Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1966 The Life and Contributions of Newel Kimball Whitney Larry Neil Poulsen Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Cultural History Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Poulsen, Larry Neil, "The Life and Contributions of Newel Kimball Whitney" (1966). Theses and Dissertations. 5049. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5049 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. y3ya00aA THE LIFE AND contributions OF NEWELNE WEL KIMBALL WHITNEY A thesis submitted to graduate department of religious hastbastLastinstructionruction brigham young university provo utah in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree niasterdiasteriviasterivlIvi aster ofartsobartsof arts by larry N poulsen april 1966 acknowledgment completion of this work wabwaswaa mmade possible due to the help and encouragement of several people because of their assistance the writer was never defeated by discouradisdibdiscouragementcoutacouracoure entontout dr russell R rich my graduate commcommitteee chaitchairchaitmanchairman made carecayecareful examexamination of thisghisghiba work and with his profound knowledge of L D Sso church history suggested many changes which make the writ- ing more accurate his friefriendlinessailali on aedand kindly nature gave me encourage11encourage11 ment during months of research I11am gratsgrategrateful to dror dean christiansenchristianson committee member for his interest andendcooperation special thanksnks boosoesgoegoogoess to ththe library ssteffsterf efof brigham young univer- sity who werewerowezeweyo most heiphelphelpful during long hshours of research the cheer- fuhmduhmfulnessit is aadand cooperation shown by thenthebthesethebe people were greatly appreciated sincesimcesincere appreciation also goes to the staff of the church historians library in salt lake city for directing the research of the many docu- ments andendemd materials in that library which ccontributedibutsd to the fulgfulfillmentent efof thisis project members of the whitney family and pasticpaxticparticularlyrlyaly J fred whit- ney of Ssaltsaitlake city were very heiphelphelpful in offering their assistance andend iiilii111 ncojragncourag m nt isas wwalwaiwellwelial as making availabiavailablavailably for this work mat rials in thartheir possession this acknowledgeacknowledgm nt would not b compicompljfjt without xprssing aparapprappreciationclaciationclationciaciatrontion to sondra grisard for hrher cooperation in tha final typing of this manuscript I1 also wish to express appreciation to my mothemothomother r inlawiin nlalaw thelma 1 B waddoups for hher valuvaluablvaluablevaluablyablabi assiassistancestancestanco in typing rfvmczr I batmatmaterialmatjrialZ rial and for her constant zncouragjmzntncouragtmant during th months spent on this pro- jjectct and finally my aparapprappreciationclaciationciaciatrontion to my lovely wife mignon who gava birth to a child just at the time ahnwhn this work was bingbang completcomplectcompletedd ar1I r many hours of assistance in typing has bbenbanun a valuvaluablvaluablevaluablyablabi sservicervicarvic &gnonsmiglonsmignonsMignonsnong faith that I1 would cobcomcompltjcomplatcomplotplatpiet this work howcvzr and her con- stant gengangenljgenie1 l urging for mmzamz to continue on with this writing has beenbuen thethath2th0 most helpful assisassistantassistancassistancetanc rnanderrnderrnderjdder d to me ivIV to my father edgar poulsonPeuleen who recently passed away and who always taughtahtght me to follow the example of leaders such asaibalbate newel K whitney newel kimball whitlywhitmywhitney 17951850179516501795 18501650 secoma presiding bitiopdiebopdiebow of tltibetibachurch 16441950IM1644 1950 tibleTABLE OF CONTENTS PPAGEA gelGEE frontispiece acknowledgments iii LIST OF illustrations viii chapter I1L introduction statement of the problem jujustificationst ficationcatlon of the study areas of interest considered in this writingrilingvriting previous vorkjork on the subject definition of terms method of procedure and sources of data II11 NEWEL KIMBALL WHITNEY A YOUNG MAN WITH A PURPOSE 5 birthplace honored name boyhood and youth indianianlantrader gilbert and whitney marriage to elizabeth ann religious affiliations the campbellitesCampbellites and sidney rigdon beliefs and doctrines esteemed pastor the conversion of parley P pratt and others rigdonsRigdons first contact with the elders the spread of mormonism among the campbellitesCampbellites sidney rigdon joins with the new faith the conversion of the whitneytwhitneysWhitneys partial