Levi Richards is the 4th-great-granduncle of my husband, and brother to the well-known secretary of Joseph Smith Jr., Willard Richards. Levi Richards was born on April 14, 1799, to parents Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe in Hopkinton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.[1] Rhoda’s sister was the mother of Brigham Young, making Levi and Willard the first cousin of Brigham.[2]

Levi Richards
Levi Richards joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 31 December 1836 in Kirtland, Ohio.[3] He served a mission to England from 1840-1843.[4]
He was physician who sometimes attended Joseph Smith.[5] One of his most significant contributions to Church history is his journal, in which he recorded one of the earliest accounts of the first vision by contemporaries of Joseph Smith.
Image from Levi Richards biography, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/levi-richards); citing Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, vol. 1 (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1892), between pp. 260 and 261 (Church History Library, Salt Lake City).
Accounts of the First Vision of Joseph Smith
This week’s curriculum for the Come Follow Me study centered around Joseph Smith’s First Vision, and Joseph Smith–History 1:1-26. The Joseph Smith Papers gathered nine accounts of Joseph Smith’s 1820 vision, four recorded by Joseph Smith or by his scribes, and five early accounts written by contemporaries of Joseph Smith who heard him speak about the vision.[6] The accounts are listed below in chronological order:
- 1832 Joseph Smith History account, written in Joseph’s handwriting
- 1835 Joseph Smith Journal, written in Warren Parrish’s handwriting
- 1838 Joseph Smith History account, copied by various scribes into a bound volume and later canonized
- 1840 Orson Pratt pamphlet published in Scotland
- 1842 Joseph Smith’s Wentworth letter printed in Times and Seasons
- 1842 Orson Hyde’s Ein Ruf aus der Wüste[A cry out of the wilderness], published in Germany
- 1843 Levi Richards’ journal – Levi recorded a discourse given by Joseph Smith
- 1843 Interview of Joseph Smith by David Nye White, published in Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette
- 1844 Alexander Neibaur journal – visited Joseph and recorded what Joseph shared with him
Levi Richards’ Journal as a Historical and Genealogical Source
Levi Richards’ journal is part of the Church History Library’s collection, Levi Richards papers, 1837-1867, MS 1284. The collection includes digitized images of Levi’s diaries and papers and is only one of several collections with manuscripts relating to him and his family. The Joseph Smith Papers website also includes portions of Levi’s journal as they relate to Joseph Smith, along with a highly accurate transcription next to the journal images. The webpage allows you to check and uncheck a box for hiding editing marks, to enable you to see the line break symbols and angle brackets used for insertions.
The journal was preserved by Levi Richards’ family and donated to the Church History Library sometime from 1891-1941, when Andrew Jenson was working in the Church Historian’s Office, now the Church History Library.[7] As a historical document, Levi Richards’ journal offers a firsthand perspective on the events and teachings of the early Church. It is an original source.
Church History Library MS 1284 includes 30 volumes of the journal up to 1848. Volume 18 includes the entry on 11 June 1843 with a recounting of Joseph Smith’s first vision. The source note at The Joseph Smith Papers for volume 18 has the following description: “a small book, measuring 6¼ × 4 inches (16 × 10 cm), with eight leaves. All sixteen pages are inscribed in brown ink, with redactions in graphite.”[8] This is a much smaller book than most would think of for a journal. Imagine a pocket notebook with pages the size of a postcard or recipe card.
