Tazewell County, Illinois, References
The Tazewell County - Caldwell County Connection
Cooper, John [BR], and his wife Mary "Polly" (Thompson) were converted in Tazewell County, Illinois. Mary was a sister-in-law to Morris Phelps. Upon their arrival in Jackson County they settled in the Blue River Branch. [Porter, MS 1842, LDS Archives; Jackson County Land Records, C:32]
THE LIFE OF MARY A. RICH, 1829-1912, BYU
James Emmett, and Phebe (Simpson) his wife, were converted in Tazewell County, Illinois as a result of the preaching of Lyman Wight and John Corrill on their way to Missouri as part of the Western Mission, the summer of 1831. Along with three children, all under the age of eight, they set out for Jackson, County Missouri, in December 1831, along with a group of other converts from their area. This party included the Porter, Morris Phelps, and the Aldridge families. They arrived in Independence 1 March 1832. The Emmetts located in the Prairie Branch, along the western border of the State of Missouri, with the settlement forming near the location of Lyman Wight's house. Within a short time, Moses Simpson, their oldest child, was old enough to be baptized.” [Stevenson, The Porter Family History, 78-80; Phebe Emmett, 13 May 1839, Missouri Land Claims, Ms 2703, f10, LDS Archives]
Sanford Porter, Sr. was converted in Tazewell County, Illinois, through the preaching of Lyman Wight and John Corrill, while traveling to Missouri as part of the Western Mission. Sanford was baptized and ordained an Elder. He was instrumental in the conversions of the Jonathan Sumner, Morris Phelps, John Cooper and other families. On 31 December 1831, a party, composed of Morris Phelps, James Emmet, William Aldridge, Sr., and two of his sons, and Mr. Berry set out with their families for Jackson County, Missouri. The company arrived at Independence 1 March 1832. The Porters settled in Prairie Branch, near the home of Lyman Wight.
Porter, Justin Theodore
<1>
B. 8 May 1828 (1829), 3 Miles East of Pekin, Tazewell Co., IL. D. 18 (14) Aug 1841 in IA. [1864; Members; AF; Stevenson, Porter Family History, 104]
Jonathan and Susannah (Lundy) Sumner were converted to the church while living in Tazewell County, Illinois, through the preaching of Lyman Wight and John Corrill, during the Western Mission. Jonathan was ordained an Elder in 1831 by Sanford Porter, Sr. [Porter, Ms 1842, LDS Archives] The family arrived in Jackson County by the middle of July 1832 and located in the Prairie Branch. Their son Nathan married Betsey Johnson 23 September 1832, with the ceremony performed by Lyman Wight. Betsey was probably part of the extended Benjamine Johnson Family who also settled in the Prairie Branch, possibly arriving in the county at about the same time as the Sumners.[Far West Record, 52; Jackson County Marriage Record Book 1, 39; 1864]
Phelps, Mary Ann
<1>
Mary's parents were converted to 'Mormonism' in 1831 and moved to Jackson County, Missouri, where they received an inheritance. They were expelled in 1833 with the rest of the Saints, from Jackson County. "The following named persons were in Jackson County in 1833 at the time you speak of, viz: Sarah Jane Peck Rich born Sept 15 1825; Mary Ann Phelps Rich born Aug 6 1829; Harriet W. Phelps Holmes born April 7 1832; Harriet Seargent Rich born Oct 28 1832; Martha Seargent Mowrey born Sept 24 1827, Very Respectfully, Mary A. Rich." [Ms 4680, #6, LDS Archives] The family moved to Clay County, Missouri and were there when Zion's Camp arrived in 1834. On one occasion when the Prophet Joseph preached at Mary's father's house he placed Mary on his knee and blessed her.
