of the Twelve, 3 September 1837, at Kirtland. In Far West, commissioned captain in 1st Company, 59th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division of Missouri state militia, 22 November 1837. Associated with factions organized under leadership of George Hinkle, William Law, Sidney Rigdon, McLellin himself, James Strang, David Whitmer, and Granville Hedrick. Broke with all organized religion, 1869. Died at Independence.
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Millikin, Lucy Smith(8 July 1821–9 December 1882)
Born at Palmyra, Ontario (now in Wayne) Co., New York. Daughter of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. LDS baptism, possibly 1830. Migrated from Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., New York, to Kirtland, May 1831. Moved to Far West, summer 1838. Migrated to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, February 1839. Located at Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, May 1839. Married to Arthur Millikin by JS, 4 June 1840, at Nauvoo. Cared for Lucy Mack Smith for several years. Settled at Colchester, McDonough Co., Illinois, early 1850s. Received into RLDS church, 8 April 1873, based on original baptism. Died near Colchester.
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Mulholland, James(1804–3 November 1839)
Born at Armagh, Ireland. Family migrated to Halton Co., Upper Canada (later Ontario). LDS baptism in Upper Canada (later Ontario). Married Sarah Scott, 8 February 1838, at Far West. Engaged in clerical work for JS, 1838, at Far West. Ordained a Seventy, 28 December 1838. After expulsion from Missouri, lived at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, spring 1839. Relocated at Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, May 1839. Scribe for two of JS’s journals, 1838 and 1839. Scribe in dictation of JS’s personal history, beginning 11 June 1839. Appointed clerk for land contracts and sub-treasurer of the church at Commerce, 20 October 1839. Died at Commerce.
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Nickerson, Freeman(5 February 1779–12/22 January 1847)
Farmer; born at (South) Dennis, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts. Son of Eleazer Nickerson and Thankful Chase. Moved to Windsor Co., Vermont, 1800. Married Huldah Chapman, 10 January 1801, at Cavendish, Windsor Co. Served as officer in Vermont infantry in War of 1812. Located at South Dayton, Perrysburg, Cattaraugus Co., New York, 1825. Baptized by Zerubbabel Snow, April 1833, at Dayton, and soon after ordained a deacon. Visited JS, September 1833, at Kirtland, and persuaded JS and Sidney Rigdon to accompany him to Mount Pleasant, Upper Canada (later Ontario), to proselytize among his children. Along with two sons, Chittenden and Levi, participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Member of elders quorum. Journeyed to Missouri, 1839, only to find that the Latter-day Saints had been driven out. Located first at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, and then Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, 1839. Served mission to Vermont and Massachusetts, 1841. With Erastus Snow, organized branch of the church at Boston, Massachusetts, March 1842. Left Nauvoo for the West during Mormon exodus, September 1846. Died on Chariton River, Iowa Territory.
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Page, John Edward(25 February 1799–14 October 1867)
Born at Trenton, Oneida Co., New York. Son of Ebenezer Page and Rachel Hill. Married first Betsey Thompson, 1831, in Huron Co., Ohio. LDS baptism by Emer Harris, 18 August 1833, at Brownhelm, Lorain Co., Ohio. Ordained an elder by Ebenezer Page, 12 September 1833, at Florence, Erie Co., Ohio. Married second Lavona Stephens, 26 December 1833, in Huron Co. Moved to Kirtland, 1835. Proselytized in Upper Canada (later Ontario), 1836–1837, and led company of converts from Upper Canada to Missouri, 1838. Located at De Witt, Carroll Co., and then Far West. Ordained to Quorum of the Twelve, 19 December 1838, at Far West. Married third Mary Judd, circa January 1839. With others of the Twelve, returned to Far West to fulfill revelatory directive, 26 April 1836. Preached in eastern U.S., 1841–1842. Presided over church in Pittsburgh and published The Gospel Light, 1843. Labored in Washington, D.C., 1843–1844. Supported James Strang’s claim as successor to JS. Affiliated with faction led by James C. Brewster, 1849. Held his own religious services with William Marks and other friends, by 1855. Joined the Church of Christ (Hedrickites), 17 May 1863. Died near Sycamore, DeKalb Co., Illinois.
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Partridge, Edward(27 August 1793–27 May 1840)
Hatter; born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 August 1819, at Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Initially a Universal Restorationer but adhered to the Reformed Baptist (Campbellite) faith when first contacted by Mormon missionaries in November 1830. With Sidney Rigdon, visited JS at Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. LDS baptism by JS, 11 December 1830, in Seneca River. Ordained an elder by Sidney Rigdon, December 1830. Named first bishop in the church, 1831, at Kirtland. Accompanied JS to Missouri and was called to oversee settlement of the Latter-day Saints in Missouri, summer 1831. Heavily involved in acquisition of lands and administering stewardships under law of consecration. Tarred and feathered during mob violence in Jackson Co., Missouri, July 1833. Fled with family to Clay Co., Missouri, November 1833. Involved in unsuccessful negotiations to restore Mormons to their Jackson Co. lands and obtain redress. Served mission in eastern states and New England, 1835. Forced to move from Clay Co. to what soon became Caldwell Co., Missouri, fall 1836. Jailed at Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri, November 1838. Exiled from the state. Appointed bishop of Nauvoo Upper Ward, 1839. Died at Nauvoo.
