UTAH  PIONEER  CALLED  BY  DEATH.
________

The death of James Thornton Cobb, who died at the family residence, 250 Canyon road, early yesterday morning, removed from Utah one of its leading pioneer citizens. His death is generally regretted throughout the literary circles of Utah. Death was due to kidney trouble.

Mr. Cobb was born in Beverley, Mass., December 15, 1833. He graduated from Dartmouth college with high honors, and in 1858 came west, where he engaged in newspaper work. His literary work won for him the acquaintance and intimacy of such men as Phillips Brooks and Oliver Wendell Holmes. In one of his letters the poet said,

"Your mind has gone to depths and reached heights which no human mind since the days of Shakespeare has, and you have almost converted me."

The funeral arrangements have not been made, owing to the absence of several members of the family. The interment will be in the City cemetary.

The deceased is survived by his wife, Mrs. Camilla C. Cobb, and the following children: Mrs. Nat M. Brigham, Ives E., Henry Ives, Rufus K. and James Kent Cobb.



Note: For more information on James T. Cobb, see Part 10 of the Spalding Saga.

John W. Rigdon  Dies.
________

The name Rigdon, as all who are acquainted with church history will remember, is one of the most prominent in early church history.

John Wycliffe Rigdon who died Friday night was the second son of Sidney Rigdon, who from the time of the organization of the first presidency of the church until the Carthage Jail tragedy, June 27, 1844, was first counselor to President Joseph Smith.

John W. was baptised in the City of New York, Sept. 8, 1904, and immediately came to Utah, where he has since resided, a faithful member of the church. Prior to his coming to Utah he had been following the legal profession and since his arrival in Utah has devoted much of his time to the lecture platform and was generally recognized as an able writer and speaker.

The testimony of John W. Rigdon concerning his father's relationship to the Book of Mormon was of peculiar interest. Pres. Seymour B. Young of the first council of seventies, knew the deceased well and three weeks ago interviewed him as to his knowledge regarding the truth or falsity of a statement made by some parties as to alleged help given by his father, Sidney Rigdon in assisting the Prophet in writing the Book of Mormon, and as to his knowledge of the Spaulding story in connection therewith. Pres. Young said of this interview:

"John W. Rigdon testified to me very earnestly as to this matter as follows: I asked my father Sidney Rigdon, when on his death bed, the following question: Were you acquainted with the Solomon Spaulding manuscript and was this manuscript in any way connected with the translation of the Book of Mormon or were you connected with the Prophet Joseph Smith during the translation of that book? Sidney Rigdon replied: 'I never knew anything about the Book of Mormon, nor its translation until I received a bound volume of the book from the hands of Parley P. Pratt. Up to this time I had never before heard of the Book of Mormon nor had I ever seen the Prophet Joseph Smith."

John W. Rigdon has left in writing the following testimony regarding his interview with his father, Sidney Rigdon concerning the Book of Mormon.

"I took occasion one day, being alone with my father in his room, to ask him some questions concerning the Book of Mormon. I said to him, 'Your sands of life have nearly run and it was due to his family to tell all he knew about the Book of Mormon and that he should not go down in his grave with that testimony locked in his breast. He looked at me a moment and got up from the lounge upon which he was reclining and said to me.

'My son, I will swear before God that what I have told you about the Book of Mormon is true and that I did not write it or have anything to do with its production; that Joseph Smith testified to me that an angel appeared to him and told him where to go and find the plates upon which the Book of Mormon was engraved. They were hidden in a hill near Palmyra, New York and I believe he did find them as he said. And I believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet and this world will find it out some day.'"


Note: The "testimony regarding his interview with his father," which John W. Rigdon was purported to have given to Elder Seymour B. Young (or which Elder Young obtained following's John's death) is not known to exist, other than in posthumous newspaper article publication. See also John's testimony of 1891, of 1900, and from 1905.

Founder of Church Known by Visitor
________

Peter S. Morrison Tells of Joseph Smith
as Friend and Schoolmate.
________

"I was a schoolmate of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church, as well as of his brother Hyrum," was the introductory statement made to a representative of The Herald-Republican last night by Peter S. Morrison, who is here on his way from New York state to his home near Marysvale, Cal.

