All From One Ward
After Church on Sunday we were gathered at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial. We began discussing all the great things that had occurred in this area of Vermont. "How many general authorities do you think once lived in this immediate area, now the South Royalton Ward?" asked Elder George Osborn, Director of the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial.
The question led us on a quest. A small quest, but an infinitely interesting one. We counted up all
the Patriarchs to the Church (general authorities): Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, William Smith, and Uncle John Smith.
There was one President of the Church--Joseph the Prophet. But there were six Apostles: Joseph Smith Jr., born in Sharon; Hyrum Smith, born in Tunbridge, William Smith, brother to the Prophet, and born in Royalton; Lyman E Johnson and his brother Luke, both born in Promfret, Vermont, and Albert Carrington, born in Royalton.
Hyrum Smith was the second counselor in the First Presidency, but he was finally Assistant President, replacing Oliver Cowdery in that calling. There were also two Assistant Counselors in the first Presidency--Uncle John Smith (lived several years in Tunbridge) and Albert Carrington.
All these had their initial foothold on life in the area now occupied by the South Royalton Ward. Not bad for one Ward! Is there any other ward in the Church that can claim so many great priesthood leaders?
We then expanded the search to the state of Vermont.
There were two Presidents of the Church--Joseph the Prophet and Brigham Young. But there were ten Apostles: Joseph Smith Jr., born in Sharon; Hyrum Smith, born in Tunbridge, William Smith, born in Royalton; Lyman E Johnson and his brother Luke, both born in Pomfret, Vermont, and Albert Carrington, born in Royalton. Oliver Cowdery of Wells was the second Apostle, right after Joseph. Erastus Snow of St. Johnsbury was also an Apostle. It was Elder Snow who opened Scandanavia to the gospel and who did so much to settle Southern Utah. And we cannot forget Brigham Young, from Whitingham, and Heber C. Kimball, of Sheldon, Vermont. It was Elder Kimball who opened England to the gospel.
All these had their initial footholds on life in the Green Mountains.
Our discussion continued, "If we expand our investigation a little, let's say to any prominent person in the Church born in Vermont, then what happens? The list became much greater.
Again, Oliver Cowdery was born in Wells, Vermont. Even though he left the Church for a while, he came back. And again, Brigham Yound was born in Whitingham, Vermont. Today his statue graces the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. Then there are the Carter Brothers, Jared and Simeon and Gideon. Gideon was killed at the Battle of Crooked River. These three brought the gospel to little Benson, Vermont, where they took over the stone chapel of the Free Will Baptists. When the Saints went west more than 100 of their converts went with Brigham Young. (See Larry Dahl, Sacred Places of New England, pp. 88-134.)
There was also Newell Knight and Newell K. Whitney from Marlboro, Vermont. Newell Knight was the recipient of the first miracle of the Church. And Newell Whitney was the man who welcomed the Prophet to Kirtland, and he became Presiding Bishop of the Church. And there was Shadrach Roundy of Rockingham, Vermont. He was one of the early bishops in the Church. Also from Rockingham was Zera Pulsipher, who baptized Wilford Woodruff.
We should not forget Don Carlos Smith, little brother to the Prophet. He was born in Norwich, just before Lucy left Vermont with her eight children. Of course, we should not call him "little" because he was 6'4" tall, and he was a Brigadier General in the Nauvoo Legion. Emma thought him the handsomest man in all Nauvoo.
Other notables include Lorin Farr, of Waterford, Vermont. Farr West, Utah is named after him, and the U.S. Congress originally thought the junction of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads should have occurred in his little town.
There is also Elias Smith, born in Royalton, Vermont. Elias was the great law maker of the early Utah Territory. He saved the Church many millions of dollars with his keen understanding of the law. We also must not forget Cyril and Anson Call from Woodstock and Fletcher, Vermont. Anson recorded the great revelation on the Rocky Mountains from Joseph's own mouth at Montrose, Iowa.
And there was Jacob Gates, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Jacob was the First Quorum of Seventy. He, with sixty others, was arraigned with the Prophet Joseph at Richmond Missouri. He very probably lay beside the prophet with George W. Robinson, of Pawlet Vermont, as Joseph rebuked the guards.
There were many others: Asael Smith, Grandfather to the Prophet, from Tunbridge Gore. It was he who prophesied that a prophet would come from his family.
We should not forget the great women of the Church who came from Vermont; Lydia Gates Mack was grandmother to the Prophet, and, although she died two years before the First Vision, it was Lydia who taught the Mack children to read and write and think. Mary Duty Smith was wife to Asael. She came to the Church when she was 93 years old, and is buried near the Kirtland Temple. Lucy Mack Smith, of course was matriarch of the entire Restoration. Sophronia, her daughter, was born in the Tunbridge Gore. And Kathrine second sister the the Prophet, also lived for a while in Vermont with the family before going to Palmyra. And there was Clarissa Lyman Smith, mother of George A. Smith. She was born in Brookfield.
All of these great souls were rooted in Vermont granite. It is no wonder this beautiful Monument to Joseph's birth stands so tall and stately. I'm sure there are still some we have forgotten, but it is well to remember those here.
Article by Elder Roger K. Petersen
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