Charles C. Rich
Encyclopedia
Charles Coulson Rich was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement
and served as an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Rich was born in Campbell County, Kentucky
to Joseph and Nancy O'Neal Rich. At six feet, 4 inches in height, he was considered a tall man for the time period. He was baptized into the early Latter Day Saint church by George M. Hinkle
in 1832, after having been taught by Lyman Wight
in 1831. In 1838 he married Sarah D. Pea (of Looking Glass Prairie, Illinois) whom he had previously proposed to by letter, the two having never before met.
Rich was a leader in Caldwell County, Missouri
and fought in the Battle of Crooked River
in 1838. His log house is the only structure from the Mormon period in 1836–38 in Caldwell County, Missouri to have survived. After the expulsion of the Latter Day Saints from Missouri, Rich settled in Nauvoo, Illinois
where he was made an original member of the Council of Fifty
. He also served as a member of the Nauvoo High Council, and as a brigadier and major general in the Nauvoo Legion
.
After the death
of Joseph Smith, Jr., Rich followed the leadership of Brigham Young
and the surviving Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He and his family migrated to what became Utah
with the main body of the church in 1847, leading a pioneer company that arrived October of that year. When Young and the other apostles returned that winter to Winter Quarters, Nebraska
, Charles served as a counselor to John Smith, who presided over the early pioneers in the Great Salt Lake Valley
. In October 1848 Rich was made the president of the Salt Lake Stake.
Brigham Young appointed Rich a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on 12 February 1849.
Rich helped form a Latter-day Saint settlement in San Bernardino, California
. However, this settlement attracted many people who wanted to get away from the leaders of the church. The faithful members were called home in 1857 at the time of the Utah War
.
In the early 1860s, Rich served as president
of the British Mission
of the church.
Rich followed the church's principle of plural marriage
, taking six wives in all and fathering 51 children.
In 1863, Rich led a party of early Mormons to colonize parts of southeastern Idaho, which at the time was thought to be part of the Utah Territory. The communities of Paris
and Geneva, Idaho
, as well as some other neighboring towns, were under his direction. He died in Paris in 1883 at the age of seventy-five, after suffering several debilitating strokes.
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 served as an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Rich was born in Campbell County, Kentucky
Campbell County, Kentucky
Campbell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed on December 17, 1794, from sections of Scott, Harrison and Mason counties. As of 2010, the population was 90,336. Its county seats are Alexandria and Newport...
to Joseph and Nancy O'Neal Rich. At six feet, 4 inches in height, he was considered a tall man for the time period. He was baptized into the early Latter Day Saint church by George M. Hinkle
George M. Hinkle
George M. Hinkle was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.Born in Jefferson County, Kentucky on November 13, 1801, Hinkle joined the early Latter Day Saint church in 1832. He sat on the church's High Council in Far West, Missouri and led the settlement of De Witt, Missouri...
in 1832, after having been taught by Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr...
in 1831. In 1838 he married Sarah D. Pea (of Looking Glass Prairie, Illinois) whom he had previously proposed to by letter, the two having never before met.
Rich was a leader in 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...
and fought in the Battle of Crooked River
Battle of Crooked River
The Battle of Crooked River was a skirmish between Latter Day Saint forces and Missouri state militia unit from southeast of Elmira, Missouri in Ray County under the command of Samuel Bogart...
in 1838. His log house is the only structure from the Mormon period in 1836–38 in Caldwell County, Missouri to have survived. After the expulsion of the Latter Day Saints from Missouri, Rich 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...
where he was made an original member of the Council of Fifty
Council of Fifty
The Council of Fifty was a Latter Day Saint organization established by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. He also served as a member of the Nauvoo High Council, and as a brigadier and major general in the Nauvoo Legion
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a militia originally organized by the Latter Day Saints to defend the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, . To curry political favor with the ambiguously-political Saints, the Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion extraordinary...
.
After the death
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
of Joseph Smith, Jr., Rich followed the leadership of 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...
and the surviving Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He and his family migrated to what became Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
with the main body of the church in 1847, leading a pioneer company that arrived October of that year. When Young and the other apostles returned that winter to 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...
, Charles served as a counselor to John Smith, who presided over the early pioneers in the Great Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
. In October 1848 Rich was made the president of the Salt Lake Stake.
Brigham Young appointed Rich a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on 12 February 1849.
Rich helped form a Latter-day Saint settlement in San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
. However, this settlement attracted many people who wanted to get away from the leaders of the church. The faithful members were called home in 1857 at the time of the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
.
In the early 1860s, Rich served as president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the British Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the church.
Rich followed the church's principle of plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
, taking six wives in all and fathering 51 children.
In 1863, Rich led a party of early Mormons to colonize parts of southeastern Idaho, which at the time was thought to be part of the Utah Territory. The communities of Paris
Paris, Idaho
Paris is a rural city located on the western side of the Bear Lake Valley in Bear Lake County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 576 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Bear Lake County, it was settled on September 26, 1863 by pioneer settlers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day...
and Geneva, Idaho
Geneva, Idaho
Geneva is an unincorporated community in Bear Lake County, Idaho, United States. Its elevation is 6,178 feet . Although Geneva is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 83238; the ZCTA for ZIP Code 83238 had a population of 141 at the 2000 census. An elementary school...
, as well as some other neighboring towns, were under his direction. He died in Paris in 1883 at the age of seventy-five, after suffering several debilitating strokes.
Sermons by Charles C. Rich
- "Privileges Better Appreciated By Absence—Present Salvation," Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp. 353–354, http://jod.mrm.org/4/353
- "Sufficiency of the Gospel—Obedience to Truth," Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, pp. 296–300, http://jod.mrm.org/5/296
- "Present Opportunities of Obtaining a Knowledge of the Principles of Truth—Importance of Improving Them," Journal of Discourses, vol. 10, pp. 90–95, http://jod.mrm.org/10/90
- "Building the Temple—General Duties of the Saints," Journal of Discourses, vol. 10, pp. 160–163, http://jod.mrm.org/10/160
- "Labor To Build Up The Kingdom," Journal of Discourses, vol. 12, pp. 3–5, http://jod.mrm.org/12/3
- "Saints Should Be Whole-Hearted—Seek First the Kingdom," Journal of Discourses, vol. 19, pp. 26–30, http://jod.mrm.org/19/26
- "Expectations Deferred," Journal of Discourses, vol. 19, pp. 161–168, http://jod.mrm.org/19/161
- "Blessing the Result of Obedience to Law—Our Agency in the Flesh," Journalof Discourses, vol. 19, pp. 249–258, http://jod.mrm.org/19/249
- "No Salvation in Ignorance," Journal of Discourses, vol. 19, pp. 371–376, http://jod.mrm.org/19/371