Shadrach Roundy
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Shadrach Roundy (Jan 1, 1789 - July 9, 1874) was an early Mormon leader born in Rockingham, Vermont. Shadrach was the oldest member of Brigham Young's Company, which arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, and was one of the advance party which arrived in the valley ahead of the main party in order to start planting crops. He was one of the three men who, on July 23, 1847, were the first Mormon pioneers recorded to plow soil in what became Utah.
He was a Bishop in Winter Quarters, a member of the first High Council organized in the Salt Lake Valley, again a Bishop in Salt Lake City, a senator in the first legislature of the provisional State of Deseret, and later a Stake President in Manti, Utah.
[edit] Role during Mormon expulsion from Missouri
- See also: Mormon War
Shadrach Roundy played a very important part as an assistant to Brigham Young in the removal of the Latter Day Saints from Missouri. So much of the Mormons' property had been either destroyed or taken over by the mobocrats that a number of the destitute refugees found it impossible to move themselves and families to a spot of safety. The expulsion occurring during the winter also greatly aggravated conditions. But the more fortunate ones, in the spirit true Christian brotherhood, made a covenant to assist those in need. Quoting from a meeting held at Far West on January 29, 1839 :
| “ | On motion of President Brigham Young, it was resolved that we this day enter into a covenant to stand by and assist each other to the utmost of our abilities in removing from this State, and that we will never desert the poor who are worthy, till they shall be out of the reach of the exterminating order of General Clark, acting for and in the name of the State. Thereupon the proposed covenant was drawn up and signed by three hundred and eighty of the stalwarts of the Mormon group. | ” |
Shadrach Roundy was the ninth to attach his signature. This covenant bound the signers to give freely of all their "available property, to be disposed of by a committee who shall be appointed for the purpose of providing means for the removing from this State of the poor and destitute who shall be considered worthy, till there shall not be one left who desires to remove from the State." Accordingly, a committee composed of Shadrach Roundy and six others was appointed to superintend the business of the removal of the exiles. Means of conveyance, food, clothing, and temporary shelters were provided for the destitute. Throughout the long, cold winter months of 1838-39 the committee members equipped family after family of the refugees and directed their exodus from Missouri.
Shadrach and his associates not only witnessed the extremes of suffering of the Saints, but cheerfully accepted their share of the burden. In the face of insults, persecutions, and even danger of being murdered, it took fearless men of integrity like Shadrach Roundy to perform the difficult work which this committee so diligently pursued with honor unto its completion.[1]
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Pollock, Gail SHADRACH TREKS WESTWARD, [1]
