David Fullmer
Encyclopedia
David Fullmer was an American
politician, church leader, and farmer, born in Chillisquaque
, Pennsylvania
. He was the older brother of John S. Fullmer
, another politician. Fullmer was a person of some importance in the early Latter Day Saint movement
.
. In 1830, his father, Peter Fullmer, moved the family from Pennsylvania to Jefferson Township
, Richland County
, Ohio
.
Fullmer was brought up on a farm and received a common-school education. In addition to farming, he also taught school and went into merchandising.
In September of 1831, Fullmer married Rhoda Ann Marvin, daughter of Zera Marvin and Rhoda Williams. In 1835 he moved to Richmond County, Ohio, upon hearing the message of Mormonism
. Fullmer was baptized September 16, 1836, by Elder Henry G. Sherwood.
, where he met Joseph Smith for the first time. Shortly afterward he was ordained an elder under the hands of Reuben Hedlock in the Kirtland Temple
; he also received a patriarchal blessing from Patriarch Joseph Smith, Sr.
In September 1837, he removed to Caldwell County, Missouri
, to be near the site that Joseph Smith had revealed as the principal gathering place of the Saints. In the spring of 1838 he moved to Daviess County in the same state. The following summer he had a severe attack of sickness which threatened his life, but his health was restored.
With mounting opposition between the newcomer Latter-day Saints and the "old settlers" of Missouri, and after Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs issued Missouri Executive Order 44, he was compelled with the rest of the Saints to leave his home and possessions in Missouri, under threat of death. With the Saints, he went to the state of Illinois, where he left his family and then continued to Ohio to assist in moving his father to Illinois. He and his family eventually settled in Nauvoo, Illinois
. During this time, Fullmer was ordained to the office of high priest in 1839 and appointed to the high council in the Nauvoo Stake.
In 1844, Fullmer was appointed to be one of the electioneering missionaries in behalf of Joseph Smith's candidacy for President of the United States
. He was engaged in this labor and in preaching in the state of Michigan when he received news of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith
. Fullmer immediately returned to his home in Nauvoo and attended the general meeting of the Church, at which the claims of Sidney Rigdon
to be guardian of the Church were rejected by vote of the conference, and the Twelve Apostles, with Brigham Young
presiding, were sustained as the pro temp
leaders of the Church. In the ensuing schism, Fullmer, along with a majority of the Saints, would side with Brigham Young as the rightful successor to the presidency and prophetic mantle of Joseph Smith, Jr.
, in the then-newly completed Nauvoo Temple
, and all four received their Second Anointing
.
Fullmer divorced Margaret Phillips in 1848, without the two having had any known children. With his other two wives, however, Fullmer had twenty children altogether: eleven with Rhoda Marvin, and nine with Sarah Oysterbanks.
, a theocratic representation of and preparation for what Joseph Smith perceived as the impending Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
In 1846, it was decided that a temporary settlement was needed as a resting place for the rear company of Saints and all those who, from lack of means, were unable to proceed further. To this end, Garden Grove, Iowa
was established, with Samuel Bent appointed as president and Fullmer as his first counselor. Here the exiled Saints made a large farm and worked together to raise grain. There were many poor among them who were destitute for food and clothing. When President Bent died shortly after the settlement was established, the presidency passed to Fullmer. He sent missionaries out along the great rivers to solicit aid for the relief of the poor, and by this means some help was obtained.
The company moved to another temporary settlement called Winter Quarters, Nebraska
, on the Missouri River, before making their way to present-day Utah.
After arriving to the main settlement then known as Great Salt Lake City, Fullmer was appointed first counselor to Daniel Spencer, president of the Salt Lake Stake, in 1849. At this time, when Church leaders also served as community leaders, there was a fusion of church and state, Fullmer continuing his role in the theocratic government known as the Council of Fifty.
Fullmer continued his overland travels in service to his church and people. For five months during the winter, he journeyed south with an exploring expedition, serving as counselor to Parley P. Pratt
. Fullmer would later serve as captain over a relief company, traveling east to Independence Rock
to assist a company of Saints who were journeying westward.