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Patten, David Wyman(14 November 1799–25 October 1838)
Farmer; born in Vermont. Son of Benoni Patten and Edith Cole. Lived at Monroe Co., Michigan, 1828, when he married Phoebe Ann Babcock. Affiliated with the Methodists. LDS baptism by his brother, John Patten, 15 June 1832, at Fairplay, Greene Co., Indiana, and ordained an elder by Elisha Groves, 17 June 1832. Served mission to Michigan, 1832. Ordained a high priest by Hyrum Smith, 2 September 1832. Served mission to eastern states, 1832–1833. Moved his family from Michigan to Florence, Erie Co., Ohio, 1833. With William Pratt, carried dispatches from JS to church leaders in Clay Co., Missouri, December 1833. Served mission to Tennessee with Warren Parrish, 1834. Ordained a member of Quorum of the Twelve, 15 February 1835, at Kirtland. Moved from Kirtland to Far West, 1836. Member of presidency pro tem of church in Far West, 1838. Captain, Missouri state militia. Mortally wounded during Battle of Crooked River, near Ray Co., Missouri. Died near Far West.
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Phelps, William Wines(17 February 1792–7 March 1872)
Newspaper editor; born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Married Sally Waterman, 1815. Founding member of Anti-Masonic Party in New York, 1827–1828. Edited anti-Masonic newspapers, the Lake Light, at Trumansburg, Thompkins Co., New York, and the Ontario Phoenix, at Canandaigua, Ontario Co., New York. Obtained copy of the Book of Mormon from Parley P. Pratt, 9 April 1830. Met JS, 21 December 1830, at Whitmer farm, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Migrated to Kirtland, 1831. Baptized and ordained an elder by JS, 16 June 1831, at Kirtland. Moved to Jackson Co., August 1831. Became editor of The Evening and the Morning Star and Upper Missouri Advertiser, published 1832–1833 at Independence, Jackson Co. Published the Book of Commandments, but most copies destroyed by mob action when printing office was razed, 20 July 1833. Forced exile from Jackson Co. to Clay Co., Missouri, November 1833. Appointed counselor to David Whitmer, president of the church in Missouri, 3 July 1834. Appointed to return to Kirtland to assist with printing. Helped compile Doctrine and Covenants and first LDS hymnal, 1835, at Kirtland. Prolific writer of hymns. Acted as a scribe for JS in the translation of book of Abraham. Returned from Kirtland to Clay Co., where he resumed duties with David Whitmer’s Missouri presidency, 1836. Excommunicated, 10 March 1838. Reconciled with the church, July 1840; joined the Latter-day Saints at Nauvoo, 1841. Acted as clerk to JS and was assistant editor of Times and Seasons and Nauvoo Neighbor. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley, 1849. Admitted to Utah territorial bar, 1851. Elected to territorial legislative assembly, 1851–1857. Died at Salt Lake City.
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Pratt, Orson(19 September 1811–3 October 1881)
Farmer, writer, teacher, merchant, surveyor; born at Hartford, Washington Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Baptized by Parley P. Pratt, 19 September 1830, at Canaan, Columbia Co., New York. Ordained an elder by JS, 1 December 1830, in New York, and appointed to mission to Colesville, Broome Co., New York. With Samuel Smith, traveled from New York to Kirtland; arrived on 27 February 1831. Served mission with Lyman Johnson to the East from Kirtland, February 1832. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Ordained member of Quorum of the Twelve, 26 April 1835, at Kirtland. Married Sarah Marinda Bates, 4 July 1836, at Henderson, Jefferson Co., New York. Served mission to Upper Canada (later Ontario), 1836. Served mission to Great Britain with other members of Quorum of the Twelve, 1839–1841. Excommunicated, 20 August 1842, at Nauvoo. Rebaptized, 20 January 1843, and ordained to his former office in Quorum of the Twelve. Elected to Nauvoo City Council, 1843. Entered Salt Lake Valley with Mormon pioneers, 1847. Presided over church in Great Britain, 1848. Member of Utah territorial legislature. Appointed church historian, 1874. Died at Salt Lake City.