June 11, 1843 Journal Entry

Levi Richards, 11 June 1843, Journal Entry
In his entry of Sunday, 11 June 1843, Levi recorded some the topics discussed at a meeting held that day at the Nauvoo Temple. The journal entry reads:
11) attended meeting at the Temple, weather very fine moderately warm, heard J. Smith preach from Math. “Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem &c, how oft would I have gathered you, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings & ye would not, behold your house is left unto you desolate.” afternoon— heard Eld. De Wolf Episcapalian Clergyman from the 6th Hebrews “Therefore leaving the first principles &c.”——at 6 AM. heard Eld. G[eorg]e J Adam Adams upon the book of Mormon proved from the 24,th 28th & 29th of Isaiah that the everlasting covenat set which was set upon by Christ & the apostles had been broken. Pres. J. Smith bore testimony to the same—saying that when he was a youth he began to think about these things but could not find out which of all the sects were right— he went into the grove & enquired of the Lord which of all the sects were right— he received for answer that none of them were right, that they were all wrong, & that the Everlasting convenat was broken—he said he understood the fulness of the Gospel from beginning to end— & could Teach it & also the order of the priesthood in all its ramifications— Earth & hell had opposed him & tryed to destroy him but they had not done it— & they never would.[9]
Historians say this is “the only diary reference to the only known public address in which the Prophet bore testimony of his First Vision.”[10] The journal entry follows Levi’s customs of writing the date with a semi-circle around it, telling what he did, and mentioning the weather. An example of some of the entries preceding 11 June includes:
May 20) attended general court marshal at Bishop Millers Gen. Hiram Smith presided adopted Scotts system of Tactics – doing chores &c – court adjourned three weeks – weather warm – some cloudy & a little rain in the P.M. Sacrament meeting Pres Marks superentended it. Called at Bro Williams; & supposed, Called at Br. Ellys with Levi Bullard — pleasant weather —
21) A.M. attended Meeting at the temple P. Joseph Smith preached from 1 Chap. 2d Peter “ we have a more sure word of prophesy & c” Spoke about two hours, P.M.
22 May) A.M. doing chores – P.M. went to A.P. Rockwood called at several others ple[asant?] fair comfortable day (weather)
23) weather warm & dry, A.M. showing pickets P.M. attended council of the 12 Broth’s Rheuben Hadlock to go to England to preside there over the British Isles, John Cairns to go to Scotland to Edenboroaugh – Hoaks Rogers, Addison Pratt, F. Grouard, & Hanks to go to the Sandwich Islands.
24) A.M. Shaving Pickets P.M. shaving & setting Pickets, Weather warm, dry & windy.
25) Warm ^ weather A.M. ^ at work on pickets P.M. & evening, showers & some hail, with thunder & lightning
26) cool but fair weather making & setting Pickets
27) constant rain through the day – attended council of the twelve on Benj Winchester’s case – letters were read, & testimony given to some extent against his course to publish he replied & some altercation ensued between him and George J. Adams…
…
5 June) A.M. Shaving Pickets P.M. Ditto. & setting them
6) Moving pickets the fence then engaged in planting Garden with Bro Willard some cloudy very little rain
7) A.M. rainy selecting Garden said, &c A.M. planting Garden
8) A.M. Cloudy some rain – making hoehandles & various things P.M. planting Garden – Cloudy
9) cloudy & cool – some light shower A.M. searching for potatoes to plant – P.M. planting 1 2/4 bush, best Mechanicks at 31 cents per bushel
10 June) ^some^ cloudy & cool morning planting garden ^ engaged in ^ miscellany
Analysis of the 11 June 1843 Meeting at the Temple Stand
Comparing Levi Richards’ 11 June 1843 entry with other sources recording the events of the day reveals a fuller account of the meeting. Joseph Smith’s journal, kept by his secretary Willard Richards, recorded that Joseph spoke at “the stand,” referring to a “temporary structure built at various times on east, west, and south walls of [the] unfinished Nauvoo temple.”[11] The June 14th issue of John Taylor’s Nauvoo Neighbor newspaper reported:
☞ Business seems to be progressing in our city, buildings are being raised in every direction; and all of the citizens manifest a determination that Nauvoo shall be built.
☞ The Temple is improving fast; the stones of that building begin to rise tier above tier; and it already begins to present a stately and noble appearance.
