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  2. Church Officers in Nauvoo, Illinois, May–August 1842

Church Officers in Nauvoo, Illinois, May–August 1842

In 1839, a church conference organized a stake in (later ), Illinois. The stake leadership consisted of 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 from May through August 1842.
1 May–31 August 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. Though council members changed over the years, the council remained the same for the period from May through August 1842. 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 this chart.
1 May–31 August 1842
 
Bishops
In 1839, a general conference of the church designated three men—, , and —as , assigning each to be responsible for a specific ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or ward, in (later ), Illinois. Partridge died in May 1840, and in January 1841 replaced him as bishop. During the next month, JS appointed as bishop of an unspecified ward. On 20 August 1842, the Nauvoo high council appointed as bishop of the third ward to replace Vinson Knight, who had died weeks before. This suggests that the original upper, middle, and lower wards may have become known as the first, second, and third wards, respectively. At the same meeting, the high council divided Nauvoo into ten ecclesiastical wards and the immediate surrounding area into three districts (one of which was also called a ward). Furthermore, they appointed nine new bishops, in addition to Samuel Smith, and assigned them to specific wards. Seven of the newly appointed bishops, listed below, were ordained the following day. Although Samuel Smith, , and were appointed, it is unclear whether they were ordained. Extant records do not indicate whether or when the high council called bishops for the remaining wards.
1 May–21 August 1842 21–31 August 1842
(Upper Ward) (First Ward?)
(Middle Ward) (Second Ward?)
(Lower Ward) (unspecified ward)
(unspecified ward) (Fourth Ward)
(Fifth Ward)
(Eighth Ward)
(Ninth Ward)
(Tenth Ward)
David Evans (Eleventh Ward)
(southeast district)
  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.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  5. 5

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.

  6. 6

    Nauvoo High Council, Minutes, 20 May 1842.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  7. 7

    See, for example, the pro tempore appointments of Elias Higbee and John P. Greene to the Nauvoo high council in Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 25 July 1840.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  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. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  11. 11

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 20 Aug. 1842; “Died,” Times and Seasons, 15 Aug. 1842, 3:894.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  12. 12

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 20 Aug. 1842.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  13. 13

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 21 Aug. 1842.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

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