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  2. Church Officers in Nauvoo, Illinois, December 1841–April 1842

Church Officers in Nauvoo, Illinois, December 1841–April 1842

In 1839, a church conference organized a stake in (later ), Illinois, and appointed a president, a high council, and three bishops. A January 1841 revelation designated the Nauvoo stake as a “corner stone of Zion.”
 
Presidency
In 1839, a general conference of the church appointed as president of the stake in (later ), Illinois. On 30 March 1841, Marks informed the Nauvoo high council that he had chosen and as his counselors. Cowles and Rich were ordained the same day and served in those roles throughout the period between December 1841 through April 1842.
1 December 1841–30 April 1842
, president
, first counselor
, second counselor
 
High Council
In 1839, a general conference of the church appointed twelve men to serve as members of the in (later ), Illinois. When individual members could not attend, alternates (or members pro tempore) were appointed to participate in council meetings. These temporary appointments are not reflected in the chart below. Though council members changed over the years, the council remained consistent for the period between December 1841 through April 1842.
1 December 1841–30 April 1842
 
Bishops
In 1839, a general conference of the church designated three men—, , and —as in (later ), Illinois, assigning each to be responsible for a specific jurisdiction, or ward, in the city. Partridge died in May 1840, and in January 1841 was designated bishop in his place. Joseph Smith appointed as a bishop to an unspecified ward in February 1841. These men continued to serve as bishops during the period between December 1841 through April 1842.
1 December 1841–30 April 1842
Upper Ward Middle Ward Lower Ward Unspecified Ward
  1. 1

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839; see also Minutes, 6 May 1839.

  2. 2

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:2].

  3. 3

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839; see also Minutes, 6 May 1839.

  4. 4

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 30 Mar. 1841, 26–27.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. Draft. CHL.

  5. 5

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.

  6. 6

    See, for example, the pro tempore appointment of Elias Higbee to preside over the Nauvoo high council in Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 25 July 1840, 13.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. Draft. CHL.

  7. 7

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 20 May 1842, 1.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. Draft. CHL.

  8. 8

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839; see also Minutes, 6 May 1839.

  9. 9

    Obituary for Edward Partridge, Times and Seasons, June 1840, 1:127–128; Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:21].

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  10. 10

    Isaac Higbee, Autobiographical Sketch, 24 May 1864, Obituary Notices and Biographies, CHL. Though Higbee’s reminiscent autobiographical sketch indicated that he had been appointed bishop of the Second Ward in February 1841, the city was not reorganized into ten ecclesiastical wards until August 1842. Minutes from the 29 October 1842 Nauvoo High Council meeting note that Higbee was bishop of the First, Second, and Third Wards at that time. (Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 20 Aug. and 29 Oct. 1842.)

    Obituary Notices and Biographies, 1854–1877. CHL. MS 4760.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. Draft. CHL.

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