Levi Hancock (1803

Mormon History: 1830 to 1839

Levi Hancock (1803–1882)

Early convert (1830) §. Baptizes 100, organizes branch §. Zion's Camp § Ordained a seventy §. A president of the Seventy §. Missouri, Nauvoo Legion, Council of Fifty, Mormon Battalion, 1847 pioneer, legislature, divorces, patriarch §. Journal excerpt (1830–1831) §.

Born	April 7, 1803 in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts (youngest boy, 7th child)	Levi's journal, 1; Levi Hancock [1878], 107.
Died	June 10, 1882 in Washington, Washington County, Utah
Father	Thomas Hancock (1763–1844)	Levi autobio; Levi Hancock [1878], 107.
Mother	Amy Ward (1769–1844)	Ancestry.com; Levi autobio; Levi Hancock [1878], 107.
Occupation	Cabinetmaker and musician	Ancestry.com; Levi autobio; Levi Hancock [1878], 107.
New York	1805 family moves to Ontario County (Bristol 2 years, then Pittsown, Bloomfield), New York.	Levi's journal, 1, 2.
Ohio	1820 family moves to Chagrin, Ohio.	Levi autobio
Levi Hancock Sidney recants in Mayfield Thomas Hancock, others baptized	November 7, 1830 (Sunday) hears Parley P. Pratt (h) preach at Mr. Jackson's in Mayfield. He is followed by Sidney Rigdon who "said he had bin trying to preach the gospel for a long time and now he had done he thought he should never try to preach again and confessed he was completely used up and advised the people not to contend against it what they had heared."Oliver speaks and Parley calls for baptisms. Levi's father, Thomas Hancock, and sister (Clarissa Hancock Alger) "and some few beside" are baptized.	See below §.
Baptism and ordination	Ordained three days after baptism.	Levi Hancock autobiography, 73–74.
	In the month of nov. on the twelth of the same month, I was baptized by Parley P. Pratt, Ordained on the 13th and on the 14th started on my first mission, and raised up a small branch of the Church.	Levi Hancock [1878], 108.
June 1831 conference	June [4], 1831 attends conference where the High Priesthood is conferred for the first time.	Minutes of June [4], 1831 Lyman Wight's Vision and the Man of Sin.
	June 6, 1831 called to travel to Missouri with Zebedee Coltrin.	¶ D&C 52:29
Indiana branch of 100	[Early July in Winchester and Ward Township, Indiana:] we continued to preach here and in the Reagions round about untill we had got a larg branch raised up. and we was sent for from ward Township we went there and in a short time we had in both places about one hundread members among them was one old man by the name of Mr [102] Jones and his wife he told me that he was through the revoluntionary war that he was a life guard wonce of General Washingtons; he told me many things about the war, that was interesting; when I Baptised him he had saved a watermelon on purpose for he said, a long time; and he would go then and pick it; he did and it appeared to do him as much good as if he was a feeding An Angel; I had no one with me he was nere the last of our [baptising], Then, the time had come we thought to go, from here; we had done all we could in winchester the people soon growing hard; them and had threatened to mob us but had not done it yet …	Levi autobio, 101–102.
Near death experience	December 1831 near death experience.	Levi autobio
Marries	March 29, 1833 marries Clarissa Reed.	Levi's journal, 136.
Kirtland	Summer 1833 moves to Kirtland. Lives with his parents who had been directed to move there shortly before. Donates $50 to the House of the Lord and works on its construction	Levi's journal, 136.
Warned out	1833 warned out of Kirtland.	Origins, 550.
Son	April 9, 1834 son born, named Mosiah Lyman by Lyman Wight.	Levi's journal, 139.
Zion's Camp	May–June 1834 Zion’s Camp. Makes a fife "from a joint of sweet elder" and plays it. Sylvester Smith marches his company to the music.
Seventies	March 1, 1835 ordination blessing as a seventy (though the office is not mentioned in blessing account).	¶ Seventies
A president of Seventies	May 2, 135 one of the seven presidents of the Seventy.	¶ Minutes of May 2, 1835
Released as president	April 6, 1837 released as one of the seven presidents of the Seventy under the mistaken idea that he had been ordained a high priest.	¶ Minutes of April 6, 1837
Returns as president	September 3, 1837 returns as one of the seven presidents of the Seventy.	¶ Minutes of September 3, 1837
Missouri	1838 moves to Missouri.