When the territory of Utah was created, Fullmer was elected a member of the legislature for Salt Lake County, and at various times served in other civic positions, such as treasurer of the University of Deseret, treasurer pro temp of Salt Lake County
, treasurer of Salt Lake City
, delegate to one of the early territorial conventions, director of the Agricultural Society, and home missionary.
When community problems arose they were often solved by the local church leaders. For example, a resolution of the brethren of the Mill Creek Ward passed on January 29, 1853, explained the necessity of calling a general meeting for discussion of uniform prices for agricultural products and standard wages for mechanical labor and related services. Such a meeting was subsequently held on February 3, 1853, where the "Deseret Agricultural Society" was formed for the purpose of carrying out the resolutions of the farmers.
During the three and a half years President Fullmer presided over Salt Lake Stake he organized two new wards: 5th Ward (previously authorized, but not made an active ward until 1853) and the Sugar House
Ward in 1854. The stake then had a total of twenty-nine wards when President Spencer returned. None of the wards had been transferred or discontinued. President Fullmer appointed four members of the high council during his presidency and twenty new bishops.
As the officers of Salt Lake Stake were presented during the semiannual conference of the Church held October 8, 1853, as was the usual practice, it was reported that there were three members of the First Presidency and nine members of the Council of the Twelve who resided and had their membership in Salt Lake Stake. Members of the Council of the Twelve attended the annual meeting of the 14th Ward on December 26, 1853. After certain matters of business were attended to and some spiritual talks given, dancing and social activities were enjoyed by all.
David Fullmer died at his home on October 21, 1879 at 11:20 PM of causes incident to age. He was 76 years of age. His funeral was on Thursday, October 23, 1879, in the Salt Lake Sixth Ward Chapel, at 1 PM, with several prominent members of the LDS Church in attendance. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery
in the Family Plot.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, church leader, and farmer, born in Chillisquaque
West Chillisquaque Township, Pennsylvania
West Chillisquaque Township is a township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,846 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He was the older brother of John S. Fullmer
John S. Fullmer
John Solomon Fullmer was an American politician and farmer, born in Huntington, Pennsylvania. He was the younger brother of David Fullmer, another politician.-Early childhood and career:...
, another politician. Fullmer was a person of some importance in the early Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
.
Early childhood and career
David Fullmer spent his childhood and early adult years on his family's farm in Chillisquaque, Northumberland CountyNorthumberland County, Pennsylvania
There were 38,835 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.50% had...
. In 1830, his father, Peter Fullmer, moved the family from Pennsylvania to Jefferson Township
Jefferson Township, Richland County, Ohio
Jefferson Township is one of the eighteen townships of Richland County, Ohio, United States. It is a part of the Mansfield Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Richland County
Richland County, Ohio
Richland County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 124,475. It is included in the Mansfield, Ohio, Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Mansfield–Bucyrus Combined Statistical Area....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Fullmer was brought up on a farm and received a common-school education. In addition to farming, he also taught school and went into merchandising.
In September of 1831, Fullmer married Rhoda Ann Marvin, daughter of Zera Marvin and Rhoda Williams. In 1835 he moved to Richmond County, Ohio, upon hearing the message of Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. Fullmer was baptized September 16, 1836, by Elder Henry G. Sherwood.
Involvement in early Mormonism
In early 1837, Fullmer traveled to Kirtland, OhioKirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
, where he met Joseph Smith for the first time. Shortly afterward he was ordained an elder under the hands of Reuben Hedlock in the Kirtland Temple
Kirtland Temple
The Kirtland Temple is a National Historic Landmark in Kirtland, Ohio, USA, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area. Owned and operated by the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , the house of worship was the first temple to be...
; he also received a patriarchal blessing from Patriarch Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
In September 1837, he removed to Caldwell County, Missouri
Caldwell County, Missouri
Caldwell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. , the population was 8,969. Its county seat is Kingston. The county was organized in 1836 as a haven for the Mormons, who had been previously driven from Jackson County, Missouri in November of 1833 and had been refugees in...