fulfillment of promise the condition of the church during this period v chaptchapterr page ililiiIII111 THrhe BISHOP OF THE KIRTLAND SAINTS 26 the prophets arrival in kirtland discontinuance of common law the appointment of bishop partridge zion importance of the gilbert and whitney store appointment of newelnewe1 K hitneywhitney as bishop duties of bishop hitneywhitney& the kingdom of god restored whitneytwhitneysWhitneys reaction to the calling qualifications of bishop whitney area of Aesponsibilityresponsibility the united order journey to missouri the gilbert and whitney store eventful journey from missouri to kirtland further responsibilities A journey and warning school of the prophets A warning to church leaders relief of the saints discontinuance of the united order naming of the church A Sipspecialecial blessing newels parents IV THE NAUVCUNAUVOO PERIOD 74 temporary home wards organized branch at zarahemlaZarahemla civic and municipal organizations nauvoo charter the smith store female relief society nauvoo temple bishop whitneytwhitneysWhitneys responsibilities presiding bishop plural marriage marriage of joseph to sarah ann vvhitneywhitney vi chactechaptechaptersr s iragearageage document on fluralplural carriagemarriage trustee intrustin ntrutrust dissectiondissentionDis sentioni among church leadersleadershiphip sidney rigdon cut off finishing the templetempie laying of capstone dedication of attic story ordinance work carelareilarepareI of lccylucyiiuclauciwuc y amith3mithkyiitlh V THE LAST DAYS IN AN EVENTFULEVENTITUL LIFE 95 leaving nauvoo conditions oiof camp excoinmuexcoiniiiuiiicatldcatonldcatonon of bishop &fillerfflerafler 7 1 inter 1.1barterstartersuarters migration ol0101 saints to utaiiutaiacutaia brighabrigharnBrigharnT young sustained ass president arrival at salt lake city state of deseret currency issued citygity of ogden other activitieactivities of hitneywhitney wliftneahitnebitneIss Jlife closes almaryulmaryUlsummaryMARY APPENDIX J s THLTHEfrifarFAIFAMILYllyILY OF NENEWCLWEL K VHITNVHITNEYL Y lob1350.0 B LINES ON THE DEATH OF BISHOP NEELNEVEL 11.K HITNEY 115 C iLGERNONALGERNON SYDNEY GILBERT I1 I1 116 0 reproductionreproductions OF BISHOP VHITNEYWHITNEY ANDND 1 1 I1 1 1 1 1 TTWOv10 vvivloWIVL6 I i113I 1 L facFAGfacsinilesfacsimiles1 1nilel OF BILLS ISSULDISSUED BY KIRTLAND LSAFLTY SOCIETYSOCLEVY AND THE ORIGINAL WHIT- NEY STORLSTORE 119 SLECTELIDSELECTEDt bibliogrinpibibliographyAY 12 vii li- r ilialllaI1 T tlT 1 1 kzew4eikjI1 ewelegel M ballbaliiball hitnehiene1hitne rontipievc me ivejvearel 1 hitnebitneand ir t ro 1 iverlver 5irfcila ajvai4 of bill LI1 itudea lb irtlinjrt IA n 1 dethbetydetyf0 ocitobit bo c theaheaho hitney tot v113 p- chaichal TtirF R I1 EiitxcdlctiuisT j U 10N batementtatementstatementtatement olof01 the ii rubiedrubiemrobjem the purpose of thithlth writing iei to prepresentent a biography of nevelnewel kmcballmmballiiiallail riballribailwhitney with emphasis on his personal life and his contributions to the church of jesus christ of latter day aintfdaintdainasaintf 1 I u afficationt1101011affidation ofQJ thene t jy the iiittorliirtor of any eople to belieitebie complete will include muehmuch on the historyIiiviivil story c01 tie live ondnd contributions of its leader 0 it i vitnvatn nevel 1 liitneyloitney1iftney and the church heliefiefle served 0 o faithfalthfaithfullylullyfully and veilveliwellweilweli ven though V hitney vasviv i one of the early consertconvert to the Cchurchdhur h oi01 JCbeisjeisUS christ of latteriatterdayda 5aintlhaintlaint and va the bondeond ordained bishop and laterluter the I1 refresresidingiding bibishophop of tteaeqe churchurnij little ha been written concerning hili arcorc llad 7 urtheriurtherihurihurl icrccrc hzhe 1nad lileilcn inthaintiznateriatediate acquaintance atlitllitl jo ephepilepli ithiabuthitbathat the iirstfirstbirst pre ididentit 0of the church coningbeconingbebeaconing a clorrioreflosefioseeiorecloreclosee friend andnd aac ociateociatcopiate to him josep i kield bibishophop whitneyVhitneyhitneyvhitney in high esteeiesteelI L and on mansmany oca ionlon denionstrateddernonstrated his conEconnconfidencedence in him fie liasilasliiaslilas recorded the greatreat love aandid respect he hadnadfor this taitalvarttalgalvartvartmart ol0101 the church as allwillhiihil be seen in later chapterchapters it seemed worthworthrhileworthvhileworthwhilerhile to the writer to investigate and fnakemalemake record of the life of a man held in such high regard by irelreI re c identaident joseghjosephto h i ithtb l- coironcon iovcioveloveC lerlec atilntiljintii ilslisi is leathdeath in utan