Warns dissenters out	June 1838
Nauvoo	1839 moves to Nauvoo.
Nauvoo Legion	Member, Nauvoo Legion, and Nauvoo police force.
Council of Fifty	April 12, 1844 member, Council of Fifty.
Endowed	December 12, 1845 endowed.
Mormon Battalion	July 1846–July 1847 member, Mormon Battalion Company E.
Salt Lake City	October 1847 arrives in Salt Lake Valley.
Utah legislature	Member, territorial legislature.
Utah homes	1850–1851 lives in Salt Lake City, Payson, Manti, and various southern Utah towns.
Divorces	1854 Clarissa Reed and Fanny Myrick divorce Levi.	Origins, 550.
Divorce	1857 Elizabeth Hovey divorces Levi.	Origins, 550.
Cotton mission	November 1862 called to the cotton mission (southern Utah).
Salt Lake City	1863 living in Salt Lake City.
Southern Utah	[1866] assists settling Harrisburg, Leeds, and Washington (southern Utah).
Patriarch	1872 ordained a patriarch.

	Journal Excerpt (1830–1831)	Levi's journal, 68–80.
	[68] [In the fall of 1830] I concluded I would go to see Samuel Algers in Chagrin. … and that evening got to his house by taking the maine road. At dawn and presently Alvah came in and asked me if I had hered the news what news said I why said he four men have come and have brought a book with them that they call history and record of the people that [69] wonce inhabited this land … tomorrow they are to hold a meeting at Mr. Jacksons in Mayfield …	Original: Chagrine Samuel is married to Levi's sister, Clarissa.
Kirtland, November 1830	[70] this was Saturday evening next day I took my mother behind me and went to Mr. Jacksons I got there a short time before [the] meeting	Nov. 6 is the Saturday before Levi's baptism on the 12th.
Missionary meeting	after I had been there a short time I saw the people begin to asemble I got in the chamber where there had been a few boards pulled up (which had bin laid down loos before) to give the spectators a fare chance of hearing	Nov. 6 is the Saturday before Levi's baptism on the 12th.
	in the chamber I took a seat beside A Lawyer by the name of Card he sat with his pencil and paper and commenced to scrible as the speaker arose and began to talk.
Believes	I sat with both ears open for the first word he spoke I believed all he said as much as that tho I new he was Jesus Christ
3 Nephi	after he had talked a short time he opened the Book of Mormon and Read what Christ said to his diciples who had gathered around the Temple in the Land of Nephi of the thre days of darkness that had bin upon the Land
Isaiah 11	when he had got through talking and reading about the new revelation he then went to exhorting the people to read the scriptures and see if they did not tell of the same doctrine. [71] and teach us that there must be something sent from God in order to prepare the people for the glorious reign of Christ then the words of Isiah 11 chapter on a part of the chapter as far as the eleventh virse
Parley speaks	After this man had spoken (whose name I found to be Parley P Pratt (h)) he gave liberty for any body to reply
Sidney speaks	Sidney Rigdon then spoke And said he had bin trying to preach the gospel for a long time and now he had done he thought he should never try to preach again and confessed he was completely used up and advised the people not to contend against it what they had heared
Oliver speaks Peace demeanor	after this man had spoaken there arose an other young man whose countenance bespoke a spirit of peace and love he said he had bin an eye witness to the things declared and the book purporting to be a revelation was truth however strange it may appear to the people
Parley baptizes family members	when Parley P Pratt said if any wants to be baptised let them come forward then my father went and was baptised and my sister Clarrisa and some few beside
Anti-Mormon sentiment	I went home to fathers and then the Devil began to rage there was one man by the name of Phelps that appeared to be mad and he exerted himself [72] evry way he could to discourage us [-] from believing he told of the many impositions that had bin palmed upon the people and whare that would not do but that we still believed and ment to prove the work and not condem it nor the min who brought it untill they had proved themselves unworthy of our confidence by some mean trick we should discover ourselves
Returns to Mayfield	in the next morning I went back to mayfield and asked whare the men was that had bin baptising there with a firm determination to be baptised I found that they had gone to Kirtland I then asked one of Mr. Jacksons sons if he would go with me he said he would if I would stay all knight I stayed with him
Baptized by Parley	and then in the morning we started and went to Kirtland and saw Parley P Pratt (h) a baptising. I dismounted from my horse and went to him and asked if he would baptise me he said he would if I believed I told him I believed Jesus is the son of God [73] he then baptised me and I got on my horse and started up
Morley's farm	when some one asked me if I was not going up to brother morleys I said I did not know whare he lived I was told to follow some men who was just on before I did so and soon I came in sight of the house as I thought and then asked if this was the place whare they was going I was told it was and then was invited into the house I went in and presantly the room was near full we talked and heard each other tell many a story and tell there opinion concerning Oliver Cowdery
	my horse was put out and fed I took supper and whin the time came that we thought that we had stayed up long enough we went to rest
Horse lame, recovers	in the morning I called for my horse and was told whare I could find him I went to him and he could scarcely go he was so lame I did not know what to do I concluded not to go to New Lyme that day [74] but told Oliver if he would go to Mayfield I would go and let the people know he said he would I then led my horse calculating that it would take me all day to get to Mayfield but to my joy and satisfaction I beheld my horse well and I got on his back and he went oph as well as ever	New Lyme is 4 mi. east of Rome, just across Shanty Creek. Did Levi live there and work in Rome?