"I was born nearly a hundred years ago," continued Mr. Morrison. "While I do not remember the event, very naturally my parents told me, and it is so written in our family records, that I was born on a sailing vessel twenty days out from Glasgow, Scotland, and bound for America, March 11, 1813. I was two months old when my parents landed with me at what was then Manhattan and New York port, the voyage requiring two months and twenty days.

Mr. Morrison yesterday called upon Joseph F. Smith, president of the Mormon church, and had a long talk with him. Mr. Smith invited the aged man into the Beehive house, where he was served with an afternoon meal.

"My parents lived at Barrington, Yates county, N. Y.," said Mr. Morrison in telling his story, "and my father was killed by a horse there when I was very young. This left my mother with thirteen children to care for. In order to help her bear her heavy burden, families in that vicinity took a child each from among the older ones, and I fell to the family of Joseph Smith Sr., at Palmyra N. Y. I went to school in school season with Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I well remember that Joseph was considered somewhat of a dull pupil -- that is, whenever he took up a book to study he would soon forget all about it and go off into absent-mindedness.

His First Visions.

"I shall never forget what his father said to him when Joseph announced his first vision. His father said that he had only been dreaming; and I thought so too, knowing his peculiarity of apparently day-dreaming. But he persisted in his assertions and after a bit we all began to think seriously of the matter.

"From New York I moved to Elyria, Lorain county, Ohio, where I lived until I was 33 years old, or up to the year 1846, when I enlisted for the war with Mexico and fought under Gen. Zachary Taylor. But while living in Ohio I heard of Joseph and Hyrum and their followers being at Nauvoo, Ill., and having been told so much about their wonderful religion, my wife and myself determined to visit them. This we did in June, 1844. We had been there only a day or two when Joseph was arrested and taken to Carthage. One night in that June I became so uneasy on account of the trouble that I left the house and went to Carthage. The next day I was leaning against a fence near the jail when the mob came up. It was in the afternoon, and with me was the man who afterwards drove the team which carried Joseph Smith's body to Nauvoo. When the mob approached the jail the guards opened a space for them to pass through, and the assault began.

Scene at Jail.

"I saw Joseph Smith as he rushed to the window apparently to leap out, and saw him fall to the ground when shot while in the act of leaping.

"No I did not become a member id the Mormon church, although I had that idea in my mind when I went to visit the boys at Nauvoo. Since that time I have been thrown apart from the Mormon people and probably that in part accounts for my still remaining a nonmember.

"I was in all of Gen. Zachary Taylor's battles -- fought with him in two engagements in Texas, crossing the Rio Grande with him and afterwards going to Monterey, Mexico, where we captured the fort by storm. Inside that fort were so many prisoners that we could not care for them. The only thing to be done was to parole them and turn them loose.

Experience in Mexico..

"While we were at Monterey town, Gen. Winfield Scott came along on his march to the City of Mexico. Thinking that General Taylor had done all the fighting he had to do, General Scott took all of Taylor's regulars, leaving him with only 4000 green volunteers. When General Santa Ana discovered how Taylor had been left, he swung away from his intended course and fell upon the green volunteers. This was at Buena Vista, and Taylor with his 4000 raw men whipped Santa Ana in open battle out on the open ground, the Mexican general having 21,000 of the flower of the Mexican army. Santa Ana afterwards said that he had Taylor licked twice, but that the stubborn American didn't know it.

"After I had served my time I took 136 comrads of that war and went with them to California. It was in September, 1849, that we camped out near the lake where there was a spring of water." (From Mr. Morrison's description it must have been somewhere near where the Garfield smelter now is.) "We rested here for a day or two and Brigham Young paid us a visit or two. He and the remainder of the Mormons who came to us at the camp treated us very kindly.

"Toward the end of that year we reached California. It was when the gold excitement was at its height. I have lived there since that time, my home now being near Marysvale. I have just been to New York state to visit some of my children and I am now on my way back home. I will be 100 years old March 11, 1813."


