Isaac Morley (March 11, 1786 – June 24, 1865) was an early member of the

Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Jo ...

and a contemporary of both

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he ...

and

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

. He was one of the first converts to Smith's

Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16. * The entire body of Ch ...

. Morley was present at many of the early events of the Latter Day Saint movement, and served as a church leader in

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, and

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. ...

. Morley was born on March 11, 1786, in

Montague, Massachusetts Montague is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,580 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan statistical area. The villages of Montague Center, Montague City, Lake ...

to Thomas E. Morley and Editha Morley (née Marsh). His parents were members of the

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

faith. Morley served in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

from 1812–15, holding the position of captain in the Ohio militia. In 1812, Morley married Lucy Gunn, with whom he had seven children. Some years after becoming a member of the church in 1830, he practiced

plural marriage Polygamy (called plural marriage by Latter-day Saints in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was practiced by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more tha ...

, taking Leonora Snow (the older sister of Lorenzo and

Eliza R. Snow Eliza Roxcy Snow (January 21, 1804 – December 5, 1887) was one of the most celebrated Latter Day Saint women of the nineteenth century. A renowned poet, she chronicled history, celebrated nature and relationships, and expounded scripture an ...

) and Hannah Blakesley (also found as Blaixly or Blakeslee) as his second and third wife in 1844 in

Nauvoo, Illinois Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its historic importance and its ...

. He had three children with Blakesley. His other wives included Hannah Knight Libby, Harriet Lucinda Cox, Hannah Sibley, and Nancy Anne Bache (also found as Back).

Campbellite commune

Morley was an early settler in the

Western Reserve The Connecticut Western Reserve was a portion of land claimed by the Colony of Connecticut and later by the state of Connecticut in what is now mostly the northeastern region of Ohio. The Reserve had been granted to the Colony under the terms o ...

wilderness area of northern

, and created a productive farm in the region near

Kirtland, Ohio Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,937 at the 2020 census. Kirtland is known for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement from 1831 to 1837 and is the site of the movement's first t ...

. While in this area, he joined the reformed Baptist faith (also known as the Campbellites) under the ministry of

Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He was ...

. Morley was also the leader of a utopian group that practiced communal principals, holding goods in common for the benefit of all. Members of this group included

Lyman Wight Lyman Wight (May 9, 1796 – March 31, 1858) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri, in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apost ...

and Morley's brother-in-law

Titus Billings Titus Billings (March 25, 1793 – February 6, 1866) was an early convert to the Latter Day Saint movement. He served in several positions in the church and was a contemporary of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Billings was a counselor in the fir ...

. Eight additional families joined in 1830. The society was sometimes called the "Morley Family," as Rigdon caused a row of log houses to be built on Morley's farm, where a number of the society's members could live periodically.

Latter Day Saint movement

On November 5, 1830, Morley was baptized into the newly organized

Parley P. Pratt Parley Parker Pratt Sr. (April 12, 1807 – May 13, 1857) was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement whose writings became a significant early nineteenth-century exposition of the Latter Day Saint faith. Named in 1835 as one of the first ...

. He had been introduced to the teachings of Smith when

Oliver Cowdery Oliver H. P. Cowdery (October 3, 1806 – March 3, 1850) was an American Mormon leader who, with Joseph Smith, was an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836. He was the first baptized ...

and several other missionaries passed through Ohio. He was ordained an elder shortly after his baptism. When the Latter Day Saints began to settle in Kirtland, Morley opened up his home to them.

and his family lived with Isaac Morley when they first came to Kirtland. Morley later built a small house for them on his farm, where Joseph's and

Emma Emma may refer to: * Emma (given name) Film * Emma (1932 film), ''Emma'' (1932 film), a comedy-drama film by Clarence Brown * Emma (1996 theatrical film), ''Emma'' (1996 theatrical film), a film starring Gwyneth Paltrow * Emma (1996 TV film), '' ...

's twins, Thaddeus and Louisa, were born and died only three hours later on April 30, 1831. Isaac's daughter, Lucy, and her elder sister kept house for Emma while she was ill. Morley was ordained a High Priest on June 4, 1831, by Lyman Wight and was immediately selected for a leadership position. He was ordained on June 6 as First Counselor to Bishop

Edward Partridge Edward Partridge Sr. (August 27, 1793 – May 27, 1840) was one of the earliest converts to the Latter Day Saint movement and served as the first Bishop of the Church. Early life Edward Partridge was born on August 27, 1793 to William and Jem ...

and served until Partridge's death in 1840. On June 7, 1831, Morley was asked to sell his farm and act as a missionary while traveling to

Independence, Missouri Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro ...

with

Ezra Booth Ezra Booth (February 14, 1792 – January 12, 1873) was an early member in the Latter Day Saint movement who became an outspoken critic of Joseph Smith and the Church of Christ. He was "the first apostate to write publicly against the new Church" ...

