Zebedee Coltrin (1804

Mormon History 1830-1844

Zebedee Coltrin (1804–1887)

Early Ohio convert, missionary, Zion's Camp, visionary, one of the seven presidents of Seventy, 1847 pioneer.

Born	September 7, 1804 in Ovid, Seneca County, New York	Zebedee's autobiography, 1.
Died	July 20, 1887 in Spanish Fork, Utah
Father	John Coltrin Jr. (1775–1846 near Pottawattamie, Iowa)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
Mother	Sarah Graham (1775–1841 Petersboro, Hillsboro Co., New Hampshire)
Move to Strongsville	1814 family moves to Geauga County, Ohio, settling in Strongsville.	Zebedee's autobiography, 1.
Baptized	January 9, 1831 baptized in Strongsville by Solomon Hancock, a priest.	Zebedee's autobiography, 1. The Lamanite missionaries baptized Coltrin family members in Strongsville on their way to Missouri in 1830. Parley P. Pratt, 67.
Confirmed	January 19, 1831 by Lyman Wight.
Elder	January 21, 1831 ordained an elder by John Whitmer	Zebedee's autobiography, 1.
February conference	February 21, 1831 attends conference of twelve elders in Kirtland.
June conference	June 3, 1831 present at first ordinations to the High Priesthood.	Minutes of June 3, 1831
Found Winchester branch	June [6], 1831 appointed to travel to Missouri with Levi W. Hancock, they organize a branch of about a hundred in Winchester, Indiana.	D&C 52:29; ¶ 1831 Journey of Hyrum and William E. McLellin; Zebedee said they built up a branch "numbering one hundred members"in approximately six months." Zebedee's autobiography, 1.
Mission to Pennsylvania	1832 mission with John F. Boynton to Erie County, Pennsylvania.	¶ John F. Boynton (h)
	June 15, 1832 returns to father's home in Strongsville from Zion.	ZC, 29.
High Priesthood	July 22, 1832 ordained to the High Priesthood in Kirtland by Hyrum Smith and Reynolds Cahoon.	Zebedee's autobiography, 1.
Mission with Jesse Gause	August 1, 1832 starts on mission with Jesse Gause: Painesville, Thompson, Rome, New Garden, Fairfield, Pittsburgh (Jesse leaves the church), Hiram, Kirtland, Strongsville (September 27).	ZC, 29–36.
Heads home from Pittsburgh	August 19, 1832 after preaching in and around Pittsburgh, Zebedee concludes "that it was not my duty to preced any further to the East. I have been afficted with a pain in my head every day Sinse we Started." He and Jesse Gause pray with and for each other "in the fellowship of the Gospel of our Lord & saviour Jesus Christ." This is the last known contact with Jesse Gause.	ZC, 31, 34.
Stays with Joseph	August 26, 1832 arrives at Hiram, Ohio and stays with Joseph for a couple of days.	ZC, 36.
Zion	October 25, 1832 attends conference in Zion.	Minutes of October 25, 1832
Tongues	November 14, 1832 returns from mission, hears Joseph speak and sing in tongues.	ZC, 49–50.
Mission with David W. Patten	November 15, 1832 missionary companion David W. Patten seals up the brethren in Shalersville to Eternal Life.	Zebedee's autobiography On sealing authority, ¶ Minutes of October 25, 1831
Speaks in tongues	January 22–23, 1833 at a conference in Kirtland, Joseph speaks in tongues, followed by Zebedee, and all others present, male and female.	Minutes of January 22–23, 1833 Speaking in Tongues
School of Prophets in tongues	January 24, 1833 school begins. Class studies "the gift of tongues and the interpretation thereof," Sidney Rigdon teaches grammar.	Zebedee Coltrin, Journal History, Jan. 24, 1833.
Warned out of Kirtland	October 1833 "warned out" of Kirtland.	Origins, 543.
Elk Creek	December 14, 1833 as Presiding Elder of the church in Elk Creek, Erie County, Pennsylvania, writes the Star that Elder Asa Jeffers has been excommunicated for unchristian-like conduct but "refused to give up his Credentials, … and is probably going through the churches and the world, trying thus to impose upon them.	EMS 2, no. 15 (Dec. 1833): 116.
Mission to Canada	February 20, 1834 called on a mission to Upper Canada with Henry Harriman.	Minutes of February 20, 1834
New Portage conference	April 18, 1834 accompanies Joseph, Sidney, and Oliver Cowdery from Kirtland to a conference in New Portage.	TS 6, no. 19 (Dec. 15, 1845): 1058. Minutes of April 20–21, 1834
Blessed	April 19, 1834 the four bless one another. Zebedee is promised, "the blessings of wisdom to preach the gospel even till it spreads to the Islands of the seas, and to be spared to see three score years and ten, and see Zion built up and Kirtland established forever, and even at last to receive a crown of life."	TS 6, no. 19 (Dec. 15, 1845): 1059.