Note: Mr. Morrison was about seven years younger than Joseph Smith, Jr., so it seems unlikely that the two boys would have had much interaction when they attended school in New York. Perhaps this is why he provides so few details concerning that experience. Interestingly enough, Morrison says nothing about any possibly associated religious claims when he recalls what he terms Joseph Smith, Jr.'s "first vision." If the time-frame for this "first vision" was in 1820, then Morrison would have been about seven years old -- if in 1824-25, Morrison would have been eleven or twelve and perhaps more likely to have taken an interest in Smith's announcement. William Smith, younger brother of Joseph, in 1884 dated the "first vision" to the period soon after his "mother, one sister," and "brothers Samuel and Hyrum became Presbyterians." Also, in 1883 William said that during this "first vision," an "angel then appeared to him [Joseph] and conversed with him upon many things. He told him that none of the sects were right." In neither of his descriptions of this "first vision" does William say that his brother was visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ. However, it appears that by Feb. 14, 1831, at least, Joseph Smith, Jr. was claiming to have "seen God frequently and personally."

TO  MEMORY  OF  MARTIN  HARRIS.
________

Church Erects Splendid Monument In Honor of
this Noted Pioneer and Churchman.
________

Fifty years ago on Friday July 10, Martin Harris one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon, died at Clarkston, Cache County Utah. In honor of his memory the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has erected a beautiful marble shaft at that place, and on July 10th this year, this monument will be dedicated and appropriate services held in honor of the occasion.

The bottom base of this monument, which was furnished by Jos. Parry & Sons Co. of Ogden, is 4 feet four inches square and two feet high, and of Utah granite. The second base is 3 feet 3 inches square, one foot high, and the die is 2 feet four inches square and 2 feet four inches high, upon which rests the shaft, one foot eight inches square, 10 feet high to the cap, all of Rock of Ages granite. A space was cut in the center of the bottom base, in which was placed a sealed copper box containing a copy of the testimony of Martin Harris. These records were inclosed and sealed in the base for preservation. The setting of the monument was completed Saturday by Messrs. James H. Martin and John Parry of Ogden, who passed through Brigham Sunday on their return from completing the work.

On the face of the die is the following wording: "Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses to the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Born Eastown, Saratoga County, New York, May 18, 1783. Died Clarkston, Cache County, Utah. July 10, 1875.

Following is the last testimony by Martin Harris:

"It was in Clarkston, Utah, July 1875.

"Early in the morning a thought come to my mind that I would go and see how Brother Harris was feeling. It was only three blocks from my home. I heard he was not feeling well. People came from other towns to see Brother Harris, and hear him bear his testimony on the Book of Mormon. But when I arrived, there were two men present. Brother Harris lay on his bed leaning on his elbow. I said, "How are you?" Brother Harris answered slowly, "Pretty well." "We came to hear your testimony on the Book of Mormon." "Yes," he said in a loud voice, as he sat up in bed, "I wish that I could speak loud enough that the whole world could hear my testimony. Brother stand over so I can see you." Then he stretched out his hand and said, "Brother I believe there is an angel to hear what I shall tell you, and you shall never forget what I shall say. The Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and myself went into a little grove to pray to obtain a promise that we should behold it with our own eyes. That we could testify of it to the world. We prayed two or three times and a length the Angel stood before Oliver and David, and showed them the plates. But behold I had gone by myself to pray and in my desperation I asked the Prophet to kneel down with me, and pray for me, that I may also see the plates. And we did so and immediately the Angel stood before me and said, "look" and when I glanced at him I fell; but I stood on my feet and saw the Angel turn the golden leaves over, and I said, "It is enough my Lord and my God!" Then I heard the voice of God say the Book is true, and translate correctly." He then turned himself as tho he had no more to say; and we made ready to go. But he spoke again and said, "I will tell you a wonderful thing that happened after Joseph had found the plates. Three of us took some tools to go to the hill and hunt for some more boxes, of gold or something, and indeed we found a stone box. We got quite excited about it and dug quite carefully around it, and we were ready to take it up, but behold by some unseen power the box slipped back into the hill. We stood there and looked at it and one of us took a crow bar and tried to drive it through the lid and hold it, but the bar glanced off and broke off one corner of the box. Some time that box will be found and you will see the corner broken off and then you will know I have told the truth. Again, Brother, as sure as you are standing here and see me, just so sure did I see the golden plates in his hand; and he showed them to me. I have promised that I will bear witness of this truth, both here and hereafter!" His lips trembled and tears came into his eyes. I should liked to have asked one more question, but I failed to do so. But I refrained myself and shook hands and thanked him and left.

