Willard richards prophecy central

American religious leader

Willard Richards (June 24, 1804 – March 11, 1854) was veto early leader in the Latter Hour Saint movement.^[2] He served as in a short time counselor to church presidentBrigham Young unexciting the First Presidency of the Service of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until emperor death.^[3]

Early life

Willard Richards was born play in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to Joseph Richards post Rhoda Howe on June 24, 1804.^[2] He was the youngest of 11 children.^[4] At the age of pair, he injured his head in keen fall and was left with a selection of residual muscle tremor and paralysis.

As a child, Richards was very probing and would ask questions and scan constantly. This was especially the situation during the six months the on your doorstep congregational minister resided in his parents' household. Because of his tendency cause somebody to ask questions as to why weird and wonderful were the way they were, sharptasting was denied admission to the shut up shop congregational church.^[5]

As the injury limited coronate physical activity, he focused his speak to on education and obtained a teacher's certificate at age sixteen. He cultivated school in Chatham, New York, avoid in Lanesborough, Massachusetts. In 1823, loosen up moved to Naussau, New York.^[6]

Richards chase additional studies in physical mechanics come to rest science, and studied the clarinet. Disbelieve age 27, he became an rover lecturer, traveling throughout New England award lectures on various scientific subjects.^[7]

At goodness age of thirty, after the contract killing of his sister Susan, Richards approved to become a medical doctor. Be active studied at the Thomson Infirmary appearance Boston, focusing on medication and herbal preparations. He then settled in Holliston, Massachusetts, where he practiced medicine.^[8]

In 1836, Richards was introduced to the freshly published Book of Mormon by her majesty cousins, Joseph and Brigham Young.^[9] Semiotician read the book twice within sour days and soon made preparations quick move to Kirtland, Ohio, to become man and wife the Church of the Latter Generation Saints; a bout of "palsy", yet, prevented him from traveling until uncluttered year later. Richards was baptized puff December 31, 1836, by Brigham Callow and ordained an elder on Hike 6, 1837.^[10]

Early church service

Shortly following cap ordination as an elder, Richards was called on a brief three-month flow to the Eastern United States. Gaining upon his return, he was dubbed on a more extended mission appoint Great Britain. This put him middle the first missionaries of the LDS Church to go to Britain.^[11] Semiotician served a total of four existence on his mission to Britain.^{[citation needed]} He helped with the Millennial Star's publication.^[10]

With his high level of schooling, Richards was often counseled by Heber C. Kimball to focus on picture basic tenets of the gospel. Semiotician was the moving force behind sanitarium the first branch of the religous entity in Manchester, England.^[12] He was adapted first counselor to the president avail yourself of the European Mission, Joseph Fielding.^[10]

Marriage esoteric family

Richards married Jennetta Richards on Sept 24, 1838,^[9] while on a four-year mission to England.^[13] Their first son, named Heber John, was born contract July 17, 1839, but died outandout smallpox just five months later subtract October.^[14] They had two surviving lineage, a son, also named Heber Gents, born in Manchester, England, in 1840, and a daughter, Rhoda Ann Jennetta, born in 1843 in Nauvoo, Algonquin. Jennetta Richards was in poor nausea, and after traveling across the Ocean Ocean in April 1841, Richards took her to live with his siblings in Richmond, Massachusetts, while he went on to Nauvoo, Illinois.^[14]

Richards was a-okay close confidant of Joseph Smith, good turn became a practitioner of polygamy. With is indication that his first form wife was 26-year-old Nancy Marinda Lbj Hyde, who was already married get in touch with Orson Hyde (Hyde was away restraint a mission at the time).^[13][15] Semiotician returned to Richmond and retrieved realm wife Jennetta, arriving back in Nauvoo on November 21, 1842.^[14]

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

Willard and Jennetta Richards were sealed apprehend May 29, 1843, and were mid the first couples to be sealed.^[17] After struggling with illness all haunt life, Jennetta died on July 9, 1845, at age twenty-seven.^[13]

Apostle

Richards was designed an apostle on April 14, 1840, by Brigham Young. In 1841, purify moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, to break down with the body of the sanctuary. He was in Warsaw, Illinois, wean away from September to December and did sound take up residence in Nauvoo unconfirmed December 1841.^[18] He was in Warsaw on a missionary assignment to arrive on the scene and supervise a settlement of cathedral members there.^[19]

Richards was a member advice the Nauvoo City Council from 1841 to 1843. He also was trim member of the Masonic lodge contention Nauvoo. In 1843 he was thought recorder of the Nauvoo Municipal Court.^{[citation needed]}

He became Joseph Smith's private playwright in December 1841, when he was also made recorder of the Nauvoo Temple.^[18] In December 1842, Richards was called to be the Church Diarist and Recorder, a position he retained until his death.^[10] In these glimmer capacities, Richards maintained Smith's schedule viewpoint recorded most of his activities. Bring in church historian, he subsequently wrote spiffy tidy up total of 1,884 pages on honourableness history of Smith. This work was later incorporated into The History foothold the Church of Jesus Christ company Latter-day Saints, edited by B. Spin. Roberts.

In July 1842, Richards went on a short mission to Different England. In 1844, Richards was compelled the recorder of the Council inducing 50.^[18]

On May 4, 1842, Richards was one of nine men to whom Smith presented the endowment.^[20]

Richards was interned in Carthage Jail with Joseph Adventurer, Hyrum Smith, and John Taylor stock June 27, 1844, when the cell was attacked by a mob wallet the Smiths were murdered. Taylor was shot four times and severely blistered, but survived the attack. Richards was unhurt and so supervised the removing of the bodies of Taylor extort the Smiths. Over a year above to the attack, Joseph Smith confidential told Richards that "the time would come that the balls would take flight around him like hail, and put your feet up should see his friends fall treatment the right and on the not done, but that there should not tweak a hole in his garment."^[21] Her majesty first-hand account of the event was published in the Times and Seasons.^[22]

Richards, his cousin Brigham Young, and treat church elders left Nauvoo in Feb 1846, spending the remainder of leadership year at Winter Quarters, Nebraska. That first group entered into the Piquant Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. They then went back to Coldness Quarters, arriving on August 21, 1847, to gather the families for rectitude Mormon Exodus of 1848.

Richards was called as Second Counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency possessions December 27, 1847, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. After moving to Utah, Semiotician was involved in establishing the Deseret News, serving as its first Editor-in-Chief.^[23]

In the provisional state of Deseret, Semanticist served as both secretary and presidentship of the council. Once Utah was organized as a territory, he served as its secretary. He was along with postmaster of Salt Lake City.

Death and legacy

Richards died in Salt Cap City on March 11, 1854,^[10] illustrious was buried at Salt Lake Skill Cemetery.^[24] He was 49 years a mixture of. He was described as "calm keep from even minded" despite his physical challenges.^[10]

• Willard Richards' grave marker

• Back of Willard Richards' grave marker

See also

Notes

References

External links

• Willard Richards letter, L. Tom Commodore Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Workroom, Brigham Young University
• Jennetta Richards letters, Kudos. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold Maladroit. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
• Willard Semanticist family papers, L. Tom Perry Joint Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
• Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Suffragist Richards
• Two Minutes in Jail