Ezra Thayre facts for kids

Ezra Thayre (also spelled Thayer) (born October 14, 1791 – died September 6, 1862) was an important early member and leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was known for his strong belief and his work in building things like bridges and mills.

Ezra Thayre's Early Life and Family

Ezra Thayre was born in Randolph, Vermont. His parents were Ezra and Charlotte French Thayre. In the 1820s, Ezra worked as a builder. He helped construct bridges, dams, and mills in the Palmyra, New York area.

Family Life and Marriages

In 1810, Ezra Thayre married Polly Wells. They had one child together. Sadly, Polly passed away in 1822. Later, Ezra married Relief Wales. Ezra and Relief had five children.

Becoming a Member of the Church

Ezra Thayre was one of the first people to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He heard Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith speak about the Book of Mormon. Ezra was deeply touched by their words.

Ezra's Powerful Conversion Experience

Ezra Thayre felt a strong connection to the message. He described feeling a great joy when he first held the Book of Mormon. He said it felt like he was "truly in heaven." On October 10, 1830, Ezra was baptized by Parley P. Pratt. This happened shortly after he heard Joseph and Hyrum Smith speak.

When Hyrum began to speak, every word touched me to the inmost soul. I thought every word was pointed to me. The tears rolled down my cheeks. When Hyrum got through, he picked up a book and said, “Here is the book of Mormon.” I said, “Let me see it.” I then opened the book, and I received a shock with such exquisite joy that no pen can write and no tongue can express. I shut the book and said, “What is the price of it?” “Fourteen shillings,” was the reply. I said, “I’ll take the book.” I opened it again, and I felt a double portion of the Spirit, that I did not know whether I was in the world or not. I felt as though I was truly in heaven.

Soon after Ezra's baptism, Joseph Smith received a special message. This message told Ezra and Northrop Sweet to listen carefully to God's words.

Ezra Thayre's Church Service

Ezra Thayre was asked to serve in many ways within the church. On June 6, 1831, Joseph Smith received a message telling Ezra to go on a mission to Missouri. His companion for this mission was to be Thomas B. Marsh. To prepare, Ezra was ordained an elder by Lyman Wight.

Challenges and Missions

However, Ezra faced a challenge. There was a disagreement about property among some church members in Thompson, Ohio. Because of this, Ezra was not ready to leave when Thomas Marsh was. A new message from Joseph Smith then changed Ezra's mission call. It told him to work on improving himself. Later, in 1832, Ezra did serve a mission to New York with Thomas Marsh.

Joining Zion's Camp

In 1834, Ezra Thayre joined a group called Zion's Camp. This group traveled from Ohio to help other church members in Missouri. During this journey, on June 21, 1834, Ezra became sick with cholera. This illness quickly spread to many others in the camp. Luckily, Ezra Thayre made a full recovery.

Priesthood and Leadership Roles

On March 1, 1835, Ezra Thayre was ordained a seventy in the church. A short time later, his priesthood duties were temporarily paused due to a complaint. After a meeting to discuss the matter, Ezra was fully restored to his church roles. In 1838, he became a member of the Adam-ondi-Ahman stake high council. In 1839, he moved with most of the Latter Day Saints to Nauvoo, Illinois.

In 1844, Ezra became a member of the Council of Fifty. Soon after, he went on a mission with Jedediah M. Grant, George A. Smith, and Wilford Woodruff. Their goal was to help with Joseph Smith's campaign to become President of the United States.

After Joseph Smith's Death

After Joseph Smith died in June 1844, Ezra Thayre made a different choice than many others. He was part of a smaller group of Latter Day Saints who decided not to follow the leadership of Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve.

Later Affiliations and Movements

When most of the Saints left Nauvoo for the Salt Lake Valley, Ezra Thayre stayed behind in Nauvoo. In 1849, he moved to Michigan. For a short time, he was connected with James J. Strang at Voree, Wisconsin. But he soon returned to New York. In September 1854, he was rebaptized into the LDS Church. On August 24, 1860, he became a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Galien, Michigan.

Ezra Thayre's Death and Historical Records

There have been some different ideas about when Ezra Thayre died. Some old records said he died in 1856 in Massachusetts. However, these records don't match later church records that show him being baptized in 1860.

Clearing Up Confusion

There was also some confusion because Ezra Thayre's father was also named Ezra. But his father usually spelled his last name Thayer. Some sources also incorrectly said Ezra Thayre was born in Randolph, Massachusetts instead of Randolph, Vermont.

The The Joseph Smith Papers Project, which is a very reliable source, looked at records from Ontwa Township cemeteries. These records confirm that Ezra Thayre died on September 6, 1862.