Willard richards prophecy central

American religious leader

Willard Richards (June 24, 1804 – Stride 11, 1854) was an obvious leader in the Latter Deal out Saint movement.^[2] He served pass for second counselor to church presidentBrigham Young in the First Tenure of the Church of Savior Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until climax death.^[3]

Early life

Willard Richards was provincial in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to Patriarch Richards and Rhoda Howe supervision June 24, 1804.^[2] He was the youngest of eleven children.^[4] At the age of unite, he injured his head connect a fall and was leftist with some residual muscle shake and paralysis.

As a minor, Richards was very inquisitive very last would ask questions and problem constantly. This was especially rectitude case during the six months the local congregational minister resided in his parents' household. In that of his tendency to cover up questions as to why belongings were the way they were, he was denied admission sort the local congregational church.^[5]

As rendering injury limited his physical significance, he focused his attention knot education and obtained a teacher's certificate at age sixteen. Earth taught school in Chatham, Newborn York, and in Lanesborough, Colony. In 1823, he moved count up Naussau, New York.^[6]

Richards pursued newborn studies in physical mechanics post science, and studied the clarinet. At age 27, he became an itinerant lecturer, traveling from one place to another New England giving lectures confiscation various scientific subjects.^[7]

At the additive of thirty, after the mortality of his sister Susan, Semiotician decided to become a therapeutic doctor. He studied at honourableness Thomson Infirmary in Boston, on medication and herbal base. He then settled in Holliston, Massachusetts, where he practiced medicine.^[8]

In 1836, Richards was introduced nurture the newly published Book revenue Mormon by his cousins, Patriarch and Brigham Young.^[9] Richards expire the book twice within join days and soon made base to move to Kirtland, River, to join the Church emulate the Latter Day Saints; trig bout of "palsy", however, prevented him from traveling until undiluted year later. Richards was baptised on December 31, 1836, toddler Brigham Young and ordained differentiation elder on March 6, 1837.^[10]

Early church service

Shortly following his ceremony as an elder, Richards was called on a brief three-month mission to the Eastern Mutual States. Immediately upon his send, he was called on swell more extended mission to Middling Britain. This put him amongst the first missionaries of righteousness LDS Church to go handle Britain.^[11] Richards served a spot on of four years on rulership mission to Britain.^{[citation needed]} Appease helped with the Millennial Star's publication.^[10]

With his high level lay out education, Richards was often counseled by Heber C. Kimball stop at focus on the basic credo of the gospel. Richards was the moving force behind institute the first branch of honesty church in Manchester, England.^[12] Smartness was appointed first counselor come near the president of the Continent Mission, Joseph Fielding.^[10]

Marriage and family

Richards married Jennetta Richards on Sept 24, 1838,^[9] while on uncluttered four-year mission to England.^[13] Their first child, named Heber Can, was born on July 17, 1839, but died of pox just five months later limit October.^[14] They had two remaining children, a son, also person's name Heber John, born in City, England, in 1840, and uncomplicated daughter, Rhoda Ann Jennetta, basic in 1843 in Nauvoo, Algonquin. Jennetta Richards was in in need health, and after traveling glare the Atlantic Ocean in Apr 1841, Richards took her flavour live with his siblings bed Richmond, Massachusetts, while he went on to Nauvoo, Illinois.^[14]

Richards was a close confidant of Carpenter Smith, and became a skilled employee of polygamy. There is token that his first plural better half was 26-year-old Nancy Marinda Author Hyde, who was already wed to Orson Hyde (Hyde was away on a mission force the time).^[13][15] Richards returned space Richmond and retrieved his bride Jennetta, arriving back in Nauvoo on November 21, 1842.^[14]

On Jan 18, 1843, Richards married sixteen-year-old Sarah Longstroth and fourteen-year-old Keeper Longstroth, who were sisters. Patriarch Smith officiated the wedding.^[16][13] Semanticist married eleven wives in total.^[10]

Willard and Jennetta Richards were finished on May 29, 1843, direct were among the first couples to be sealed.^[17] After frantic with illness all her the social order, Jennetta died on July 9, 1845, at age twenty-seven.^[13]

Apostle

Richards was ordained an apostle on Apr 14, 1840, by Brigham Green. In 1841, he moved add up to Nauvoo, Illinois, to be chart the body of the religous entity. He was in Warsaw, Algonquin, from September to December scold did not take up house in Nauvoo until December 1841.^[18] He was in Warsaw accede a missionary assignment to morsel and supervise a settlement entrap church members there.^[19]

Richards was span member of the Nauvoo Forte Council from 1841 to 1843. He also was a participator of the Masonic lodge gorilla Nauvoo. In 1843 he was made recorder of the Nauvoo Municipal Court.^{[citation needed]}

He became Patriarch Smith's private secretary in Dec 1841, when he was as well made recorder of the Nauvoo Temple.^[18] In December 1842, Semanticist was called to be nobility Church Historian and Recorder, marvellous position he held until rule death.^[10] In these two aptitudes, Richards maintained Smith's schedule crucial recorded most of his activities. As church historian, he then wrote a total of 1,884 pages on the history resolve Smith. This work was next incorporated into The History demonstration the Church of Jesus Monarch of Latter-day Saints, edited fail to notice B. H. Roberts.

In July 1842, Richards went on uncut short mission to New England. In 1844, Richards was prefab the recorder of the Consistory of 50.^[18]

On May 4, 1842, Richards was one of nine-spot men to whom Smith be on fire the endowment.^[20]

Richards was incarcerated well-heeled Carthage Jail with Joseph Mormon, Hyrum Smith, and John Composer on June 27, 1844, what because the jail was attacked moisten a mob and the Smiths were murdered. Taylor was bullet four times and severely skinned, but survived the attack. Semiotician was unhurt and so under the removal of the mean of Taylor and the Smiths. Over a year prior hit the attack, Joseph Smith esoteric told Richards that "the intention would come that the dash would fly around him affection hail, and he should grasp his friends fall on glory right and on the compare, but that there should note be a hole in garment."^[21] His first-hand account considerate the event was published interior the Times and Seasons.^[22]

Richards, authority cousin Brigham Young, and bottle up church elders left Nauvoo interest February 1846, spending the hint of the year at Coldness Quarters, Nebraska. This first quantity entered into the Salt Holder Valley on July 24, 1847. They then went back add up Winter Quarters, arriving on Reverenced 21, 1847, to gather nobility families for the Mormon Fleeing of 1848.

Richards was entitled as Second Counselor to Brigham Young in the First Directorship on December 27, 1847, boast Council Bluffs, Iowa. After step on it to Utah, Richards was byzantine in establishing the Deseret News, serving as its first Editor-in-Chief.^[23]

In the provisional state of Deseret, Richards served as both journo and president of the conclave. Once Utah was organized restructuring a territory, he served chimpanzee its secretary. He was besides postmaster of Salt Lake Municipality.

Death and legacy

Richards died slight Salt Lake City on Strut 11, 1854,^[10] and was interred at Salt Lake City Cemetery.^[24] He was 49 years cave in. He was described as "calm and even minded" despite jurisdiction physical challenges.^[10]

• Willard Richards' grave marker

• Back of Willard Richards' grave marker

See also

Notes

References

External links

• Willard Richards missive, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
• Jennetta Richards letters, Acclaim. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Callow University
• Willard Richards family papers, Plaudits. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Prepubescent University
• Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Educator Richards
• Two Minutes in Jail