Jared Carter (1801

Mormon History 1830-1844

Joseph

Bios

Jared Carter (1801–1849)

Early convert, missionary, high council, Danite leader.
Born	January 14, 1801 in Benson, Rutland Co., Vermont		FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
Died	July 7, 1849 in what is now DeKalb, Illinois.		Chuck Ford, a g-g-g-grandson PWJS, 665, citing Illinois Mortality Schedule, 1850. Gravestone
Father	Gideon Carter		FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
Mother	Joanna Sims		FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
Occupation	Shoemaker, cordwainer.		PWJS, 665.
Conversion	1831 living in Chenango, Broome county, New York when he hears about Mormonism from Hezekiah Peck's brother, John, who is opposed to it. Jared is converted by reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it.		Jared Carter diary in Early documents 4:100–101.
Baptism	February 20, 1831 baptized by Hyrum Smith.		Jared Carter diary, 4 // Early documents 4:101.
Ohio	April–May 1831 travels with "the Church of Christ" from Ithaca on the south end of Cayuga Lake, up the lake to the Cayuga and Seneca Canal, which connects to the Erie Canal, arriving in Buffalo "about the 15th of April." The main body from Colesville arrived on May 1, and Lucy Mack Smith's group of eighty from Waterloo a week later. Prevented from crossing Lake Erie due to wind and ice, Jared leads a dozen men overland from Colesville to Dunkirk, where they catch a steamboat to Fairport, Ohio, then travel over land to Kirtland >.		about the 15th of April:
Priest	June 6, 1831 called to be ordained a priest.		¶ D&C 52:38 Date questionable. He is not listed in Minutes of June [3–6], 1831
1831–1832 mission	September 22, 1831 ordained an elder and "received the authority of an apostle" prior to departing on mission with Ebenezer Page (father of John E. Page).		Jared Carter diary, 35.
	January 1832 first missionary to Spafford, New York, where John Gould ministers to the Free Will Baptist church. Zera Pulsipher built the meetinghouse. Shadrach and Uriah Roundy are members of the congregation. A Book of Mormon circulates in the fall of 1831 and in January 1832 Jared Carter, the first missionary to visit, baptizes the Goulds, Pulsiphers, Roundys, and others.		John Pulsipher, 1 Zera Pulsipher autobiography.
	February 29, 1832 returns to Amherst.
1832 mission	March 12, 1832 called on another mission "into the eastern countries."		D&C 79
	April 25, 1832 leaves for the East with Calvin Stoddard. They part in New York and Jared continues to Vermont with his brother Gideon and Sylvester Smith.
	October 19, 1832 returns to Kirtland, then Amherst.
	December 1, 1832 leaves on mission to Detroit with Moses Daley.
Vermont	December 24, 1832 Jared and Simeon have baptized a hundred in Vermont.		EMS 1, no. 9 (Feb. 1833)
Michigan	February 16, 1833 Samuel Bent writes from Pontiac, Michigan that Jared has been there about five weeks and baptized 22, including himself, wife, and children. He is now proselyting with Jared.		EMS 1, no. 11 (Apr. 1833)
[April] 1833	Organizes three small churches in Michigan.		Gideon H. Carter letter, May 1832, EMS 2, no. 14 (July 1833): 108.
Kirtland	April 13, 1833 back in Kirtland, hands Joseph a letter from his brother, which Joseph answers.		HC 1:338.
Healing	[May or June 1833:] not long ~~how~~ after Brother John arrived My daughter Sophronia Stoddard was taken <very> sick and her symptoms soon became so alarming that her husband being alarmed about her sent for a physician who after attending upon her sometime pronounced her beyond the reach of Medicine and discontinued his visits because he said that he could be of no service to her—in a short time she became so weak that we could not turn her in bed for several days She did not speak and many thought that she was dying about this time Jared Carter returned from a preaching Mission ~~and~~ he was a man of great faith and I thought that if I could get him to administer to her with ~~the~~ my husband & sons that by their united faith she might be healed <I spoke> ~~acc~~ <mentioned this> to Mr. Smith and he called Brother Carter and his sons together and the[y] laid hands on her and in ½ an hour she spoke to me and said Mother I shall get well but not suddenly but the Lord will heal me gradually, and it was so		Lucy (1844–45), 586.
