John Pack facts for kids
John Pack (born May 20, 1809 – died April 4, 1885) was an important person in the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the LDS Church. He was a missionary, which means he traveled to teach people about his faith. He was also part of a special group called the Council of Fifty.
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John Pack's Life Story
John Pack was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, which is in Canada. In 1832, he married his first wife, Julia Ives, in Watertown, New York. Four years later, in 1836, John Pack was baptized and joined the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
He moved several times, living in Kirtland, Ohio, then Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois. In Nauvoo, he was a captain in the Nauvoo Legion, which was like a local military group. He also worked as a policeman in the city. John Pack helped with music at the University of Nauvoo, teaching instrumental music.
Pioneer Journey and Missions
John Pack was part of the very first group of Mormon pioneers who traveled across the plains with Brigham Young. He was a captain in this group and also a colonel in their military setup. When Joseph Smith died, John Pack was serving as a missionary in New Jersey. After Smith's death, Pack continued to be active in the LDS Church. In 1845, he became a member of the Council of Fifty, a special council in the church.
The University of Deseret, which later became the University of Utah, actually started in John Pack's home.
In 1849, John Pack served as one of the first LDS Church missionaries in France, working with John Taylor. He stayed on this mission until 1852, spending most of his time teaching in the Channel Islands.
Building a Sawmill
In 1860, John Pack and his oldest son, Ward E. Pack, built the very first sawmill in Kamas, Utah Territory. A sawmill is a place where logs are cut into lumber.
John Pack's Family
John Pack had many children. Some of his descendants became important people in the LDS Church and in education.
Notable Descendants
One of John Pack's sons, Ward E. Pack, served twice as the leader (president) of the Hawaiian Mission for the LDS Church. He also helped lead a large church area called the Cache Stake in Utah. Ward Eaton's daughter, Grace, married Charles A. Callis, who later became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church.
Another son of John Pack, Frederick J. Pack, was a well-known professor at the University of Utah.
F. Burton Howard, who was a general authority in the LDS Church, is also a descendant of John Pack.
The John Pack Family Association
The John Pack Family Association was started in the 1950s. This group holds family reunions every year for John Pack's descendants. These reunions usually happen at This Is the Place Heritage Park near the end of summer. The association also helped build a copy of John Pack's original home at This Is the Place Heritage Park.