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Pratt, Parley Parker(12 April 1807–13 May 1857)
Farmer, editor, legislator; born at Burlington, Otsego Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Affiliated with Baptist church at age eighteen. Married first Thankful Halsey, 9 September 1827, at Canaan, Columbia Co., New York. Proselytized to the Reformed Baptist (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellite) faith by Sidney Rigdon, 1829. Baptized and ordained an elder by Oliver Cowdery, 1 September 1830, at Seneca Lake, Seneca Co., New York. Served mission to unorganized Indian Territory and Missouri with Oliver Cowdery and others, 1830–1831. Stopped at Kirtland and vicinity en route; the missionaries baptized some one hundred thirty individuals. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Ordained member of Quorum of the Twelve, 1835. Married second Mary Ann Frost Stearns, 9 May 1837, at Kirtland. First lieutenant in Missouri state militia, 1838. Participated in Battle of Crooked River, near Ray Co., Missouri, 25 October 1838. Jailed at Richmond, Ray Co., and Columbia, Boone Co., Missouri, 1838–1839. Served mission to England, 1839–1842. Edited first number of the Millennial Star published in Manchester, England, 27 May 1840. President of British Mission, 1841–1842. Directed affairs of the church in New York City, 1844–1845. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley, 1847. Led exploration party into southern Utah, 1850. Served mission to Chile, South America, 1851–1852. Murdered at Van Buren, Crawford Co., Arkansas.
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Richards, Willard(24 June 1804–11 March 1854)
Medical doctor; born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. LDS baptism, 1836. Served mission to England, 1837–1841. Married Jennetta Richards, 1838, in England. Ordained to Quorum of the Twelve, 14 April 1840, at Preston, England. Served as temple recorder, recorder of city council, clerk of municipal court, church historian, and private secretary to JS. Before the death of JS, completed personal history of JS to August 1838. Elected to Nauvoo City Council, 1841. With JS in Carthage Jail, Illinois, 1844, when JS and Hyrum Smith were murdered. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley, 1847. Appointed second counselor to Brigham Young in church presidency, 1847. Secretary of Utah Territory, postmaster of Salt Lake City, and editor of the Deseret News. Died at Salt Lake City.
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Rigdon, Sidney(19 February 1793–14 July 1876)
Tanner, farmer, minister; born St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. In 1817, joined the United Baptists. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1921. Married Phoebe Brook, 12 June 1820, at Warren. Minister of First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1821–1824. Later joined the Reformed Baptist (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellite) movement and was an influential preacher. Introduced to Mormonism by his former proselyte to the Reformed Baptist faith Parley P. Pratt, who was en route with Oliver Cowdery and others on mission to unorganized Indian territory. LDS baptism, 14 November 1830, by Oliver Cowdery. Scribe for JS, 1830. Accompanied JS to Upper Canada (later Ontario) on proselytizing mission and helped keep JS’s diary during the trip, 1833. Assistant president or counselor in church presidency, 1833–1844. Arrived at Far West from Kirtland, 4 April 1838. With JS in jail at Liberty, Clay Co., Missouri, November 1838 to February 1839. After release, found refuge at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Accompanied JS to Washington, D.C., to seek redress for Missouri grievances, 1839–1840. Member of Nauvoo City Council; postmaster of Nauvoo. Claimed right to lead the church after death of JS; excommunicated, 1844. Moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1844; name of church changed to Church of Christ, 1845. Located near Greencastle, Antrim Township, Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, 1845. Removed to Friendship, Allegany Co., New York, where he died.
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Salisbury, Katharine Smith(28 July 1813–2 February 1900)
Born at West Lebanon, Grafton Co., New Hampshire. Daughter of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Reported hearing JS’s recitals concerning heavenly visitations and reported actually lifting the golden plates. LDS baptism by David Whitmer, 9 June 1830, at Seneca Lake, Seneca Co., New York. Migrated to Kirtland from Seneca Co., May 1831. Married first Wilkins Jenkins Salisbury by Sidney Rigdon, 8 June 1831, at Kirtland. After marriage, settled at Chardon, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1831. Left Ohio for Far West, May 1838. Located at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois; Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois; and then Plymouth, Hancock Co., Illinois, 1839. Moved to Nauvoo, 1845. Lived at Webster, Hancock Co., fall 1847. Married second Joseph Younger, 1857. Received into RLDS church, 1873, based on original baptism. Died at Fountain Green, Hancock Co. Buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Colchester Co., Illinois.
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Salisbury, Wilkins Jenkins(6 January 1809–28 October 1853)
Lawyer, blacksmith; born at Rushville, Yates Co., New York. Son of Gideon Salisbury and Elizabeth Shields. LDS baptism in New York. Married JS’s sister Katharine Smith, 8 June 1831, at Kirtland. Settled at Chardon, Geauga Co., Ohio. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Member of First Quorum of the Seventy, 1835. Left Ohio for Far West, May 1838. Exiled from Missouri; located first at Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock. Co., Illinois, and then Plymouth, Hancock Co., 1839. Lived at Webster, Hancock Co., 1847. Died at Plymouth.
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Seixas, Joshua(4 June 1802–1874)
Hebraist, textbook writer; probably born at New York City. Son of Gershom Seixas. Married Henrietta Raphael of Richmond, Virginia. Taught Hebrew at New York, Philadelphia, Washington, and at Andover Theological Seminary and Harvard College in Massachusetts. His work, A Manual of Hebrew Grammar for the Use of Beginners, was published at Andover, 1833. Taught at Oberlin College, Ohio, 1835. Among his students was Lorenzo Snow, whose sister Eliza was a Latter-day Saint and lived in the JS household at Kirtland. (JS possibly first heard of Seixas from this source or from Daniel Peixotto, whose wife, Rachel, was Seixas’s cousin.) Hired for six-week term of instruction at Western Reserve College at Hudson, Ohio, beginning in December and ending 23 January 1836. On 26 January 1836, arrived at Kirtland, where he taught Hebrew from 26 January to 29 March 1836. Taught a second course of Hebrew lessons at Kirtland, summer 1836. Founded the first choir of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue at New York City, where he served many years as instructor of Hebrew. Died at New York City.
