Elam Luddington facts for kids

Elam Luddington, Jr. (born November 23, 1806 – died March 22, 1893) was an important Mormon pioneer. He was an officer in the Mormon Battalion and the first missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to preach in Thailand. He also served as the 2nd City Marshal for Salt Lake City.

Early Life and Joining the Church

Elam Luddington, Jr. was born in Harwinton, Connecticut. He traveled to Nauvoo, Illinois, and met Joseph Smith, Jr. in the winter of 1840. On May 16, 1840, he was baptized by Joseph Smith into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. That fall, he was ordained as an Elder.

First Missions

Soon after becoming an Elder, Luddington and Eli G. Terrill were sent as missionaries to New Orleans. They were among the first missionaries to preach in Louisiana. Luddington stayed in New Orleans for almost three years. In June 1844, Joseph Smith asked him to travel to Quincy, Illinois. His job was to collect money to help finish the Nauvoo Temple.

Journey West

After Joseph Smith's death, Luddington chose to follow Brigham Young and the other leaders of the Church. In September 1844, he briefly returned to New Orleans with Theodore Turley at Brigham Young's request. This trip lasted only 29 days. When he came back to Nauvoo, Luddington was ordained as a High Priest. In January 1845, he went on his third mission with William Hyde. They visited Church members in Mississippi and encouraged them to gather in Nauvoo. They finished their mission in less than two months.

With the Mormon Battalion

Luddington later followed Brigham Young and other Church members west to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah Territory. During the Mexican–American War in 1846 and 1847, Luddington was a 1st lieutenant in the Mormon Battalion. His wife, Mary, and other family members traveled with the battalion. He first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. He then traveled back to Winter Quarters. In 1849, Luddington made the journey west again with his family. He was a captain of ten in Silas Richards' Company.

Missions to Asia

In 1853, Brigham Young called Luddington and three other Church members to serve missions in India and Indochina. The group arrived by ship in Kolkata, India, on April 26, 1853. Luddington and Levi Savage tried to reach Siam (now Thailand) by way of Yangon, Burma. However, their ship had a leak, and they had to return to India. After the ship was fixed, Luddington and Savage arrived in Yangon on August 10, 1853.

Preaching in Bangkok

Luddington arrived in Bangkok, Siam, by ship on June 4, 1854. This was almost a year after he had left the United States. He tried to learn to speak Thai, but it was very difficult. Because of this, he could only preach to Europeans. During his four months in Siam, Luddington baptized James Trail, the captain of the ship he arrived on, and Trail's wife.

Later Life

Luddington returned to Utah Territory in 1855. He died in Salt Lake City on March 22, 1893.