John Gould (Mormon)
Encyclopedia
John Gould was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement
and is recognized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as the first non-American
person to serve as a general authority
.
, Gould was baptized into the Latter Day Saint church sometime before June 1833. In August 1833, he traveled with Orson Hyde
from church headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio
to assist the Latter Day Saints in Jackson County, Missouri
. In 1834, Gould helped Joseph Smith organize Zion's Camp
, a larger group of men that traveled to Missouri to render assistance; however, Gould did not participate in Zion's Camp.
Gould was a missionary
for the church in 1834 and 1835; he preached primarily in New York
with Evan M. Greene. Gould was ordained to the priesthood office of Seventy in 1836 and on 6 April 1837 became one of the seven presidents of the Seventy, a position with church-wide authority. However, on 3 September of that year, Gould was removed from his position when it was discovered that there were eight, not seven, men who had been chosen to be presidents of the Seventy. Joseph Young
, one of the other presidents of the Seventy, asked Gould if he would be willing to join the high priests quorum; Gould agreed, and was ordained a high priest.
Gould moved with the majority of Latter Day Saints to Nauvoo, Illinois
in 1839. When the Latter Day Saints left Hancock County
, due to ill health Gould chose to relocate to Pottawattamie County
, Iowa
rather than travel west with the Mormon pioneer
s. Gould died at his home two days shy of his 43rd birthday.
Gould was married to Abigail Harrington and was the father of at least two children.
, a Latter Day Saint book of scripture
. In a revelation given to Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sidney Rigdon
on October 12, 1833, Smith and Rigdon were told that Gould and Orson Hyde were safe and would be saved if they kept the commandments of God.
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...
and is recognized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as the first non-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
person to serve as a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
.
Biography
Born in Upper CanadaUpper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, Gould was baptized into the Latter Day Saint church sometime before June 1833. In August 1833, he traveled with Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
from church headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland, 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:...
to assist the Latter Day Saints in Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
. In 1834, Gould helped Joseph Smith organize Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp was a paramilitary expedition of Latter Day Saints, led by Joseph Smith, Jr., from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri during May and June 1834 in an unsuccessful attempt to regain land from which the Saints had been expelled by non-Mormon settlers...
, a larger group of men that traveled to Missouri to render assistance; however, Gould did not participate in Zion's Camp.
Gould was a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the church in 1834 and 1835; he preached primarily in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
with Evan M. Greene. Gould was ordained to the priesthood office of Seventy in 1836 and on 6 April 1837 became one of the seven presidents of the Seventy, a position with church-wide authority. However, on 3 September of that year, Gould was removed from his position when it was discovered that there were eight, not seven, men who had been chosen to be presidents of the Seventy. Joseph Young
Joseph Young
Young was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the eighth child born to John Young and Abigail Howe.In 1830, while he was a preacher for the Methodist Church in Upper Canada, Young was introduced to the Book of Mormon by his younger brother Brigham...
, one of the other presidents of the Seventy, asked Gould if he would be willing to join the high priests quorum; Gould agreed, and was ordained a high priest.
Gould moved with the majority of Latter Day Saints to 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...
in 1839. When the Latter Day Saints left Hancock County
Hancock County, Illinois
Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 19,104, which is a decrease of 5.1% from 20,121 in 2000. Its county seat is Carthage. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County, with Carthage being the second largest...
, due to ill health Gould chose to relocate to Pottawattamie County
Pottawattamie County, Iowa
Pottawattamie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 93,158 in the 2010 census, an increase from 87,704 in the 2000 census and is the second largest county by area in Iowa. The Pottawattamie county seat is located at Council Bluffs. It is one of three Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
rather than travel west with the Mormon pioneer
Mormon Pioneer
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
s. Gould died at his home two days shy of his 43rd birthday.
Gould was married to Abigail Harrington and was the father of at least two children.
Doctrine and Covenants
Gould is mentioned in the Doctrine and CovenantsDoctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
, a Latter Day Saint book of scripture
Standard Works
The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the four books that currently constitute its open scriptural canon.* The Holy Bible * The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...
. In a revelation given to Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
on October 12, 1833, Smith and Rigdon were told that Gould and Orson Hyde were safe and would be saved if they kept the commandments of God.