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Smith, Agnes Moulton Coolbrith (Coolbroth)(11 July 1811–26 December 1876)
Born at Scarborough, Cumberland Co., Maine. Daughter of Joseph Coolbrith and Mary Foss. LDS baptism by Orson Hyde or Samuel Smith, 30 July 1832, at Boston. Moved to Kirtland, summer 1833. Married Don Carlos Smith, 30 July 1835, at Kirtland. Moved to Far West, summer 1838. Soon afterward located at Millport, Daviess Co., near Adam-ondi-Ahman. Left Missouri, February 1839, and found refuge at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Relocated first at Macomb, McDonough Co., Illinois, and then Nauvoo, late summer 1839. Married second William Pickett, who was not a Mormon, 1846, presumably at Nauvoo or St. Louis. Moved to St. Louis, 1846–1851. Moved to California, 1851. Lived at Marysville; Los Angeles; San Bernardino; San Francisco; and Oakland, Alameda Co., California. Died at Oakland.
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Smith, Alvin(11 February 1798–19 November 1823)
Farmer, carpenter; born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved from Norwich, Windsor Co., Vermont, to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, 1816. Played prominent role in family economy, working to pay for the 99.5-acre farm at Manchester, Ontario Co., jointly articled for with his father, 1820. Supervised construction of Smiths’ Manchester frame home. Supporter of JS’s claims of heavenly manifestations. Experienced severe stomach cramps, perhaps caused by appendicitis, 15 November 1823. His situation was apparently complicated by of overdose of calomel. Died at Palmyra, Wayne Co., New York.
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Smith, Don Carlos(25 March 1816–7 August 1841)
Farmer, printer; born at Norwich, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Baptized by David Whitmer, circa 9 June 1829, at Seneca Lake, Seneca Co., New York. Accompanied his father, Joseph Smith Sr., on mission to Asael Smith Sr. family in St. Lawrence Co., New York, August 1830. Migrated from Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., to Kirtland, with the Lucy Mack Smith company of Fayette branch Latter-day Saints, May 1831. Employed by Kirtland printing shop under Oliver Cowdery, fall 1833. Married Agnes Moulton Coolbrith, 30 July 1835, at Kirtland. President of Kirtland high priests quorum, 15 January 1836. Assumed editorial management of expiring LDS Messenger and Advocate and first issues of Elders’ Journal published first in Kirtland under editorship of JS with Thomas B. Marsh as publisher, October–December 1837. Left Ohio for Far West, May 1838. Soon located at Millport, Daviess Co., Missouri. Served mission to Kentucky and Tennessee, 1838. Expelled from Far West, February 1839; moved to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Lived at Macomb, McDonough Co., Illinois, and then Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, 1839. High priest president in Commerce, 1839. Editor and publisher of Times and Seasons, with Ebenezer Robinson, 1839–1841, at Nauvoo. Member of Nauvoo City Council, 1841. Died at Nauvoo.
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Smith, Emma Hale(10 July 1804–30 April 1879)
Born at Harmony, Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania. Daughter of Isaac Hale and Elizabeth Lewis. Member of Methodist Church at Harmony. Married to JS by Zachariah Tarble, 18 January 1827, at South Bainbridge, Chenango Co., New York. LDS baptism by Oliver Cowdery, 28 June 1830, at Colesville, Broome Co., New York. Assisted JS as a scribe during translation of the Book of Mormon at Harmony, 1828, and joined him during completion of the translation at Peter Whitmer Sr. farm, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Migrated from New York to Kirtland, January–February 1831. Moved to John Johnson home at Hiram, Portage Co., Ohio, while JS worked on translation of Bible, 1831–1832. Edited A Collection of Sacred Hymns, for The Church of the Latter Day Saints, published 1835, at Kirtland. Fled Ohio persecution for Far West, January–March 1838. Exiled from Missouri, February 1839; located near Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Moved to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, 10 May 1839. Appointed president of Female Relief Society at Nauvoo, 17 March 1842. Fled to Fulton, Fulton Co., Illinois, September 1846–February 1847. Married Lewis C. Bidamon, 23 December 1847, at Nauvoo. Affiliated with RLDS church, 1860. Died at Nauvoo.
