James Sloan (Latter Day Saints)
Encyclopedia
James Sloan was an official historian and recorder
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a secretary to Joseph Smith, Jr., and one of the first Mormon
settlers in Nauvoo
, Illinois
.
Sloan was born in County Tyrone
, Ireland
. In the mid-1830s, he became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and emigrated to the United States
. On February 18, 1838, Sloan was ordained a high priest by Joseph Smith, Sr.
In 1840, he became one of the first Latter Day Saints to settle in Hancock County, Illinois
, in what would later be called the city of Nauvoo. On February 1, 1840, Sloan was appointed to be the first city recorder in Nauvoo's history and the first clerk of the Nauvoo Court. In September 1842, Sloan was elected Nauvoo's first notary public
.
In 1841 and 1842, Sloan was an official historian and recorder of the church and from 1840 to 1843 he served as a scribe to President of the Church Joseph Smith, Jr. and Assistant President of the Church
Hyrum Smith
. He is one of many writers whose work was collected into the LDS Church's official early history, History of the Church
.
In May 1843 Sloan traveled to Ireland
as a church missionary
. While on his mission, he was selected to preside over the Irish Conference
and later the Bradford
Conference of the church.
Upon returning to America, Sloan settled in Pottawattamie County, Iowa
. While in Pottawattamie County Sloan served as the first county clerk and in 1851 he was elected District Judge for that county. After 1851, he traveled to Utah Territory
as a Mormon pioneer
to join the main gathering of Latter-day Saints.
Later in his life, Sloan left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Sloan emigrated to California and died in Sacramento
, just four days short of his 94th birthday.
Church Historian and Recorder
Church Historian and Recorder is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The role of the Church Historian and Recorder is to keep an accurate and comprehensive record of the church and its activities...
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a secretary to Joseph Smith, Jr., and one of the first Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
settlers in Nauvoo
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...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Sloan was born in County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. In the mid-1830s, he became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. On February 18, 1838, Sloan was ordained a high priest by 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 1840, he became one of the first Latter Day Saints to settle in Hancock County, Illinois
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...
, in what would later be called the city of Nauvoo. On February 1, 1840, Sloan was appointed to be the first city recorder in Nauvoo's history and the first clerk of the Nauvoo Court. In September 1842, Sloan was elected Nauvoo's first notary public
Notary public
A notary public in the common law world is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business...
.
In 1841 and 1842, Sloan was an official historian and recorder of the church and from 1840 to 1843 he served as a scribe to President of the Church Joseph Smith, Jr. and Assistant President of the Church
Assistant President of the Church
Assistant President of the Church was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. The Assistant President was the second-highest authority in the church and was a member of the church's governing First Presidency...
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....
. He is one of many writers whose work was collected into the LDS Church's official early history, History of the Church
History of the Church
History of the Church is a semi-official history of the early Latter Day Saint movement during the lifetime of founder Joseph...
.
In May 1843 Sloan traveled to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as a church 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...
. While on his mission, he was selected to preside over the Irish Conference
District (LDS Church)
A district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative unit composed of a number of congregations called branches. A district is a subdivision of a mission of the church and in many ways is analogous to a stake of the church. The leader of a district is the...
and later the Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
Conference of the church.
Upon returning to America, Sloan settled in Pottawattamie County, 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...
. While in Pottawattamie County Sloan served as the first county clerk and in 1851 he was elected District Judge for that county. After 1851, he traveled to Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
as a 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...
to join the main gathering of Latter-day Saints.
Later in his life, Sloan left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Sloan emigrated to California and died in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, just four days short of his 94th birthday.