Mr. Jackson Oliver at Mayfield	I soon got to Mr. Jacksons and called together the people Oliver did not come untill we sent after him he came and talked a while
Lyman Wight speaker Oliver, Ziba, Jacob Whitmer baptize, confirm	Lyman Wight and myself had bin talking to the people the first evening I came it was the next day before Oliver Cowdery and Ziba Peterson and one of the Whitmers came held metings and baptised some and in the evening confirmed many members of the Church	Original: Wite
Levi ordained, returns home, holds meetings in Rome	next morning I was ordained an Elder and went home to my fathers and soon after went to Rome Commenced holding meetings the people appeared to be astonishied at the doctrin but did not percicut as they soon did in other places	Levi had a wood working shop in Rome, 32 miles east of Kirtland.
	[75] This was in the year 1830 in the month of November I preached from place to place whare the folks was well acquainted with me
Lies circulate, some still interested	not long after I came to Rome Lies began to circulate through the land concerning the church That caused the people to be more cold however, some believed that there was something in the doctrin worthy of notice
December works with James Baldwin	in December I went about three miles west to work on a house and laying floors it was White Ash plank I had to match I hired Mr James Baldwin to help me he was a good man after we had laid the floor we concluded to make a fire and lay down untill morning
Dreams Lord appears to him Yoke of Christ, lamps	as I was praying a personage stood before me with a small yoke in his hands said he this is the yoke of Christ there was many Lamps placed on the top of this small yoke I thought it was my Lord a talking to me and I felt willing to obey him and put forth my hand and laid it on one lamp and saw a [76] smoke rise from it I then touched two more and saw a blue Blaze then some more and some smoked others burned blue and three shone as bright as any Lamps I ever saw in my life
Will tarry until Lord comes	he stood and held them a short time and said these I will take into heaven and give you a sign that you may know that you are my servant he drawed in his breath and blowed in my face and said you will tarry till I come again
Filled with faith	as he breathed on me faith came the heavens sent forth a shower of spirit it took me in the face and filled me untill I ran over with it
Out of body	no person could feel better than I did my spirit took its flight and left my body on the floor I thought I was dead all my sences was perfect and I realised many things that I am not able to write nor exspress with my toung
Told to return	I saw the unfortunate son [Son of God] who fell when he tryed to aproach me the wave of my hand would cause him to go from me I was told by the spirit to come back and bare testemony to the world of the truth of the work
Re-enters body, tells James	I then entered into my body and told the vision to Mr. Baldwin [78, sic]
Tells of Satan	I told him how the Lamps all went out but the three that burned so bright, and how smart and what a gentleman the personage was who came without anything on his head with ruffle shirt to me even Satan and how modest and inosent the man was who called himself the Lord
Hold meetings	I saw tears run down from his eyes we finished our work there and went to his house he let me hold metings
January, Edson Fuller, Heman Basset and Burr Riggs arrive	then in January some one knocked at the Door a person said come in three young looking men came in and inquired for me I never had seen [them] to my knowledge before they asked how I did and told me they was preachers belonging to the Church of Christ I lerned there names was Edson Fuller, Heman Basset and Burr Riggs	Original: Heamon Bassett
3 or 4 meetings Baldwins baptized	we called a meting and spoke to the people for three or four times and commenced [continued?] Baptising Mrs. Baldwin and two of her Daughters came in the Church her sister and son and many others through the neighbourhood also joined
People awake to listen	[79] All that part of the country appeared to be awake to listen to the new doctrin
