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  2. General Church Officers, February–November 1841

General Church Officers, February–November 1841

The following charts identify the general leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from February through November 1841. Several of the charts reflect important changes to these organizations during the period covered in this volume.
 
First Presidency
Membership in the remained consistent throughout most of the period between February and November 1841. JS served as president while and were his counselors. However, because of Rigdon’s health problems, was appointed assistant president at the April 1841 general conference of the church. A 19 January 1841 revelation appointed William Law to replace as a counselor to JS so that Hyrum Smith could assume “the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his , and also by right.” In addition to his role as church patriarch, Hyrum Smith was appointed to fill “the bishoprick and blessing” formerly held by , taking Cowdery’s place as the second elder of the church. In that capacity, Cowdery had served in the church’s presidency under the titles “assistant president” and “assistant councillor” between 1834 and 1838. Later church historians who were familiar with Hyrum’s role in church leadership applied the term “associate president” to Hyrum Smith’s unusual office, but that term was not used during his lifetime. While it is unclear whether the offices of “Priesthood and Patriarch” or “associate president” were technically part of the First Presidency, Hyrum Smith was often listed among members of the First Presidency.
President Associate President Counselors Assistant President
Joseph Smith (25 Jan. 1832–27 June 1844) (19 Jan. 1841–27 June 1844) (8 Mar. 1832–27 June 1844) (8 Apr. 1841–11 May 1842)
(19 Jan. 1841–before 8 Jan. 1844)
 
Patriarch
was appointed as the of the church in 1834 and served in that position until his death in September 1840. On 19 January 1841, was designated by revelation to take “the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also by right.” That same revelation appointed him, as patriarch, to hold the sealing power and to be “a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph.” He functioned in that office until he was killed, on 27 June 1844.
1 February–30 November 1841
 
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
On 8 April 1841, was added to the , filling the vacancy created by the death of in October 1838. The addition of Wight completed the reconstitution of the Quorum of the Twelve, which had lost six members during the turmoil of 1837 and 1838. Throughout the early months of 1841, the majority of the apostles were away from , with eight serving missions in . Throughout the summer and early fall, most of the apostles returned to Nauvoo. At a special church conference held on 16 August 1841, JS informed the church that the apostles would “be called upon to stand in their place next to the first presidency, and attend to the settling of emegrants and the business of the church at the stakes, and assist to bear off the kingdom victorious to the nations.” By assisting with these responsibilities, the apostles would “relieve [JS] so that he might attend to the business of translation.”
1 February–8 April 1841 8 April–30 November 1841
 
Presidents of the Seventy
In 1837 the record book of the started referring to the quorums of the Seventy as a unified group and at times even as a single quorum. Unlike most other quorums in the church, which were presided over by one president and two counselors, the quorums of the Seventy were led by seven presidents. Throughout the period between February and November 1841, the same seven men served as presidents of the Seventy. The order in which the presidents are listed below is based on the order in which they were listed in a 19 January 1841 revelation and is not necessarily based on seniority.
1 February–30 November 1841
  1. 1

    Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841.

  2. 2

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:95]; Account of Meetings, Revelation, and Blessing, 5–6 Dec. 1834; Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837; Minutes, 12 Apr. 1838. The 19 January 1841 revelation named Hyrum Smith church patriarch as well as “a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator” to the church. He was to “act in concert” with Joseph Smith, who would “show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon . . . Oliver Cowdery.”

  3. 3

    See Mouritsen, “The Office of Associate President,” 33n1.

    Mouritsen, Robert Glen. “The Office of Associate President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” Master’s thesis, Brigham Young University 1972.

  4. 4

    Oliver Cowdery, Note, in Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, pp. 8–9.

    Patriarchal Blessings, 1833–. CHL. CR 500 2.

  5. 5

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:91].

  6. 6

    JS History, vol. F-1, 183.

  7. 7

    Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841.

  8. 8

    John F. Boynton was excommunicated in September 1837, Luke Johnson in late December 1837, and Lyman Johnson on 13 April 1838. Thomas B. Marsh withdrew from the church in October 1838 and was excommunicated in absentia on 17 March 1839. William E. McLellin was “found in transgression” on 11 May 1838 and was apparently removed from office at or by that time. John E. Page and John Taylor were ordained apostles on 19 December 1838. Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith were ordained apostles on 26 April 1839. Willard Richards was ordained an apostle on 14 April 1840. (Letter to John Corrill and the Church in Missouri, 4 September 1837; John Smith and Clarissa Smith, Kirtland, OH, to George A. Smith, 1 Jan. 1838, George A. Smith Papers, CHL; Luke Johnson, Autobiography, 1857–1858, 8–9, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, CHL; Minute Book 2, 13 Apr. 1838; Thomas B. Marsh and Orson Hyde, Affidavit, Richmond, MO, 24 Oct. 1838, copy, Mormon War Papers, Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City; Thomas B. Marsh and Orson Hyde to Lewis Abbot and Ann Marsh Abbott, 25–30 Oct. 1838, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 18–19; JS, Journal, 11 May 1838; Minute Book 2, 19 Dec. 1838; Minutes, 26 Apr. 1839, General Church Minutes, CHL; Minutes, 26 Apr. 1839, General Church Minutes, CHL; JS, Journal, 8 July 1838; Woodruff, Journal, 14 Apr. 1840; Times and Seasons, June 1840, 1:119.)

    Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.

    Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.

    Mormon War Papers, 1838–1841. MSA.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

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

  9. 9

    Minutes, 16 Aug. 1841.

  10. 10

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:127].

  11. 11

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  12. 12

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  13. 13

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  14. 14

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  15. 15

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  16. 16

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  17. 17

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  18. 18

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  19. 19

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  20. 20

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:129].

  21. 21

    Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841.

  22. 22

    Record of Seventies, bk. A, 37–38.

    Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “Book of Records,” 1837–1843. Bk. A. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 1, fd. 1.

  23. 23

    “Ecclesiastical Officers and Church Appointees, 1839–1844”; Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:138].

  24. 24

    Record of Seventies, bk. A, 6 Mar. 1838, 44–45.

    Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “Book of Records,” 1837–1843. Bk. A. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 1, fd. 1.

  25. 25

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:138].

  26. 26

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:138].

  27. 27

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:138].

  28. 28

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:138].

  29. 29

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:138].

  30. 30

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:138].

  31. 31

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:138].

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