School committee	May 4, 1833 proposes construction of a school in Kirtland. Named to committee with Hyrum Smith and Reynolds Cahoon.		Minutes of May 4, 1833
Kirtland lot	May 6, 1833 granted second lot north of the House of the Lord in Kirtland.		¶ D&C 94
House of the Lord	July 23, 1833 assists in laying foundation of the House of the Lord.
High council	February 17, 1834 selected to be a charter member of the Kirtland high council, referred to variously as "the Presidents church Council," "the high council of the Church," "the Church Council," and the "standing council in Kirtland." The council is created to resolve "important difficulties" that cannot be settled "by the Church, or the bishop's council to the satisfaction of the parties." Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G Williams are presidents of the council.		Minutes of February 17, 1834 D&C 102:3
Upper Canada	February 20, 1834 assigned a mission to Upper Canada with Phineas Young "if they can arrange their affairs at home."		¶ Minutes of February 20, 1834
Fund-raising mission	April 1834 … brother JARED CARTER, has been appointed to visit the several churches, to receive contributions for the purpose of finishing the stone building now erecting in this place, designed as a house of worship and praise to the Lord.		EMS 2, no. 19 (Apr. 1834): 151.
Maine	June 13, 1834 presides as moderator over conference in Saco, Maine. Seventeen branches represented, two from Pennsylvania, three from New York, and twelve, "east of the State of N. York."		EMS 2, no. 23 (Aug. 1834): 181.
Kirtland	August 30, 1834 turns in $3 of "consecrated money" from the east.		Diary-1 in JS personal, rev. ed., 1:47.
	March 7, 1835 blessed for work on the House of the Lord.
New York	July 29, 1835 Warren A. Cowdery, presiding elder in Freedom, New York, writes Kirtland that Jared had stopped there to raise funds "for finishing the house in your place." Warren acknowledges that the Messenger and Advocate had mentioned his mission, members had forgotten it, "therefore, we were in some degree taken on surprise. To the recollection of any of the church, neither the Twelve, the Bishop, nor any others clothed with authority have ever mentioned this subject to us, except incidentally." Consequently, they were taken unawares, so when "he undertook to preach to us yesterday, … he could get none of the Spirit of the Lord to assist him."		HC 2:239.
Tries to ruin the Twelve	September 1835 Jared Carter, Dr. Cowdery, and others tried to ruin the Twelve in the eyes of Joseph. … those men so prejudiced the mind of the First Presidency that two of the Twelve were suspended. But there were enough left to form a Quorum and do business.		Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake Tabernacle, Dec. 13, 1857, JD 6:127. Minutes of September 26, 1835 ¶ Minutes of January 16, 1836
Rebels against counsel, errs in spirit	September 19, 1835 rebuked by the First Presidency and Kirtland high council for "rebelling against the advice and counsel of the Presidents … as he had done before." He is directed to stand before the congregation tomorrow and say, "Brethren, I am fully convinced that I have erred in spirit, in my remarks before you, when I spoke here a few Sabbaths since; and now I ask your forgiveness." Jared promises to comply.		Minutes of September 19, 1835
Patriarchal blessing	September 24, 1835 patriarchal blessing from Joseph Smith Sr.		Lucy, 808.
Assault by William Smith	December 16, 1835 when Joseph tries to stop debate, William Smith assaults him and Jared.		Diary-2, JS personal, rev. ed., 134.
Warns out justice of the peace	November 7, 1836 date of petition signed by Jared and fifty-nine other Mormons warning justice of the peace Ariel Hanson to "depart forthwith out of Kirtland."		Origins, 91, 331n43.
Kirtland Safety Society	[1836–1837] pays $171 for 2000 shares of Kirtland Safety Society stock.		Kirtland economy, 76.
