Officers of Church-Affiliated Organizations in Nauvoo, Illinois, 1 January–15 May 1844
Officers of Church-Affiliated Organizations in Nauvoo,
Illinois, 1 January–15 May 1844
Temple Building Committee
In 1840, a
general conference of the church resolved to “build a house for the
worship of God” in , Illinois, and
appointed , , and as a committee to oversee
its construction. These men
continued to act as the until 8
June 1843, when Higbee passed away.
was appointed to the temple committee on 10 October
1843, and officially “entered on the duties of his office” on 23
October.
1 January–15 May 1844
Temple Recorder
In December
1841, JS appointed to serve as “Recorder. for the Temple” in
, Illinois. Later that month, JS explained that as a
part of that office, Richards would “receive all property devoted to the
building of the and enter
the same, at the in the lower room of the new .” Richards entered donations into the Book of the
Law of the Lord. Because of the large number of contributions
needing to be entered into the Book of the Law of the Lord, began assisting Richards with the duties of
the recorder’s office in February 1842. In June 1842, JS called
Richards “to go to the East to fetch his family.” Later that month,
Richards transferred custody of the Book of the Law of the Lord “and
books belonging to the Temple” to Clayton. While in hiding in September
1842, JS requested that Clayton take on the role of temple recorder and
“take care of the records and papers.” In connection with Clayton’s
appointment, JS assigned him to record any revelations JS had following
that time. Clayton continued to
serve as the temple recorder throughout the period covered by this
volume.
1 January–15 May 1844
Nauvoo House Association
In January
1841, JS dictated a revelation commanding the Latter-day Saints to build a
boardinghouse—later referred to as the —for visitors to , Illinois. In
February 1841, in a meeting of the Nauvoo House’s stockholders, was appointed president of the association and
was appointed
clerk. Later that month, the state legislature approved the incorporation of the
, which
was responsible for managing construction of the building, selling stock
to fund its construction, and employing laborers on the project. The association’s charter named four
men—Miller, Snider, , and —as trustees of the association. Although it is unclear when was appointed to be the architect of the
Nauvoo House, records indicate that he was likely acting in that
position by April 1841. These
individuals continued to act in these roles during the period covered by
this volume.
1 January–15 May
1844
Trustees
, president
, clerk
Architect
Female Relief Society of Nauvoo
The was organized in Early 1842. The twenty women in
attendance at that meeting elected as the
organization’s first president. Smith then chose and as her counselors. The society selected and Phebe Bartholomew Wheeler (later
Olney) as secretary and assistant secretary, respectively, and
as treasurer.
and her
husband, , moved away from , Illinois, in May
1843.
temporarily moved to , located thirty miles south of Nauvoo, in
July 1843, returning in April 1844; Olney kept the minutes of
the society in her stead. The Relief Society met last in mid-March during
the period covered by this volume.