Church Officers in Iowa Territory, December 1841–April 1842
Church Officers in Iowa Territory, December 1841–April
1842
In 1839, a general conference of the church approved the
organization of a branch of the church in , across the from (later ),
Illinois. By May 1841, the
branch in Iowa was referred to as a stake. On 6 January 1842,
, acting on behalf of the church presidency,
dissolved the Iowa stake and discharged its officers. Church members in
the area were then organized into a branch.
Presidency
In 1839, a general conference of the church appointed as president of the Iowa branch. At a meeting held on
24 April 1841, and were appointed as
Smith’s counselors. When the stake was discontinued in
January 1842, was appointed over the branch without any counselors.
1 December 1841–6 January 1842
, president
, counselor
,
counselor
6 January–30 April 1842
, presiding elder
High Council
In 1839, a general conference of the church appointed
twelve men to serve as a for the Iowa
branch. In the succeeding
years, the members of the council changed periodically. By August 1841,
there were apparently only nine members on the high council. It is
uncertain which three men were no longer members of the council, but
, , and were appointed on 7 August to fill the vacancies. Given that this was the final
entry made in the Iowa Stake Record, the exact composition of the
council in late 1841 and early 1842 is unclear. The following list
represents those who either were on or are believed to have been on the
council from early August 1841 until the stake was discontinued in
January 1842.
1 December 1841–6 January 1842
Abraham O. Smoot
Bishopric
was appointed
of the Iowa branch in July 1840, replacing . By December 1840, and Joseph Meacham Jr.
had been appointed as counselors to Smith. They continued
to function in these positions until the officers were discharged in
January 1842.