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Smith, George Albert(26 June 1817–1 September 1875)
Farmer; born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York. Son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman. LDS baptism by Joseph H. Wakefield, 10 September 1832, at Potsdam. Moved to Kirtland, 1833. Labored on Kirtland temple. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Ordained to First Quorum of the Seventy, 1 March 1835. Arrived at Far West, from Kirtland, 16 June 1838, and soon located at Adam-ondi-Ahman. Member of Adam-ondi-Ahman high council. In exodus from Missouri, located north of Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Ordained a member of Quorum of the Twelve by Heber C. Kimball, 26 April 1839, at Far West. Married to Bathsheba W. Bigler by Don Carlos Smith, 25 July 1841, at Nauvoo. Member of Brigham Young pioneer company to Salt Lake Valley, 1847. Appointed church historian and recorder, 1854. Member of Utah territorial supreme court, 1855. First counselor to Brigham Young in church presidency, 1868. Died at Salt Lake City.
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Smith, Hyrum(11 February 1800–27 June 1844)
Farmer, cooper; born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved from Norwich, Vermont, to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, 1816. Member of Western Presbyterian church of Palmyra, 1820. Lived at Manchester, Ontario Co., 1820–1826. Married first Jerusha Barden, 2 November 1826, at Manchester. LDS baptism by JS, June 1829, at Seneca Lake, Seneca Co., New York. One of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, 1829. Assisted in arrangements for publication of the Book of Mormon, Palmyra, 1829–1830. Presided over Colesville branch of church, 1830–1831. Migrated to Kirtland, 1831. Member of committee to supervise construction of Kirtland temple, 1833–1836. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Sustained as assistant counselor in the Presidency, 3 September 1837. Married second Mary Fielding, 24 December 1837, at Kirtland. Appointed counselor in the First Presidency, 7 November 1837. Imprisoned at Liberty, Missouri, with his brother JS, 1838–1839. While en route from trial in Gallatin, Daviess Co., Missouri, during a change of venue to Columbia, Boone Co., Missouri, escaped, 16 April. Arrived at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, from captivity in Missouri, 22 April 1839. Ordained church patriarch by his father, September 1840. Sustained as patriarch to the church and assistant president on 19 January 1841. Member of Nauvoo City Council. Died at Carthage, Hancock Co., Illinois.
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Smith, John(16 July 1781–23 May 1854)
Farmer; born at Derryfield (now Manchester), Rockingham Co., New Hampshire. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Member of First Congregational Church. Appointed overseer of highways, Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York, 3 March 1810. Married Clarissa Lyman, 11 September 1815. LDS baptism by Solomon Humphrey, 9 January 1832, at Potsdam. Confirmed and ordained an elder by Joseph Wakefield, 9 January 1832. Moved to Kirtland, 1833. Ordained a high priest by Lyman Wight, 3 June 1833. President of Kirtland high council. Served mission to eastern states with Joseph Smith Sr., 1836. Appointed assistant counselor in the First Presidency, 1837; member of Kirtland stake presidency, 1838. Left Kirtland for Far West, 5 April 1838. Appointed president of Adam-ondi-Ahman stake, 28 June 1838. Expelled from Missouri; arrived in Illinois on 28 February 1839. Moved to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, June 1839. Appointed president of Lee Co., Iowa, stake, 5 October 1839. Appointed to preside at Macedonia, Hancock Co., 1843–1844. Ordained a stake patriarch, 10 January 1844. Appointed Nauvoo stake president, 7 October 1844. Joined westward exodus of the Latter-day Saints into Iowa Territory, 9 February 1846. Arrived in Salt Lake Valley, 23 September 1847. Presided over Salt Lake stake until 1 January 1849. Ordained patriarch to the church, 1 January 1849. Died at Salt Lake City.
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Smith, Joseph, Sr.(12 July 1771–14 September 1840)
Cooper, farmer, schoolteacher, merchant; born at Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Asael Smith Sr. and Mary Duty. Nominal member of Congregationalist church at Topsfield. Married Lucy Mack, 24 January 1796, at Tunbridge. Joined the Universalist Society at Tunbridge, 1797. Entered mercantile business at Randolph, Vermont, circa 1802, and lost all in a ginseng root investment. Lived at Sharon, Windsor Co., Vermont. Moved from Norwich, Windsor Co., to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, 1816. One of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, 1829. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, 6 April 1830, at Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Served mission to the family of his father in St. Lawrence Co., New York, August 1830. Moved to Kirtland, March 1831. Ordained a high priest, 3 June 1831. Ordained patriarch of the church and assistant president, 6 December 1834. Member of Kirtland high council, 1834. Labored on Kirtland temple. Served mission to eastern states with his brother John Smith, 1836. Appointed assistant counselor to the First Presidency, 1837. Moved to Far West, summer 1838. Fled from Far West to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, February 1839. Located at Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, May 1839. Died at Nauvoo.
