Joseph Fielding
Encyclopedia
Joseph Fielding was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement
. He served as the second president of the British Mission
(1838–1840), coordinating the activities of missionaries in sections of the United Kingdom
and parts of Europe
. He was the brother of Mary Fielding
, the second wife of Hyrum Smith
, and an uncle of Joseph F. Smith
, the sixth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Fielding was born in Honeydon, Bedfordshire, England
, to John Fielding and Rachel Ibbotson. The Fielding family were active in the growing Methodist movement in the area. In 1832, he emigrated to Canada
with his sister, Mercy Rachel. The siblings established a farm in Charleton, nine miles northwest of Toronto
. They were joined a short time later by his younger sister, Mary. Between 1834 and 1836, Fielding and his sisters participated in a religious study group in Toronto. Other members included John
and Leonora Taylor, who later also became prominent in the LDS faith. The group discussed problems and concerns with their Methodist faith, and quickly became known as the "Dissenters."
Fielding was baptized into the Church of the Latter Day Saints on May 21, 1836 by Parley P. Pratt
. He was ordained a teacher in the summer of 1836, and moved his family to Kirtland, Ohio
to join the general body of the church in May 1837.
, Orson Hyde
, and other missionaries on the first foreign mission for the church. The early success of the mission was due largely to the willingness of Joseph's brother, Rev. James Fielding, and later his brother-in-law, Rev. Timothy Mathews, to make their pulpits available to the missionaries. By 1838, nearly one thousand members had been baptized, and organized into twenty branches throughout the country. To Fielding's sorrow, his family's support for LDS preaching and missionary activities did not continue, doing some damage to relationships within the extended family.
Between 1838 and 1840, Fielding was left in charge of the mission when Kimball and Hyde returned to America in the spring of 1838. He acted as Mission President
for the church, with Willard Richards
as his first counselor and recent British convert William Clayton as his second counselor. Fielding married a newly baptized church member, Hannah Greenwood, in June 1838. The couple had six children.
Fielding was released as mission president when Brigham Young
and other apostles arrived in England in 1840, but continued to serve as a missionary until 1841. He and his wife left for the United States
in 1841 and settled in Nauvoo, Illinois
.
In his journal, Wilford Woodruff
recorded that Fielding received his LDS temple endowment
in the same session as William Wines Phelps, Levi Richards, Lot Smith
, and Cornelius P. Lott
in the office over Joseph Smith's store on December 9, 1843. Fielding took an addition plural wife
, Mary Ann Peake Greenhalgh in either 1843 or 1846.
, the church underwent a crisis
over an appropriate successor for the Church president. Fielding and both of his widowed sisters chose to follow Brigham Young and move west with the greater part of the Saints. He supported his sisters, their children and stepchildren, traveling with them to Winter Quarters, Nebraska
and, in 1848, to Utah
. He settled near Mary's family in Millcreek, Utah
. He died there on December 19, 1863.
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...
. He served as the second president 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...
(1838–1840), coordinating the activities of missionaries in sections of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He was the brother of Mary Fielding
Mary Fielding Smith
Mary Fielding Smith Kimball was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, the second wife of LDS Church leader Hyrum Smith and the mother of Joseph F. Smith....
, the second wife of 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....
, and an uncle of Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, the sixth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Fielding was born in Honeydon, Bedfordshire, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to John Fielding and Rachel Ibbotson. The Fielding family were active in the growing Methodist movement in the area. In 1832, he emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with his sister, Mercy Rachel. The siblings established a farm in Charleton, nine miles northwest of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. They were joined a short time later by his younger sister, Mary. Between 1834 and 1836, Fielding and his sisters participated in a religious study group in Toronto. Other members included John
John Taylor (1808-1887)
John Taylor was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. He is the only president of the LDS Church to have been born outside of the United States....
and Leonora Taylor, who later also became prominent in the LDS faith. The group discussed problems and concerns with their Methodist faith, and quickly became known as the "Dissenters."
Fielding was baptized into the Church of the Latter Day Saints on May 21, 1836 by 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...
. He was ordained a teacher in the summer of 1836, and moved his family to 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 join the general body of the church in May 1837.
Mission to England
Between 1837 and 1842, Fielding was called to leave his family and serve a mission to England. In June, he accompanied Heber C. KimballHeber C. Kimball
Heber Chase Kimball was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Latter Day Saint church, and as first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his...
, 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...
, and other missionaries on the first foreign mission for the church. The early success of the mission was due largely to the willingness of Joseph's brother, Rev. James Fielding, and later his brother-in-law, Rev. Timothy Mathews, to make their pulpits available to the missionaries. By 1838, nearly one thousand members had been baptized, and organized into twenty branches throughout the country. To Fielding's sorrow, his family's support for LDS preaching and missionary activities did not continue, doing some damage to relationships within the extended family.
Between 1838 and 1840, Fielding was left in charge of the mission when Kimball and Hyde returned to America in the spring of 1838. He acted as 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 church, with Willard Richards
Willard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
as his first counselor and recent British convert William Clayton as his second counselor. Fielding married a newly baptized church member, Hannah Greenwood, in June 1838. The couple had six children.
Fielding was released as mission president when 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 other apostles arrived in England in 1840, but continued to serve as a missionary until 1841. He and his wife left for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1841 and 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...
.
In his journal, Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
recorded that Fielding received his LDS temple endowment
Endowment (Latter Day Saints)
In the theology of the Latter Day Saint movement, an endowment refers to a gift of "power from on high", typically associated with Latter Day Saint temples. The purpose and meaning of the endowment varied during the life of movement founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
in the same session as William Wines Phelps, Levi Richards, Lot Smith
Lot Smith
Lot Smith was a Mormon pioneer and American frontiersman.-Background:Born in 1830 in Williamstown, Oswego County, New York, he became a close friend of Orrin Porter Rockwell and was known as "The Horseman" for his exceptional skills on horseback as well as for his help in rounding up wild mustangs...
, and Cornelius P. Lott
Cornelius P. Lott
Cornelius Peter Lott was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, father of one of Joseph Smith's plural wives, a member of the Council of Fifty and a Danite leader.-Early life and marriage:...
in the office over Joseph Smith's store on December 9, 1843. Fielding took an addition plural wife
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...
, Mary Ann Peake Greenhalgh in either 1843 or 1846.
Migration west
Following the death of LDS leader Joseph Smith, Jr., and Fielding's brother-in-law Hyrum SmithHyrum 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....
, the church underwent a crisis
Succession crisis (Mormonism)
The succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement occurred after the violent death of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., on June 27, 1844....
over an appropriate successor for the Church president. Fielding and both of his widowed sisters chose to follow Brigham Young and move west with the greater part of the Saints. He supported his sisters, their children and stepchildren, traveling with them 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...
and, in 1848, to 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...
. He settled near Mary's family in Millcreek, Utah
Millcreek, Utah
Millcreek is a census-designated place and township in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. In the 2000 census, this area was divided among four CDPs, the westernmost of which was designated Millcreek CDP. The population of this CDP was 30,377 at the 2000 census...
. He died there on December 19, 1863.