	April [19], 1834 while in New Portage, Joseph invites Oliver and Zebedee to go for a walk with him in the woods. Arriving at an arbor of wild grape vines they kneel and pray. Then, according to Zebedee,
Vision of Adam and Eve	Joseph stretched himself on his back upon a grassy spot with his arms extended like one upon a cross. He told me to lie by his side with my head resting upon his arm, and Oliver in like manner upon the other side. We did so, all three looking heavenwards. As I looked I saw the blue sky open. I beheld a throne, and upon the throne sat a man and a woman. Joseph asked us if we knew who they were. We answered "no", Joseph said, "That is father Adam and mother Eve." their heads were white as snow, and their faces shone with youth.	Zebedee Coltrin, Diary Excerpts, New Mormon studies
Kirtland	April 22, 1834 back in Kirtland, Joseph meets with Sidney, Frederick G. Williams, John Johnson, Newel K. Whitney, and Oliver Cowdery. They pray that Zebedee will be able to borrow money from Jacob Myers or persuade him to come to Kirtland and bring it himself.	Diary-1 in Papers 2:32–33 // TS 6, no. 19 (Dec. 15, 1845): 1061.
Zion's Camp	May–June 1834 Zion’s Camp.
Impartiality	May 29, 1834 Joseph reproves Zebedee for serving him better bread than the rest of the camp.	¶ Zion's Camp Chronology
Visits Jackson refugees	July 12, 1834 Missouri high council assigns Zebedee to "go to the east after he has attended to his mission in company with Isaac Morley."	¶ Minutes of July 12, 1834
Reports	July 31, 1834 substitutes for an absent high counselor in Clay County, reports mission to refugees with Isaac Morley.	¶ Minutes of July 31, 1834
Missouri high council	September 10, 1834 substitutes for an absent high counselor in Clay County.	¶ Minutes of September 10, 1834
	November 5, 1834 named as a member of the Missouri high council that authorizes the ordination of Wilford Woodruff.	WWJ, 1:13–14.
First Quorum of Seventy	February 28, 1835 called to the First Quorum of Seventy.	Kirtland council
Blessed	March 1, 1835 at the blessing meeting of the Seventy, Zebedee is told:	Kirtland council, 94.
	We seal your ministry anew unto you. And you shall go as far as the Lord shall send you. And if there are Islands not yet found by the world, you are the one who shall go and hunt them up and preach to all nations … You shall have heavenly visions and the ministry of Angels shall be your lot. … You shall go to Islands that are not troubled with priests, and convert and depopulate them and bring them to Zion and join your brethren with great rejoicing. Amen.
Strongsville	June 6, 1835 represents Strongsville branch of 15 at a conference in New Portage, Ohio.	Kirtland council, 116.
Kirtland's JP	1836 signs ultimatum against Kirtland's justice of the peace.	Origins, 543
Vision of the Savior	January 26, 1836 following the organization of the Seventy in the house of the Lord, many spiritual manifestations are reported, including Zebedee's vision of "the Savior extended before him, as upon the cross, and a little after, crowned with glory upon his head above the brightness of the sun."	HC 2:387.
Reports vision	February 6, 1836 the "anointed" meet by quorum in the house of the Lord. Many visions are reported, including Zebedee, who sees "the Lord's host."	HC 2:388.
Small pox	June 16, 1836 has been suffering from small pox. Is being cared for at Aaron C. Lyon's.	Kirtland council, 1.
Kirtland bank	1837 charter member, Kirtland Safety Society.
Second Quorum of Seventy Wilford Woodruff	January 3, 1837 organizes the second quorum of Seventy with Hazen Aldrich, the senior president. Zebedee ordains Wilford Woodruff a member of the first quorum to fill a vacancy. He promises Wilford that he will be able to rend prisons and chains in twain; heal the blind, lame, and deaf; stop the mouths of lions; raise the dead to life; "waft myself (as did Philip) from River to river from Sea to sea & from Continant to Continant" to preach the gospel; that kings will seek after his wisdom; that he will return to Jackson County for the coming of Christ "& that I should be cought up to meet him in the Clouds of heaven;" that he will visit Kolob and preach to the spirits in prisons, and redeem his deceased friends and relatives from the terrestrial kingdom.	WWJ 1:118–119.