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Smith, Lucy Mack(8 July 1775–14 May 1856)
Born at Gilsum, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. Daughter of Solomon Mack and Lydia Gates. Married to Joseph Smith Sr. by Seth Austin, 24 January 1796, at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Lived at Sharon, Windsor Co., Vermont, when she gave birth to JS, 23 December 1805. Migrated to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, from Norwich, Windsor Co., Vermont, winter of 1816–1817. Member of Western Presbyterian church of Palmyra, 1820. Lived at Manchester, Ontario Co., New York, circa 1825–1830. LDS baptism, April 1830. Lived at The Kingdom, an unincorporated settlement at Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., New York, 1830–1831. Led company of approximately eighty Fayette branch members from Seneca Co. to Kirtland, May 1831. Migrated to Far West, summer 1838. Fled to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, during the exodus from Missouri, February 1839. Died at Nauvoo. Her narrative history of the Smith family, published as Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith (1853), has been an invaluable resource for the study of JS and the early church.
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Smith, Samuel Harrison(13 March 1808–30 July 1844)
Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved from Norwich, Windsor Co., Vermont, to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, 1816. Member of Western Presbyterian church of Palmyra, 1820. LDS baptism by Oliver Cowdery, 25 May 1829, at Harmony, Pennsylvania. One of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Among the six original members of the church, 6 April 1830. Served mission to Ontario, Monroe, and Livingston counties, New York, 1830. Ordained an elder, 9 June 1830, at Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Migrated from New York to Kirtland; arrived February 1831. Ordained a high priest by Lyman Wight, 3 June 1831. Served mission to Missouri with Reynolds Cahoon, 1831. Served mission with Orson Hyde to eastern states, 1832. Member of first Kirtland high council, 1834. Married first Mary Bailey, 13 August 1834, at Kirtland. Committee member and general agent for the Literary Firm in Kirtland, 1835. Moved to Far West, where he lived briefly before moving to Marrowbone in Daviess Co., 1838. Participated in Battle of Crooked River near Ray Co., Missouri, 25 October 1838. Among first Latter-day Saints to seek refuge at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, 1838. Hired to farm for George Miller near Macomb, McDonough Co., Illinois, March 1839. Appointed a bishop at Nauvoo, 1841. Nauvoo city alderman and member of Nauvoo Legion, 1841. Married second Levira Clark, 1841. Moved to Plymouth, Hancock Co., Illinois, 1842. Died at Nauvoo.
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Smith, William B.(13 March 1811–13 November 1893)
Farmer, newspaper editor; born at Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved from Norwich, Vermont, to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, winter of 1816–1817. LDS baptism by David Whitmer, 9 June 1830, at Seneca Lake, Seneca Co., New York. Lived at The Kingdom, an unincorporated settlement in Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., October 1830. Moved to Kirtland, May 1831. Married first Caroline Amanda Grant, 1833, at Kirtland. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Appointed to Quorum of the Twelve, 15 February 1835. Left Kirtland for Far West, May 1838. Disfellowshipped, 4 May 1839. Settled at Plymouth, Illinois, 1839, where he kept a tavern. Restored to fellowship. Elected to Nauvoo City Council, 1842. Represented Hancock Co. in Illinois State House of Representatives, 1842–1843. Editor of Nauvoo newspaper The Wasp, 1842. Ordained patriarch of the church, 24 May 1845. Married second Mary Jane Rollins, 22 June 1845, in Hancock Co. Excommunicated, 12 October 1845. Sustained James Strang as successor to JS, 1 March 1846. Ordained Strangite patriarch, 11 June 1846, at Voree, Wisconsin. Married third Roxey Ann Grant, 19 May 1846, in Knox Co., Illinois. Excommunicated from Strangite movement, 8 October 1847. Affiliated briefly with Lyman Wight, 1850–1851. Ordained a member of Quorum of the Seventy in RLDS church, 1853. Initiated a new movement with Martin Harris and Chilton Daniels, 1 November 1855. Married fourth Eliza E. Sanburne, 12 November 1857, in Lake Co., Ohio. Enlisted in U.S. Army during Civil War and apparently adopted the middle initial “B” at this time. Spent active duty time in Arkansas. Joined RLDS Church, 1878. Married fifth Rosa Jewitt Surprise, 21 December 1889, at Clinton, Clinton Co., Iowa. In 1890, moved to Osterdock, Clayton Co., Iowa, where he died.
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Whitmer, David(7 January 1805–25 January 1888)
Born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Married Julia Ann Jolly, 9 January 1831, at Seneca Co., New York. Arranged for completion of translation of the Book of Mormon in his father’s home, Fayette, Seneca Co., June 1829. LDS baptism by JS, June 1829, in Seneca Lake, Seneca Co. One of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Among the six original members of the church, 6 April 1830. Migrated from Fayette, Seneca Co., to Kirtland, 1831. Ordained a high priest, 25 October 1831, at Orange, Cuyahoga Co. Served mission to Jackson Co., Missouri, with Harvey Whitlock, 1831. Located in Whitmer branch at Kaw, Jackson Co., 1831. Driven from the county by vigilantes, November 1833; located in Clay Co. Appointed president of the church in Missouri, 3 July 1834. Left for Kirtland, September 1834. Moved to Far West, summer 1837. Rejected as president in Missouri at meetings in Caldwell Co., 5–9 February 1838. Excommunicated, 13 April 1838, at Far West. Moved to Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri, where he operated a livery stable. Ordained by William McLellin to preside over McLellinite Church of Christ, September 1847, but later rejected that movement. Elected mayor of Richmond, 1867–1868. Formed a church with emphasis on a return to “original Mormonism,” 1875–1876. Later set forth his claims in a publication, An Address to All Believers in Christ, by a Witness to the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, 1887. Died at Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri.
