Interim Content

Wight, Lyman

Biography

9 May 1796–31 Mar. 1858. Farmer. Born at Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York. Son of Levi Wight Jr. and Sarah Corbin. Served in War of 1812. Married Harriet Benton, 5 Jan. 1823, at Henrietta, Monroe Co., New York. Moved to Warrensville, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, ca. 1826. Baptized into reformed Baptist (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellite) faith by Sidney Rigdon, May 1829. Moved to Isaac Morley homestead at Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, Feb. 1830. Lived at Mayfield, Cuyahoga Co., when baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 14 Nov. 1830. Ordained an elder by Oliver Cowdery, 20 Nov. 1830. Ordained JS and Sidney Rigdon high priests, 4 June 1831. Ordained a high priest by JS, 4 June 1831. Served mission to Jackson Co., Missouri, via Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan Territory, June–Aug. 1831. Joined by family at Jackson Co., Sept. 1831. Appointed to serve mission to Missouri, Ohio, and Virginia, Jan. 1832. Moved to and presided over Big Blue settlement, Jackson Co. Driven from Jackson Co. into Clay Co., Missouri, Nov. 1833. Recruited volunteers for and participated in Camp of Israel expedition to Missouri, 1834. Member of Clay Co. high council, 1834. Moved to Caldwell Co., Missouri, 1837. Elected colonel at organization of Caldwell Co. militia, Aug. 1837. Moved to what became Adam-ondi-Ahman, Daviess Co., Missouri, 1838. Member of Adam-ondi-Ahman stake presidency, 1838. Prominent in Missouri Danite activities, 1838. Imprisoned with JS at Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri; Liberty, Clay Co.; and Gallatin, Daviess Co., 1838–1839. Allowed to escape Missouri imprisonment during change of venue to Columbia, Boone Co., Missouri. Moved to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, Apr. 1839. Appointed counselor to John Smith, president of branch in Lee Co., Iowa Territory, Oct. 1839. Moved to Augusta, Des Moines Co., Iowa Territory, Nov. 1839. Trustee of Nauvoo House Association. Ordained member of Quorum of the Twelve, 8 Apr. 1841, at Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois. Appointed aide-de-camp to major general in Nauvoo Legion, May 1841. Served fund-raising missions for Nauvoo House Association to Illinois, May–Sept. 1841, and to Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana, Jan.–Mar. 1842. Served mission to Tennessee, June–Aug. 1842. Member of Nauvoo City Council, 1841–1843. Member of Nauvoo Masonic Lodge. Served mission to New York and other eastern states, Sept. 1842–June 1843. Leader in procuring lumber for Nauvoo temple and Nauvoo House from pineries on Black River, Wisconsin Territory, 1843–1844. Added to Council of Fifty by JS, 18 Apr. 1844; formally admitted to council, 3 May 1844. Served mission to eastern U.S. to campaign for JS as candidate for U.S. president, 1844. Returned to Wisconsin Territory, 1844–1845. Rejected from Council of Fifty, 4 Feb. 1845. Led company of some 150 Latter-day Saints from Wisconsin Territory to Republic of Texas, arriving in Nov. 1845. Moved to Zodiac, Gillespie Co., Texas, 1847. Excommunicated, 3 Dec. 1848. Died at Dexter, Medina Co., Texas, en route to Jackson Co., Missouri.

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