, to be near the site that Joseph Smith had revealed as the principal gathering place of the Saints. In the spring of 1838 he moved to Daviess County in the same state. The following summer he had a severe attack of sickness which threatened his life, but his health was restored.
With mounting opposition between the newcomer Latter-day Saints and the "old settlers" of Missouri, and after Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs issued Missouri Executive Order 44, he was compelled with the rest of the Saints to leave his home and possessions in Missouri, under threat of death. With the Saints, he went to the state of Illinois, where he left his family and then continued to Ohio to assist in moving his father to Illinois. He and his family eventually settled in Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
. During this time, Fullmer was ordained to the office of high priest in 1839 and appointed to the high council in the Nauvoo Stake.
In 1844, Fullmer was appointed to be one of the electioneering missionaries in behalf of Joseph Smith's candidacy for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. He was engaged in this labor and in preaching in the state of Michigan when he received news of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
. Fullmer immediately returned to his home in Nauvoo and attended the general meeting of the Church, at which the claims of Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
to be guardian of the Church were rejected by vote of the conference, and the Twelve Apostles, with Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
presiding, were sustained as the pro temp
Pro tempore
Pro tempore , abbreviated pro tem or p.t., is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a locum tenens in the absence of a superior, such as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate.Legislative...
leaders of the Church. In the ensuing schism, Fullmer, along with a majority of the Saints, would side with Brigham Young as the rightful successor to the presidency and prophetic mantle of Joseph Smith, Jr.
Plural marriage
After having been married for fourteen years to Rhoda Marvin, Fuller entered into polygamist marriages with Margaret Phillips and Sarah Oysterbanks in Nauvoo. On 19 January 1846, all three wives were sealed to him, for eternitySealing (Mormonism)
In Mormonism, a sealing is an ordinance , performed in temples by a person holding the sealing power. The purpose of this ordinance is to seal familiar relationships, making possible the existence of family relationships throughout eternity. LDS teachings place great importance on the specific...
, in the then-newly completed Nauvoo Temple
Nauvoo Temple
The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio, United States in 1836. When the main body of the church was forced out of Nauvoo, Illinois in the...
, and all four received their Second Anointing
Second Anointing
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the second anointing, also known historically and in Latter Day Saint scripture as the fulness of the priesthood, is an obscure and relatively rare ordinance usually conducted in temples as extension of the Nauvoo Endowment ceremony. Founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
Fullmer divorced Margaret Phillips in 1848, without the two having had any known children. With his other two wives, however, Fullmer had twenty children altogether: eleven with Rhoda Marvin, and nine with Sarah Oysterbanks.
Civic, theocratic, and ecclesiastical engagements
Fuller was a member of the Nauvoo City Council, and later, after the Illinois Legislature repealed the Nauvoo city charter, he was elected to the town council of Nauvoo. He was also a member of the Council of FiftyCouncil of Fifty
The Council of Fifty was a Latter Day Saint organization established by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, a theocratic representation of and preparation for what Joseph Smith perceived as the impending Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Expulsion and trek to Utah
In the winter of 1846, with the Saints threatened with expulsion from Nauvoo, Brigham Young led church members into the western frontier to find a new home for the Saints. Fullmer was appointed "captain" over a company of one hundred pioneers, Brigham Young organizing the traveling Saints after the camp of Israel described in the Book of Exodus.In 1846, it was decided that a temporary settlement was needed as a resting place for the rear company of Saints and all those who, from lack of means, were unable to proceed further. To this end, Garden Grove, Iowa
Garden Grove, Iowa
Garden Grove is a city in Decatur County, Iowa, United States. The population was 250 at the 2000 census.-History:On April 24, 1846, emigrants affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the direction of Brigham Young established a way station halfway into their trek...
was established, with Samuel Bent appointed as president and Fullmer as his first counselor. Here the exiled Saints made a large farm and worked together to raise grain. There were many poor among them who were destitute for food and clothing. When President Bent died shortly after the settlement was established, the presidency passed to Fullmer. He sent missionaries out along the great rivers to solicit aid for the relief of the poor, and by this means some help was obtained.