(an assignment given to him through

Doctrine and Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C or D. and C.) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. Originally published in 1835 as Doctrine and Covenants of the Chur ...

52:23). Morley and Booth were chastised for lack of obedience three months later in a revelation given in Doctrine and Covenants 64:15–16. Here, Morley faced the violence generated by disagreements and misunderstandings between Mormon settlers and Missouri residents. In July 1833, a mob of about 500 men demolished the home and printing office of

William Wines Phelps William Wines Phelps (February 17, 1792 – March 7, 1872) was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement. He printed the first edition of the Book of Commandments that became a standard work of the church and wrote numerous hymns, some of ...

at Independence and

tarred and feathered Tarring and feathering is a form of public torture and punishment used to enforce unofficial justice or revenge. It was used in feudal Europe and its colonies in the early modern period, as well as the early American frontier, mostly as a t ...

Bishop Partridge. Morley and five others stepped forward and offered themselves as a ransom for these men. After negotiation, the Missouri citizens agreed to stop the violence and the Mormons agreed to leave the county by April 1, 1834. Morley moved from Jackson County to

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Flor ...

with his fellow Latter Day Saints. Morley left Missouri and returned to Kirtland in early 1835. He was in attendance at the dedication of the

Kirtland Temple The Kirtland Temple is a National Historic Landmark in Kirtland, Ohio, United States, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area. Owned and operated by the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of La ...

in March 1836 and was among the first to receive the

washing and anointing Washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is a temple ordinance practiced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and Mormon fundamentalists as part of the faith's endowment ceremony. It is a sacred ordinance fo ...

ordinance Ordinance may refer to: Law * Ordinance (Belgium), a law adopted by the Brussels Parliament or the Common Community Commission * Ordinance (India), a temporary law promulgated by the President of India on recommendation of the Union Cabinet * ...

, also known as the "initiatory". In 1835, Morley served a mission with Partridge to the Eastern States. They returned to Kirtland on November 5, 1835. On November 7, Joseph Smith wrote:

The word of the Lord came to me, saying: "Behold I am well pleased with my servant Isaac Morley and my servant Edward Partridge, because of the integrity of their hearts in laboring in my vineyard, for the salvation of the souls of men."

Morley returned to Missouri with his family in early 1836, and helped establish the city of

Far West Far West may refer to: Places * Western Canada, or the West ** British Columbia Coast * Western United States, or Far West ** West Coast of the United States * American frontier, or Far West, Old West, or Wild West * Far West (Taixi), a term used ...

. Then, on November 7, 1837, he was chosen as the

patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...

of Far West and ordained under the hands of Joseph Smith,

, and

Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith (February 9, 1800 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, J ...

. He lived in Far West until he was arrested with fifty-five other Mormon citizens on the basis of the Extermination Order of Missouri governor

Lilburn W. Boggs Lilburn Williams Boggs (December 14, 1796March 14, 1860) was the sixth Governor of Missouri from 1836 to 1840. He is now most widely remembered for his interactions with Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell, and Missouri Executive Order 44, known b ...

. The citizens were taken by the Missouri militia to

Richmond, Missouri Richmond is a city in Ray County, Missouri, and part of the Kansas City metropolitan area within the United States. The population was 6,013 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Ray County. History Richmond was platted in 1828. The comm ...

to await trial. After being held for three weeks, all the prisoners were released by Judge

Austin A. King Austin Augustus King (September 21, 1802 – April 22, 1870), also known as Austin A. King and Austin King, was an American lawyer, politician, and military officer. A Democrat, he was the tenth Governor of Missouri and a one-term United Sta ...

on November 24, 1838. Upon leaving Missouri with the expelled Saints, Morley settled in

Hancock County, Illinois Hancock County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 17,620. Its county seat is Carthage, and its largest city is Hamilton. The county is made up of rural towns with many farmers. Hanco ...

, in a settlement called Yelrome (from the reverse spelling of "Morley"). There, he established a prosperous business as a cooper. In October 1840, Hyrum Smith appointed Morley to serve as president of the stake centered in

Lima, Illinois Lima is a village in Adams County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Quincy, IL– MO Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 148. History Lima was platted in 1833, the year that the first store w ...

, with John Murdock and Walter Cox as counselors. On April 11, 1845, he was selected to be a member of the

Council of Fifty "The Council of Fifty" (also known as "the Living Constitution", "the Kingdom of God", or its name by revelation, "The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ") was a Lat ...

. However, in September 1845, his houses, cooper's shop, property, and grain were burned by a mob, and his family took refuge in the Mormon center of Nauvoo. From there, they moved to Winter Quarters, where Morley's first wife, Lucy, died.

Utah settlement

Morley emigrated to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1848 with

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 Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church) following the

death of Joseph Smith Joseph Smith, the founder and leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother, Hyrum Smith, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois, United States, on June 27, 1844, while awaiting trial in the town jail. As mayor of the city of N ...