Elders' revelations, falling, frothing	those Elders ran into all manner of doings Receiving Revilations seeing Angels Falling down frothing at the mouth
Burr Riggs' jumping, unconscious, prophesying	One of them who acted the worst was Burr Riggs I have seen him jump [up] from the floor, strike his head against the joist in Mr Baldwins new house and swing some then fall like he was dead after an hour or two he would come to then prophesy and tell what he had seen	like he was dead: On Zion's Camp, Burr is discovered one night lying in a rigid state. He is blessed and recovers. ¶ Hiram Winters' Zion's Camp
Seemed honest, but Levi skeptical	at other times he appeared to be so honest I was led to believe all he said but concluded that all could not be blest with the greatest of these heavens blessings and perhaps I was not as pure as those young men and what I had received was enough for me
Edson turns black in the face Heman behaves like baboon, his "call"	Edson Fuller would fall and turn black in the face Heman Bassett would Behave like a Baboon he had a revelation he had receved in Kirtland from the hand of an Angel he would read it and show pictures of a [crown] the Angel declared to be Gods then would bare testemony of the truth of the work and I believed it all like a fool	Heman Basset Aerial Commissions
Levi doesn't oppose People angry Girl dies	[80] I dare not come out against anything that an elder should say for feare I should speak against the Holy Ghost I let them go on in this way until the people got mad at them and tryed to convince me that I was led astray. They said I was honest and the dream I had they did not doubt but the doctrin was false One girl said she would rather go to hell than believe it and in a short time she died I could not help thinking she was taken at her word
Many members said nothing	There was many that sayed nothing that belonged to the church all of this took place in the winter of 1831
February to Kirtland	In February we started for Kirtland I bore the expenses of them all we tack North on the turnpike Leading from Ashtabula to Warren Ohio we traviled on to Austinburg and put up there I saw a man by the name of Crawel I was some acquainted with him as he was a Lawyer he said he would keep me but the others he would not I thanked him and we all went to the [tavern] and I payed the bill we then went on to Unionville I there payed all bills for them [81] next day we got to Painesville	Nowadays the most direct route from Rome to Kirtland is due west through Chardon. Rome to Austinburg: N 12 mi. Austinburg to Unionville: W. 10 mi. Unionville to Painesville: W. 16 mi. Original: Ostinburg, Unionvill, Painvill
	we was all weary and was glad to rests here we found brethring who said they would take us to Kirtland we had traviled through the deep snows untill I was so lame I could scarcely walk I had payed one dollar to a man this day to carry us four miles the next day morning Brother Harvey Redfield took us to Brother Isaac Morleys this was in February

	Families
Wife	Clarissa Reed, b. Dec. 18, 1814 in Ackworth, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire; md. Mar. 29, 1833; div. 1854 md. Thomas Jones White, Apr. 11, 1854; d. Jan. 17, 1860 in Salt Lake City	FamilySearch™ Pedigree Resource File Origins, 550.
Children	Mosiah Sariah Elizabeth Amy Francis Marion John Reed Levison Levi W. Joseph Smith
	Fanny Myrick md. 1846 md. another man, 1849 div. Levi, 1854	Origins, 550.
Wife	Emily Melissa Richey, b. Mar. 1830/1831 in Pickens, Alabama; md. Feb 24, 1849/1848; d. in Salt Lake City	FamilySearch™ Pedigree Resource File Origins, 550.
Children	Emily Melissa Temperance Levi W.
Wife	Anne Tew, b. Springfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts; md. July 19, 1857, Salt Lake City Endowment House	FamilySearch™ Pedigree Resource File
	Levison Zenis Zenil Ether Thomas Cyrus Solomon Samuel
Wife	Elizabeth Woodville Hovey, b. [1805] in Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts; md. Feb. 16, 1856 div. 1857	FamilySearch™ Pedigree Resource File Origins, 550.
Wife	Mary Mogen md. 1868	Origins, 550.
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