Heywood, Joseph Leland (1815-1910) Links and 1903 Bio

Great grandfather of the contributor, Richard N. Heywood.   

Joseph Leland Heywood, Links, 1903 Bio, + 

Timeline from Joseph Smith Papers:  http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/joseph-l-heywood#7197050964723470029  (paste this address into the address bar)

Short Bios and other links geni.com

Joseph Leland Heywood Web Site

Wikipedia Entry for Joseph Leland Heywood 

Findagrave.com Entry for Joseph Leland Heywood

Pioneer Overland Travel, Joseph Leland Heywood in the Willard Richards Company

LDS Biographical Encyclopedia by Andrew Jenson, Vol 1, 646
   Highlights:  

       Birth 1 Aug 1815, Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts.  Merchant.  Baptism (Orson Hyde).  Ordinations.        Trustee for Church in Nauvoo.  Postmaster in Salt Lake City 1849.  Setttled in Nephi abt 1851.  US

       Marshal for Utah, appointed in 1951 and 1855.   Pioneer in Washington and New Harmony, 

       Washington, Utah 1863-1872.  Pioneer in Panguitch.  Ordained a patriarch 3 Feb 1874 by Brigham   

       Young.

Bancrofts History of Utah  (Search for Heywood to see entries in context.)
     One of first bishops in SLC p 290.  Nephi, Utah "first occupied" by Joseph L. Heywood p 313.  
       Chosen supervisor of roads (in Utah) p. 443.  Appointed (first) US Marshal in Utah 29 Sep 1850 p 456
     

Joseph L. Heywood Home Site in Salt Lake City.
     South wall of the Conference Center in Salt Lake City

Obit - Improvement Era May 1911 page 661   (Search for Joseph Leland Heywood)

Ever Faithful by Katherin Ipson (online for download)  (A family book, 431 Pages)

The Millenial Star Vol. 9. Jun 15 1847 Letter to Orson Hyde
     From the contents on the right, choose June 15, 1847.  From the drop-down menu choose Letter from J. L. Heywood, and Articles of Agreement.  The information in this letter is of great interest regarding the history of Nauvoo, Illinois.  

Joseph Smith Cuts the Ice for Joseph Heywood’s Baptism, by Patricia Chiu, Utah, leaded stained-glass picture, 45” x 45”
    Scroll up one painting.

Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia entry.   See below.

SUP-Pioneer Memorial Gallery Index Card entry: 

Name: Joseph Leland Heywood
Spouse: Sarepta M. Blodgett, Sarah Symands, Martha Spence, Mary Bell
Pioneer: before 1869
Birth Date: 01 Aug 1815
Death Date: 16 Oct 1910
Birth Place: Grafton, Wrcstr, Mass.
Death Place: Panguitch, Utah
Donor: Austin Heywood Family
Chapter: Cedar City

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Joseph Leland Heywood

Joseph Leland Heywood

Martha Spence (Heywood), Joseph's Third Wife.

Copied from PROGRESS, under date of Dec. 24, 1903, Panguitch, Utah.
Joseph Leland Heywood

          Joseph Leland Heywood enjoys the distinction of being the oldest inhabitant of Panguitch, Utah. He was born August 1st, 1815 at Grafton, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He comes from the old line of puritan stock and his family are of revolutionary fame. Both his grandfathers fought under Washington, and one of them, his grandfather Leland served throughout the entire war, the other only serving for a year and a half.

          “Father Heywood” as he is familiarly called, early showed signs of reverence for God and a desire to know of the truths contained in the bible. During his young manhood days he worked on the farm. In 1838 he moved to Quincy, Illinois, where he became acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and other leading men who belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

          In May 1841 he was united in matrimony with Sarepta M. Blodgett, who blessed his home with three sons and three daughters, and shared many of the persecutions that he was afterwards compelled to undergo.

          In december 1842 he was baptized by Elder Orson Hyde, the Prophet Joseph Smith cutting with his own hands the ice away in order that the ceremony might be performed; and was ordained a member of the Church under the hands of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Orson Hyde and Jedidah M. Grant.

          From that time on his life has been full of incidents -- a busy active life. During the trying scenes around Nauvoo, Illinois, about 1844, he was engaged in business and made frequent trips east for the purpose of purchasing goods and at the same time preaching the gospel. It was on one of these trips to Salem, Mass., in company with Brigham Young, Erastus Snow, Orson Pratt and Lyman Wight, he breakfasted at the house of Nathaniel H. Felt and then accompanied the above named persons to the station where they were to take the train for Boston that the news of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum was received. The gloom that was cast over that little party cannot be described. The papers came out with glaring headlines that Joseph SMith and his brother Hyrum had tried to escape from jail and were shot by guards. It was not long however until the truth was known and then some of the papers characterized it as a cold blooded murder.