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Whitmer, John(27 August 1802–11 July 1878)
Farmer, stock raiser; born at York, York Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of Jerusalem Church Zion’s Church congregation of German Reformed church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. LDS baptism by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, in Seneca Lake. Acted as a scribe during translation of the Book of Mormon at the Whitmer home, June 1829. One of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Ordained an elder, 9 June 1830. Copied revelations as scribe to JS, July 1830. Sent by JS to Kirtland, January 1831. Appointed church historian, 8 March 1831. Wrote a church history covering the years 1831–1838. Ordained a high priest, 3 June 1831, at Kirtland. With Oliver Cowdery, left Kirtland to take the manuscript of the Book of Commandments to Missouri for publication, November 1831. Member of Whitmer branch at Kaw, Jackson Co., Missouri. Married to Sarah Maria Jackson by William W. Phelps, 10 February 1833, at Kaw. Forced to remove from Jackson Co. to Clay Co., Missouri, November 1833. Appointed assistant to his brother David in Missouri church presidency, 3 July 1834. Editor of LDS Messenger and Advocate, Kirtland, 1835–1836. Lived in Clay Co., 1836. Helped establish Latter-day Saints at Far West. Excommunicated, 10 March 1838, at Far West. Left Far West for Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri, June 1838. Returned to Far West after departure of Latter-day Saints. In September 1847, met with his brother David Whitmer and William McLellin at Far West to reconstitute the Church of Christ under the presidency of David Whitmer. Died at Far West. Buried at Kingston, Caldwell Col, Missouri.
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Whitney, Newel Kimball(5 February 1795–23 September 1850)
Trader, merchant; born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Merchant at Plattsburg, New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for Sidney Gilbert at Mentor, Geauga (now in Lake) Co., Ohio, circa 1820. Opened a store in Kirtland, by 1822. Married Elizabeth Ann Smith, 1822. Unitarian and then member of the Reformed Baptist (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellite) faith. Entered partnership with A. S. Gilbert in N. K. Whitney and Company store, by 1827. LDS baptism by Latter-day Saint missionaries to unorganized Indian Territory under Oliver Cowdery, November 1830. Appointed bishop at Kirtland, 1831. Traveled with JS to Missouri and then to New York City, Albany, and Boston, 1832. Member of United Firm in Kirtland. En route to Missouri, fall 1838, when difficulties in that state were confirmed at St. Louis. Located his family temporarily at Carrollton, Greene Co., Illinois, and returned to Kirtland to conduct business. Moved his family from Carrollton to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, and then Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois. Appointed bishop of Middle Ward at Commerce, October 1839. Alderman for Nauvoo, 1841. Joined exodus of the Latter-day Saints into Iowa and Winter Quarters, 1846. Sustained as presiding bishop of the church at Kanesville, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa, 6 April 1847. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley, October 1848. Bishop of Salt Lake City Eighteenth Ward, 1849. Died at Salt Lake City.
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Wight, Lyman(9 May 1796–31 March 1858)
Farmer; born at Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York. Son of Levi Wight Jr. and Sarah Corbin. Married Harriet Benton, 5 January 1823, at Henrietta, Monroe Co., New York. Baptized into the Reformed Baptist (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellite) faith by Sidney Rigdon in Warrensville, Ohio, area, May 1829. Moved to Isaac Morley homestead at Kirtland and joined with other Reformed Baptist families having all things in common, February 1830. Lived at Mayfield, Ohio, when baptized in Chagrin River, 14 November 1830, and confirmed by Oliver Cowdery at Kirtland, 18 November 1830. Ordained an elder by Oliver Cowdery, 20 November 1830. Ordained a high priest by JS, 3 June 1831. Ordained JS and Sidney Rigdon high priests, 3 June 1831. Served mission to Jackson Co. Missouri, via Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan, June–August 1831. Joined by family at Jackson Co., September 1831; located at Prairie branch, where he presided over that settlement. Moved to and presided over Big Blue settlement. Driven from Jackson Co. into Clay Co., Missouri, November 1833. Recruited volunteers for march of Zion’s Camp, 1834. Member of Clay Co. high council, 1834. Moved to what became Caldwell Co. , Missouri, 1836. Elected colonel at organization of Caldwell Co. militia, August 1837. Lived at Adam-ondi-Ahman, Daviess Co., Missouri, 1837–1838. Member of Adam-ondi-Ahman stake presidency, 1838. Imprisoned with JS at Richmond, Ray Co.; Liberty, Clay Co.; and Gallatin, Daviess Co., 1838–1839. Escaped Missouri imprisonment during change of venue to Columbia, Boone Co., and fled to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, April 1839. Counselor in Zarahemla stake presidency, Lee Co., Iowa, October 1839. Ordained member of Quorum of the Twelve, 8 April 1841, at Nauvoo. Elected to Nauvoo City Council, 1842. Leader in development of Mormon settlements in the Wisconsin pineries on the Black River, Wisconsin Territory, 1843–1844. Served mission to eastern states to campaign for JS as candidate for U.S. president, 1844. Returned to Wisconsin, 1844–1845. Led company of some 150 Latter-day Saints from Wisconsin to Texas, arriving in November 1845. Established a settlement at Zodiac, Gillespie Co., Texas. Excommunicated, 3 December 1848. Elected chief justice of Gillespie Co., 1850. Died at Dexter, Medina Co., Texas. Buried at Zodiac.