, and is considered to be the founder of

Manti, Utah Manti ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Sanpete County, Utah, Sanpete County, Utah, United States. The population was 3,276 at the 2010 United States Census. Description Manti was the first community in Utah to be settled outside the Wasat ...

. After Ute Indian leader

Walkara Chief Walkara (c. 1808 – 1855; also known as Wakara, Wahkara, Chief Walker or Colorow) was a Shoshone leader of the Utah Indians known as the Timpanogo and Sanpete Band. It is not completely clear what cultural group the Utah or Timp ...

invited Church president

to send Mormon colonists to the Sanpitch (now Sanpete) Valley in central Utah, Young dispatched Morley and James Russell Ivie as leaders of the first company of 225 settlers. Morley and his group felt that part of the purpose of the settlement was to bring the gospel to the Indians. He wrote, "Did we come here to enrich ourselves in the things of this world? No. We were sent to enrich the Natives and comfort the hearts of the long oppressed." (May, p. 104) Morley and the settlers arrived at the present location of Manti in November 1849, and established a winter camp, digging temporary shelters into the south side of the hill on which the

Manti Utah Temple The Manti Utah Temple (formerly the Manti Temple) is the fifth constructed temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Manti, Utah, it was the third Latter-day Saint temple built west of the Mississippi Riv ...

now stands. It was an isolated place, at least four days by wagon from the nearest settlement. Relations between the Mormons and the local Utes were cooperative. The first winter was severe, and, although the settlers were fairly well supplied, they had great difficulties. A

measles Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by measles virus. Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days. Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than , cough, ...

epidemic broke out and the settlers used their limited medicine to nurse the Utes. When supplies ran low, the Utes helped settlers haul food on sleds through the snow. Morley encouraged the settlers in their work and assured them that their community would grow to be one of the best in the mountains. The settlers and members of the Ute Sanpitch tribe referred to him affectionately as "Father Morley". Morley supervised the building of the first schoolhouse and the first

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...

in Sanpete Valley. The Sanpete Valley settlement grew and prospered and became known as a prime agricultural area. Morley served as a senator in the general assembly of the provisional

State of Deseret The State of Deseret (modern pronunciation , contemporaneously ) was a proposed state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by settlers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Salt Lake City. The provisional state ...

. He represented Sanpete county in the legislative council of the

from 1851 to 1857. During his last years, Morley spent most of his time on his calling as a patriarch, conferring priesthood blessings on thousands of church members. He died on June 24, 1865, in

Fairview, Utah Fairview is a city in northern Sanpete County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,247 at the 2010 census. History Located at the confluence of the San Pitch River and Cottonwood Creek, Fairview is the largest town in the northeast e ...

. On a wall inside the

is a framed piece of temple clothing used by Morley in the

Nauvoo Temple The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.''Manuscript History of the Church'', LDS Church Archives, book A-1, p. 37; reproduced in Dean C. Jessee (comp.) (1989). ''The Papers of Jose ...

when he was

endowed A financial endowment is a legal structure for managing, and in many cases indefinitely perpetuating, a pool of financial, real estate, or other investments for a specific purpose according to the will of its founders and donors. Endowments are of ...

there.

References

* Allen, James B. and Leonard, Glen M. ''

The Story of the Latter-day Saints ''The Story of the Latter-day Saints'' is a single-volume history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) by James B. Allen and Glen M. Leonard, first published in 1976. Overview The authors summarised the tone of their wo ...

.''

Deseret Book Company Deseret Book () is an American publishing company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that also operates a chain of bookstores throughout the western United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation (DMC), the ...

, Salt Lake City, 1976. * Ludlow, Daniel H. ''A Companion to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants: Volumes 1 and 2.''

, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1978. *May, Dean L. ''Utah: A People's History''. Bonneville Books, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1987. # ''

Saga of the Sanpitch The Saga of the Sanpitch was a collection of biographical short stories, published annually from 1969 to 1998, about early Scandinavian immigrants to the Sanpete Valley Sanpete County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2010 U ...

'', Vol 13, 1981, p. 8 , width="30%" align="center" ,
Succeeded by:
George Miller
''as Second Bishop of the Church'' , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Morley, Isaac 1786 births 1865 deaths American general authorities (LDS Church) Converts to Mormonism from Restoration Movement denominations Counselors in the Presiding Bishopric (LDS Church) Doctrine and Covenants people Latter Day Saints from Illinois Latter Day Saints from Ohio Latter Day Saints from Utah Leaders in the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) Members of the Utah Territorial Legislature Mormon pioneers Patriarchs (LDS Church) People from Far West, Missouri People from Manti, Utah People from Montague, Massachusetts Religious leaders from Ohio Harold B. Lee Library-related 19th century articles

Campbellite commune

Latter Day Saint movement

Utah settlement

See also

References