| Born |
|
October 3, 1806, in Wells, Vermont |
|
Revelations |
| Died |
|
March 3, 1850 in Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri. |
|
Revelations |
| Father |
|
William Cowdery |
|
Revelations |
| Mother |
|
Rebecca Fuller |
|
Revelations |
| School |
|
1821, 1822 attends school in Wells, Vermont. |
|
Wells, 79. |
| Meets Joseph |
|
[April 5–7, 1829] Near the time of the setting of the Sun,
Sabbath evening, April 5th, 1829, my natural eyes, for the first time beheld
this brother. He then resided in Harmony, Susquehanna county Penn. On Monday
the 6th, I assisted him in arranging some business of a temporal nature,
and on Tuesday the 7th, commenced to write the book of Mormon. These |
|
OC history, Sept. 7, 1834, MA
1, no. 1 (Oct. 1834): 13. |
| Gift, may translate |
|
April [7–30], 1829 has gift to know mysteries, admonish Joseph
and be admonished by him, Lord has told him things no one else knows, may
translate. |
|
D&C 6 |
| Rod of Aaron, ancient records |
|
April [7–30], 1829 has gifts of revelation and
working with the rod. He is to ask
about the mysteries of ancient records and the Lord will reveal them to
him. |
|
D&C 8 |
| Translation technique |
|
April [7–30], 1829 failed to translate. "Behold
you have not understood, you have supposed that I would give it unto you,
when you took no thought, save it was to ask me; but behold I say unto you,
that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be
right, and if it is right, I will cause that your bosom shall burn within
you: therefore, you shall feel that it is right;" |
|
¶ D&C 9 |
| Aaronic Priesthood restoration |
|
May 15, 1829 Aaronic Priesthood
restoration (traditional date). |
|
HC 1:39–41. |
| Three Witnesses |
|
[Late] June 1829 one of the Three Witnesses of the Book
of Mormon. |
|
|
| Revelation of church articles |
|
1829 receives revelation of the Articles
of the Church of Christ. |
|
|
| Melchizedek Priesthood restoration |
|
[May 15, 1829–April 6, 1830] Melchizedek
Priesthood restoration (traditionally inferred date). |
|
HC 1:39–41. |
| Organizing member |
|
April 6, 1830 one of the six organizing members of the Church of Christ.
Ordained an elder by Joseph Smith, then ordains Joseph an elder. |
|
Accounts of
Apr. 6, 1830 |
| Pride |
|
April 6, 1830 warned of pride. |
|
D&C 23:1 |
| First public sermon |
|
April 11, 1830 delivers first public sermon in the Church of Christ at
Fayette, New York. |
|
Papers, 304. |
| Heads east with Books of Mormon |
|
[May 1830] The apostle to the NEPHITES (Cowdery) has started for
the EAST, on board a boat with a load of "Gold bibles," under
a command, (as he says) to declare the truth (according to JO SMITH,) "in
all the principal cities in the Union." |
|
The Reflector (Palmyra), June
1, 1830. Source |
| Church recorder |
|
June 9, 1830 designated to keep "the
Church record and Conference minutes until the next conference." |
|
Minutes of June 9, 1830 |
| Argues
with Joseph |
|
September [5–26], 1830 contests Joseph's requirements
for baptism in the Articles and Covenants. |
|
¶ D&C
28 Background |
| Pamphlet peddler and printer |
|
Prior to meeting Joseph Smith, Oliver is "an itinerant
pamphlet pedlar and occasionally a journeyman printer." |
|
"Mormonism," Connecticut Courant,
July 12, 1831 reprint of Lockport
Balance (Lockport,
New York, Orasmus Turner, ed.), May 31, 1831. Source |
| |
|
… we had known Cowdry some seven or eight years ago, when he was
a dabbler in the art of Printing, and principally occupied in writing and
printing pamphlets, with which, as a pedestrian Pedlar, he visited the
towns and villages of western New York and Canada … |
|
"The Golden Bible," Cleveland Herald,
Nov. 25, 1830. Source |
| Kirtland, October 1830 |
¶ |
About the last of October, 1830, four men, claiming to be
divinely inspired, came from Manchester and Palmyra, Ontario county, N.Y.,
bringing a pretended revelation, entitled the "Book of Mormon."
