Thomas Bullock (Mormon)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Bullock was a Mormon pioneer
and a clerk in the Church Historian's Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Bullock was born in Leek
, Staffordshire
, England
. Bullock worked as an excise officer for the British government.
On November 20, 1841, Bullock and his wife Henrietta Rushton were baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In 1843, the Bullocks emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois
, where the majority of Latter Day Saints were gathering. In fall of 1843, Bullock was employed as a private clerk to Joseph Smith, Jr. He was clerk at the April 1844 general conference of the church, an assistant to Church Historian and Recorder
Willard Richards
from 1842 to 1854, and was the clerk to the Council of Fifty
from 1846 to 1882. While with the Church Historian's Office, Bullock was responsible for writing some portions of History of the Church
.
Like many early Latter Day Saints, Bullock practiced plural marriage
. In 1846 he married Lucy Clayton, the sister of William Clayton, another prominent clerk in the church. In 1852, Bullock married his third wife, Betsy Prudence Howard.
In 1847, Bullock traveled with the initial Mormon pioneer
company that traveled to the Salt Lake Valley
. In Utah Territory
, Bullock was the clerk of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, clerk to the Utah Territorial Legislature, and was an occasional clerk to Brigham Young
and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. From 1856 to 1858, Bullock returned to England as a missionary
for the church.
Bullock served in the church as a Seventy and in a variety of secretarial positions. He died in Coalville, Utah
at the age of 68. Bullock was the father of 23 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood.
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...
and a clerk in the Church Historian's Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Bullock was born in Leek
Leek, Staffordshire
Leek is a market town in the county of Staffordshire, England, on the River Churnet. It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214.It is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, 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...
. Bullock worked as an excise officer for the British government.
On November 20, 1841, Bullock and his wife Henrietta Rushton were baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In 1843, the Bullocks emigrated 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...
, where the majority of Latter Day Saints were gathering. In fall of 1843, Bullock was employed as a private clerk to Joseph Smith, Jr. He was clerk at the April 1844 general conference of the church, an assistant to Church Historian and Recorder
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...
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...
from 1842 to 1854, and was the clerk to the Council of Fifty
Council of Fifty
The Council of Fifty was a Latter Day Saint organization established by Joseph Smith, Jr...
from 1846 to 1882. While with the Church Historian's Office, Bullock was responsible for writing some portions of 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...
.
Like many early Latter Day Saints, Bullock practiced 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...
. In 1846 he married Lucy Clayton, the sister of William Clayton, another prominent clerk in the church. In 1852, Bullock married his third wife, Betsy Prudence Howard.
In 1847, Bullock traveled with the initial 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...
company that traveled to the 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 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....
, Bullock was the clerk of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, clerk to the Utah Territorial Legislature, and was an occasional clerk to 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 Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. From 1856 to 1858, Bullock returned to England as 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.
Bullock served in the church as a Seventy and in a variety of secretarial positions. He died in Coalville, Utah
Coalville, Utah
Coalville is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,382 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Summit County...
at the age of 68. Bullock was the father of 23 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood.