Weeks, William

11 Apr. 1813–8 Mar. 1900. Carpenter, farmer, architect. Born in Martha’s Vineyard, Dukes Co., Massachusetts. Son of James Weeks and Sophronia Fisher. Moved to Chicago, 1835. Moved to Missouri, by 1839. Likely baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by 1839. Married Caroline Allen, 12 June 1839, in Adams Co, Illinois. Designed plan for temple in Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, approved by JS, ca. Oct. 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, by Aug. 1841, and began work on baptismal font of temple. Given authority by JS to carry out his designs for temple, 12 Apr. 1843. Architect of Nauvoo House, Aug. 1845. Left Nauvoo with family, Feb. 1846; arrived at Winter Quarters, unorganized U.S. territory (later in Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska), 1846. Arrived in Salt Lake Valley, 2 Oct. 1847, with Joseph B. Noble pioneer company. Disaffected from church, 1847. Returned to eastern U.S., by June 1848. Excommunicated, Oct. 1848. Moved to Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin, by 1849; to Marion, Linn Co., Iowa, by 1852; and to Provo, Utah Co., Utah Territory, 1852, where he worked on a sugar mill and chapel. Moved to Salt Lake City, by Dec. 1853; to San Bernardino, San Bernardino Co., California, by 1857; to Los Angeles, by 1859; and to El Monte, Los Angeles Co., by 1860, where he worked as a carpenter and ran a dairy business. Moved to Los Angeles, by 1860; to Rancho San Antonio, Los Angeles Co., by 1880; to Green Meadows, Los Angeles, by 1883; and to The Palms, Los Angeles, by 1885. Died in Los Angeles.