They came to the brethern of the reformation in Mentor, saluted them as
brethern, and professed to rejoice at finding a people walking according
to the scriptures of truth, and acknowledging no other guide. They professed
to have no commands for them, nevertheless, they called upon
them to receive their mission and book as from Heaven, which they said
chiefly concerned the western Indians, as being an account of their origin,
and a prophecy of their final conversion to christianity, and make them
a white
and delightsome people, and be reinstated in the possession of their lands
of which they have been despoiled by the whites. … |
|
"Mormonism," PT, Feb.
15, 1831. Source
MIssionaries in Kirtland, 1830
brethern of the reformation: Disciples of Christ. Sidney Rigdon's
church was in Mentor. |
| Proposes in Kirtland |
|
November 1830 proposes to a young woman in Kirtland while engaged to
Elizabeth Ann Whitmer in New York. |
|
Minutes of May 26, 1832 |
| |
¶ |
As it relates to the purity of the heart of "that little man", if a pure and pleasant fountain can send forth corrupt
and bitter streams, then may the heart of that man be pure, who enters
into a matrimonial contract with a young lady, and obtains the consent
of her parents; but as soon as his back is turned upon her, he violates
his engagements, and prostitutes his honor by becoming the gallant of another,
and resolved in his heart, and expresses resolutions to marry her.
But as the practice of a man will ever stand as a general criterion by
which the principles of the heart are to be tested, we say, that the heart
of such a man is the reverse of purity. |
|
¶ Ezra
Booth Letter 9 |
| Strongsville |
|
December 1830 baptizes members of the Coltrin family and
others in Strongsville,
Ohio (with Parley Pratt (h), Peter
Whitmer Jr., Ziba
Peterson, and Frederick
G. Williams en route to Independence, Missouri). |
|
Parley P. Pratt, 67. |
Independence
Indians |
|
January 19, 1831 writes Joseph
that they arrived in Independence a few days ago. Now about
25 miles from the Shawnees, on the south side of the Kansas river, the
Delaware are on the north. He has met chief twice.
Told him and eighteen or twenty council members "the truth," and
the chief replied that "they were very glad for what I their Brother
had told them and they had recived it in their hearts &c—" Is
not sure how it will go with them. Severe weather, deep snow. |
|
Joseph
Smith to Hyrum Smith, Mar. 3–4, 1831 |
| Ohio |
|
August 1831 returns to Ohio from Lamanite mission. |
|
|
| High Priesthood |
|
August 28, 1831 ordained to the High Priesthood by Sidney
Rigdon. |
|
Minutes of Aug.
28, 1831 |
| Amherst conference |
|
September 29, 1831 attends conference in Amherst, Lorain
county, Ohio with Sylvester Smith and
Joel Johnson. |
|
Minutes
of Sept. 29, 1831 |
| Copy and correct revelations for Book of Commandments |
|
November 8, 1831 conference of eight elders in Hiram authorizes
Oliver to "<copy,
correct, and select> all the writings which go forth to the world {which
go} through the Printing press (except) the revelations and commandments,
by the Spirit of the Lord and this according to the commandment given in
Missouri, July 20, 1831." |
|
Minutes
of Nov. 8, 1831 |
| Delivers revelations to Missouri |
|
November–December 1831 takes revelation manuscripts
to Missouri with John
Whitmer
for printing. |
|
TS 6, no.
1 (June 1, 1845): 913. |
| |
|
January 5, 1832 Oliver and John Whitmer reach Independence
with manuscript for the Book of Commandments. |
|
Independence printing, 55, citing OC account book. |
| Missouri schools |
|
January 24, 1832 conference elects Oliver, William
W. Phelps, and John Corrill to superintend
schools in Missouri. |
|
¶ Oliver
Cowdery to Joseph Smith, Jan. 28, 1832 |
| Describes problems in Zion |
|
January 28, 1832 writes
Joseph about the financial difficulties in Jackson county, equipment needed,
missionaries assigned, ready to print Book of Commandments soon. |
|
Oliver to Joseph |
| United Firm |
|
April 28, 1832 (Independence) United Firm organized with Oliver, Joseph
Smith, Edward
Partridge, N. K. Whitney, Sidney
Gilbert, Sidney Rigdon, John Whitmer,
W. W. Phelps and Martin
Harris. |
|
D&C 82 |
Literary Firm
Select revelations, make verbal corrections |
|
April 30, 1832 Literary Firm authorizes Oliver, W.