          “Father” Heywood returned to Nauvoo and was present at the memorable October Conference in 1844 when the mantle of authority fell upon President Brigham Young. Here his testimony concerning that event:

          “The people after the death of their beloved Prophet were like sheep without a shepherd. Consternation was everywhere and all was confusion. To add to the already muddled condition, Sidney Rigdon, who had just prior to the death of the Prophet been repudiated by him, came forward with the claim that he should be the guardian of the church. It seemed that something approximating a divine manifestation was necessary in order to settle the minds of the people and keep them in the church and show unto them who the authority should rest upon. The conference was held in the bowery in Nauvoo. Sidney Rigdon came forward and advocated his claim to the leadership. Although he was ordinarily a magnetic man and a powerful speaker it seemed he was unable to make an impression on the minds of the people and his words fell flat. It was then that Brigham Young came forward and I witnessed the most miraculous transfiguration that I ever expect to experience in my life. It has stayed with me all my life and I only wish I could convey with words the feelings that came over me at the time. I testify that Brigham Young had hardly commenced to speak until it was not Brigham Young but Joseph Smith that stood before us. The same voice the same form that had been so well known and loved as the Prophet Joseph now spoke to the people with authority. They saw, they heard, they believed. Great was the rejoicing on that occasion for there was no room for doubt as to who the leader of the Church should be. This miracle was witnessed by the assembled thousands and only a few, a very few, who it was afterwards learned had committed grievous sins were denied the privilege of seeing this transfiguration. They said they saw nothing out of the ordinary and most of them afterwards apostatized from the Church.”

          “Father” Heywood was in the three days battle around Nauvoo in 1846 when the Saints were attacked by 600 members of the mob. In that battle Wm. Anderson and his 14 year old son and a man named Norris were killed.

          During the cruel expulsion from Nauvoo “Father” Heywood worked hard to relieve the distress of the people and to assist them on their way. Under stipulation a committee of three was allowed to remain in Nauvoo and dispose of the property as best they could. This committee consisted of “Father” Heywood, Almon W. Babbett and John S. Fullmer.

          “We were compelled to sell for anything and everything. Sometimes we were offered only a mere trifle for our property and if we held it for more we were generally sorry as the first offer was almost always the best. Good places sold for a horse, saddle and bridle and as fast as the property could be sold and something secured for it, it was forwarded on to the Saints. By 1848 we had settled matters up and came on to Salt Lake City arriving there late that year.”

          In 1849 “Father” Heywood was appointed postmaster at Salt Lake and has the distinction of being the first postmaster ever appointed in the Territory. Mail matters were different then to what they are now. Letters were carried by pony express and cost fifty cents each, while other matter cost proportionately.

          In 1850 he was appointed U. S. Marshall for the Territory of Utah and afterwards reappointed in 1854 serving five and a half years in that capacity. An incident worthy of note is that his son Ben B., after fifty years has been appointed to the same position in the state and now serves with distinction so that the family has furnished the first as well as the last, to date, U. S. Marshall in the State.

          In 1851 he went under the call of President Young and founded the present city of Nephi and organized Juab County. His son Joseph Neal Heywood was the first white male child born in the county. For six years “Father” Heywood presided at Nephi when he returned to Salt Lake.

          “Father” Heywood was a firm believer in the divine principle of plural marriage and in 1850 married Martha Spence who bore him two children; and Sarah Simonds who died childless. In 1855 he married Mary Bell, his present living wife, who has borne him eleven children. At present he has 12 living and 40 grand children.

          In 1858 when Johnston’s army came to Salt Lake he moved to Nephi in connection with others from Salt Lake where he remained until matters were settled when he returned to Salt Lake shortly thereafter, 1863, moved to Washington County, Utah to help build up that place. His health failed him there and under the advice of President Young he moved to Harmony in 1864 where he remained until February 1872, when he came to Panguitch where he has resided ever since.

          He has held the office of Elder, High Priest, and Patriarch in the Church and has always been looked upon as a man of wise counsel and one who could and would give encouraging words to all in distress. His kindness is proverbial and his ability to see good in others in unsurpassed, by any we ever knew.

          His recollections of the early days of the church and his acquaintance with the Prophet Joseph and the early leaders of the church has made him a conspicuous figure at all times. It is indeed a pleasure to sit and listen to his recital of the stirring incidents through which he passed.

          He was among the first company of Elders who left Utah for Europe, he crossed the plains with John Taylor, Erastus Snow, Lorenzo Snow and Franklin D. Richards. He was just going East on business. During that trip they were called upon to face the hostile Cheyenne Indians and it was only through the blessings of God that they escaped.

          He has given his children a heritage of far more worth than gold or silver as the following incident will illustrate. One of his sons who had known but little of his father for years, owing to circumstances peculiar to themselves, which had caused them to be separated for a long time, was traveling in the eastern part of the State, when night came on stayed with a family on an isolated ranch. The lady owed five hundred dollars to a firm in Salt Lake for goods bought and when she found that one of her guests was the son of Joseph L. Heywood of Panguitch, whom she had been previously acquainted with, although it was the first time she had ever seen the son she asked him if he would do her a favor of taking the five hundred dollars to Salt Lake for her, to settle her account. He consented and the money was handed him and no receipt was asked for. He was surprised at this and said to her, “Madam, I am a stranger to you, and it strikes me that you have an abundance of confidence in me, shall I not give you at least a receipt for the money?” She answered him thus, “A son of Joseph L. Heywood’s can be trusted with any sum of money and i do not need a receipt from you.”

          Although 88 years of age, “Father” Heywood is still remarkably clear in the recalling of events long passed. He is still able to visit friends and relatives. He is loved and respected by all who know him and when the final summons comes it will find a man, “Sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust.”

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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.  Description:  The biographies in this database, collected around 1900, detail the lives of many men and women who played a role in the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The information for some is more complete than for others, church leaders being among the more detailed. However, most biographies include birth and death dates, marriage and children information, and even professional accomplishments. For the researcher looking for early members of the LDS church, this is a valuable tool.