History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

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MISSIONS AND IMMIGRATION.
Liverpool, 75-6; Deseret News, March 16, 1854, June 23, 30, 1858, Dec. 9,
1874; Richards' Narr., MS., 107-8.
Franklin Dewey Richards, nephew to Willard, was born at Richmond,
Berkshire co., Mass., on April 2, 1821. After receiving a common-school
education, he was employed at farm labor, or at his father's trade—that of
carpenter. His attention was first called to Mormonism during a visit of
Brigham to the house of his grandfather, Joseph Pdchards. On the 3d of June,
183S, he relates that after being baptized and anointed with oil, he was cured,
by the efficacy of prayer, of a severe sickness. In October following, he set
forth for Far West, but finding that Gen. Clark had issued an order requiring all
Mormons to leave the state, he went to St Louis, where he found employment.
In the spring of 1840 he attended a conference at Nauvoo, and was soon afterward
sent as a missionary to Indiana, where he established a church. After
some further missionary work in the United States, he repaired to Nauvoo
where he married, and by great self-denial obtained the means of building a
brick house in the eastern part of the city. This he sold before the expulsion
for two yoke of oxen and an old wagon. In the spring of 1844 he was ordered
with several others to proceed on a mission to England, but after reaching
New York he heard of the assassination of the prophet, and returned to
Nauvoo. In 1845 he assisted at the completion of the temple, working as a
carpenter and painter. When the first bands of the saints crossed the Mississippi
in Feb. 1856, Mr Richards accompanied them as far as their campingground
on Sugar Creek, where he bade adieu to his wife and family, and soon
afterward sailed for Liverpool in company with Parley P. Pratt and others.
Of further incidents in his life, I shall have occasion to speak elsewhere.
Heber Chase Kimball was a native of Sheldon, Vt, where he was born in
1801. When ten years of age his family removed to West Bloomfield, N. Y.,
in which town he afterward worked as a blacksmith in his father's shop. In
1820, his father having lost his property, he was compelled to seek his own
livelihood, and after suffering much hardship, found employment with his
brother, who was a potter by trade, and removed with him to Mendon. He was
converted to Mormonism by the preaching of Phineas H. Young, and in 1832
was baptized, and soon afterward ordained an elder. In Sept. of this year he
went to Kirtland with Brigham and Joseph Young, and there met the prophet.
In 1835 he was chosen a member of the first quorum of the twelve, and from
that date until the expulsion from Nauvoo his time was mainly spent in missionary
labors in the eastern states and in England. Returning from Salt
Lake City to Winter Quarters with the main body of the pioneers, he was
appointed first councillor to the president, which office he held until his decease,
in June 1S6S. On the organization of the state of Deseret, he was elected
lieutenant-governor and chief justice, and later became president of the council
of the legislative assembly. A man of singular generosity, integrity, and
purity of heart, there are few whose names are held in more esteem among
the latter-day saints than that of President Kimball.
In March 1850 occurred the decease of Oliver Cowdery, at Richmond, Ray
co., Mo. His connection with the church from its earliest days, and the part
which he took in the translation of the book of Mormon, have already been
mentioned. He was cut off, as we have seen, in 1S38, but in 1S4S was rebaptized.
'His relation of events,' remarks S. W. Richards, 'was of no ordinary
character, maintaining unequivocally all those written testimonies he had furnished
to the church in earlier days. Moroni, Peter, James, and John, and
other heavenly messengers who had ministered to him in connection with the
prophet, Joseph Smith, were familiarly but sacredly spoken of.' After his
second conversion he devoted the brief remainder of Ins life entirely to the
cause of the church, declaring his willingness to go forth among the nations
and bear testimony of that which had been revealed to him—a testimony which
none but he could bear. Contributor, 1884, p. 446.
In addition to the authorities already quoted on the subject of missions
and immigration, I append the following: Millennial Star, i. 302, iv. 17-19,
33-6, viii. 142, ix. 244-5, x. and xi. passim, xiv. 618, xxi. G3S, xxii. 18. xxiii.