B. 6 Aug 1829, near Peoria, Tazewell, IL. Marr. Charles Coulson Rich, 15 Jan 1846 (1845), Nauvoo, Hancock, IL. D. 17 Apr 1912, Paris, Bear Lake, ID. [1864; 1882; Members; AF]
I, Mary A. Rich, was born in 1829, in Tazewell County, Illinois, near Peoria. My father's name was Morris Phelps, my mother's Laura Clark. Father was born in Massachusetts and mother in Connecticut. Both of their parents moved, when they were children, to Ohio, and my father and mother were married July, 1825 in Illinois, near Chicago.
They embraced the gospel of the Latter-day Saints in 1831, removing to Jackson County, Missouri, the winter of 1831-32. They bought them an inheritance in Jackson County and worked in unison with the rest of the Latter-day Saints until they were driven from their homes in 1833. From there they moved to Clay County, Missouri, and in 1835, while in Clay County, Zion's Camp came up, the Prophet Joseph coming and preaching at our house, which was the first time I ever saw him. While at our house, he put me on his knee and blessed me, and I know him ever afterwards, and he always remembered me.
From here my father was called on a mission to preach the gospel, and left my mother with three small children to support without any means. She taught school and practiced obstetrics. My father went to Chicago and while there, converted my mother's father, mother and family. They came to Missouri to where mother was living and helped her look after her family, while father proceeded on his journey to Kirtland, preaching the gospel. While in Kirtland, he worked on the temple to help get it finished, stayed there most of the winter, and received his washings and anointings in the Kirtland Temple.
When he returned from his mission he bought him a home in Caldwell County, Missouri, moved there and soon had everything comfortable |P2|p1 around him.
In the meantime, the persecution still followed the Saints and they were threatened with extermination, their enemies forming in companies, burning houses, plundering and committing all kinds of crime. My father was thrown into prison with Parley Pratt and four others at Richmond Jail, while Joseph and Hyrum Smith, with five others, were taken to Liberty Jail, Independence, the jail at Richmond not being large enough to hold them all. Father had his trial at the same time that Joseph Smith had his mob trial at Richmond. He was told many times that if he would burn his Mormon Bible and quit the Mormon Church, he could go free; they said he had no business there, but he chose to be firm to his religion. So he was held in prison all winter, and mother had to support her family the best she could, her provisions and everything having been destroyed by the armies when they came. They would even come into her yard and shoot the chickens and kill the pigs. Mother had her house full of women and children, in the meantime, who had been driven from their homes by the enemy. These women wanted mother to go into the woods to escape the mob, but she told them "No," that if she had to die, she would die in her own home, so they decided to stay with her.
During that winter, my mother would visit the prison where father was confined once every two weeks, taking him provisions, he not having anything provided for him that was fit to eat. The prisoners remained at Richmond Jail until spring, when the court sat, but as no one appeared against them, their case was continued. However, they took a change of venue and moved to Columbia, Boone County, Missouri. . . . (Mother was present at the trial.)
[Mary A. Phelps Rich, "The Life of Mary A. Rich," typescript, BYU].
Hawley, John (Male) Birth: Hawley, John (Male)
Date: March 24, 1826
Place: Tazewell, IL, USA
Alternate Date: March 4, 1826
Parents: Hawley, John (Male)
Father: Hawley, Pierce
Mother: Schroeder, Sarah
Death: Hawley, John (Male)
Date: April 17, 1909
Place: Lamoni, IA, USA (at RLDS General Conference).
Marriage Information: Hawley, John (Male)
Spouse: Johnson, Sylvia
Church Ordinance Data: Hawley, John (Male)
Baptism
Date: July 1837
Place: Ray, MO, USA
Temple Ordinance Data: Hawley, John (Male)
Endowment
Date: August 7, 1857
Sealed to Spouse
Date: August 7, 1857
Places of Residence: Hawley, John (Male)
Pine Valley, Washington, UT, USA; 1860-1870
Vocations: Hawley, John (Male)
Carpenter; 1860
Farmer; 1870
Comments: Hawley, John (Male) In 1860, John had a household of 6, a real wealth of $450, and a personal wealth of $500. In 1870, John had a household of 8, a real wealth of $200, and a personal welth of $450.