W. Phelps, and John Whitmer to review
the manuscripts for the Book of Commandments and "select for printing
such as shall be deemed by them proper, as dictated by the Spirit & make
all necessary verbal corrections." |
|
Minutes of
Apr. 30, 1832 (Literary Firm) |
| Tried for 1830 proposal |
|
May 26, 1832 acknowledges error in proposing to a young
woman in Kirtland in 1830 and is forgiven by council. |
|
Minutes of May
26, 1832
¶ Ezra Booth Letter
9 (Dec. 1831) |
| Marries |
|
December 18, 1832 marries Elizabeth Ann Whitney. |
|
Oliver to Lyman Cowdery, Jan. 13, 1834. Source |
| Missouri mobbings |
|
July 1833 leaves Missouri to consult with Joseph Smith about
Jackson county violence. |
|
Missouri
Persecutions (1833–1834) (1) |
| Publishes Evening and Morning Star |
|
September 11, 1833 appointed publisher and editor of the Evening and
Morning Star in Kirtland. |
|
|
| New York |
|
October 1833 travels to New York City to purchase printing materials. |
|
|
| |
|
December 18, 1833 (Oliver's first wedding anniversary) after
dedicating the press and materials, and pulling the first sheet of the Evening
and Morning Star,
Joseph writes in his diary: |
|
|
| Blessed by Joseph |
¶ |
blessed of the Lord is bro Oliver nevertheless there are [32] two evils in him
that he must needs forsake or he cannot altogeth[er] escape th[e] buffittings
of the adver[sar]y if he shall forsak[e] these evils he shall be forgiven
and shall be made like unto the bow which the Lord hath set in the heavens
he shall be a sign and an ensign unto the nations. behold he is blessed
of the Lord for his constancy [33] and steadfastness in the work of the
Lord
wherefore he shall be blessed in his generation
and they shall never be cut off and he shall be helped out of many troubls
and if he keeps the commandments and harken[s] unto the <counsel of
the>
lord his and his rest shall be glorious. |
|
Diary-1, 31–33 // JS personal,
rev. ed., 31– 32. |
| |
|
[January 13, 1834] I left her [Elizabeth Ann] in Missouri
last summer expecting to return, soon, but did not. I sent for her last
fall but the season was so far advanced that she did not deem it prudent
to come this season; I frequently hear from her, she is well, and probably
will come to this country next spring. How long I may tarry here is to
me uncertain as I expect, (if life is spared), sooner or later to remove
again to Missouri as it is by far the most delightrful country that I ever
saw. |
|
Oliver to Lyman Cowdery, Jan. 13, 1834. Source |
| High council |
|
February 17, 1834 member of first Kirtland high council. |
|
Minutes of Feb.
17, 1834 |
| Zion's Camp |
|
April 18–21, 1834 travels to New
Portage with Joseph
Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and
Zebedee Coltrin to raise support for the
redemption of Zion (Zion's
Camp). |
|
Minutes of Apr.
20–21, 1834 |
| Leads Kirtland church with Sidney |
|
May–June 1834 in charge of Kirtland church with Sidney while Joseph
and others make the trek to Missouri and back with Zion's Camp. |
|
|
| |
|
August 1834 writes confession with Thomas Burdick and Orson
Hyde for
Sylvester Smith to sign regarding his accusations against Joseph Smith. |
|
|
| Doctrine & Covenants proceeds |
|
September 24, 1834 Kirtland high council decides Joseph
Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams are
to create a Book of Covenants and the proceeds of the book sales will
be theirs. |
|
Minutes of Sept.
24, 1834 |
| Michigan |
|
October 16–[27], 1834 accompanies Joseph and Hyrum, Frederick G. Williams, David
Whitmer and possibly others to visits the Pontiac, Michigan branch. |
|
MA 1, no. 1
(Oct. 1834): 6.