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Williams, Frederick Granger(28 October 1787–10 October 1842)
Farmer, pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace; born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system of medicine as a physician. Lived at Warrensville, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1815. Married Rebecca Swain, December 1815, at Wyondotte, Wayne Co., Michigan. Worshipped with Sidney Rigdon’s Reformed Baptist congregation. Baptized, confirmed, and ordained an elder, November 1830, at Kirtland by Mormon missionaries under the leadership of Oliver Cowdery who were en route to Missouri and unorganized Indian territory. Accompanied Cowdery to Missouri frontier on ten-month mission. Appointed clerk and scribe to JS, 20 July 1832. Assistant president/counselor in the First Presidency, 1833–1837. Consecrated by deed to JS about 142 prime acres (57.5 hectares) in Kirtland, 1834. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Editor of Northern Times and member of the publications committee that printed the Doctrine and Covenants and Emma Smith’s Collection of Sacred Hymns under auspices of the firm F. G. Williams & Co., 1835. Helped organize and was a trustee of the School of the Prophets. Elected justice of the peace, 1837. Officer in Kirtland Safety Society, 1837. Removed from church presidency, 7 November 1837. Moved with Latter-day Saints to Far West, 1838. Excommunicated, 17 March 1839, at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Restored to fellowship at Nauvoo, 8 April 1840. Died at Quincy.
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Woodruff, Wilford(1 March 1807–2 September 1898)
Farmer, miller; born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. LDS baptism by Zera Pulsipher, 31 December 1833, near Richland, Oswego Co., New York. Ordained a teacher, 25 January 1834, at Richland. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Served mission to southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, and western Tennessee, 1834–1836. Appointed a member of Second Quorum of the Seventy, 1836; member of First Quorum of the Seventy, January 1837. Married to Phoebe Carter by Frederick G. Williams, 13 April 1837, at Kirtland. Served missions to New England and the Fox Islands off coast of Maine, 1837–1838. Ordained a member of Quorum of the Twelve by Brigham Young, 26 April 1839, at Far West. Served mission to Great Britain, 1839–1841. Served mission to eastern states and Canada to raise funds for building Nauvoo temple, 1843. Served mission to eastern states to campaign for JS as candidate for U.S. president, 1844. Member of Brigham Young pioneer company to Salt Lake Valley, 1847. Appointed to mission to eastern states and Canada, 1848–1850. Member of Utah territorial legislature. Appointed assistant church historian, 7 April 1856. First president of St. George temple, 1877. President of Quorum of the Twelve, 1880. Sustained as church historian and general church recorder, 1883. President of the church, 7 April 1889–2 September 1898. Died at San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California.
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Young, Brigham(1 June 1801–29 August 1877)
Carpenter, painter, glazier; born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist Episcopal household; later joined the Reformed Methodist church. Moved from Whitingham to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New York, 1804. Married first Miriam Angeline Works of Aurelius, Cayuga Co., New York, 8 October 1824. Lived at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York, when received LDS baptism, 15 April 1832, by Eleazer Miller at Mendon. Served missions to New York and Canada, 1832–1833. Migrated to Kirtland, 1833. Labored on Kirtland temple. Married second Mary Ann Angell, 18 February 1834, at Kirtland. Participated in Zion’s Camp expedition to Missouri, 1834. Ordained member of original Quorum of the Twelve, 14 February 1835. Served missions to New York, Canada, and New England, 1835–1837. Fled Kirtland, 22 December 1837. Joined JS near Quincy, Illinois, en route to Far West; arrived with him 14 March 1838. Member of presidency pro tem of church in Far West, 1838. Directed Mormon evacuation from Missouri. Forced to leave Far West; reached Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, 14 February 1839. Served mission to England from Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, 1839–1841. Elected to Nauvoo City Council, 1841. Officiator in proxy baptisms for the dead in Nauvoo, 1843. Served mission to campaign for JS’s presidency of the U.S., 1844. With the Twelve, sustained to administer affairs of the church after JS’s death, 8 August 1844, at Nauvoo. Directed Mormon migration from Nauvoo to Salt Lake Valley, 1846–1848. Appointed president of the church, December 1847. Governor of Utah Territory, 1850–1858; superintendent of Indian affairs for Utah, 1851–1857. Directed establishment of hundreds of communities in western U.S. Died at Salt Lake City.
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