Assumes Joseph's financial woes	June 1837 Joseph Smith transfers his interests in the bank and other assets to Jared Carter and Oliver Granger so they can settle his obligations.		Kirtland Safety Society Ledger Book, 273, cited in Kirtland economy, 434.
Dissenters	[August] 1837 joins dissenters David Whitmer, Warren Parrish, Frederick G. Williams, John Boynton, and others, but is persuaded to confess his error to the church by Lucy and Joseph Smith Sr.		Lucy, 600–602.
High council	September 3, 1837 retained on Kirtland High Council (original appointment date unknown).		Minutes of September 3, 1837
	September 9, 1837 chosen president of the high council.		Minutes of September 9, 1837
Missouri	October 1, 1837 has moved to Missouri, replaced on the high council by Lyman Sherman.		Minutes of October 1, 1837
W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer excommunicated	March 10, 1838 serves on high council that excommunicates W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer. Acts as one of three counselors assigned to speak on behalf of the defendants. His remarks are not recorded.		Minutes of March 10, 1838
High council in Zion	April 7, 1838 named to the high council in Zion.		Minutes of April 7, 1838
Oliver excommunicated	April 12, 1838 high council excommunicates Oliver Cowdery.		Minutes of April 12, 1838
Lyman Johnson and David Whitmer excommunicated	April 13, 1838 high council excommunicates Lyman E. Johnson and David Whitmer.		Minutes of April 13, 1838
Incipient plot to kill Oliver Cowdery, Whitmers	Mid-June Jared Carter and Dimick B. Huntington call "a secret meeting" in Far West where it is proposed Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmers be killed so they cannot injure the church, John Corrill and Thomas B. Marsh (h) strenuously oppose the notion so the matter is dropped.		Peck manuscript, 23. Original: March
Sidney's salt sermon	June 17, 1838 [Sunday] Sidney Rigdon preaches in Far West, taking Matthew 5:13 as his text. He informs the Saints that:		Peck manuscript, 24–25. "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." Matthew 5:13 Salt sermon, the best source on the Salt Sermon, also documents the lynching of five professional gamblers in Vicksburg, July 6, 1835. Source
	they had a set of men among them that had dissented from the church and were doing all in their power to destroy the presidency, laying plans to take their lives &c., accused them of counterfeiting lying cheating and numerous other crimes and called on the people to rise [25] en masse and rid the county of Such a nuisance He said it is the duty of this people to trample them into the earth, and if the county cannot be freed from them any other way I will assit to trample them down or to erect a gallows on the Square of Far West and hang them up as they did the gamblers at Vicksburgh and it would be an act at which the angels would smile with approbation
Joseph endorses salt sermon	Joseph Smith in a Short speech Sanctioned what had been Said by Rigdon though said he I don't what [want] the brethren to act unlawfully but [26] will tell them one thing Judas was a traitor and instead of hanging himself was hung by Peter, and with this hint the subject was dropped for the day having created a great excitement and prepared the people to execute anything that should be proposed.
Warns out dissenters	June 1838 Jared is one of 83 signators, letter warning Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, John Whitmer, W. W. Phelps, and Lyman E. Johnson out of Caldwell county.		Part of the letter and all of the signators' names are in Document, 103–106. Source
Daughters of Zion	June [30], 1838 "About the last of June," Reed Peck attends a Danite meeting arranged by Jared Carter, George W. Robinson, and Sampson Avard, by direction of the First Presidency. Carter, Robinson, and Avard "had formed a secret military Society, called the 'daughter of Zion' and were holding meetings to initiate members."		Peck manuscript, 23.
Danite	July 4, 1838 military band passes in review of "Generals" Jared Carter, Sampson Avard and Cornelius P. Lott. According to Reed Peck, Jared was "captain general of the band," but about "the last of June, or first of July" Reed heard Dr. Avard say "that he had just returned from a council with, the presidency, in which council Jared Carter was broken of his office of Captain General of the Danite band, for having spoken against Sidney Rigdon."		¶ Order of the Day, July 4, 1838 Document, 120 Source ¶ Sidney's Independence Day Oration Danites: Document; Danite band; Rockwood journal; Origins 93–99, 479–490; Northern Missouri, 115–130.
