| Charles C. Rich | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| February 12, 1849 (1849-02-12) – November 17, 1883 (1883-11-17) | |
| Called by | Brigham Young |
| LDS ChurchApostle | |
| February 12, 1849 (1849-02-12) – November 17, 1883 (1883-11-17) | |
| Called by | Brigham Young |
| Reason | Reorganization ofFirst Presidency,Lorenzo Snow,Erastus Snow, andFranklin D. Richards were ordained on the same day to fill four vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. |
| Reorganization at end of term | John W. Taylor ordained |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Coulson Rich (1809-08-21)August 21, 1809 Campbell County,Kentucky, United States |
| Died | November 17, 1883(1883-11-17) (aged 74) Paris,Idaho Territory, United States |
| Resting place | Paris Cemetery 42°12′47″N111°24′27″W / 42.2131°N 111.4075°W /42.2131; -111.4075 (Paris Cemetery) |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah D. Pea Eliza Ann Graves Sarah J. Peck Harriet Sargent Mary A. Phelps Emeline Grover |
| Children | 51, including: Joseph C. Rich |
| Parents | Joseph and Nancy Rich |
| Signature | |
 | |
Charles Coulson Rich (August 21, 1809 – November 17, 1883) was an early leader in theLatter Day Saint movement. He led one of the first groups ofMormon pioneers west fromIllinois under the leadership ofBrigham Young afterJoseph Smith's murder.
Rich was chosen and served as anapostle ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) under Brigham Young after the Church settled inUtah Territory. President Young asked Rich to open upSan Bernardino, California, for settlement in 1850, andBear Lake Valley, located inUtah andIdaho, in 1863. Rich founded many communities in Bear Lake Valley, includingParis,Montpelier,Fish Haven,Ovid,Georgetown,St. Charles,Bloomington,Bennington,Wardboro,Dingle, Glencoe andPegram in Idaho, andGarden City, Meadowville, andLaketown in Utah.
Rich was born in on August 21, 1809, inCampbell County, Kentucky, to Joseph Rich and Nancy O'Neal.[2] As an adult he reached six feet, 4 inches in height, and was considered a tall man for the time period.[citation needed] Rich was baptized into the earlyLatter Day Saint church on April 1, 1832,[2] after having been taught byLyman Wight in 1831.
In 1838, Rich married Sarah D. Pea, whom he had previously proposed to by letter, the two never having met.[3] Rich followed the church's principle ofplural marriage, taking six wives and fathering a total of 51 children.[2]
In 1863, Rich led a party of early Mormons to colonize parts of southeastern Idaho, which at the time was thought to be part ofUtah Territory. The communities ofParis andGeneva, Idaho, as well as some other neighboring towns, were under his direction.[citation needed]
Rich had six slaves.[4]
Rich was a leader inCaldwell County, Missouri,[citation needed] and fought in theBattle of Crooked River. It was recorded that, during the battle, Rich "dropped his sword ... and administered to wounded ApostleDavid W. Patten, then assuming command and winning the battle."[2] Rich was also reported to have been shot "while carrying a flag of truce" aroundFar West, Missouri.[2]
His log house is the only structure from the Mormon period in 1836–38 in Caldwell County to have survived to this day. After the expulsion of the Latter Day Saints from Missouri, Rich settled inNauvoo, Illinois, where he was made an original member of theCouncil of Fifty.[citation needed] He also served as a member of theNauvoo High Council,[5] and as Brigadier-General in theNauvoo Legion.[2]
After thedeath of Joseph Smith, Rich followed the leadership ofBrigham Young and the survivingQuorum of the Twelve Apostles. He and his family migrated to what became Utah with the main body of the church in 1847, leading apioneer company that arrived October of that year. When Young and the other apostles returned that winter toWinter Quarters, Nebraska, Rich served as a counselor toJohn Smith, who presided over the early pioneers in theSalt Lake Valley. In October 1848, Rich was made the president of the Salt LakeStake.[6]
Brigham Young appointed Rich a member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles on February 12, 1849.
Rich helped form a Latter-day Saint settlement inSan Bernardino, California.[2] However, this settlement attracted many people who wanted to avoid Young and other leaders of the LDS Church. The members who supported Young were asked to return to Utah in 1857 at the time of theUtah War. At the request of President Brigham Young,[citation needed] Charles C. Rich settled theBear Lake (on the Utah–Idaho border) region and is the namesake ofRich County, Utah[2] and St. Charles, ID.
In the early 1860s, Rich served aspresident of the BritishMission of the church.
After suffering fromparalysis, Rich died on November 17, 1883, inParis, Idaho. He has been remembered as "a man of strength and great power of endurance."[2] His granddaughter, Ada May Rich, became the mother ofLaraine Day, who became an actress.[7]
{{cite book}}:|website= ignored (help)
Media related toCharles C. Rich at Wikimedia Commons| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles February 12, 1849 – November 17, 1883 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
