Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1966 Levi Ward Hancock: Pioneer, Soldier, Political and Religious Leader of Early Utah Dennis A. Clegg Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Mormon Studies Commons, and the United States History Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Clegg, Dennis A., "Levi Ward Hancock: Pioneer, Soldier, Political and Religious Leader of Early Utah" (1966). Theses and Dissertations. 4606. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4606 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]. IEVILEVI WARD HAMHANGOCKOC K honahomaKOMIPIONEER SOLDSOLDI POLITIMLPOLITirAL AWANT RELIGIOUSPELIGIOQS IEADER OF MLYeardyEARLY UTAH ivalvaVIO A thesis presented to the department of history brigham young university in partial fulfillment of the ruirebientsrequiremntsrequirements for the degree mastermasten of arts by dennis A clegg april 1966 ftaftstaft ackhoyletoffintsacknowledgmntsacknowledgments this thesispthesis while the work of thealthorpauthorp author could not hawhave been possible without the assistance and encourageencouragementmertmere of a nwbernuriberawber of people thanks and appreciation are expressed to the following for their support and cooperation to drbridrieugene campbelcaricarlcanipbellCanipbell cchairman of the history department and of this comitcommitteeteebee for his guidance and direction and for his patient and helpful suggestions in reading and checking this work helielleileconsistently made himself available whenever assistance was needed in addition to drdredro caiopbellcaupbellpCaiopbell thanks also to dr paul V hyer gustave larseniarsenand elliott tuttle allaliailau lumbersmembers of the advisory committee who gave helpful suggestionsuggestionsso all werbweremerewore roostwoost cooperative to chad baketnaketflakeriekemieke director of special collections sections of the brigham young university library for his cooperation in rokingbokingmwdng journals and other records available for use to arswrafrsmrsmra Geralqeraminegeraminegeraldiriedirie harrisonharrlhanriHarrisorisoiasora a descendant of levi hancockHaneock fordorror her helpful information to leonardlaonardbacon for bikingmikingLA g available his weabeweategreatgreet grandfathergmndfatbsrtb journal of the momon battalion period to the lebLESLOB church histBisthistoriansorlansoriansoffice fbrabr use of church records and histories to mervmerwnenymanymeny libraries to city county and state offices for their kind cooperation and rinfinfinallyallysailysto my devoted rifetwifetwife georgia dawn who gave time encouragewntencourageioemt and helpful suggestions and who typed all the drafts and final copies of this theses I1 smam deeply indebted iii TABIE OF CONTENTSCOMTEOTS acknowledgments ililil chanterchapter page I1 introedwtiohintrodtjction 1 Statestatementmatmab of the probproblem scope andam delimitation basic sources IIIL11 EARLYA LMlooeLCTE 0 180l83018018301803w1830 6 background sndand early impressions up 4 ev growing aadand the beginningbeg 1 of changemangsmange in conversion AND EARLY CHURCHCHORCHactivitiesACTIVIT IS15 hancock bimmsbommsbecoros a momonmormon journey to missouri activities in kirtland school of the Propprophetsbetshebs building of the kirtland temple the march of zions Ccaapnp ordination to the first council of seventies the nowmowmove to missouri expulsion fronfrom missouri the nauvoo period & peacempeacemcpeace and pulsionexpulsionMc THETIHE MARCH MMMONMORMON IVFT tibe nachwachWRCH OF THE normon BATTALION 0 0 0 0 0 0 500 the call fforroror a monnonmormon battalion advantages of the call organization of battalion 4waw religious and military the march to talltailcaliforniaCaliflornia & levi hancockhancocks role as a leader hancock as a poet of the battalion veV THE BATTALIONBATTAUOM INIM califcrntaCAUFORHIA AND treTIMTHE RETURNRETHRM TO SALT LAKEaa KE C 1a leilerclerITYCITY 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 & 0 0 0 0 0 0 81 rellreilBelireligiousreligiounbeligionsgions activities and the role of levilovi hancock conflicts between hancock and the officers the return to salt lakea city iv VIUT unlipeLIFE IHIN EARLY UTAH 98 activitiesActivitaLes and dlfdiffacultiesdifficultiesqifficulties in salt lake haueyvalleyvelleyveileyvauey ficulties continued chwehchiehcjtorch activities hancock moves south to becomes legislator more moves and experiences lifelicea in Soutsouthernsoutbarnbernhernutahubah conclusionComIusion biblioaraphrbibliographstBIBLIOGRAPHST 124 v HAMERCCHAPTER I1 icroductionimrodoctich statement of theth a problem in the settsottsettlementlement of tiletlleuuie far western part of the united states