☞ The day being unusually fine, last Sabbath, we had a large concourse of people assembled at the Temple; the floor, as well as the walls, were literally covered with people. Mr. Joseph Smith delivered a discourse, in the morning, which was listened to with great interest by the congregation. The Rev. Mr. McWald, an Episcopal Minister, who has been the way, seems to be much of a gentleman, delivered an address in the afternoon…[12]
This account printed in John Taylor’s newspaper matches up with Joseph’s journal and the manuscript history of the Church: “10am Meeting at the Stand. … A large assembly of the Saints met at the Temple stand. Hymn by the choir. Prayer by Elder P. P. Pratt and singing.”[13]

Joseph Smith Journal,11 June 1843
Joseph Smith then preached on the gathering of the Saints to Nauvoo and importance of temple ceremonies.[14] He “closed about 12 – Bro Cutler said they could go but little further till they had the arch stones of the windows” and spoke about 15 minutes, presumably about the temple construction. Next, “Joseph gave notice that Mr. D. Wolf would preach this P.M. at his own request.” This was followed by singing.[15]
“At 2 ½ pm [Joseph] introduced to the congregation Mr. De Wolf a Clergyman of the Episcopal church; and requested the attention of the congregation in his behalf. He read the 6 chap of Hebrews, and then kneeled and prayed, dressed in his black clerical gown, which excited some curiosity among some of the Saints; after the choir sung a hymn, he preached from Hebrews 6 ch 1 & 2 v touching on such principles only, that are acknowledged and received by the church.”[16] Finally, Elder George J. Adams spoke about the Book of Mormon.[17] The day ended with Joseph Smith sharing a testimony of his first vision. The only account of these remarks is in Levi’s journal.[18] Willard’s personal diary simply recorded, “Meeting all day Joseph P[reached].[19]
Although Levi’s journal entry for Sunday, 11 June 1843, follows this series of events, he curiously noted the time as “6AM” when Elder George J. Adams began speaking, which was probably a mistake, since Willard Richards recorded in Joseph Smith’s journal that Elder Adams was “to lecture on the Book of Mormon at 5 ½ P.M. [20] Levi’s entries commonly included A.M. to mark his actions in the morning and then P.M. to share what happened in the afternoon. On another entry, transcribed above, on June 7, Levi used A.M. twice, probably erroneously writing A.M. when he meant P.M.
Willard Richards’ didn’t include anything about the evening discourses on 11 June 1843 in Joseph’s journal, after writing that Elder Adams was asked to speak at 5:30pm. Perhaps Willard wasn’t feeling well and asked his brother, Levi Richards, to take notes at the evening meeting.
Levi’s Second Mission
Not too long after the meeting at the temple stand on 11 June 1843, Levi Richards married Sarah Griffith, on December 25, 1843, who he met on his mission to England.[21] Levi was 44 years old and Sarah was 40. They had one child, Levi Willard Richards, who was born on 12 June 1845 in Nauvoo when Sarah was 42 years old.[22]
In 1848, Levi and Sarah were called on a five-year mission together to the British Isles without their young son. Leaving their young son who had frail health must have been a challenge. Brigham Young stated if he would send his son to the Rocky Mountains, “he should live and be favored of the Lord.”[23] Levi’s older unmarried sister, Rhoda Young, took charge of him and they travelled to Salt Lake City with the Willard Richards company that same year.[24] In 1851, Levi and Sarah Richards were captured on the census in Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales. Levi was listed as a “minister of the everlasting gospel.”[25]

1851 Census Image, courtesy of Ancestry
After the mission, Levi and Sarah were reunited with their son, who lived to adulthood.
Levi Richards died 18 June 1876 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.[26]
Footnotes
[1] Hopkinton Township, Massachusetts, town records of births, marriages, and deaths. 1726-1834, p. 152, Levi Richards born 7 Dec 1790; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8979-4129?i=82).
[2] Dr Levi Richards, ID KWJB-M5X, FamilySearch Family Tree (https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/KWJB-M5X).
[3] Levi Richards biography, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/levi-richards); citing Stevenson, Joseph Grant, ed. Richards Family History, 2 volumes (Provo, UT: By the author, 1977–1981).
