Nicole and Diana discuss Levi Richards’ journal account of Joseph Smith’s First Vision. Nicole shares her personal connection to Levi Richards, who is her husband’s 4th-great-granduncle and the brother of Willard Richards. They talk about Levi’s life, his mission to England, and his role as a physician. They then focus on Levi’s journal and its significance as a historical source, specifically the 11 June 1843 entry where Levi recorded Joseph Smith’s testimony about the First...
In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Nicole and Diana discuss their ancestor, William Henry Kelsey, and the spiritual manifestations he recorded in his diary. They explore William’s early life in England, his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his missionary service. The discussion includes details about William’s family, his various residences, and his marriage to Harriet Huggett. Nicole shares specific entries from William’s diary, including accounts of spiritual...
Joseph Knight Sr. and his family were instrumental in Joseph Smith Jr.’s work to translate the Book of Mormon. I learned this week that he is my half third cousin eight times removed—the half third cousin of my paternal grandmother’s fourth-great-grandmother, Jemima Griggs. Joseph Knight and Jemima Griggs’ son both joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1830s. This week’s Come Follow Me Lesson was February 17–23: “Upon You My Fellow...
Today I’m writing about my husband’s 4th-great-grandfather, Phinehas Richards. This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson, “My Work Shall Go Forth,” Doctrine and Covenants 3-5, includes a revelation to Joseph Smith Senior, who was an associate of Phinehas. I enjoyed learning about both of them. I received an authored source that has been extremely helpful for learning about the Richards family, Richards Family History, edited by Joseph Grant Stevenson. The book is out of print, and...
In this episode, Nicole and Diana discuss Joseph Lee Robinson and the Book of Covenants. Joseph Lee Robinson was Nicole’s husband’s 4th-great-grandfather, who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1836. He wrote an autobiography in 1883, where he described his conversion and testimony. The hosts explain the religious fervor in the United States during that time, known as the Second Great Awakening. They discuss Joseph’s conversion experience, his brother Ebenezer’s role...
Spiritual manifestations were recorded among early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Like Joseph Smith’s vision of an angel, my ancestor, William Henry Kelsey recorded spiritual manifestations that occurred to himself and others in his diary during his time as a young missionary in England. This is the third post in my series about my ancestors and church history following this year’s Come Follow Me curriculum. This week’s lesson is titled,...
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...
This year I am studying the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the context surrounding my ancestors’ membership in the early church. Many of my ancestors and my husband’s ancestors were baptized into the Church in the 1830s and 1840s. A study of the digitized manuscripts available from The Joseph Smith Papers as well as The Church History Catalog shed light on the context surrounding our ancestor’s lives. My goal is to...
