Heywood, Joseph Leland 1815-1910

(Joseph Leland Heywood is the great grandfather of the contributor, Richard Neal Heywood)

Joseph Leland Heywood - Short Auto Bio

Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia

Volume 1
Biographies
Davis, Nathan

Heywood, Joseph Leland, first Bishop of the Seventeenth Ward, Salt Lake City, is the son of Benjamin Heywood and Hannah Rawson and was born in Grafton, Worcester county, Mass., Aug. 1, 1815. Elder Heywood writes: "My early days were spent on my father's farm, with intervals of about two months in the winter time in attending the common schools which the law of the State provided. Early in life I chose the occupation of a merchant. I left my native State in the spring of 1838 and became a citizen of Illinois; I spent some time in Alton and Springfield, Ill., and moved to Quincy, Adams county, Ill., in the fall of 1839. Engaging in the mercantile business in partnership with my brother-in-law, Oliver Kimball, I remained there until the fall of 1845, when I moved with my family to the city of Nauvoo, Hancock county, Ill. In December, 1842, I visited the Prophet Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, and after listening to his preaching by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, I was converted and asked for baptism the same hour. I was baptized by Elder Orson Hyde, in the Mississippi river, the Prophet Joseph assisting in cutting the ice. I was then confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the hands of Elders Orson Hyde, Joseph Smith and Jedediah M. Grant. I was ordained an Elder by Elder Orson Hyde, in March, 1844, and ordained a High Priest and also a Bishop under the hands of Elders Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young and Parley P. Pratt Oct. 8. 1844. In 1846, when the Church commenced its exodus to the west, I, in connection with Almon W. Babbitt and John S. Fullmer, was chosen one of the trustees of the Church, for the care and disposal of the Church property at Nauvoo. I bore arms in defense of the lives and property of the people of Nauvoo, when attacked by the mob Sept. 12, 1846, at which time Brother Wm. Anderson with his [p.647] fourteen-year-old son and a Brother Norris were slain. I remained in Nauvoo until the spring of 1848, when I journeyed to Winter Quarters, in time to join the last company of that season's emigration which was presided over by Pres. Willard Richards, with Elder Franklin D. Richards as captain of fifty, and Elder John S. Fullmer as captain of ten. We made the journey from Nauvoo to Great Salt Lake valley with ox-teams, arriving Oct. 19, 1848. I was appointed (by the government at Washington, D. C.) postmaster of Salt Lake City in the spring of 1849, and in the fall of that year I was appointed, in connection with Elder Edwin D. Woolley, on a mission to the Eastern States, to purchase merchandise for the Church. I also visited Washington, D.C., and assisted Delegate John M. Bernhisel in obtaining a Territorial government for Utah. In the winter of 1855-56 I was instrumental in getting a petition signed by Colonel Steptoe and his officers, by which Gov. Brigham Young was retained in office several years longer. In February, 1849, I was ordained and set apart as the first Bishop of the 17th Ward, Salt Lake City, and filled this position for six years. In the spring of 1851 I accompanied Pres. Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball and Apostle Ezra T. Benson on their visit to Parowan, and was appointed to form a settlement on Salt Creek (now Nephi, Juab county). I assisted the Territorial surveyor, Jesse W. Fox, in laying out the city of Nephi, where I presided for three years. In the spring of 1855 I accompanied Apostle Orson Hyde with a company of Elders to form a settlement in Carson valley (Nev.), acting at the same time as a guard for the Hon. George P. Stiles, who was going to Carson valley to hold a session of the District Court. In the spring of 1856, in company with Apostles Orson Pratt and Ezra T. Benson (who were en route for a mission to Europe) and Geo. A. Smith, as delegate from the people of Utah, to petition Congress for a State government, I again crossed the plains, my destination being Washington, D.C., to arrange my business with the government as U. S. Marshal for Utah, which office I then held. I had been appointed to that office by Pres. Millard Fillmore in 1851, and reappointed by Pres. Franklin Pierce in 1855. On my return I spent one week in Independence (Mo.). Leaving Independence Nov, 7, 1856, I was winterbound at the Devil's Gate, on Sweetwater, and, in connection with about twenty Saints, presided over by Elders Daniel W. Jones, Benjamin Hampton and Thomas M. Alexander, lived for about six weeks mostly on cooked rawhide. I arrived in Salt Lake City in time for the general conference held in April, 1857. In the spring of 1857 I accompanied Pres. Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Daniel H. Wells, Apostle Orson Hyde and a large company of brethren and sisters on a visit to Fort Limhi, on Salmon river. At the October, conference, in 1855, I was sustained as a home missionary and labored in all the settlements in Utah as far south as Fort Harmony, Washington county, until the fall of 1861, when I was called to locate in the "Dixie country." I settled in Washington, Washington county. In the spring of 1863 I moved to New Harmony, Washington county, and resided there until February, 1872, when I moved to Panguitch, Iron county (now Garfield county. I was ordained a Patriarch Feb. 3, 1874, at St. George, under the hands of Pres. Brigham Young, George A. Smith and Erastus Snow, and have labored in that calling in Panguitch and surrounding Stakes. At the organization of the Panguitch Stake of Zion in April, 1877, I was appointed to preside over the High Priests quorum of the Stake, and served in that capacity until honorably released by Apostle Francis M. Lyman at the quarterly Stake conference held in September, 1898. My first wife was Sarepta M. Blodgett; later I took as plural wives Sarah Symonds, Martha Spence and Mary Bell; the latter is still alive. I am the father of twenty children, twelve of whom are living, and also forty grandchildren, thirty-two of whom are now alive."
Source Information:
Jenson, Andrew. LDS Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, UT: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901.