Wilford Woodruff, December 29, 1833

Between section 101 and 102 we come to the time of the conversion of the next ancestor on our first ancestors to join the church list. It was an interesting time to join the church.  There were extreme persecutions of the saints in Missouri, though the church in Kirkland was still stable and growing. Here is a short introduction to Wilford Woodruff.

Wilford Woodruff was born on March 1, 1807, in Farmington, Connecticut, to Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson Woodruff. When he was 15 months old, his mother died of spotted fever. About three years later, Aphek remarried. Wilford and his two older brothers were raised by their father and by their stepmother, Azubah Hart Woodruff.

“At an early age my mind was exercised upon religious subjects.”

“I could not find any denomination whose doctrines, faith or practice, agreed with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or the ordinances and gifts which the Apostles taught.”

On December 29, 1833, he heard a sermon preached by Elder Zera Pulsipher, a Latter-day Saint missionary. In his journal he described his response to Elder Pulsipher’s sermon: “He commenced the meeting with some introductory remarks and then prayed. I felt the Spirit of God to bear witness that he was the servant of God. He then commenced preaching, and that too as with authority, and when he had finished his discourse I truly felt that it was the first gospel sermon that I had ever heard.”

Wilford Woodruff invited Elder Pulsipher and his companion, Elijah Cheney, to stay in the Woodruff home. Two days later, having spent some time reading the Book of Mormon and meeting with the missionaries, Brother Woodruff was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

By April 1834 he had moved to Kirkland OH, and that June participated in the “Zion’s Camp” march to Missouri. When he returned to Ohio, he served two different missions before meeting and marrying Phoebe Carter in 1837.  I am descended from this marriage.

(Later when plural marriage became a practice among leaders of the church Wilford Woodruff wed a total of nine more women.  Four of the marriages were short lived and ended in divorce, but six of his wives bore him a total of 34 children.)

In 1839 he was ordained a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, and then was sent on a mission to England.  His work in England is almost legendary.  When he returned he migrated with the saints to the Great Salt Lake valley. In fact, President Brigham Young was lying sick in Wilford Woodruff’s wagon when he uttered the famous words, “This is the right place, drive on.”  

In Utah he served in many positions until he finally became president of the church in 1889.  While he was president, the Salt Lake Temple was completed and dedicated, and the Manifesto was given, ending the practice of Plural Marriage. 

One of the great contributions Wilford Woodruff made to the church was that he kept a daily thorough diary.  Much of what we know about the early church we know from his journaling.

A good introduction to his life can be found here.