William Huntington (Mormon) facts for kids

William Huntington (born March 28, 1784 – died August 19, 1846) was an important early leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He played a key role during the time when the Mormon pioneers were moving from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City.

William Huntington's Early Life

William Huntington was born in a place called New Grantham, New Hampshire. When he was 20 years old, in 1804, he and his family moved to Watertown, in Jefferson County, New York.

In 1806, William married Zina Baker. They had nine children together. For many years, from 1816 to 1832, William was a member of the local Presbyterian Church. This was a common Christian church at the time.

Discovering the Book of Mormon

In the winter of 1832–33, William Huntington read the Book of Mormon for the first time. He was very interested in it. In 1835, he decided to join the Church of the Latter Day Saints and was baptized.

Moving with the Saints

In 1836, William Huntington moved to Kirtland, Ohio. He traveled with a group of Latter Day Saints from New York. This group was led by Orson Pratt and Luke S. Johnson.

While in Kirtland, William invested some money in a business called the Kirtland Safety Society. Unfortunately, he lost about $500 in this investment.

Helping Others in Missouri

In 1838, William moved again, this time to Missouri. He settled in a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman. However, the Latter Day Saints faced difficulties in Missouri and were forced to leave in the winter of 1838–39.

During this hard time, Brigham Young chose William Huntington to help. William was one of the people in charge of making sure the poor members of the church were cared for and could move safely.

Life in Nauvoo

On July 8, 1839, William Huntington's wife, Zina, passed away in Nauvoo. This was a sad time for him and his family.

In October 1840, William was chosen to be a member of the Nauvoo Stake High Council. This was an important leadership position in the church. Later, while living in Nauvoo, he married Lydia Partridge. She was the widow of another church leader, Edward Partridge.

William Huntington left Nauvoo on February 9, 1846, as the Latter Day Saints began their journey west.

Leadership on the Pioneer Trail

On May 21, 1846, William Huntington was given a very important role. He was made the main leader of the church in Mount Pisgah, Iowa. This was a temporary settlement set up by the pioneers on their way to the west.

His helpers in this role were Ezra T. Benson and Charles C. Rich. Both of these men would later become members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which is a very high leadership group in the church.

William Huntington's Family Legacy

William Huntington's children also became important figures in the church and in history.

His daughter, Zina D. H. Young, later served as the president of the Relief Society. This is a large organization for women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

His son, Dimick B. Huntington, played a big part in helping the Mormon settlers get along with the Native Americans in Utah Territory.