John E. Page and John Taylor ordained apostles	December 19, 1838 attends high council meeting in Far West, Brigham Young presiding, where John E. Page (h) and John Taylor are appointed apostles to fill vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve. They are ordained by Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball (h5).		Minutes of December 19, 1838
Nauvoo	1839 moves to Nauvoo.		Early documents 4:102.
Accused of seeking Joseph's destruction	[March 27, 1843 Joseph Smith to Sidney Rigdon:] I am, Sir, honest, when I say that I believe, & <am> laboring under the fullest conviction that you are actually practising deception and wickedness against me and the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and that you are in connection with John C. Bennett, & Geo W. Robinson in the whole of their abomin[a]ble practices in seeking to destroy me and this people and that Jared Carter, is as deep {Sir} in the mud as you, <Sir,> are in the mire, in your conspiracies and that you are in the exercise of a traitrous spirit against our lives and interest by combining with our Enemies and the murderous Missourians.		Diary-1 in PWJS, 47 // HC 5:313.
Sidney: Jared innocent	[March [27], 1843 Sidney's reply:] As to Jared Carter, if there is anything in his mind unfavorably disposed to you, he has, as far as I know, kept it to himself; for he never said anything to me, nor in my hearing, from which I could draw even an inference of that kind. He was here yesterday, when you came, much dejected in spirit in relation to his temporal affairs, and commenced telling of the great injuries he had received by his son-in-law, and the great losses he had sustained by him, and seemed greatly dejected on account of it; but he never mentioned any other subject.		HC 5: 315.
Seeks temple slot	June 8, 1843 Elias Higbee, temple committee member, passes away. Jared "was very anxious to have the appointment and, for some cause or other, claimed it as his right. But the Spirit whispered that it would not be wisdom to appoint him. After some delay and consultation on the subject, the Patriarch Hyrum Smith was appointed by the Trustee-in Trust, with the consent of the other committee."		William Clayton, "An Interesting Journal," JI, 21.
Mission to defend Joseph's reputation	July 3, 1843 at Joseph's behest, the Twelve call many elders, including Jared, to preach the gospel throughout Illinois and "disabuse the public mind with regard to my arrest."		HC 5:485.
Disfellowshipped	July 16, 1844 Jared confesses and promises "to return to the church."		HC 7:271.
Chicago	By January 1847 member, Yoree branch, Chicago.		Early documents 4:100.

	From Colesville to Thompson
Determined to move to Ohio Build up Zion	[After making known his decision to move to Ohio, one neighbor] offerd to give me a piece of land if I would stay and live in the place but I replied that not for 15 of the best farms in the place would I stay in Chenengo [Chenango] one year I realising that that glorious time had come even the return of the captive daughter of Zion I commenced immediately to sell of my things & to make known of the building up of Zion		Jared Carter diary, 7.
Cayuga lake, canals	April 1831 travels "with the Church of Christ" from Ithaca on the south end of Cayuga Lake, up the lake to the Cayuga and Seneca Canal, which connects to the Erie Canal.		Jared Carter diary, 7.
Malcontents	on this Journey many of us had sevire trials being many of us in one boat and some of the members that did not enjoy religion whose conduct constantly was contrary to the commands which members were afterwords cut of from the church we continued on the canal to Buffalo		Jared Carter diary, 7.
	The Buffalo harbor is closed by ice.
Newel Knight dismisses prayer suggestion Jared's feelings hurt	on seeing this I prayed constenly to the Lord and it appeared to me that if Newel Nights [Knight] who was an elder & some others with myself should go to some plase as refinement & call apon God earnesly that god would immediately remove the ice so that we could go on to the West after vary plainly having these views I informed Newel Nights of the same but he spoke so lightly of my feelings or views that I was some afflicted for his words sake		Jared Carter diary, 8–9. Newel led the Colesville church to Buffalo.