there are manymenyand varied numbers of people involved the story of none of them is more unusual and unique than that of the settlement of utah and the great basin by the latterlatterdaymedarmedajNodayday saints many courageous and valiant mnmen are a part of the history of this determined religious people in their efforts to leaveieaw the frontier of the ISIs1840s andendww find a place of seclusion in the westwent aberewherewberethey might live peacefully and unmolested by those whom they considered to be their enemieseneraies among the men who took part in the estebestablishmentdo VA nt of this unusual frontier religious group and in the exodusdusdue of tthis body to the rockyhocky mountains p and finally in the fofounding and colonization of utahsutahubah was levilaviW hancock it will be seen from the A hewingfollowing study that few men exceeded him in devotdevoldevotionaionalonoion and dedication to theteeumemue causes of his church A life of selfsacrificeself sacrifice to his religion typical of most mormon leaders led him to experience many adventures and brought him to positions of leadership in theteebhemus churchchurchqchurchy in his conaaunitiescomninitiesj and owneven in the territorial governmentgovemssente these apterschaptersch are an attempt to trace the life of0 f this man asan he contributed to theteebhemee development of his church and to the building of utah since utah was settled by the Mormonmorronhorxaonsmormonssmormonessss its history is closely 1 2 interwoven with that of the mormon churchchurchy as it is commonly called As this church had its beginnings on the expanding frontiers of this nation in the 1830ts1830 and ISUOs any history of utahs early settlement must of necessity include the activities of the normonmormon church prior to its arrival in the great basin levlevi hancocks activities were a part of this history the life of levi hancock points up the loyalty of most mormorisMormormonsmorismorts to their church leaders and their devout faith in their religion levi Hancockhancocksto devotion to his church was so strong that hebemay have appeared fanatical to nonmftrmonsonon cormonsmormons he unwaveringly attempted to fellowfollow the inlaelneiam structions of church leaders in a most literal way sometimes it brought him into conflict with his own brethren as shall be seen in his act ivities with the mormonmoxmonmaxmonbattalion in presenting the ilfelireof levi hancock facts directly relating to two important phases as wellweilwen asaisalsalb others of mormon history are brought forth they have to do with the celebrated march of the monnonmormon battalion and the role of the first council of ttothe seventies in the mormon church levi hancock was ordained to the first and original council of seventy one of the presiding priesthood bodies of the churchchurche it is now considered the third presprospresidingng quorum of the general Authoritiesauthoritiesiauthorities1i1 over the church haheremained active in this office until his death in 1882 As a member of the mormon battalion he participated in the accoinpaccorap lishlishmentsments of this military boy because of his position as a member of IAA general authority in the mormon church is one who is a member of one of the three groups of the hierarchy these quorums in order of authority arewvane the first Presidenpresidencycyscyp omsistingconsisting of a president and two counselors the quorum of the twelve apostles and the first seven prespros identsidenta of the seventy 3 the first council of seventy and the only general authority in the bat- talion he became the spiritual leader of the men many sought hishiehib advice and counsel aidniduldwwwW he took a prominent part in the religious affairs of the military unituniteunito Sscopeco and delimitationDeliMtation it is the purpose of this study to pursue these and other vital phases of the life of levi weW hancock and his activities relrelativenelneiatiNs to the church and thetoebhemuaumaterritory of utah where he settled the history of tills man is connected directlywithdirectly with the following najormajor events in makonnomonmamonmarmonmormon and utah historyt 1 church activities in Kirtlankirtlandri ohio 2 the march of zionziosaziosI1 s campscampacampp 183u1834 33eae orwizationorniasation of original first coundicouncil of seventy y 1835183 4 church settlement and confcontconflictslUts in missouri and illinois 5 the exodus of mormons from nauvoo 6 the march of the mormon battalion and its religious leadership to7 the settlessettlementnt of salt ulmlakeleke valley 8 the practice of polygamy in the mormon church 9 the terriTorritorritorterritorialtorborwor legislature