Newel K. Whitney

Newel K. Whitney
Presiding Bishop
June 6, 1847  September 23, 1850
Called by Brigham Young
First Bishop of the Church
October 7, 1844  June 6, 1847
Called by Brigham Young
End reason Called as Presiding Bishop
Personal details
Born Newel Kimball Whitney
February 5, 1795
Marlborough, Vermont, United States
Died September 23, 1850 (aged 55)
Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States
Resting place Kimball-Whitney Cemetery
40°46′22″N 111°53′22″W / 40.7728°N 111.8895°W

Newel Kimball Whitney (February 5, 1795 – September 24, 1850) (first name sometimes found as Newell) was a prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and an American businessman. He served as Bishop of Kirtland, Ohio, Far West, Missouri, and Nauvoo, Illinois. He also served as the second Presiding Bishop of the Church from 1847 until his death. He died in 1850 of pleurisy.

Kirtland

The Newel K. Whitney Store in Kirtland, Ohio.

By 1827 Whitney had entered into a partnership with Algernon Sidney Gilbert to run a store in Kirtland known as N.K. Whitney & Co.[1] It would later become Mormonism's first "bishop's storehouse." The building was also used by Church founder and president Joseph Smith as a home and office. Joseph received 16 revelations (D&C 84 through D&C 98 and D&C 101) in the Whitney Store and used one of the rooms as a meeting place for the School of the Prophets, a place where many spiritual manifestations were received.

Nauvoo

While in Nauvoo, Illinois, Whitney was involved in some important developments within the Church. One of these occurred on May 4, 1842 when Whitney, along with a group of nine others, met in the upper story of the Red Brick Store. Those who were there, including Whitney, became part of Joseph Smith's Quorum of the Anointed.[2] Later, Whitney's wife, Elizabeth Ann, was added to that group.

Another development was polygamy. In 1842, after being taught the doctrine of polygamy, Whitney and his wife agreed to let their daughter, Sarah Ann, become a plural wife of Joseph Smith.[3]

See also

References

  1. Biography of Newel K. Whitney, The Joseph Smith Papers (accessed January 8, 2012
  2. Anderson, Devery S.; Bergera, James, eds. (2005). Joseph Smith's Quorum of the Anointed, 1842-1845: A Documentary History. Salt Lake City: Signature Books. p. 4. ISBN 1-56085-186-4. OCLC 57965858.
  3. Poulsen, Larry N (April 1966), "The Life and Contributions of Newel Kimball Whitney", Thesis, Brigham Young University: 85

External links

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles
Position Vacant
May 27, 1840 October 7, 1844

Preceded by
Edward Partridge
as Bishop of the Church of the
 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 
Presiding Bishop
June 6, 1847 September 23, 1850
First Bishop of the Church
October 7, 1844 June 6, 1847
Succeeded by
Edward Hunter