Israel Barlow facts for kids

Israel Barlow (born September 13, 1806 – died November 1, 1883) was an important early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, also known as the Mormon church. He helped found the city of Nauvoo, Illinois.

Israel was born in 1806 in Granville, Massachusetts. He later passed away in Bountiful, Utah. Brigham Young, a well-known leader, baptized Israel into the Church of Christ. This was the first name for the church started by Joseph Smith. This happened in Mendon, New York.

Early Church Service

In 1835, Israel Barlow became a seventy. This is a special calling in the church. He was one of the first members of the First Quorum of the Seventy. This group helps lead the church.

Israel also joined Zion's Camp in 1834. This was a journey to help church members in Missouri. Later, in 1844, he served as a missionary in New Hampshire.

A Dangerous Mission

Once, Joseph Smith asked Israel Barlow to deliver a message. The message was for a man who lived in an area not friendly to church members. Israel followed Joseph's instructions carefully.

On his way back, Israel heard a loud voice tell him to "Ride faster." He quickly made his horse go faster. The voice told him again to speed up, and he did. Then he heard, "Ride for your life!" Israel made his horse gallop as fast as it could.

As he crossed a bridge, he heard a mob hiding nearby. They were planning to stop him. After Israel passed them, he felt the Spirit tell him to turn off the road and into the forest. This was to avoid the mob chasing him. He hid quietly in the bushes. Soon, the mob came pounding down the trail, looking for him. They didn't know he was hiding.

Israel made his way home through the forest. He reached Joseph Smith's house at dawn. Joseph was pacing outside. When Israel started to tell his story, Joseph stopped him. Joseph said, "I saw it all; you have no need to tell me." Joseph then gave Israel a special blessing. He said, "Thee and thine shall never want," meaning Israel and his family would always be cared for.

Life in Nauvoo and the West

In Nauvoo, Israel Barlow was one of Joseph Smith's bodyguards. After Joseph Smith's death, Israel became a Mormon pioneer. He traveled with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Salt Lake Valley in 1848. He settled in Bountiful.

He served another mission in England from 1853 to 1855. While there, he was the leader of the Birmingham Conference of the church. He met his third wife, Lucy Heap, there.

Israel Barlow had four wives and twenty-one children. Today, he has more than 10,000 descendants.

Elizabeth Haven Barlow

Israel's first wife was Elizabeth Haven. When Elizabeth was nine years old, her mother died. She worked hard to earn money for her education. She braided straw hats and made delicate trimmings.

Elizabeth graduated from Amherst College as a teacher in 1836. Her cousins, Brigham Young and Willard Richards, visited her. They were on a mission for the new church. Elizabeth and her brother, Jesse, joined the church and were baptized.

Elizabeth and Jesse moved to Quincy, Illinois. There, Elizabeth met Israel Barlow. They married in February 1840. Soon after, they moved to their new home in Nauvoo. Elizabeth taught school in Nauvoo. Some of her students were the children of Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, and Brigham Young.

Joseph Smith knew Elizabeth was a good writer. He also knew she wrote letters to her cousin, Elizabeth Bullock. He asked her to save all her letters. She did, and her writings about the early days of the church are now in a family book. The book is called 'The Israel Barlow Story and Mormon Mom [Mores].'

Elizabeth and Israel had to leave Nauvoo. Elizabeth managed the family alone when Israel was away on missions. She shared her husband with three other women. Their family traveled west in June 1848 with the Brigham Young Company. They spent their first winter in the old Pioneer Fort in Salt Lake Valley. Later, they lived in West Bountiful.

One of Israel's wives, Lucy Heap, was from Lichfield, Staffordshire, England.