[4] Levi Richards biography, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/levi-richards); citing Whitney, Orson F. History of Utah, 4 volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1904).
[5] Persis Louisa Young, “Dr. Levi Richards (1799-1876)”; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/163994154?cid=mem_copy), p. 2-3.
[6] “Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision,” The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/site/accounts-of-the-first-vision).
[7] “Discourse, 11 June 1843–B,” Source Note, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/discourse-11-june-1843-b/1#source-note).
[8] “Discourse, 11 June 1843–B,” Source Note, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/discourse-11-june-1843-b/1#source-note).
[9] Levi Richards, Journal, vol. 18 (4 Oct. 1840 – 7 Aug. 1853), 11 June 1843, p. 15-16; image, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/levi-richards-journal-11-june-1843-extract/1).
[10] Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, eds., The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Brigham Young University, 1980), discourse of 11 June 1843, footnote 43; image copy, Religious Studies Center (https://rsc.byu.edu/words-joseph-smith/11-june-1843-sunday-morning-temple-stand#_note-43).
[11] “Stand, Nauvoo, Illinois,” The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/place/stand-nauvoo-illinois).
[12] “The Neighbor – Wednesday June 14, 1843,” The Nauvoo [Illinois] Neighbor, 14 June 1843, p. 2, col. 3; image, Archive.org (https://archive.org/details/NauvooNeighbor18431845/page/n25/mode/2up).
[13] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “History, 1838–1856, volume D-1,” manuscript history in four volumes, p. 1571-1572; image, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-d-1-1-august-1842-1-july-1843/217)
[14] Joseph Smith and Willard Richards, “Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843,” entry for 11 June 1843, p. 240; image, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1842-june-1844-book-2-10-march-1843-14-july-1843/248).
[15] Joseph Smith and Willard Richards, “Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843,” entry for 11 June 1843, p. 251; image, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1842-june-1844-book-2-10-march-1843-14-july-1843/259)
[16] “History, 1838–1856, volume D-1,”, p. 1575.
[17] Joseph Smith and Willard Richards, “Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843,” entry for 11 June 1843, p. 254.
[18] Levi Richards, Journal, vol. 18 (4 Oct. 1840 – 7 Aug. 1853), 11 June 1843, p. 15-16; image, The Joseph Smith Papers (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/levi-richards-journal-11-june-1843-extract/1).
[19] Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, eds., The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Brigham Young University, 1980), section headed “Willard Richards Diary;” image copy, Religious Studies Center (https://rsc.byu.edu/words-joseph-smith/11-june-1843-sunday-morning-temple-stand).
[20] Joseph Smith and Willard Richards, “Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843,” entry for 11 June 1843, p. 254.
[21] “Levi Richards 1799-1876,” BYU Nauvoo Community Project (https://nauvoo.byu.edu/p/Person/31130/Levi-Richards); citing Nauvoo 1st and 2nd Wards (Illinois), Record of members, 1841-1845; church records, 1836-1846, (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Office of the Church Historian, 1966-1967), citing “Marriage record, 1842-1845,” p. 18-19, FHL microfilm 889392.
[22] “Levi Willard Richards,” Church History Biographical Database (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/chd/individual/levi-w-richards-1845?lang=eng).
[23] Persis Louisa Young, “Dr. Levi Richards (1799-1876)”; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/163994154?cid=mem_copy), p. 2-3.
[24] Ibid. See also “Levi Willard Richards,” Church History Biographical Database (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/chd/individual/levi-w-richards-1845?lang=eng).
[25] 1851 census of Wales, Glamorgan, Swansea, folio 170, p. 10, household 43, Levi Richards; image, Find My Past (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC/1851/4279225/00339&parentid=GBC/1851/0017143008).
[26] Find a Grave, database with images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19472385), memorial 19472385, Dr Levi Richards (1799–1876), Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah; gravestone photo by user “SMS.”
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Thanks for the note!