The
following charts identify the general leadership of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints; local church leadership in , Illinois, and in
Europe; city officials in Nauvoo; and the
officers of other relevant organizations between 1 January and 15 May
1844.
First Presidency
Throughout
the period covered in this volume, JS served as of the church, with functioning as an associate president. , , and served as counselors during this period. A
January 1841 revelation indicated that Hyrum Smith should have the
“blessing and glory, and honor and priesthood and gifts of the
priesthood, that once were put upon . . . .” The revelation also identified Smith as “a
prophet and a seer and a revelator.” Later church historians applied the
term “associate president” to Hyrum Smith’s unusual position. Although
this title was not used during his lifetime, it seems to accurately
describe his role in relation to JS.
While Lyman’s appointment was not announced publicly, evidence suggests
that JS privately him sometime in early October
1843. William Law was removed from the First
Presidency sometime before 8 January 1844.
1 January–15 May 1844
Joseph Smith, president
, associate president
, counselor
, counselor (until circa 8
January 1844)
, counselor
Church Patriarch
was appointed of the in 1834 and served
in that position until his death in 1840. Before his death, Smith ordained his son as his successor. In 1841, JS dictated a revelation stating that Hyrum Smith was to
“take the office of priesthood and patriarch, which was appointed unto
him by his father by blessing and also by right.” That same revelation
appointed Hyrum Smith, as patriarch, to hold the sealing power and to be
“a prophet and a seer and a revelator unto my church as well as my
servant Joseph.”
Hyrum Smith functioned in this office throughout the remainder of his
life.
1 January–15 May 1844
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
When the
was originally organized in
1835, the group included the first six men on the list below. By December 1841, the
other six members of the original quorum had died or become
disaffected. The final six men on the list joined
the quorum between December 1838 and April 1841 to replace those
members.
1 January–15 May 1844
, president
Presidents of the Seventy
Three
of the were organized in 1835 and 1836, but by 1837, all
seventies were included in one quorum. Unlike most quorums in the
church, which were presided over by a presidency consisting of one
president and two counselors, the Quorums of the Seventy were presided
over by seven presidents. In 1835, JS instructed that “the seventh
president of these presidents is to preside over the six.” Throughout the period
covered in this volume, the same seven men served as presidents of the
Seventy. It is uncertain whether any one of the presidents was presiding
over the others during the period covered in this volume. The order in
which they are listed reflects the order in which they were named in an
1841 revelation regarding the church.