William Wines Phelps
| W. W. Phelps | |
|---|---|
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Wines Phelps February 17, 1792 Hanover Township, New Jersey |
| Died | March 17, 1872 (aged 80) Salt Lake City, Utah Territory |
| Resting place |
Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37″N 111°51′29″W / 40.777°N 111.858°W |
| Occupation | Church printer |
| Title | Scribe to Joseph Smith, composer of numerous LDS hymns |
| Spouse(s) | Stella Waterman |
| Parents | Enon Phelps Mehitable Goldsmith |
William Wines Phelps (February 17, 1792 – March 7, 1872) was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement. He printed the first edition of the Book of Commandments and wrote numerous hymns that became standard works of the church. He was at times both close to and at odds with church leadership. He testified against Joseph Smith, providing evidence that helped persuade authorities to arrest Smith. He was excommunicated three times and rejoined the church each time. He was a ghost writer for Joseph Smith and was called by Smith to serve as assistant president of the church in Missouri. He served on the Council of Fifty. After the prophet's murder, he supported Brigham Young as the new prophet.
Born in Hanover Township, New Jersey, his father, Enon Phelps, and mother, Mehitable Goldsmith, moved the family to Homer, New York, in 1800. Phelps was a descendant of the Puritan founder, William Phelps. As a child, Phelps attended public schools. As a young man, he traveled to Ohio, but soon returned to Homer, where he began publishing the Western Courier.
On April 28, 1815, he married Stella Waterman (later called Sally). He next moved to Trumansburgh, Tompkins County, New York, where in 1823 he founded the Lake Light. In 1827, he relocated to Canandaigua, New York, where he began publishing and edited the anti-Masonic newspaper Ontario Phoenix through 1828. Phelps was described by Dean Jessee as "one of [the] founders" of the anti-Masonic movement in New York.
Well educated as a young man, Phelps wanted to seek the office lieutenant governor of New York. He purchased a copy of the Book of Mormon on April 9, 1830—just three days after the church was organized as the Church of Christ. Phelps met Smith on December 24, 1830, and was convinced he was a prophet. On April 29, 1831, Phelps was imprisoned at Lyons, New York, by a "couple of Presbyterian traders, for a small debt, for the purpose, as I was informed, of 'keeping me from joining the Mormons.'"
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