Comments: #21. John was baptized into the Reorganized Church on February 7, 1870.
HAWLEY, John
Birth:
March 24, 1826 or March 4, 1826, Tazewell County, Illinois
Married:
Sylvia Johnson, 22 October 1848
Death:
April 1909, Lamoni, Decatur, Iowa
Burial:
Oak Lawn Cemetery
John Hawley joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in July 1837 at Ray County, Missouri, being baptized by William O. Clark. He moved to Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, with his parents during the exodus from Missouri. In 1843 he went with Lyman Wight and George Miller to the Wisconsin pineries to cut lumber for the Nauvoo Temple and the Nauvoo House. After the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith he migrated to Texas with Lyman Wight in 1845. He soon left the Wight colony and journeyed to Utah, where he resided for several years.
In the 1860s he went on a mission to the "United States." During that mission he met family members who had joined the Reorganization. After returning to Utah he was baptized and ordained an elder in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 7 February 1870 (1868) by John Lawson. Soon after his baptism he moved back to Iowa and settled at Galland's Grove, Shelby County. He later moved to Missouri. He was a missionary for the Reorganization for many years. He died of pneumonia while attending General Conference at Lamoni, Decatur, Iowa.
Source: Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, pp. 599, 899
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book C
Saints' Herald Obituaries, 1909, p. 455
Journal of History, 2:380-81; 4:223-41
RLDS Church History, volume 4
RLDS Church History, volume 6
Journal of History-Bibliography
RLDS Authority Card Catalog
Black, Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 1830-1848
Pearl Wilcox's Three Books of Biography
Biographical Index, RLDS Card Catalog
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book E
Porter, Sanford (Male)
Birth: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Date: March 7, 1790
Place: Brimfield, Hampden, MA, USA
Parents: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Father: Porter, Nathan
Mother: West, Susannah
Death: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Date: February 9, 1873
Place: Porterville, Morgan, UT, USA
Alternate Date: February 7, 1873
Alternate Date: December 12, 1913
Alternate Place: Logan, Cache, UT, USA
Burial Date: February 11, 1873
Buried: Porterville, Morgan, UT, USA
Marriage Information: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Spouse: Warriner, Nancy Arrita
Date: January 1, 1812
Place: Vershire, Orange, VT, USA
Children: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Name:
Birthdate:
Place:
1. Porter, Chauncey Warriner
October 20, 1812
Holland, Erie, NY, USA
2. Porter, Malinda
November 3, 1814
Augusta, Oneida, NY, USA
3. Porter, Sarah
September 11, 1816
Plymouth, Chenango, NY, USA
4. Porter, John President
July 28, 1818
Plymouth, Chenango, NY, USA
5. Porter, Nathan Tanner
July 10, 1820
Corinth, Chenango, NY, USA
6. Porter, Reuben
May 1822
Augusta, Oneida, NY, USA
7. Porter, Sanford Jr.
June 25, 1823
Vienna, Liberty, OH, USA
8. Porter, Nancy Areta
August 8, 1825
Vienna, Liberty, OH, USA
9. Porter, Joseph (twin)
June 2, 1827
Vienna, Liberty, OH, USA
10. Porter, Hyrum (twin)
June 2, 1827
Vienna, Liberty, OH, USA
11. Porter, Justin Theadore
May 18, 1828
Pekin, Tazewell, IL, USA
12. Porter, Lucinda
August 1831
Tazewell County, IL, USA
13. Porter, Lyman Wight
May 5, 1833
Independence, Jackson, MO, USA
Marriage Number 2: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Spouse: Simpson, Phebe Jane
Date: September 5, 1854
Church Ordinance Data: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Baptism
Date: August 10, 1830 or August 10, 1831
Ordained High Priest
Ordained Bishop
Date: January 7, 1852
Temple Ordinance Data: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Endowment
Date: January 1, 1846
Temple: Nauvoo, Hancock, IL, USA
Sealed to Spouse
Date: February 3, 1846
Temple: Nauvoo, Hancock, IL, USA
Sealed to Spouse
Date: September 5, 1854
Temple: Office of the President, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Places of Residence: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Jackson, MO, USA
Vocations: Porter, Sanford (Male)
Farmer, Sawyer
Comments: Porter, Sanford (Male)Sanford accompanied Stratton Thornton on his mission to the south-eastern parts of Illinois and Indiana.
