Newel K. Whitney

Newel Kimball Whitney 3/5 Feb. 1795–23 Sept. 1850. Trader, merchant. Born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Moved to Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York, 1803. Merchant at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for A. Sidney Gilbert at Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio, ca. 1820. Opened store in Kirtland, Geauga Co., by 1822. Married Elizabeth Ann Smith, 20 Oct. 1822, in Geauga Co. Member of reformed Baptist (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellite) faith. Partner with A. Sidney Gilbert in N. K. Whitney & Co. store, by 1827. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by missionaries to unorganized Indian Territory, Nov. 1830. Appointed agent for church, 30 Aug. 1831. Ordained a high priest, by Dec. 1831. Appointed bishop at Kirtland, Dec. 1831. Traveled with Joseph Smith to Missouri and then to New York City, Albany, and Boston, 1832. Appointed member of United Firm, Apr. 1832. Attended organizational meeting of School of the Prophets, 22–23 Jan. 1833, in Kirtland. En route to Missouri, fall 1838, when difficulties in that state were confirmed at St. Louis. Located his family temporarily at Carrollton, Greene Co., Illinois, and returned to Kirtland to conduct business. Moved family from Carrollton to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, and then to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois. Appointed bishop of Middle Ward at Commerce, Oct. 1839. Nauvoo city alderman, 1841–1843. Member of Nauvoo Masonic Lodge. Admitted to Council of Fifty, 11 Mar. 1844. Appointed trustee-in-trust for church following Joseph Smith’s death, Aug. 1844. Appointed “first bishop” of church, Oct. 1844. Joined exodus of Latter-day Saints into Iowa Territory and Winter Quarters, unorganized U.S. territory (later in Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska), 1846. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley, fall 1848. Bishop of Salt Lake City Eighteenth Ward, 1849. Elected treasurer and associate justice of provisional state of Deseret, 1849. Died at Salt Lake City.