John Murdock (Mormon)
Encyclopedia
John Murdock was an early convert to the Latter Day Saint movement
and was a missionary
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is mentioned twice in the Doctrine and Covenants
. He was also the first mission president
for the LDS Church in Australia.
Murdock was born in Kortright, New York
.
Prior to joining the Latter Day Saint Church of Christ, Murdock had belonged to many churches. First he had affiliated with the Dutch Lutheran Church. He next became a Methodist. He also was for a short time part of a Baptist
congregation, which he left because he did not agree with their support of Calvinist doctrines. In 1827 Murdock joined the Campbellites. His falling out with the Campbellites was largely due to Alexander Campbell rejecting the Holy Ghost.
Murdock was baptized a member of the Church of Christ in November 1830. At this time he lived in Geauga County, Ohio
.
In 1831 Murdock accompanied Hyrum Smith
on a mission to Pontiac, Michigan
. They had been commanded to take this general route in Doctrine and Covenants 52:8.
He served several missions
for the church in the early years. After his first wife (Julia Clapp Murdock) died, Joseph Smith, Jr. and his wife Emma adopted Murdock's newborn twins, Joseph and Julia
.
In Doctrine and Covenants 99:1 John Murdock is commanded to go to the Eastern United States and declare the gospel "from house to house, from village to village and from city to city."
Murdock served in Zion's Camp
. Before he joined Zion's Camp he was one of the elders who attempted to recruit people to join it. For example on March 17, 1834 he was at a conference at Avon, New York
trying to get the local members of the Church of Jesus Christ to join the Zion's Camp effort.
He was assigned to preside over the church in Springville
at a conference in 1835.
After Zion's Camp Murdock also served on the high councils in Far West
and Salt Lake City, Utah
. He also served as a bishop in Nauvoo
and Salt Lake City.
In 1851, Murdock went to Australia as the first Latter-day Saint missionary sent to Australia since William Barratt
in 1840. Murdock was accompanied on this mission by Charles Wandell. They first preached in Sydney and also traveled to the immediate vicinity of the area. He gave his first sermon in Australia on 2 November 1851 at the site of the Old Sydney Race Course.
His son John R. Murdock
led more Down and Back Companies than anyone else.
Murdock died in Beaver, Utah
.
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 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 of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is mentioned twice in the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
. He was also the first mission 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...
for the LDS Church in Australia.
Murdock was born in Kortright, New York
Kortright, New York
Kortright is a town in Delaware County, New York, United States. The population was 1,633 at the 2000 census.The Town of Kortright is in the northern part of the county.-Geography:...
.
Prior to joining the Latter Day Saint Church of Christ, Murdock had belonged to many churches. First he had affiliated with the Dutch Lutheran Church. He next became a Methodist. He also was for a short time part of a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
congregation, which he left because he did not agree with their support of Calvinist doctrines. In 1827 Murdock joined the Campbellites. His falling out with the Campbellites was largely due to Alexander Campbell rejecting the Holy Ghost.
Murdock was baptized a member of the Church of Christ in November 1830. At this time he lived in Geauga County, Ohio
Geauga County, Ohio
Geauga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 93,389. It is named for a Native American word meaning "raccoon". The county seat is Chardon...
.
In 1831 Murdock accompanied 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....
on a mission to Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
. They had been commanded to take this general route in Doctrine and Covenants 52:8.
He served several missions
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 the early years. After his first wife (Julia Clapp Murdock) died, Joseph Smith, Jr. and his wife Emma adopted Murdock's newborn twins, Joseph and Julia
Julia Murdock Smith
Julia Murdock Smith Dixon Middleton was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and the eldest surviving child and only daughter of Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
In Doctrine and Covenants 99:1 John Murdock is commanded to go to the Eastern United States and declare the gospel "from house to house, from village to village and from city to city."
Murdock served in 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...
. Before he joined Zion's Camp he was one of the elders who attempted to recruit people to join it. For example on March 17, 1834 he was at a conference at Avon, New York
Avon, New York
Avon, New York is the name of two places located in Livingston County in the State of New York in the United States of America.*Avon , New York*Avon , New York...
trying to get the local members of the Church of Jesus Christ to join the Zion's Camp effort.
He was assigned to preside over the church in Springville
Springville Township, Pennsylvania
Springville Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States that was formed during the April Session in 1814...
at a conference in 1835.
After Zion's Camp Murdock also served on the high councils in Far West
Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri.-Foundation and early history:The town was founded by Missouri Mormon leaders, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer in August 1836 shortly before the county's creation. The town was platted originally as a square area,...
and Salt Lake City, Utah
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...
. He also served as a bishop 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...
and Salt Lake City.
In 1851, Murdock went to Australia as the first Latter-day Saint missionary sent to Australia since William Barratt
William Barratt
William James Barratt was an English convert to Mormonism and became the first Latter Day Saint to live in Australia when he was sent there as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. However, he ultimately apostatized from Mormonism.Barratt was born in Burslem, North...
in 1840. Murdock was accompanied on this mission by Charles Wandell. They first preached in Sydney and also traveled to the immediate vicinity of the area. He gave his first sermon in Australia on 2 November 1851 at the site of the Old Sydney Race Course.
His son John R. Murdock
John R. Murdock (Mormon)
.John Riggs Murdock was the leader of the most Down-and-Back companies in Latter-day Saint history....
led more Down and Back Companies than anyone else.
Murdock died in Beaver, Utah
Beaver, Utah
Beaver is a city in Beaver County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,454 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Beaver County.Settled by Mormon pioneers in 1856, Beaver was one of a string of Mormon settlements extending the length of Utah...
.