Sampson Avard

Sampson Avard
Sampson Avard was one the founders and leaders of the secret militia force known as the Mormon Danites in the Missouri Mormon War of 1838
Born	October 23, 1800 or 1803 St. Peter, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom
Died	April 15, 1869 (age 69-72) Edwardsville, Madison County, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality	British, American
Occupation	physician, minister, church elder, soldier
Employer	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, self-employed
Known for	Being one of the founders and leaders of the Mormon Danites in 1838
Military career
Allegiance	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Service/branch	Mormon militia
Years of service	1838
Unit	Mormon Danites
Commands held	Mormon Danites commander
Battles/wars	Missouri Mormon War Battle of Crooked River (1838)

Missouri Mormon War

Sampson Avard (October 23, 1800 – April 15, 1869) was one of the founders and leaders of the Mormon vigilantes known as the Danites, which existed in Missouri during the Missouri Mormon War in 1838.

Sampson Avard was born at St. Peter, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. As an immigrant in the United States, he worked as a physician and later became a Campbellite minister in Pennsylvania.

In 1835 in Freedom, Pennsylvania, Orson Pratt baptized him a member of Church of the Latter Day Saints

and ordained him an Elder and leader of the local branch of the church. After serving a mission near his home with Erastus Snow, he moved to the Latter Day Saint community at Kirtland, Ohio in 1836. He was ordained a High Priest in 1837, though his position as a High Priest was also revoked that same year for unclear reasons.

In 1838, while living in Far West, Missouri and serving in the church's High Council there, Avard witnessed the heated conflict between the growing Mormon population and the established non-Mormon Missourians. He was the founding organizer and leader of the Danites, a secret paramilitary vigilante militia, bound by oaths and intent on retaliating for Mormon injuries and losses. It remains unclear the extent to which Joseph Smith was aware or in favor of Avard's activities, although he recognized the Danites and encouraged them to be lawful. Danite militaristic activities intensified the 1838 Mormon War and drew the attention of state government and militia.