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License for Edward Partridge, circa 4 August 1831–circa 5 January 1832

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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To all to whom these presents may come hereby testifyeth That our beloved brother Edward Partridge

27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...

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has been app ointed Bishop

An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. JS appointed Edward Partridge as the first bishop in February 1831. Following this appointment, he functioned as the local leader of the church in Missouri. Later revelations described a bishop’s duties as receiving...

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of this church on the fourth of February one thousand eight hundred and thirty one with and by the consent of the whole church agreeable to the appointment of God and orda ined

The conferral of power and authority; to appoint, decree, or set apart. Church members, primarily adults, were ordained to ecclesiastical offices and other responsibilities by the laying on of hands by those with the proper authority. Ordinations to priesthood...

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to this office under the hand of Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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an Elder

An administrative and ecclesiastical office not associated with age. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church.” The articles and covenants of the church directed...

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of this church of christ regularly organized on the sixth of April one thou sand eight hundred and thirty in wittness whereof we have here unto set our hands

		Sidney Rigdon 19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe... View Full Bio	{Elders
		Joseph Smith Jr
		Oliver Cowdery 3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, 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, ca. 1825–1828... View Full Bio
	Names of Elders “Names of Elders” in handwriting of Sidney Rigdon. Three columns are drawn for the signatures. It is evident from an examination of the original document that Rigdon, JS, and those who followed them in signing the document began signing it on the rightmost portion of the page, in the third column. When the signatures reached the bottom of the page, William E. McLellin began a new column of signatures—the leftmost column—to the left of the first signatures.	William W. Phelps 17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,... View Full Bio
Wm. E, McLel[l]in 18 Jan. 1806–14 Mar. 1883. Schoolteacher, physician, publisher. Born at Smith Co., Tennessee. Son of Charles McLellin and Sarah (a Cherokee Indian). Married first Cynthia Ann, 30 July 1829. Wife died, by summer 1831. Baptized into LDS church by Hyrum Smith... View Full Bio		Martin Harris 18 May 1783–10 July 1875. Farmer. Born at Easton, Albany Co., New York. Son of Nathan Harris and Rhoda Lapham. Moved with parents to area of Swift’s Landing (later in Palmyra), Ontario Co., New York, 1793. Married first his first cousin Lucy Harris at Palmyra... View Full Bio
Harv[e]y Whitlock 1809–after 1880. Physician. Born in Massachusetts. Married Minerva Abbott, 21 Nov. 1830. Baptized into LDS church, 1831. Ordained an elder, by June 1831. Ordained a high priest, 4 June 1831. Served mission to Jackson Co., Missouri, with David Whitmer, 1831... View Full Bio		Isaac Morley 11 Mar. 1786–24 June 1865. Farmer, cooper, merchant, postmaster. Born at Montague, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Thomas Morley and Editha (Edith) Marsh. Family affiliated with Presbyterian church. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, before 1812. Married... View Full Bio
David Whitmer 7 Jan. 1805–25 Jan. 1888. Farmer, livery keeper. Born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Raised Presbyterian. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, shortly after birth. Attended German Reformed Church. Arranged... View Full Bio		Peter Whitmer Jr 27 Sept. 1809–22 Sept. 1836. Tailor. Born at Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, in Seneca Lake, Seneca Co. One of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Among six... View Full Bio
John Corrill 17 Sept. 1794–26 Sept. 1842. Surveyor, politician, author. Born at Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Married Margaret Lyndiff, ca. 1830. Lived at Harpersfield, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, 1830. Baptized into LDS church, 10 Jan. 1831, at Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio. Ordained... View Full Bio		Sidney Gilbert 28 Dec. 1789–29 June 1834. Merchant. Born at New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Eli Gilbert and Lydia Hemingway. Moved to Huntington, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; to Monroe, Monroe Co., Michigan, by Sept. 1818; to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio; ... View Full Bio
Samuel Drollinger Ca. 1801–16 Aug. 1834. Farmer. Born in Hamilton Co., Northwest Territory (later in Ohio). Married Rachel Cook, 21 Dec. 1819, in Butler Co., Ohio. Moved to Liberty Township, Butler Co., by 1820. Moved to Indiana, by 1827. Moved to Fountain Co., Indiana, by... View Full Bio		Joseph Coe 12 Nov. 1784–17 Oct. 1854. Farmer, clerk. Born at Cayuga Co., New York. Son of Joel Coe and Huldah Horton. Lived at Scipio, Cayuga Co., by 1800. Married first Pallas Wales, 12 Jan. 1816. Married second Sophia Harwood, ca. 1824. Moved to Macedon, Wayne Co.... View Full Bio
Peter Dustin 19 Apr. 1781–after 1860. Farmer, laborer. Born at Goffstown, Hillsborough Co., New Hampshire. Son of John Dustin and Sarah (Sally) Webster. Moved to Alstead, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire, by 1803. Married first Aruba (Azubah) Tubbs, 11 Sept. 1803, at Marlow... View Full Bio		Simeo[n]. Carter 7 June 1794–3 Feb. 1869. Farmer. Born at Killingworth, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Son of Gideon Carter and Johanna Sims. Moved to Benson, Rutland Co., Vermont, by 1810. Married Lydia Kenyon, 2 Dec. 1818, at Benson. Moved to Amherst, Lorain Co., Ohio, by ... View Full Bio
Asa Dodds ?–? Baptized into LDS church and ordained an elder, by 4 Feb. 1831. Accompanied Orson Pratt on mission from Missouri to Indiana, where he remained while Pratt went on to Ohio, 1831. Appointed to serve mission to the West with Calves Wilson, Jan. 1832. Resided... View Full Bio		Hyrum Smith 9 Feb. 1800–27 June 1844. Farmer, cooper. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Randolph, Orange Co., 1802; to Tunbridge, before May 1803; to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, 1804; to Sharon, Windsor Co., by... View Full Bio
Orson Pratt 19 Sept. 1811–3 Oct. 1881. Farmer, writer, teacher, merchant, surveyor, editor, publisher. Born at Hartford, Washington Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Moved to New Lebanon, Columbia Co., New York, 1814; to Canaan, Columbia Co., fall... View Full Bio
John Whitmer 27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca... View Full Bio

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This document proclaims Edward Partridge

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’s appointment as bishop, with the “consent of the whole church,” on 4 February 1831. It includes twenty signatures of attestation and was composed at a 4 August 1831 conference, when most of the signatories gathered in Missouri. This document is likely the recommend that Partridge was commanded to obtain in a revelation dated 6 June 1831.

Sidney Rigdon

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prepared this license, or recommend, for Partridge

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. JS and eight others apparently signed it on 4 August. Seven others probably signed it at a 24 August conference and the last four by early 1832.

Facts

Editorial Title: License for Edward Partridge, circa 4 August 1831–circa 5 January 1832
ID #: 61