Takes party overland to Dunkirk	soon after this it was thout by the Church best to have about 12 or 13 of the brethren go on to the Ohio by land or go on to Duncook [Dunkirk] & take the steem boat acordingly they appointed me to take the charge of the Brethren and sent us on
Troublemakers	we had not gone far before I found that my place was a going to be some afflictive for there was I found two or three of our company of brethren that was vary liable to get out of the way and did transgress the Commands of God this was vary try[ing] to me for I knew hardly [9] what to do with them
Steamship Lay over at Erie	At Dunkirk, Jared and his band board a steamship for Fairport, but a stiff wind forces the captain to tie up at Erie, Pennsylvania (just 50 miles from Buffalo), until the storm passes.
Afflictions of mind	we waited for a number of hours but aparently all in vain this Caused us some considerable afflictions of mind for we were there in the mids[t] of a wicked rabble of profane and wicked men several hundred of them about 2 miles from land boat tied to a peir that was made by a sand bar out in the lake and the wind unceasing continualy the boat roobling for the waves
Suggests prayer No results	being in this situation I was considerablely afflicted and began to convers with my brethren saying will not the Lord hear our prayers and open the way that the boat may go along I for one believe that he is willing to help us from this place this I mentioned [10] to a number of the brethren and we all agreed to pray to our heavenly father that he would cause the winds to sease we continued our prayer to God all the day & we could not discover that our prayers prevailed anything for the wind Blew ful as high if not hier than when we first began to call apon the Lord
Jared troubled	this being the case I was afflicted to my inmost soul for it appeard to me that I had prayed in faith & my Prayer was not anwered for I had had so much of the Spirit in praying that I had that day Prophecied to my Brethren that the wind would sease in this furnace of trials
Prays again with faith	I said in my heart what meneth these things O Lord why is it thus with me is not thy promise true which says what soever ye ask in faith it shall be done yes Lord thy promise is true & it will be done so shure as I had faith & I after a moments reflections said I know that I had faith & my prayer will be answered & I know that the wind [11] will sease immediately
Scripture	after having these considerations the scripture came in to my mind Relative to him who worketh in the hearts of the children of disabedianc of his being the princ of the power of the air
Commands wind Wind stops Continue to Fairport	and [as] soon as this Scripure came into my mind there was an influanc as a voice Speaking within me go and Command the wind in the name of Christ to sease I immediately arose and went out of the hearing of the wicked Crowd and Said in the name of Jesus Christ I command the winds to sease & the wind from that moment began to sease & in a bout fifteen minutes it was Stoped & the boat then soon started on we in a few hours after this Landed in ohio at fairport
Joseph Smith Thompson	From Fairport Harbor, Jared proceeds through Painesville to Kirtland where he greets Joseph Smith and is informed that the Colesville church will settle on Leman Copley's farm in Thompson, about 26 miles east of Kirtland. Jared and his companions go to Thompson to begin preparations. Their families and belongings arrive at Fairport on May 13 <.		May 13: Journal history, July 25, 1831.

	Thompson Events
Adversity in Thompson Especially Newel Knight	[At Thompson] was one of the most trying seans that I ever experienced for the grand adversary of all souls gained great power over some of my Brethren and among the rest of my Brethren I was most shockingly tempted … more expecially in consequence of Newel Knight's adresses to me for his Statement thretens and Commands to me		Jared Carter diary 12–17. Original: Nights
	[13] … not for the whole would [world] would I have disobeyed God in one of the Least of his commands yet he came to me in the following language
Newel denies Jared's miracles	the Spirit you have is not the true sprit and the winds never obeyed there never was any healed under your prayers you never wrought any mericles unless it was by the power of the devil and now says he I command you to repent in the name of Christ or you will be cast off
Miracles only by worthy	as he spoke these sentences the words droped into my mind which words are found in the book of mormon no man can do a merical in the name [14] Christ exept he be evry whit cleansed from Sin		¶ Book of Mormon miracles
Jared's life exemplary	[14] … after hearing him some time I said unto him what shall I do have you seen any thing in my daly walk and conversation that is contrary to the commands of God he answered no I have not seen but that you and your wife are as examplary as any of the whole church
Severe trial	after having this interview I had some of the most sever trials but I did not believe all broth Nights said was exactly so for if I had I should as soon believed that there was no God as anything else
Wife joins	In Thompson, Jared's wife, who initially opposed his participation in the church, fearing it was a delusion, is baptized.