"When I think of the day I stood before Martin Harris, and saw him stretch forth his hand and raise his voice and bear his testimony the feeling that thrilled my whole being, I can never forget, nor can I express the joy that filled my soul. This is a true statement."
                        "Signed Ola A. Jensen."
"The two other brethren are John Godfrey and James Keep."


Note: According to Dan Vogel's EMD2, p. 374, the Martin Harris statement was previously published in the Fairview, Wyoming Star Valley Independent, on Dec. 13, 1918.

Ancestry of Orrin Porter Rockwell

EPISODES IN GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH

It is a difficult task today to penetrate the veil obscuring the ancestral back-ground of the early founders of this Church. Unless families have well preserved records of these earlier generations, a great amount of searching must be done before success can be attained in finding the progenitors of these Church founders.

In each issue of the Genealogical and Historical Magazine appears an article entitled Early Church Families. Pedigrees of Church members are being compiled for publication in this series...


In the October issue an account will be given, among others, of the ancestry of Orrin Porter Rockwell, a picturesque and daring character of early church history. Nothing has apparently been published in our histories as to the parentage of this man, yet he was one of the earliest converts to the Church. Even before its organization, the Prophet Joseph and his father and mother were frequent visitors in the home of Porter's parents and at such times the boy listened with delight to all that was said. He even begged his mother to allow him to sit up and keep the pine torch burning, their only source of light in the evening. Orrin Porter Rockwell and Martin Harris, as well as his own father and mother, were baptized shortly after the Church was organized on April 6, 1830. Even before this he had been so interested that he picked berries by moonlight and sold them, giving the money to the Prophet to help print the Book of Mormon. He also gathered and sold wood for the same purpose.

Associate of Prophet

Much has been said and written of the career of Orrin Porter Rockwell, a great deal of which is untrue and much of the rest highly exaggerated from distorted facts. For a time in Nauvoo the Prophet was very closely associated with him and when he was recording in "The Book of the Law of the Lord" the names of those who had proved "most faithful" he entered there the name of Orrin Porter Rockwell with this comment: "He is an innocent and noble boy; he was an innocent and noble child, and my soul loves him. Let this be recorded for ever and ever. Let a blessing of salvation and honor be his portion."

Many years after Porter Rockwell's death, a patriarch in bestowing a blessing on his third wife, Christina Olsen Rockwell, stated that she had one of God's noble sons for her husband, and added, "The Lord has been merciful unto him in doing the good deeds that he did, in protecting the life of the Prophet Joseph. The Lord will pass by all his weaknesses, and all is right with him." Another patriarch in blessing his daughter made this significant statement: "Thou are favored of the Lord in thy parentage, and blessings of the Lord through thy fathers will rest upon thee."

Porter Rockwell loved the Prophet Joseph Smith with all his heart and soul, and would willingly have laid down his life at any time in his defense. The family traveled from Fayette, New York to Jackson County, Missouri, in 1831 and located in the Big Blue river district and here the Rockwell home was a gathering place where many important meetings were held.

Imprisoned

After the attempted assassination of ex-Governor Boggs, Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell were accused of the deed, and warrants for their arrest were issued. Realizing the impossibility of a fair trial in Missouri, Porter Rockwell went east and when he returned was arrested in St. Louis, March 4, 1845 [sic], and without even the pretense of a fair trial, was clapped into irons and incarcerated in a vile dungeon for nine months. At one time his feet were manacled together and his arm chained to his feet, forcing him to remain for a long period in this cramped condition unable to sit up straight. He was permitted a little dirty straw for a bed, but no bedding and no fire in very cold weather. For eighteen days at a time he states he shook with cold. After he made an attempt to escape, his treatment was still more severe. His food was of the coarsest, and if he failed to eat any of it, it was served to him at the next meal.

