Obituary notice for William F Huntington 1784-1846

William Huntington

President. Wm. Huntington died at his residence at Mt. Pisgah. The annexed biographical sketch is from the pen of his son, Oliver B. 

Biographical sketch and obituary notice of William Huntington whose parents were born in Tollard township and county, Connecticut.

His father's name was William Huntington; his mother's before marriage was Presendia Lathrop.

Soon after the close of the Revolutionary War they moved to New Grantham, Chesire county, New Hampshire where William Huntington was born March 28, 1784. In 1804 they moved to the state of New York, (Watertown, Jefferson country) and were among the first settlers in the county.

In 1806, he returned to New Hampshire and married Zina Baker, daughter of Dr. Oliver Baker December 28, 1806. Soon after he married he moved to Watertown, New York, where he lived and prospered in temporal blessings until 1811 when he sold out and the following year war was declared with Great Britain, which proved fatal to his prospects, and coupled with much sickness in the family reduced them very low in pecuniary circumstances. His service in the army was done with the fife, he was in one battle that of Sacketts Harbor (War of 1812).

In 1816 Providence smiled on him again, and about the same time he experienced religion, having an honest heart before God and earnestly enquiring of the Lord as to the truth and reality of the history and doctrines of the Bible; and from that time the spirit of the Lord began to show him the right way to live and what was coming on the earth. First he was shown that intoxicating drinks were not pleasing to God and were conducive of evil temporally and spiritually. He left them off and joined the Presbyterian church. God next shewed him that tobacco was not good for him and he left off its use. Then his mind began to be clear and his view of the world was changed by faithful and sincere prayer to know who and what was right. He received an answer that none were right, but that he should live to see the true church of Christ, having the gifts and graces as did the church in Christ's day.

He left the Presbyterians and proclaimed boldly what God had shown him that all had gone astray, darkness covered the people, and that the church of Christ came it would be adorned with the gifts of healing, prophecy, etc. From that time he became an outcast in society in all these prayers principles and faith his wife was one with him.

In the winter of 1832/33 he first heard of "Mormonism", read the Book of Mormon and believed it with all his heart and preached it almost every day, to his neighbors, and everybody he could see, or had the privilege to chat with until 1836 when he and his wife with two of their children were baptized by Elder Dutcher.

His house was a meeting house and a home for all the Saints. On the 8th of May, 1836, he sent two of his children and their families, Dimick B. Huntington and Presendia to Kirtland, Ohio, waiting himself only to sell out.

October 1, 1836, he started and moved to Kirtland with quite a number of saints under the direction of Orson Pratt and Luke L. Johnson; he was ordained an Elder previous to starting. He arrived in Kirtland on he eleventh, bought a farm of Jacob Bump and paid him three thousand dollars and was defrauded out of it, so that in little over one year he was compelled to labor by the day for a living.

In the breaking up at Kirtland the apostates harassed him with law suits until he saw his children often go to bed crying for bread near two weeks lived on greens. His house was a hiding place for Father Joseph Smith, Hyrum, Samuel and Carlos while trying to escape from the persecution in Kirtland. The mummies were hid in his house a long time. Many of the pursued and persecuted found a retreat there and a hiding place from apostate persecution.

In Kirtland, Ohio, he received his washing and anointing in the Temple and was ordained a High Priest and High Councilor, in which office he acted until the Church left there. He lost five hundred dollars in the Kirtland bank.

He started May 21, 1838, for Far West, where he arrived about the 11th of July and by counsel, moved to Diahman, he drove team for Oliver Snow to get his clothing hauled, where he was chosen Commissary for the brethern who armed for defense, and after the mobs had driven and hemmed in the scattering brethern, he was commissary to all the people of that place and had charge of all the provisions of the town. After the surrender of the Church in Missouri he was foreman of the committee chosen to confer with the committee chosen by the mob. These two committees were representatives of, and authorized to transact all business for, their respective communities. He was also one of a committee chosen to see to the poor and get them moved out of the state of Missouri, which they did to the complete satisfaction of all the church, though with no ordinary exertion, and stayed himself till about the last man and family. His was one of the first families that moved to Commerce afterward called Nauvoo where he arrived May 14, 1839.

About the first of July his whole family was taken sick, and on the 8th his wife died of sickness caused by hardship and exposure. At this time he suffered for the comforts of life.

At a conference held on the first Tuesday in October 1839, he was again chosen to the office of High Counselor.

August 28, 1840, he married Lydia Partridge, window of Bishop Edward Partridge, whose maiden name was Lydia Clisbee. As High Counselor he helped lay one of the cornerstones of the Nauvoo temple on the 8th of March 1841.

He commenced immediately upon the walls of the Temple and worked until the basement was done, then cut stone until the cap stone was laid, and by particular request the stones which he cut were laid in a column from the basement to the top of the chimney at the south west corner.

As soon as the Temple was ready for giving endowments he administered therein until the close. He continued a member of the High Council until the expulsion from Nauvoo. In the move from Nauvoo he was appointed captain of a company of fifty wagons which he helped make, and fit up the company, which was subsequently disorganized and he was appointed a captain of ten in Amasa M. Lyman's company until the settlement of Mount Pisgah, where he was left to preside over that stake or branch with Charles C. Rich and Ezra T. Benson for his counselors.

At this place his labors were extreme and unremitting for the good and welfare of the people, and the comfort of the sick of which there were a great many, and on the 9th of August, 1846, he was taken sick with chills and fever of which he died at ten minutes before eleven a.m. on the 19th of August, 1846. He died without a struggle or a groan.

He was the father of six sons and four daughters, and at the time two daughters and four sons in the Church.

In life he was loved by all the saints. His love and zeal for the cause of God were unsurpassed by any. His judgment was respected and his conduct never questioned; he never had a trial or difficulty with any person in the Church.