Church Officers in Nauvoo, Illinois, February–November 1841

On 6 May 1839, a conference of the church appointed a and a president to oversee the church members in the , Illinois, area. These two positions were essential for the organization of a , which formally took place on 5 October 1839 during a general conference of the church. A January 1841 revelation designated as both a stake and a “cornerstone of Zion.”
 
Presidency
On 5 October 1839, a general conference of the church approved the creation of a stake in (later ) and appointed as president. Marks continued to serve in that capacity without counselors until 30 March 1841, when and were appointed to serve in those roles.
1 February–30 March 1841 30 March–30 November 1841
President President
Counselors
 
High Council
On 5 October 1839, a general conference of the church appointed twelve men to serve as members of the newly created Nauvoo . When individual members could not attend, alternates (or pro tempore members) were appointed to participate in council meetings. These temporary appointments are not reflected in the chart below. A few changes to the membership of the high council occurred in the period between February and November 1841. Although was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Nauvoo high council on 5 September 1840, JS’s 19 January 1841 revelation specified that was to fill the position instead. Accordingly, a 6 February 1841 meeting of the high council replaced Cowles with Johnson. ’s death on 10 March 1841 left a vacancy in the high council, ’s ordination as a counselor in the Nauvoo stake presidency on 30 March 1841 left another vacancy. At the April 1841 general conference of the church, and were appointed to fill these positions.
1 February–6 February 1841 6 February–7 April 1841 8 April–30 November 1841
 
Bishops
On 6 May 1839, a conference of the church appointed as in (later ). On 5 October 1839, a general conference of the church designated three men, including Whitney, to serve as bishops in Commerce, assigning each to be responsible for a specific ward, a geographical subdivision of the city. became the upper ward bishop following his call in a January 1841 revelation to replace , who had died. JS appointed as a bishop to an unspecified ward on 19 February 1841.
1 February–30 November 1841
Upper Ward
Middle Ward
Lower Ward
Unspecified ward
(appointed on 19 February 1841)
  1. 1

    Minutes, 6 May 1839.  

  2. 2

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:2].  

  3. 3

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  4. 4

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 30 Mar. 1841, 26–27.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  5. 5

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  6. 6

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 30 Mar. 1841, 26–27.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  7. 7

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 30 Mar. 1841, 26–27.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  8. 8

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  9. 9

    See, for example, the pro tempore appointment of Elias Higbee as a member of the Nauvoo high council. (Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 22 Sept. 1841, 33.)  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  10. 10

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:132]; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 6 Feb. 1841, 25.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  11. 11

    “Obituary,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1841, 358; Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 7 Apr. 1841, 27.  

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  12. 12

    Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 30 Mar. and 7 Apr. 1841, 26–27.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  13. 13

    Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 7 Apr. 1841, 27.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  14. 14

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  15. 15

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  16. 16

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  17. 17

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  18. 18

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  19. 19

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  20. 20

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  21. 21

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  22. 22

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  23. 23

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  24. 24

    “Obituary,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1841, 358; Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 7 Apr. 1841, 27.  

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  25. 25

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  26. 26

    Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 7 Apr. 1841, 27.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  27. 27

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 5 Sept. 1840; 6 Feb. 1841, 25.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  28. 28

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:132]; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 6 Feb. 1841, 25.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  29. 29

    Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 7 Apr. 1841, 27.  

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  30. 30

    Minutes, 6 May 1839.  

  31. 31

    Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.  

  32. 32

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:20–21].  

  33. 33

    “Higbee, Isaac,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:480.  

    Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.

  34. 34

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:20–21].  

  35. 35

    Minutes, 6 May 1839.  

  36. 36

    Woodruff, Journal, 29 May 1839.  

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  37. 37

    “Higbee, Isaac,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:480.  

    Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.