On one occasion Sheriff Reynolds said: "We know the Prophet has great confidence in you. Allure him to a place where we can arrest him and you shall have your freedom and any pile of money you name." Porter Rockwell, weak and so emaciated that he could hardly stand, never faltered in his fidelity to his Prophet friend. His eagle eyes flashed and he blurted out in defiance, "I'll see you all damned first, and then I won't."

Secures Freedom

Eventually Porter Rockwell's mother found where he was imprisoned and brought him one hundred dollars which he used as a fee to retain a lawyer, who was the noted Alexander W. Doniphan, later a general and hero of the Mexican War. After all this inhuman treatment the prisoner was at last brought to trial, but the charge of attempted assassination of Gov. Boggs was dismissed, there being an utter lack of evidence. He was found guilty of breaking jail and sentenced to five months imprisonment in the county jail. He was kept several hours and then released. Mr. Doniphan warned him to keep off frequented roads, for attempts would be made to waylay and kill him. After perilous adventures he rejoined the Prophet at Nauvoo and it was a most happy reunion as the Prophet indicates in his journal.

When the Prophet planned to leave for the west, just prior to his martyrdom, Porter Rockwell rowed him across the Mississippi river. In the encounters with the mob in Nauvoo, Sheriff Backenstos ordered him to fire upon the mob, and one of the mobocrats was killed.

A Pioneer Scout

He was a skillful and valued scout with the first company of pioneers to cross the plains in 1847, and he became "one of the most picturesque figures the intermountain west ever knew. He was a scout, guide, pioneer, and frontiersman of the most approved type -- hardy, adventurous and fearless." He was an intrepid mail carrier, and his home in the extreme south end of the Salt Lake Valley was one of the stations of the Pony Express. On March 29, 1849 he was appointed a deputy marshall, and he acted as a peace officer for the remainder of his life, his name bringing terror to evil-doers and marauding Indians. He studied the art of woodcraft, emulating and far excelling the Indians themselves in his almost unbelievable skill in sign-tracking. He was brave, quick-witted and always prepared. In the course of his duties he captured a large number of dangerous criminals and delivered them to the proper authorities to receive their punishment through the law. As a peace officer he was occasionally under the necessity of killing criminals who defied his authority. Several cases of this nature are recorded. But no instance was ever proved that he ever took a life wantonly and except as a deputy sheriff and in defense.

Of him Israel Bennion wrote: "There was a something about Orrin Porter Rockwell that so unmanned his opponents that they would not, could not, and did not outface him, even if it were possible to escape his lightning wit, eye and hand. Was it the word of the Prophet of the Lord that he should not be harmed?"

When Porter Rockwell in later years dictated the story of his life he said that some years after 1847 he was in California and met there the widow and daughter of Don Carlos Smith, the brother of the Prophet Joseph. When he saw her, she was just recovering from typhoid fever, in consequence of which her hair had fallen out. Porter wore his hair long, as he said that the Prophet told him if he wore his hair long, his enemies should not have power over him, neither should he be overcome by evil. When he met Sister Smith he had no gold dust nor money to give her, so he had his hair cut to make her a wig, and from that time he said that he could not control his desire for strong drinks, nor his habit of swearing.

He was of large and powerful physique, and his appearance was rendered more striking by his long and flowing hair. This he worse always, states his daughter, Mrs. Reid, in two great braids, one back of each ear, and folded four times across the back and tied. "No woman," she says, "ever had more beautiful hair than my father, and we were all proud of it."

Despite his rough and rude exterior, he was big-hearted and generous in his instincts, and true as steel to his friends. His devotion to the Prophet Joseph Smith and later to Brigham Young is proverbial. It is said that a gentler and more faithful father and husband is seldom seen, and one commentator on his life makes this satisfactory conclusion: "A righteous judge will not with-hold from him the reward due to those who have been true and valiant to the end."