Edward Stevenson
Reminiscence (2) |
| Oliver's history |
|
October [25] 1834 first installment of Oliver's seven-part history of
the church appears in the first issue of in the Messenger and Advocate. Same issue contains his October 20 letter from Pontiac. |
|
Oliver's
1834–1835 History |
| Tithing |
|
November 19, 1834 Joseph and Oliver covenant with the Lord, that if he
would prosper them in certain things, they would give a "tenth to be
bestowed upon the poor of his Church, or as he shall command." |
|
|
| Assistant President |
|
December 5, 1834
Joseph, Sidney, Frederick
G. Williams, and Oliver meet. Joseph ordains Oliver
Assistant President. |
|
¶ Presidents
of the High Priesthood |
| Twelve Apostles |
|
February 14, 1835 the Three Witnesses (Oliver, David
Whitmer, Martin Harris) meet and
select the first Council of the Twelve Apostles. |
|
Minutes of February
14, 1835
Twelve Apostles |
| First Quorum of
Seventy |
|
Joseph, David,
Martin, and Oliver meet with members of Zion's Camp and select members
of the First Quorum of the Seventy. |
|
Kirtland council; J. Whitmer,
59n4. |
| Presides over branches |
|
June 6, 1835 presides over New
Portage and
Strongsville branches. |
|
Minutes of June
6, 1835 |
| Finishes term as editor |
|
Mid-May 1835 John Whitmer replaces Oliver
as editor of the Messenger and Advocate. |
|
Crawley bibiography, 47. |
| House of the Lord
subscription |
|
June 25, 1835 subscribes $750
for House of the Lord in Kirtland. Joseph, W.
W. Phelps,
John Whitmer, and Frederick
G. Williams each subscribe $500.
|
|
HC 2:234. |
| Book of Abraham |
|
July 3, 1835 begins work as scribe, with W. W. Phelps, on translation
of Egyptian mummy scrolls. |
|
HC 2:235, 520–521. |
| Article on Marriage |
|
August 15, 1835
General Assembly approves publication of the first Doctrine and Covenants,
including the Lectures on Faith and Oliver's Article
on Marriage and Article on Governments and
Laws. |
|
Minutes
of Aug. 17, 1835 |
| Church Recorder |
|
September 14,
1835 called as Church Recorder by "a High Council of the Presidency," also
approves salary and expenses for him, Joseph Sr. (for patriarchal blessings),
and Frederick
G. Williams (for recording patriarchal blessings). |
|
Minutes
of Sept. 14, 1835 |
| Oliver's relatives' prejudice |
|
December 23, 1835 in the afternoon, Joseph Smith and Leonard
Rich visit Oliver's relatives. They "had not a very agreeable visit
for I found them [89] filled with prejudice against the work of the Lord
and their minds blinded with superstition & ignorance &c" |
|
Diary-2, 88–89. |
| Ordination regulations |
|
February 24, 1836 appointed with Orson
Hyde and Sylvester Smith to
draft license rules and regulations for ordinations and licenses. |
|
MS history, 629. |
| Bank of Monroe vice-president |
|
March 16, 1836 the Bank of Monroe financial statement, provided by bank
vice-president Oliver Cowdery, shows $1, 206.59 in
coin and $31,163.00 currency (including virtually worthless
Kirtland Safety Society banknotes). With $191,330.76 in liabilities, the
bank is on the verge of bankruptcy. |
|
"Statement of the condition of the Bank of Monroe,"
Monroe Times, Mar. 16, 1836. Source |
| Redemption of Zion |
|
April 2, 1836 Joseph, Sidney, Oliver, Frederick
G. Williams, John Whitmer and W.
W. Phelps (all six church presidents) confer on the redemption of
Zion. Joseph and Oliver are to raise funds to redeem the land. |
|
Diary-2 in JS personal, rev. ed., 271. |
House of the Lord experiences
Moses, Elijah, Elias
|
|
April 3, 1836 the Lord appears to Joseph and Oliver and accepts the House
of the Lord; Moses, Elijah, and Elias commit the keys of gathering,
gospel of Abraham, turning the hearts of fathers/children. |
|
Last entry of Diary-2.
