Dates

• Existence: 1793 - 1876

Biographical History

Sidney Rigdon (1793-1876) was a Baptist minister in Pennsylvania and Ohio who eventually joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During his time in the Church, he became a prominent member of the Church, serving as a member of the First Presidency and running as the Vice Presidential candidate for Joseph Smith's presidential campaign. After Smith's Martyrdom in June 1844, he eventually tried to take control of the Church, but eventually relocated himself to the Northeast where he led the Rigdonite sect of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sidney Rigdon was born on February 19, 1793 in St. Clair Township, PA as the youngest of four children to William and Nancy Rigdon. Although his father passed away in 1810, Rigdon served in his family farm while also being a diligent scholar in history and English. After leaving the farm in 1818, he became a Baptist minister, serving in Churches in Pennsylvania and Ohio up until 1826. However, after some of his congregants including Parley P. Pratt and Edward Partridge joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Rigdon eventually met with Joseph Smith in 1830 and eventually converted - serving as a scribe and assistant to Joseph Smith during his re-translation of the Bible.

Between 1830-1837, Rigdon returned to Ohio, settling with fellow members of the Church in Kirtland, OH. While there, they experimented living with all things in common. Along with this, he dealt with persecutions, but eventually repented and became a member of the First Presidency, where he served as president of the Kirtland Safety Society. However, in spite of this, during the Church's times in Missouri and Illinois, he came into constant conflict with Joseph Smith, criticizing him for sabbath-breaking while claiming himself to be a "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator." It was due to this that Rigdon's relationship with Smith deteriorated, even to the point where there were claims that Rigdon was conspiring with critics of the Church like John C. Bennett to overthrow the Church.

Nevertheless, in spite of Smith and Rigdon's poor relationship in the 1840s, he nevertheless was selected to be Smith's Vice Presidential pick when Smith ran for president in 1844. Regardless, not only was Rigdon critical of practices like polygamy at this period of Church history, but eventually he tried to take control of the Church after Smith's death, wanting to serve as "Guardian of the Church." While the majority of the members of the Church decided to side with Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles over Rigdon, a few did join up with Rigdon and eventually moved back to Pennsylvania and New York to establish the Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion - a church in which he served as president. While the Church seemed to flourish at first, eventually it split off to form another sect of the Church called "The Church of Jesus Christ."

For the remainder of his life in 1862-1876, Rigdon stayed in the northeast. In spite of any contentions he may have had with Smith, he never renounced his testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and believed that Joseph called him to serve as leader of the Church after his death. Nevertheless, on July 14, 1876, he passed away in his home in Friendship, NY.

Citation:

Wikipedia, May 16, 2017 (Sidney Rigdom; b. Feb. 19, 1793; d. July 14, 1876; started as Baptist minister in New York, Pennsylania, and Ohio; Converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he served as a scribe and member of the First Presidency of the Church; after a contentious relationship with Smith, after his death he claimed to be the next leader of the Church)

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