| 784 On April 7, 1889, he was chosen to succeed Elder John Taylor as president of the Utah organization, in which capacity he still serves at the advanced age of ninety years. He is the only man now living who held the office of apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve at the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
WILLARD RICHARDS.
Willard Richards was the son of Joseph and Rhoda Richards. He was born at Hopkinton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, June 24,1804. When at the age of ten years he moved with his parents to Richmond, in the same State. Later he was engaged in the practice of medicine near Boston, and there he became acquainted with the Book of Mormon, and subsequently went to Kirtland, Ohio, in company with his brother, Dr. Levi Richards.
On December 31, 1836, he was baptized at Kirtland, Ohio, by Brigham Young; and on March 6, 1837, be was ordained an elder, by Alva Beeman. He filled a short mission to the Eastern States.
June 13, 1837, he started in company with Elders Kimball and Hyde, of the Twelve, for England, where he did faithful labor for the church, and cared for the interests of the work in England when the authorities in America could give it but little attention on account of troubles at home. April 1, 1838, he was ordained a high priest, and appointed counselor to Joseph Fielding, then president of the mission. On September 24, 1838, he was married to Miss Jennetta Richards, daughter of the Rev. John Richards.
When the Twelve arrived in England he was ordained on April 14, 1840, to the office of Apostle, to which he had been called July 8, 1838.
In 1841 he returned to America, arriving at Nauvoo, August 16. At this time and for some time after he was the secretary of the Quorum of the Twelve. He was voluntarily in jail at Carthage at the time of the cruel assassination, June 27, 1844. but escaped uninjured. Of this thrilling event he wrote an account entitled "Two Minutes in Jail." 1
1 TWO MINUTES IN JAIL.
Possibly the following events occupied near three minutes, but I think
(page 784) |