Comments: #2
1. Sanford came to Utah on October 2, 1847, with the Charles C. Rich company.
Wixom, Reuben (Male)
Birth: Wixom, Reuben (Male)
Date: January 3, 1830
Place: Tazewell, IL, USA
Alternate Date: January 3, 1829
Parents: Wixom, Reuben (Male)
Father: Wixom, Nathan Jasper
Mother: Hadlock, Betsey Eliza
Death: Wixom, Reuben (Male)
Date: February 26, 1884
Marriage Information: Wixom, Reuben (Male)
Spouse: Hulet, Elizabeth
Date: June 25, 1851
Temple Ordinance Data: Wixom, Reuben (Male)
Baptism
Date: March 15, 1921
Endowment
Date: July 6, 1921
Temple: Logan, Cache, UT, USA
Sealed to Parents
Date: March 24, 1932
Places of Residence: Wixom, Reuben (Male)
LaSalle county, IL, USA
WIXOM, Reuben
Birth:
January 1839, Tazewell, Illinois
Reuben Wixom was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 20 March 1870 by J. Brush.
Source:
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, p. 570
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book B,
p. 7
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book F
AINSWORTH, Eliza E.
Birth: 1843, Tazewell County, Illinois
Eliza E. Ainsworth was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 3 July 1864.
Source: Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, p. 565
ATKINSON, Justina
Birth: October 1831, Tazewell County, Virginia
Justina Atkinson was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in April 1862 by Z. Gurley.
Source: Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, pp. 526, 921 Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book B
(BRABY), Maria
Birth: February 1841, Delevan, Tazewell, Illinois
Married: George Braby, 1 January 1867
Death: August 1889
Maria (Braby) was baptized and confirmed a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 27 November 1864 at Buffalo Prairie, Rock Island (Mercer), Illinois, by John F. Adams. She attended the Iowa branches at Pleasanton, Lamoni, and Greenville.
Source: RLDS Deceased Files; Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, pp. 417, 725-26
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book C
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book D
Saints' Herald Obituaries, 1889, p. 595
Pleasanton, Iowa, RLDS Branch Records
Lamoni, Iowa, RLDS Branch Records
Greenville, Iowa, RLDS Branch Records
DOBSON, Benjamin
Birth: November 1799, Morris River Township, Cumberland, New Jersey
Married: Kezziah Wolf, 1 January 1818
Death: November 1876, Mason's Grove, Crawford, Iowa
Benjamin Dobson moved with his parents to Butler County, Ohio, in 1805. He settled at Tazewell County, Illinois, in the fall of 1831. He was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 28 December 1836 by Harvey Green. In 1844 he lived at Hancock County, Illinois. He resided in Wisconsin in 1846 and in Iowa in October 1850. In 1858 he settled at Mason's Grove, Crawford, Iowa. He affiliated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Source: Saints' Herald Obituaries, 1877, p. 15 Journal of History, 2:2:215
DOBSON, Elihu C.
Birth: April 1843, Tazewell County, Illinois
Death: May 1888, Benton, Oregon
Elihu C. Dobson was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 13 June 1869 at Crawford County, Iowa, by Thomas C. Dobson. He attended the Lamoni, Iowa Branch.
