Thomas Baldwin Marsh was born 1 November 1800 in Acton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States to James Marsh (1750-1822) and Molly Law (1759-1808) and died January 1866 Ogden, Weber County, Utah, United States of unspecified causes. He married Elizabeth Godkin (1799-1878) 1 November 1820 in Long Island, New York, United States.
Biography
Thomas was an early leader in the Latter-day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who served as the quorum's first president in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1835 to 1838. He withdrew from the church in 1838, was excommunicated from it in 1839, and remained disaffected for almost 19 years. Marsh was rebaptized into the LDS Church in July 1857, but never again served in church leadership positions. He followed the membership west and eventually settled in Ogden, Utah.
Early life
Marsh was born in the town of Acton, Massachusetts, to James Marsh and Molly Law.[1] He spent his early life farming in Westmoreland, New Hampshire.
As a young man, Marsh developed a pattern of traveling and working for various employers. Marsh ran away at age 14 to Chester, Vermont, and worked as a farmer for three months. Then he left for Albany, New York, working as a waiter for 18 months. He spent two years working at the New York City Hotel, then returned to Albany for a year, and then back at the New York hotel for two more years. He also spent 18 months working as a groom for Edward Griswold on Long Island, New York.
During the time Marsh was employed by Griswold, he married Elizabeth Godkin in New York City[2] on his 20th birthday in 1820.[1] After his marriage, he attempted unsuccessfully to run a grocery business for 18 months. He subsequently spent seven years working at a type foundry in Boston, Massachusetts.
During his time in Boston, Marsh became a member of the Methodist Church.[2] However, Marsh became dissatisfied because he came to believe that Methodism did not correspond to the Bible. Marsh left the Methodist Church and joined a group of friends in what others called a Quietist sect.
Conversion and baptism
In 1829, Marsh unexpectedly left his home in Boston and journeyed west, traveling with Benjamin Hall, one of his friends from the Quietist sect. In his words, "I believed the Spirit of God dictated me to make a journey west." He stayed at Lima, New York in Livingston County for three months before returning home. On the way home, he stopped at Lyonstown, where a woman informed him of the golden plates that Joseph Smith (1805-1844) was said to have obtained. She directed him to Palmyra, New York, and told him to seek out Martin Harris (1783-1875) for more information.
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Edward Barton Marsh (1821-1868) | |||
James Marsh (1823-1838) | |||
Thomas Emerson Marsh (1825-1827) | |||
Thomas Emerson Marsh (1827-1904) | |||
Nephi Marsh (1831-1834) | |||
Jacob Marsh (1833-1833) | |||
Joseph Marsh (1833-) | |||
Mary Elizabeth Marsh (1837-) |
Siblings
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Elisabeth Marsh (1776-1810) | |||
Molly Marsh (1778-) | |||
Eleanor Marsh (1780-1807) | |||
Nathan Marsh (1781-) | |||
Keziah Marsh (1783-1860) | |||
James Marsh (1787-1872) | |||
Titus Vestprasean Marsh (1790-) | |||
Oliver Emerson Marsh (1795-1884) | |||
Ann Marsh (1798-1849) | |||
Thomas Baldwin Marsh (1800-1866) | 1 November 1800 Acton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States | January 1866 Ogden, Weber County, Utah, United States | Elizabeth Godkin (1799-1878) |
Josiah Marsh (1802-1802) |
Residences
See Also
- Thomas Marsh
- Marsh Family
- Marsh in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- Marsh in Weber County, Utah
References
- ^ a b McCune, p. 75
- ^ a b "Biography: Thomas Baldwin Marsh". https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/thomas-baldwin-marsh.
- wikipedia:en:Thomas B. Marsh
- Thomas B. Marsh, Geni.com, https://www.geni.com/people/Thomas-B-Marsh-Apostle-Church-or-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints/6000000011071469231, retrieved 01 July 2024
- Allen, James B. and Leonard, Glen M. The Story of the Latter-day Saints. Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1976. ISBN 0-87747-594-6.
- Baugh, Alexander L., A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri, BYU Studies, 2000.
- Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders &c. in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; And the Evidence Given Before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes Against the State. Fayette, Missouri, 1841, complete text. Archived May 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Journal of Discourses, Liverpool, England, 1854–1886.
- Ludlow, Daniel H., A Companion to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants, Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1978. ISBN 1-57345-224-6.
- Ludlow, Daniel H., Editor. Church History, Selections From the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1992. ISBN 0-87579-924-8.
- McCune, George M. (1991). Personalities in the Doctrine and Covenants and Joseph Smith–History. Salt Lake City, Utah: Hawkes Publishing. pp. 75–76. ISBN 9780890365182. https://books.google.com/books?id=8wvlAAAACAAJ.
- Peck, Reed, The Reed Peck Manuscript, [1]
- Smith, George A. (April 6, 1856), "The Leaven of the Gospel—The Saints Should Divest Themselves of Old Traditions—Policy of Making Good Farms and Storing up Grain", in Watt, G.D., Journal of Discourses Delivered by President Brigham Young, His Two Counsellors, and the Twelve Apostles, and Others, 3, Liverpool: Orson Pratt, pp. 280–291, http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Journal_of_Discourses/Volume_3/The_Leaven_of_the_Gospel%2C_etc..
- Young, Brigham; Marsh, Thomas B. (September 6, 1857), "Return of Thomas B. Marsh to the Church", in Watt, G.D., Journal of Discourses Delivered by President Brigham Young, His Two Counsellors, and the Twelve Apostles, and Others, 5, Liverpool: Asa Calkin, pp. 206–213, http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Journal_of_Discourses/Volume_5/Return_of_Thomas_B._Marsh_to_the_Church.
- Van Wagoner, Richard S., Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess, Salt Lake City, 1994.
External links
- "History of Thomas B. Marsh", Millennial Star 26 (1864):359-60, 375–76, 390–92, 406.
- Hancock County (Ill.) legal instruments, MSS SC 1274, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Thomas B. Marsh
- Information on the events before his death
- Thomas Baldwin Marsh: Find A Grave Memorial
Leadership Charts
Religious titles | ||
---|---|---|
(Renamed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1838) | ||
First | President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 26, 1835 – March 17, 1839 |
Succeeded by Brigham Young |
New creation | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 26, 1835 – March 17, 1839 |
Succeeded by David W. Patten |