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Missionary, leader
of the common stock family at Chardon, Ohio. A minor but colorful character
in the church from late 1830 to the fall of 1831, possibly into 1832. |
Birth |
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[1809] in New York. |
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Based on 1850 census, ¶ Ancestry.com (subscribers) |
Occupation |
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Carpenter, farmer. |
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Chardon |
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1830 living in Chardon with his wife, Celina. |
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¶ Ancestry.com
The 1830 census also has an E. Fuller, age 50–60, with a son, (20–30)
in Ashtabula. ¶ Ancestry.com |
Mission
call |
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[January] 1830 named in an "aerial commission" to
be companion of Heman Basset and Burr
Riggs preaching the gospel. |
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Arial
Commissions |
Mission to Rome, Ohio |
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January 1831 arrives at James Baldwin's home near near Rome,
Ashtabula County with Heman and Burr. |
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¶ Levi
Hancock |
Falls, black in face |
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In meetings, Edson becomes so excited that he "would fall
and turn black in the face." |
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¶ Levi
Hancock |
Jumps, falls flat |
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[January 1831] E. Fuller while lying on the floor has been seen to jump
up and cling to a beam for a while and then drop like a log on the floor;—at
other times they will reach up until they touch a certain beam and then
fall flat on the floor; |
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¶ History
of the Mormonites
¶ Levi
Hancock |
Mission |
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April–May 1831 proselytes in Amherst,
Ohio with Harvey
Whitlock. |
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Joel Johnson autobiography, 3. |
Conference |
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June 36, 1831 attends conference in
Kirtland where elders are ordained to the High Priesthood for the first time,
Lyman Wight has a vision of the Father and the Son, and the man of sin is
revealed. |
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Minutes of June
[3–6], 1831
Lyman Wight's Vision and the Man of Sin |
Mission |
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June [6], 1831 called to travel to Missouri with Jacob Scott. |
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¶ D&C
52:28 |
Silenced |
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September 1, 1831 "silenced from holding the office of Elders in this
Church." |
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¶ Minutes
of Sept. 1, 1831
¶ Discipline |
Excommunicated |
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May 1832 in Pomfret, New York,
David Johnson asks to be rebaptized because Edson was "under the influence
of an evil Spirit" when he baptized him in Amherst, and "it was a vary
short time before E[d]son fooler [Fuller] was cut of from the Church of
Christ and it also was the case that
david Johnson had lived unworthy of the Communion of the Sacrament." Jared
Carter rebaptizes him. |
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Jared Carter diary, 65–67. |
Michigan |
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Moves to Grand Rapids, Michigan by 1850. |
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1850 census at ¶ Ancestry.com (subscribers) |
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Benjamin Shattuck Allegations (April 1831) |
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Chardon common stock family |
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I, with many others, believing in the pretensions and sincerity of those
called Mormonites, joined their society, and united with the family in
Chardon, into which I carried what household furniture and property I had,
viz.: two good beds and bedding, and sundry other articles, which although
not very numerous or elegant, were yet sufficient for my family, consisting
of myself, wife, and two small children. |
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Benjamin Shattuck to Eber D. Howe, PT,
Apr. 26, 1831. Source |
Winter 1830–1831 |
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… I remained with them through the winter, and although I saw many
things which were disagreeable and repugnant to my feelings, yet I endured
it in silence, and trusting to the sincerity of the professions of the
members, hoped for better things. |
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Spring 1831
Chosen family leader |
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Matters continued in this way until this spring, when a majority of the
society in Chardon chose Edson Fuller, one of the prophets or
apostles, as they are called, as their overseer, or temporal and spiritual superintendent. |
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Convicted forger
Youthful offender |
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Fuller, I was informed, had been sentenced to the penitentiary of this
state for the crime of forgery, and when his neighbors, in consideration
of his youth, petitioned for and procured his pardon, showed the sincerity
of his repentance and the gratitude by stealing from one at least
of those neighbors, and then, conscious of his guilt, absconded. |
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Rude sisters |
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Although I disliked very much the promotion of such a man to such a
place, yet I had determined to leave the society, and had only proposed
to go out to work for some necessary clothing, after being informed by
said Fuller that my labor for the society could not procure it, when my
house, to which I had removed, was entered, in my absence, by three of
the leading females of the society, who, under the pretence of looking
for property which they said belonged to them, treated and abused my wife
in a manner, to say the least of it, not much like ladies and Christians. |
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Family |
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Wife |
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Celina (b. [1810] in Massachusetts]) |
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Six children born in Ohio |
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1850 federal census lists Edson, 41, carpenter; and Celina, 39, in Grand
Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. Living with them
are Coryedon, 20, student; Coreylor (?), 18, carpenter; Ellen,
15; Elma, 13; William, 9; Orrin, 7. All children born in Ohio. |
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¶ Ancestry.com (subscribers) |
Seventh born in Indiana |
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1860 federal census lists Edson, 51, and Celina, 50, in Big Rapids, Mecosta
Co., Michigan.
Estimated real estate value, $800; personal property, $400. Living with them
are Ceylon C., 28, attorney; Frances, 23; William, 20, teamster;
Orrin F., 17, clerk; Eliza Garlock (Orrin's wife?), 17; Emily, 11. Emily
was born in Indiana. Corydon E. Fuller, 29, minister,
is listed
with Mary P., 27, born in New York; and Alfaretta, 5, born in
Michigan. |
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Financially successful |
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1870 federal census lists Edson, 62, and Celina, 59, in Green, Mecosta
Co., Michigan. Estimated real estate value, $8,000; personal property,
$975. |
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¶ Ancestry.com |
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Biographies
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