His Family

He married three times. His first wife was Juana Beebe, daughter of Isaac and Olive Beebe, born in the town of Lebanon, Madison county, New York, Oct. 3, 1814: three daughters and one son were born of this marriage. He married second to Mary Ann Neff, to whom seven children were born. His third wife was Christina Olsen, who became the mother of four children.

The numerous descendants of Orrin Porter Rockwell will be interested in these items regarding his ancestry.

In the Church Genealogical archive is being deposited a pedigree of fifteen pages containing the names of 180 of his progenitors. A glance over this shows him to be a close relative of many leading families of the Church. His father was Orin Rockwell, an early convert of the Church, who died in Nauvoo, Sept. 22, 1839. He was the son of Jabez Rockwell, one of the well-known Rockwell family of Windsor, Connecticut, descended from Deacon William Rockwell of Dorchester, England, the emigrant to America. Through the Norton line he is connected with President Wilford Woodruff, and through the Wells, with President Daniel H. Wells. On the Alford line he becomes a distant relative of President Rudger Clawson, and through the Lathrop with the Prophet Joseph, Wilford Woodruff, and many others.

His father's mother was Irene Porter and from her he inherited the name by which he was commonly known. She was descended from John Porter and Ann White, progenitors of the Prophet; Thomas Stanley, ancestor of President Woodruff; and from the Babcock, Curtis, Gay, Richards, Raymond, Ladd, Knowlton, Harris and Abbott lines. As you read this, many of you will find your ancestors are also those of Porter Rockwell. He was a distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln through the Gilman line which they had in common: with President U. S. Grant and Grover Cleveland through the Porter line; Senator William H. King and Porter Rockwell are both descended from good old Deacon Edmund Rice and Thomas King. The Prophet, Brigham Young, and he were all descended from the self-same Merriam line.

The mother of Porter Rockwell was Sarah Witt. In Nauvoo she was baptized for 45 of her own and her husband's close relatives. This is probably a record for that day. She was born Sept. 9, 1781, at Belchertown, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, the daughter of Ivory Witt and Abigail Montague. Ivory Witt was descended from four generations of John Witts. His mother was Sarah Ivory, whose pedigree is probably traced seven generations back to about the year 1475 in Offley, Hertfordshire, England. An excellent record of the Montague family has been searched out and printed. Abigail Montague, wife of Ivory Witt and grandmother of Orrin Porter Rockwell, was the daughter of Josiah Montague and Abigail Montahue, both descended from John Montague and his wife, Hannah Smith. Other families on the line are the Church, Churchill, Cowles and Dickinson lines.

As stated above, the family record of Orrin Porter Rockwell and his parents will be printed in the October Genealogical Magazine. Still more important, the fifteen pages of his lineage will be placed in the Church Genealogical archive for the benefit of all who connect with these families. With the modern sources available for tracing genealogical records, similar results may be obtained on the lines of your ancestors who were early members of the Church. Do not fail to send in, at once, all the information of them that you have in your possession in order that a proper beginning may be made.


Note 1: The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine for Oct. 1935, provides the following additional information on Orrin Porter Rockwell's siblings:

     Children of Orin Rockwell and Sarah Witt.
1. Orrin Porter, b. 28 June, 1813, Belchertown, Hampshire Co., Mass;
   d. 9 June, 1878, Salt Lake City, Utah; md. 1st, Luana Beebe; md. 2nd,
   Mary Ann Neff; md. 3rd, Christine Olsen.
2. Peter Rockwell, baptized shortly after 9 June, 1830.
3. Carolione Rockwell, baptized shortly after 9 June, 1830.
4. Electa Rockwell, baptized shortly after 9 June, 1830.
5. Alvira M. Rockwell, b. 7 Oct., 1820; living 5 Jan., 1846.
6. Merit Rockwell, b. 26 July, 1821; living 3 Feb., 1846
7. Horace Rockwell, b. 30 April, 1825; living 3 Feb., 1846.
8. Mary Rockwell, b. 27 July, 1826; living 27 Jan., 1846.