Source: Saints' Herald Obituaries, 1888, p. 383
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book C
Lamoni, Iowa, RLDS Branch Records
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, p. 705
DOBSON, John
Birth: December 1834, Tazewell County, Illinois
Married: Lucy Winans, 18 February 1855
Death: October 1911, Deloit, Iowa
John Dobson was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1866 by Thomas Dobson.
Source: Saints' Herald Obituaries, 1911, p. 1148
DOBSON, Thomas
Birth: February 1819, Butler County, Ohio
Son of Benjamin Dobson
Married: Sarah K. Taylor, 29 October 1843
Death: July 1878, Crawford County, Iowa
Thomas Dobson moved with his parents from Butler County, Ohio, to Tazewell County, Illinois, in 1831. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 28 December 1836 and was ordained an elder in October 1841. After his marriage in 1843, Thomas resided at Hancock County, Illinois, until 1846, when he moved to Pottawattamie County, Iowa. In 1849 he moved to Union Grove, Harrison, Iowa, and in 1852 he moved to Mason's Grove, Crawford, Iowa.
The first election of Mason's Grove officers was held at his house in April 1854. He was chosen justice of the peace and assessor of Crawford County. In 1855 he was chosen county clerk and in 1858 he was elected county superintendent. He was again elected county supervisor in 1860 and county recorder in 1866.
Thomas affiliated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1861. He was president of the Galland's Grove District and was sent as a delegate to the annual conference at Plano, Kendall, Illinois, in 1871. He was widely known in western Iowa as proprietor of Dobson Mills and for writing a history of Crawford County. He was appointed by the General Conference of 1878 to serve a mission.
Source: Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, pp. 428, 560
RLDS Church History: pp. 199, 324, 340, 342, 428, 451, 483, 540
RLDS Church History, volume 3
RLDS Church History, volume 4
Journal of History, 2:214-24; 8:496
Journal of History-Bibliography
RLDS Authority Card Catalog
Biographical Folders
HALLOWELL (HALIWELL), Maria (Mariah)
Birth: February 10, 1841 or February 20, 1841, Tazewell County, Illinois
Maria Hallowell was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 27 November 1864 by J. Adams.
Source: Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, pp. 294, 349, 725-26
HINKLE, Andrew J.
Birth: February 1829, Pekin, Tazewell, Illinois
Andrew J. Hinkle was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 27 August 1882 by George A. Blakeslee. He attended the Webb City, Missouri Branch.
Source: RLDS Deceased Files
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book D
Webb City, Missouri, RLDS Branch Records
(JACKSON), Elizabeth
Birth: March 1832, Tazewell, Cass, Illinois
Married: Marion Jackson, 11 March 1852
Death: April 1899, Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska
Elizabeth (Jackson) was baptized and confirmed a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 17 June 1883 (1882) at West Point, Cummings, Nebraska, by G. E. Deuel.
Source: Saints' Herald Obituaries, 1899, p. 376
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book C
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book D
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book E
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book H
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book G
JUDY, David
Birth: about 1802
Death: April 1886, Mackinaw, Tazewell, Illinois
David Judy joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in May 1832, being baptized by Drake. He later joined with the Hedrickites before his death from dropsy of the heart.
Source: Saints' Herald Obituaries, 1886, p. 271
PERKINS, Isaac M.
Birth: December 1833, Circleville, Tazewell, Illinois
Source: Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book J
WIGHTMAN, Louisa C.
Birth:February 1844, Mackinaw, Tazewell, Illinois
Married: 1866
Death: December 1893, Clarinda, Page, Iowa
Burial:Lamoni, Decatur, Iowa
Louisa C. Wightman was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 8 July 1877 at Hazeldell, Livingston, Missouri, by Emsley Curtis. She attended the Lamoni, Iowa Branch.
Source: Saints' Herald Obituaries, 1893, p. 15
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book B
Early Reorganization Minutes, 1872-1905, Book C
Lamoni, Iowa, RLDS Branch Records