The company moved to another temporary settlement called Winter Quarters, Nebraska
Winter Quarters, Nebraska
Winter Quarters was an encampment formed by approximately 2,500 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as they waited during the winter of 1846–47 for better conditions for their trek westward. It followed a preliminary tent settlement some 3½ miles west at Cutler's Park. The...
, on the Missouri River, before making their way to present-day Utah.
After arriving to the main settlement then known as Great Salt Lake City, Fullmer was appointed first counselor to Daniel Spencer, president of the Salt Lake Stake, in 1849. At this time, when Church leaders also served as community leaders, there was a fusion of church and state, Fullmer continuing his role in the theocratic government known as the Council of Fifty.
Fullmer continued his overland travels in service to his church and people. For five months during the winter, he journeyed south with an exploring expedition, serving as counselor to Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
. Fullmer would later serve as captain over a relief company, traveling east to Independence Rock
Independence Rock
Independence Rock may refer to:*Independence Rock , a well-known landmark on the Oregon Trail*Independence Rock...
to assist a company of Saints who were journeying westward.
When the territory of Utah was created, Fullmer was elected a member of the legislature for Salt Lake County, and at various times served in other civic positions, such as treasurer of the University of Deseret, treasurer pro temp of Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It had a population of 1,029,655 at the 2010 census. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. It occupies Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west...
, treasurer of Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, delegate to one of the early territorial conventions, director of the Agricultural Society, and home missionary.
Stake president
In 1852, stake president Daniel Spencer was called on a mission to Great Britain, and Fullmer became acting president of the stake (1852-56). In the general church conference held April 7, 1853, David Fullmer was formally sustained as the fourth president of the Salt Lake Stake. A special conference was convened under the direction of President Brigham Young on August 13, 1853, at which time Thomas Rhoads and Phineas H. Young were sustained as Fullmer's counselors.When community problems arose they were often solved by the local church leaders. For example, a resolution of the brethren of the Mill Creek Ward passed on January 29, 1853, explained the necessity of calling a general meeting for discussion of uniform prices for agricultural products and standard wages for mechanical labor and related services. Such a meeting was subsequently held on February 3, 1853, where the "Deseret Agricultural Society" was formed for the purpose of carrying out the resolutions of the farmers.
During the three and a half years President Fullmer presided over Salt Lake Stake he organized two new wards: 5th Ward (previously authorized, but not made an active ward until 1853) and the Sugar House
Sugar house
A sugar house, also known as sap house, sugar shack, sugar shanty or sugar cabin is a semi-commercial establishment, prominent mainly in Eastern Canada...
Ward in 1854. The stake then had a total of twenty-nine wards when President Spencer returned. None of the wards had been transferred or discontinued. President Fullmer appointed four members of the high council during his presidency and twenty new bishops.
As the officers of Salt Lake Stake were presented during the semiannual conference of the Church held October 8, 1853, as was the usual practice, it was reported that there were three members of the First Presidency and nine members of the Council of the Twelve who resided and had their membership in Salt Lake Stake. Members of the Council of the Twelve attended the annual meeting of the 14th Ward on December 26, 1853. After certain matters of business were attended to and some spiritual talks given, dancing and social activities were enjoyed by all.
Later life, death
Several years before his death, Fullmer was ordained a patriarch.David Fullmer died at his home on October 21, 1879 at 11:20 PM of causes incident to age. He was 76 years of age. His funeral was on Thursday, October 23, 1879, in the Salt Lake Sixth Ward Chapel, at 1 PM, with several prominent members of the LDS Church in attendance. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery
Salt Lake City Cemetery
thumb|The northern section of the cemetery at night, looking towards Salt Lake CityThe Salt Lake City Cemetery is in The Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. Approximately 120,000 persons are buried in the cemetery. Many religious leaders and politicians, particularly many leaders of The...
in the Family Plot.