D&C 110 |
| New York |
|
July 25, 1836 takes slow steamboat from Fairport to Buffalo with Sidney
Rigdon, others. Next day take a line boat for Rochester, then Utica. Take
train to Schenectady—"the first passengers' car on the new road."
Transfer to another train to Albany. Steamer
to New York City. Visits Wall
Street. Comments, "There is money yet in Wall street, and 'Draper, Underwood,'
and others, ready to help incorporated bodies to plates and dyes, to make
more." (Looking for plates, dies to print bank notes?) |
|
MA 2, no. 12 (Sept. 1836):
372–376. |
| Salem, Massachusetts |
|
Early August 1836 Joseph, Hyrum, Sidney, and Oliver arrive in Salem,
Massachusetts in search of treasure. |
|
HC 2:464; No man knows, 192. |
| |
|
August 24, 1836 writes from Boston reporting visit
to New York, Providence, Boston, Salem. |
|
MA 3, no. 1
(Oct. 1836): 386–393. |
| Philadelphia |
|
[November–December 1836] assigned to go to Philadelphia to get
printing plates for Kirtland Safety Society notes. |
|
|
| Printing plates |
|
January 1, 1836 returns to Kirtland with plates. |
|
|
| Company dissolved |
|
February 1, 1837 O. Cowdery
and Company is dissolved and the assets are transferred to Joseph Smith
Jr. and Sidney Rigdon. Warren A. Cowdery becomes
their agent and editor of the Messenger and Advocate. |
|
HC 2:475; RLDS history 2:99. |
| Michigan |
|
February 1837 travels to Monroe, Michigan, with Joseph and Hyrum to purchase
controlling interest in failing bank there. |
|
|
| Bank vice-president |
|
February 10, 1836 elected a director and vice-president
by the board of directors of the Monroe bank |
|
Monroe Times, Feb. 16, 1837. Source |
| Elected Justice of the Peace |
|
May 25, 1837 elected a Justice of the Peace
in Kirtland without opposition. |
|
PT, May 25, 1837. Source |
| Rules against Kirtland Safety Society |
|
June 17, 1837 as Justice of the Peace, rules Kirtland Safety
Society notes are not "lawful tender." |
|
Painesville Republican. Source |
| Resigns |
|
August 1837 resigns as Justice of the Peace. |
|
Source |
| Assistant counselor |
|
September 3, 1837 appointed assistant counselor to the First Presidency |
|
Minutes
of September 3, 1837 |
| Far West |
|
October 20, 1837 arrives in Far West. |
|
|
| Sidney influences Joseph against Oliver? |
|
This Br I aluded too Said Br Oliver Drove His carrage under the shade
of A tree by the side of the roade and held a lenthy convention with him
And among Other things He said Sidny Rigdon weaned the Affections of Br
Joseph from Him And the Church had cast him off And he seemed verry sorrowful
on that Account. |
|
¶ Addison
Everett: Priesthood Restoration |
| Excommunicated |
|
April 12, 1838 excommunicated by the high council and bishopric
of Zion in Far West. |
|
Minutes
of April 12, 1838 |
| Kirtland |
|
Fall 1848 returns to Kirtland and lives near his brother,
Lyman |
|
|
| Attorney |
|
1840 admitted to Ohio bar, practices law with Lyman in Kirtland until
moving to Tiffin, Ohio in the fall. |
|
|
| Tiffin, Elkhorn |
|
1840–1847 practices law in Tiffin, Ohio, and Elkhorn, Wisconsin. |
|
|
| Politician |
|
1848 runs unsuccessfully for state legislature in Wisconsin. |
|
|
| Baptized |
|
November 12, 1848 baptized by Orson Hyde in Kanesville, Iowa. |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Family |
|
|
| Wife |
|
Elizabeth Ann Whitmer, b. Jan. 22, 1815;
md. Dec. 18, 1832
d. Jan. 6, 1892
In attendance at organization of the Church, Apr. 6, 1830. |
|
Cemetery memorial plaque, Southwest City, Missouri. Source |
| Children |
|
Maria Louise
Elizabeth Ann
Josephine Rebecca
Oliver Peter
Adeline Fuller
Julia Olive |
|
|
| |
|
Biographies
|