General Church Officers, May–August 1842
The following charts identify the general leadership of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, local church leadership in
, Illinois, and the
officers of other relevant organizations between 1 May and 31 August
1842. Because leadership in some organizations shifted significantly
during this period, a few of the charts provide a snapshot of the
leadership on specific dates rather than representing all the changes
over the course of the
period.
First Presidency
Throughout the period from May through August 1842, JS served as of the church, with and serving as his
counselors and with serving as associate president.
Hyrum Smith had been a counselor in the presidency, but shortly after he
succeeded his father as patriarch in 1840, a January 1841 revelation indicated that William Law should take his place
in the presidency and that Smith should have the “blessing and glory,
and honor and priesthood and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put
upon . . . .” Cowdery
had received the keys of the priesthood in connection with JS, had been
sustained as “second elder of this church” on 6 April 1830, and had
served in the church’s presidency from December 1834 to April 1838 under
the titles “assistant President” and “assistant councillor.” The January 1841 revelation that called
Hyrum Smith as church patriarch also identified him as “a prophet and a
seer and a revelator,” and Hyrum continued to serve in the presidency.
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. Due to Rigdon’s prolonged
illness, had been appointed as a
temporary assistant president in April 1841. Bennett was removed from this
position when church leaders disfellowshipped him on 11 May 1842.
| 1 May–11 May 1842 | 11 May–31 August 1842 |
| Joseph Smith, president | Joseph Smith, president |
| , associate president | , associate president |
| , counselor | , counselor |
| , counselor | , counselor |
| , assistant president |
Patriarch
was appointed of the church in 1834 and served in that position
until his death in September 1840. Prior to his death,
Smith ordained his son as his successor. In January 1841, JS dictated a revelation that appointed to the presidency so that Hyrum Smith could “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 him, 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 for the remainder of his life.
| 1 May–31 August 1842 |
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
When the was
originally organized in 1835, the group included the first six men on
the lists below. By December 1841, the
other six members of the original quorum had died or were
disaffected. The final six men on
the first list joined the quorum between December 1838 and April 1841 to
replace those members. In summer 1842, difficulties arose
between and JS as rumors spread that JS had proposed marriage to Pratt’s
wife, ,
while Pratt was serving a mission in . These difficulties
led to a four-day meeting between Pratt and a council consisting of the
three fellow apostles living in . On
20 August, after Pratt refused to “recall his sayings against Joseph,”
the council concluded that he should be “cut off” from the church, and
they ordained in his stead.
| 1 May–20 August 1842 | 20–31 August 1842 |
| , president | , president |
Presidents of the Seventy
Three of 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. Throughout the period from May through August
1842, the same seven men served as presidents of the Seventy. The order
in which they are listed below reflects the order in which they are
mentioned in a January 1841 revelation regarding the church in .
| 1 May–31 August 1842 |