Note 2: In his 1966/1983 book Orrin Porter Rockwell: Man of God..., Harold Schindler says: "In Porter's fourth year the Rockwells mover from Belcher to Manchester, New York. Two years later, in 1819, Joseph Smith, Sr., gathered his family and left Palmyra, New York; he too resettled in Manchester, just a mile from the Rockwells." Schlinder relies upon the affidavits of one of Orrin Porter Rockwell's sisters (Caroline Rockwell Smith) and one of his brother-in-laws (C. M. Stafford, husband of Emily Rockwell Stafford) to fill in several gaps in the Rockwell family's early history. See comments attached to the on-line transcript of Dr. Carl M. Brewster's "Did Sidney Rigdon write the Book of Mormon?" for more information on these siblings' families.

A  MEMORIAL  TO  OLIVER  COWDERY
________

By Archibald F. Bennett
Secretary, Genealogical Society of Utah
TABERNACLE ADDRESS
Sunday, May 30, 1937
________

The whole nation today pays tribute to its honored dead... It is altogether appropriate today that we who are assembled should pay tribute to Oliver Cowdery, because he is one of our honored dead, and he is, to a very real extent, a relative of many of us.

On such a rainy day as this, on Nov. 22, 1911, there met in the opera house in Richmond, Mo., a great gathering of the townspeople of that city to pay honor to Oliver Cowdery, who died in their midst, March 3, 1850. The Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir, just returning from an extended tour of the East and New York, was there and sang at these ceremonies. Elder Heber J. Grant, then a member of the Council of the Twelve, was present, representing the general authorities of the Church, and offered the dedicatory prayer.

The ocasion for this gathering was to unveil and dedicate a monument to Oliver Cowdery to perpetuate his memory. Upon this granite shaft was inscribed a beautiful message telling the world of the life and ministry of this man. The Testimony of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon was given in full, and this tribute was added: "Over a million converts throughout the world have accepted their testimony and Rejoice in their Fidelity." "A happy and prosperous commonwealth of half that number," it was said at the services, "have taken this occasion to testify of their love and respect for his memory."

More Enduring Memorial

Today we place in the archives of the Church, to the memory of Oliver Cowdery, a far more enduring memorial, one that shall bear to the children of men throughout the everlasting ages, a message more eloquent than was inscribed in the firm face of thar granite monument.

Through the united and devoted efforts of the Saints in all the temple districts, and especially the workers of Ensign Stake, there have been performed thousands of baptisms and endowments for the kindred of Oliver Cowdery...

Type of Man

It may be of interest to recall the manner of man Oliver Cowdery was...

(under construction)

---

Cowdery Records Presented to Genealogical Society Officials
Elder Joseph Christenson... Elder John F. Parish...

The work named by Bishop Christenson was an outgrowth of the lesson given by Brother Bennett, of the Genealogical Society of Utah, some two and a half or three years ago. In discussing the founders of the faith the name of this second Elder of the Church was there considered, and it was found, upon investigation and research, that the temple work pertaining to him and his predecessors, had not been performed in the temples. As a result, the Ensign Stake organization offered its services, which were accepted by the Church authorities, that we should proceed with this work, and accordingly a member of our Board, Sister Gertrude Baird, was assigned to direct this work, being associated with the Genealogical Society Library.

As a result of that research there have been some nine thousand, one hundred and and ten names sought out from the records of the Genealogical Office of this Church, and placed upon the records as belonging to this family. There were, of this number some two thousand and thirty-three families; family group sheets that entered into this work and became a part of this record. Thirty-six pedigree charts were included in the findings of Sister Baird and her associates in respect to this founder of the faith.

There has been recorded, in one of the volumes forty-one pages of history relating to the hand-dealings of the Lord to the Prophet of Lord and his associate, Oliver Cowdery.

You will recall that Oliver Cowdery was closely associated with the early history of the Church. It was his pen and his hand that recorded most of the Book of Mormon. He was associated with the Prophet Joseph Smith when the Testimony of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon was given to the world. He has always been first among them...

In this research work we have discovered this great truth, which is very gratifying, that Oliver Cowdery was related to the Prophet Joseph Smith, a fact not known to themselves in their day...


Notes: (forthcoming)