Endowment ceremonies	April 3–4, 1837 participates in the endowment of seventies in the House of the Lord.	¶ Wilford Woodruff's Kirtland Endowment
Released from the Seventy	April 6, 1837 released from First Quorum of Seventy due to his 1832 ordination to the High Priesthood.
Kirtland high council	September 23, 1837 substitutes, Kirtland high council, to hear charges against Oliver Olney and Amary Bonny; also at the October 7 session when fellowship is withdrawn from I. H. Bishop.	Kirtland council, 192, 194.
Sued for debts	April 1838 sued for defaulting on debts with associates Sidney Rigdon and Sampson Avard. Suit dismissed.	Origins, 543.
Nauvoo, Kirtland	1839 moves to Nauvoo, later to Kirtland
Grafton branch	February 20, 1841 organizes twelve members as the Grafton branch in Lorain County.	TS 2, no. 14 (May 15, 1841): 413.
Counselor of Kirtland stake	May 22, 1841 Almon W. Babbitt is elected president of the Kirtland stake with Lester Brooks and Zebedee Coltrin his counselors.	HC 4:361.
Nauvoo	1842 returns to Nauvoo.
1843 conference	April 6, 1843 represents Virginia members at a conference of elders after general conference.	TS 4, no. 10 (Apr. 1, 1843): 157.
Clips his words	April 19, 1843 Joseph remarks that Jedediah and Joshua Grant "have got into Zebedee Coltrin's habit of clipping half their words, and I intend to break them of it."	HC 5:368.
Rides to save Joseph	June 25, 1843 one of 175 men that rides through the night from Nauvoo to Dixon to save Joseph from arrest.	HC 5:450–451.
1843 mission	July 3 and 5, 1843 called by the Twelve to visit McDonough County, Illinois "to preach the gospel and disabuse the public mind with regard to [Joseph's] arrest."	TS 4, no. 15 (June 15, 1843): 240; HC 5:485.
Campaign for Joseph	April 6, 1844 assigned to campaign in Michigan for Joseph Smith as President of United States.	TS 5, no. 8 (Apr. 15, 1844): 504.
Endowed	December 22, 1845 receives temple endowment.
Winter Quarters	1846 moves to Winter Quarters.
Police officer	1846–1847 police officer at Winter Quarters.	Origins, 543.
Pioneer company	April 1847 captain of ten in the pioneer company from Winter Quarters to Salt Lake.	William Clayton journals (Smith), 296, 383.
	November 1847 returns to Winter Quarters.
Family to Utah	1851 moves family to Utah.
Spanish Fork	1852 assigned to settle in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Home missionary	1872 called as a home missionary (Utah County) at general conference	Origins, 543.
Patriarch	[May/June 1,] 1873 ordained a patriarch by John Taylor.	Zebedee's autobiography, 1; Origins, 543 has May 1873.
Blacks and the priesthood	May 31, 1879 signs a detailed statement that while raising support for Zion's Camp, he and J. P. Greene get into an argument about the propriety of ordaining black men to the priesthood. When they return to Kirtland, they take the question to Joseph. "Joseph Kind of drop't his head and rested it on his hand for a minute, and then said Bro Zebedee is right, for the Spirit of the Lord Saith the Negro has no right nor cannot hold the Priesthood." Zebedee also states that he was the one who washed and anointed Elijah Abel at Kirtland, though it made him very uncomfortable. On the same occasion, Abraham O. Smoot, a former missionary in the South, signs a statement that in 1838 Joseph told him "I could baptize them by the consent of their Masters, but not to confer the Priesthood upon them."	Zebedee's deposition Original: Green

	Families
Wife	Lavina Elizabeth Fullmer md. [1826].	FamilySearch; Origins, 543 has marriage in 1857, divorce in 1859.
Wife	Sarah Oyler md. [1826].	FamilySearch; not in Origins, 543.
Wife	Julia Ann Jennings, b. 1813 in Pennsylvania md. before April 1828 d. 1840 in Kirtland)	FamilySearch; Zebedee's autobiography, 1 has 1828 and death in 1828; Origins, 543 has marriage in 1835 and 5 children.
Children	Five children, all died in infancy
Wife	Mary Mott, b. November 27, 1820 in New York md. February 5, 1841 d. March 3, 1885 or 1886	FamilySearch; Zebedee's autobiography, 1 has marriage date of February 1843 and sealing in 1846, second anointings in 1846; Origins, 543 confirms 1841, Children's dates from FamilySearch.
Wife	John Graham (1843–1905) Julia Ann (1849–1851, also 1848–1854) Mary Mott (1846–1880) Zebedee (1850–1917) Joseph (1852 stillborn) Haman (1854–1932) Electa (1856–1924) Sarah (1858–?) Elizabeth (1859–1890) Hugh (1862–?)
	Biographies