Albert Carrington (January 8, 1813 – September 19, 1889) was an

apostle An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...

and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and

First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...

(LDS Church).

Early life

Carrington was born in

Royalton, Vermont Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,750 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton. Vermont Law School, the state's only accredited law school, ...

. He graduated from

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native ...

in 1833 and taught school and studied law in Pennsylvania.

Andrew Jenson Andrew Jenson, born Anders Jensen, (December 11, 1850 – November 18, 1941) was a Danish immigrant to the United States who acted as an Assistant Church Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for much of the ea ...

, ''

Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia ''Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'' (abbreviated ''LDS Biographical Encyclopedia'') is a four-volume biographical dic ...

''. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Jenson Historical Company, 1901) vol. 1
pp. 126
http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/BYUIBooks/id/3396 –27]. In 1839, he married Rhoda Maria Woods. The Carringtons were baptized into the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Wiota, Wisconsin, on July 18, 1841, and in 1844 moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, to join the gathering of Latter Day Saints. In January 1846, Carrington took Mary Rock as a plural wife. Following the death of Joseph Smith, Carrington followed

Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his death in 1877. During his time as ch ...

to the Salt Lake Valley.

In Utah Territory

Carrington was the editor of the LDS Church-owned '' Deseret News'' from 1854 to 1856 and again from 1862 until 1867. He was elected multiple times to the Legislative Council in the Utah territorial legislature until 1868. While serving as Brigham Young's secretary, in 1849 Carrington was hired by

Howard Stansbury Howard Stansbury (February 8, 1806 – April 17, 1863) was a major in the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers. His most notable achievement was leading a two-year expedition (1849–1851) to survey the Great Salt Lake and its surroundings ...

to make a survey of the Great Salt Lake. Carrington accompanied Stansbury to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, in 1850 to report on the expedition's efforts and returned to Utah in 1851.. Carrington Island was named for him in honor of his contributions to the expedition.

Church service

Carrington became an

and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on July 3, 1870. He was the

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

of the European

Mission Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...

four times—once prior to becoming an apostle (1868–70) and three times as an apostle (1871–73, 1875–77, 1880–82). Carrington was the tenth official

Church Historian Church Historian and Recorder (usually shortened to Church Historian) is a priesthood calling in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The role of the Church Historian and Recorder is to keep an accurate and comprehensive record of th ...

of the LDS Church between 1871 and 1874. From 1873 until 1877, he was a counselor to Young in the

and served as Young's personal secretary for more than 20 years.

Excommunication and readmission

Carrington was

excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...

from the LDS Church by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on November 6, 1885, for

adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...

, fornication, and "lewd and lascivious conduct". Carrington's extramarital relationships had begun in England while he was the mission president; he had hid these relationships from the leaders of the church for over 10 years and had lied to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles about them when rumors about Carrington began spreading. ('' The Salt Lake Tribune'' first accused Carrington of adultery in 1875.)Brigham D. Madsen
"Carrington, Albert"
, ''Utah History Encyclopedia'', uen.org. In 1885, Carrington argued before the Twelve that because he did not

ejaculate Ejaculation is the discharge of semen (the ''ejaculate''; normally containing sperm) from the male reproductory tract as a result of an orgasm. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential componen ...

inside the women he had sexual relations with, he had technically not committed adultery, but had simply committed "a little folly in Israel". The Quorum disagreed and excommunicated him. Carrington was

rebaptized Rebaptism in Christianity is the baptism of a person who has previously been baptized, usually in association with a denomination that does not recognize the validity of the previous baptism. When a denomination rebaptizes members of another denomi ...

on November 1, 1887. Upon his rebaptism, he was not reinstated as an apostle or as a general authority. On his deathbed, Carrington received permission to be ordained an elder so that he could be buried in his temple robes.

Wilford Woodruff Wilford Woodruff Sr. (March 1, 1807September 2, 1898) was an American religious leader who served as the fourth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1889 until his death. He ended the public practice of ...

, the president of the church, sent Angus M. Cannon to ordain him. Cannon arrived at 3:57 pm but Carrington had died at 3:42 pm. It was later decided that he could be buried in his temple clothing. Carrington died at Salt Lake City,

Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th state ...

, at age 76, and was buried at

Salt Lake City Cemetery The Salt Lake City Cemetery is a cemetery in northeastern Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, that is one of the largest city-operated cemeteries in the United States. Description The cemetery is located above 4th Avenue and east of N Street in ...

Works

Notes

External resources

Grampa Bill's General Authority Pages
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Carrington, Albert 1813 births 1889 deaths 19th-century American journalists 19th-century American politicians American Mormon missionaries in the United Kingdom American general authorities (LDS Church) American male journalists Apostles (LDS Church) Burials at Salt Lake City Cemetery Converts to Mormonism Counselors in the First Presidency (LDS Church) Dartmouth College alumni Deseret News people Latter Day Saints from Wisconsin Members of the Utah Territorial Legislature Mission presidents (LDS Church) Mormon pioneers Mormonism-related controversies Official historians of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints People excommunicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints People from Royalton, Vermont Richards–Young family Excommunicated general authorities (LDS Church)