Joseph heals child	[15] … about this time there was some displays of the power of god mirracalously in the church in thomson by the instrumentality of Br. Joseph the sear … my youngest child … was disstresingly sick at which time Joseph came to my house and I told him that I had faith that the babe might be healed he then spoke in the name of the Lord that it should be acording to my faith the child was healed immediately
Joseph heals blind	[16] the same day there was one of our sisters healed from blindness by his instrumentality
Simeon Carter heals	I also saw another display of the healing power the 6th of June in Kirkland which took plase by the instrumentality of my Natural Brother Simeon Carter
Female mortally injured	She had the day before fallen from a wagon on the way to the meeting She to evry apparance was mortally bruised and she was not expected to Live but a vary short time She was So badly bruised that she told me that she could not move even one of hur toes and she was in grat pain
Jared urges faith Simeon commands her to walk	I conversed with hur and told hur that she need not have any more pain I also spoke of my Brother Simeon & told hur that he was one that was endowed with power from on high and that she might be healed if she had faith after this, Brother Simeon [17] Conversed with hur & after he had Conversed with hur a while he took hur by the hand and said I cammand you in the Name of Jesus Christ to rise up & walk and She arose & walked from room to room

	June [3–6], 1831 Conference
High Priesthood	on Friday before this was that memerable day when God first gave the fullness of the high priesthood to the Elders of the Church of Christ		Jared Carter diary 17–29. This text follows directly after "room to room" above.
Joseph not natural speaker Filled with Holy Ghost	at this interview Brother Joseph not withstanding he is not naturaly talanted for a Speaker yet he was filled with the power of the holy ghost So that he S[p]oke as I never heard man speak for God by the power of the holy ghost Spoke in him and marvilous was the displays of the power of the spirit among the Elders preasant
Meets Simeon Carter	[18] here at this interview I met my Brother Simeon who I had not seen for eight years he had
8 years separation	left Benson in a vermont when I lived there and had lived in Ohio and at this place we met in the faith of the Church of Christ this meeting Shurly was a meeting of meetins to me not only on the account of the glorious displays of the power of the spirit of God in meeting but also to see a natural brother So filled with Spirit of god one whom I had at former times dispaired of all most because of his backwardness in the cause of god … I had much Conversation with this brother [19] And by his instrumentality was helped out of some of my trials that I had been thrown into by Newel nights [Knight] …
	I concluded to remove my family to the town of Amherst where my Brother lived …
Refuses to be ordained an elder Because of Newel Knight comments	there was some conversation among some of the Elders as I had ought to be ordained but I informed them not withstanding I felt as though it was my in[d]ispensabl[e] duty to preach the Gospel that I was unwilling to be ordained unless it was by the consent of all the Elders … for I had heard that newel Knight had said that it was not expediant that I should be ordained but it did appear by revelation that God required that I should be ordained
To Amherst	from here I returned to Thompson & [20] made preperations and removed my family to Amherst		Original: Thomson

	Family
Wife	Lydia Ames md. September 20, 1825; d. September 22, 1865 in DeKalb, Illinois.		Marriage, FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19; death date courtesy of Chuck Ford. Gravestone
		Evaline (b. 1824, Benson, Vermont)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		*Ellen (b. November 16, 1827, Benson, Vermont)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		*Orlando (b. January 29, 1830, Benson, Vermont)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		*Clark (b. December 16, 1831, Benson, Vermont)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		*Lydia (b. 1835, Vermont)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		Jared W. (b. March 4, 1838, Kirtland, Ohio)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		David (b. 1842, Lake county, Ohio)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		Rosabella (b. 1844, Lake county, Ohio)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		Joseph (b. 1846, Illinois)	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
		* These locations are doubtful as Jared and Lydia were living in Chenengo, New York by 1830 and as far as I can tell, never moved back.
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