Leonard Rich (1800

Mormon History: 1830 to 1839

Leonard Rich (1800–1868)

Member of the first seven presidents of the Seventy, charter member of the Kirtland Safety Society, Kirtland dissenter.

Born	1800 in Connecticut	1860 Census, Kirtland, Ohio ¶ Ancestry.com (subscribers)
Died	1868 in Kirtland, Ohio
Occupation	Farmer
Ordinations	Elder, 1833
	High priest, 1834
	One of the first seven presidents of the First Quorum of Seventy, February 28, 1835
Events	1830 resident of Warsaw, Genesee County, New York.
Mission	January 1833 teach and baptize Truman O. Angell with Elder Aaron Lyons.	Angell journal, 196.
Zion's Camp	1834 Zion's Camp.	Zion's Camp
Rebuked	February 12, 1834 rebuked by high council for breaking the Word of Wisdom and selling revelations at exorbitant prices.	¶ Minutes of Feb. 12, 1834
Witness	July 31, 1834 one of the principal witnesses in the Hulet branch case.	¶ Minutes of July 31, 1834
D&C	August 17, 1835 bears witness at the General Assembly to the first edition of the D&C.	Minutes of Aug. 17, 1835
Friend of Joseph	[December 10, 1835 Joseph Smith:] I would remember Elder Leonard Rich, who was the first one that proposed to the brethren to assist me, in obtaining wood for the use of my family, for which I pray my heavenly Father to bless <him> with all the blessings, named above, and I shall ever remember him with much gratitude, for this testimony, of benevolence and respect, and thank the great I am, for puting into his heart to do me this kindness.	blessings: Blessings for those who brought him a supply of winter's wood: health for their families, strength, powers of intellect and understanding hearts, preservation from plauges, pestilence, famine, power of the adversity, peace and happiness forever, everlasting life in the celestial kingdom. Diary-2 in Papers 2:99–100.
	December 23, 1835 accompanies Joseph to Oliver Cowdery's home "to visit his relatives; but had a very agreeable visit, for he found them filled with prejudice against the work of the Lord, and their minds blinded with superstition and ignorance."	in Papers 2:177.
Supports Almon Babbitt	December 28, 1835 when high council hears Joseph Smith's charge that Almon Babbitt has been speaking against him, Leonard testifies "from what he heard from Babbitt, he thought he had nothing against J. Smith Junr."	Minutes of Dec. 28, 1835
Mission	April 12, 1836 leaves on a mission to northwest New York, later writing the Messenger and Advocate that he had preached seven discourses and baptized nine.	[SHOWREF-MA] 2, no. 9 (June 1836): 330.
Warning-out petition	November 7, 1836 signs petition warning Kirtland's justice of the peace to leave the county immediately. Seventy-one signatories include Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, Frederick G. Williams, Brigham Young, and Parley P. Pratt (h).	Petition of Joseph Smith Jr. to Ariel Hanson. Lake County Historical Society, Mentor, Ohio, cited in Origins, 91, 331n43.
Kirtland bank	January 2, 1837 signs new constitution of the Kirtland Safety Society.	MA, 3 (March 1837)
Release	April 6, 1837 released with other presidents of the Seventy who had been ordained high priests prior to their calling to the Seventy.	MA, 3 (March 1837)
Dissenter	Fall 1837 Kirtland dissenter.	CHC 1:405.
Sues for debt	When the bank fails, Leonard and Roger Orton, "who who kept the meat market," sue Jonathan Crosby to recover money he owes them. Caroline Barnes Crosby later wrote, "Alas thought I, the trials that I had heard the elders preach of were in reality coming upon us. As to poverty we could endure that patiently, but trials among false brethren, who can endure with patience? Many of our most intimate associates were among the apostates."	Caroline Barnes Crosby journal in Women's Voices, 56.
Transgressor	September 4, 1837 Joseph declares Leonard is in transgression and in danger of losing his standing.	¶ Scriptory Book
Excommunicated	December 1837 excommunicated.	Origins, 574.
Joins Warren Parrish	February 5, 1838 signs Warren Parrish's declaration that Joseph and Sidney "lie by revelation, swindle by revelation, cheat and defraud by revelation, runaway by revelation."	Origins, 574.
"Drunk"	August 1838 described in the Elders Journal as "generally so drunk, that he had to support himself by something to keep him from falling down."	¶ Argument to Argument
Sidney's church	April 8, 1845 ordained a seventy in Sidney's Church of Christ.	Origins, 574.
Kirtland takeover	October 22, 1845 a letter from Reuben McBride in Kirtland arrives in Nauvoo, stating that "apostates …have broken into the House of the Lord, and taken possession of it, and are trying to take possession of the church farm." "Leaders of the rioters" were S. B. Stoddard, Jacob Bump, Hiram Kellogg, Leonard Rich, and Jewel Raney.	HC 7:484.
David Whitmer	1846 joins William E. McLellin (h) in urging David Whitmer to organize a Church of Christ.	Petrel, 88–90.
Strang's church	August 7, 1846 joins James J. Strang's Church of Jesus Christ, presides over its Kirtland branch.	Origins, 574–575.
	October 16, 1846 urges Strang to renounce John C. Bennett's Order of the Illuminati.	Origins, 575.
	December 13, 1846 leads Kirtland Strangites in rejecting Strang.	Origins, 575.
David Whitmer's church	February 13, 1847 joins David Whitmer's Church of Christ and is reordained.	Origins, 575.
Church of Christ excommunicates William E. McLellin	June 3, 1849 one of four elders present at the excommunication of William E. McLellin from the new Church of Christ, the others being M. C. Isham, Alfred Bonney, and Jacob Bump, as well as Martin Harris, president, and Isaac N. Aldrich, secretary.	Gospel Herald (Voree, Wisconsin) July 5, 1849. Link
William Swartzell's church	September–October, 1857 joins Martin Harris in supporting William Swartzell's church in Kirtland.	Origins, 575.
Opposes Joseph III	July 1860 opposes designation of Joseph Smith III as president of RLDS Church, and organizes his own church of seven people in Kirtland.	Origins, 575.

	Families
Wife	Keziah md. [1823], 8+ children	Origins, 574.
Wife	Marina Bassett md. 1858 (not a plural wife)
		Biographies