John E. Page
Born: 25 February 1799
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 19 December 1838
Excommunicated: 27 June 1846
Died: 14 October 1867
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 19 December 1838
Excommunicated: 27 June 1846
Died: 14 October 1867
Biographical Articles
Jenson, Andrew. "Page, John E." Biographical Encyclopedia. Volume 1. pg. 92-93.
PAGE, John E., a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles from 1838 to 1849,was the son of Ebenezer and Rachel Page, and was born Feb. 25, 1799, In Trenton Township, Oneida county, New York. He was baptized by Emer Harris (brother to Martin Harris) Aug. 18, 1833, in Ohio; ordained an Elder by Nelson Higgins In Sept., 1833,and moved to Kirtland in the fall of 1835. In May, 1836, he was called to go on a mission to Canada, to which he objected for the reason that he was destitute of clothing. The Prophet Joseph took off his coat and gave It to him, telling him to go, and the Lord would bless him. He started May 31, 1836, for Leeds county, Canada West, and returned after seven months and twenty days' absence. Feb. 16, 1837, he again left Kirtland, taking with him his family consisting of wife and two children, and continued his mission In Canada. During his two years' labor there he baptized upwards of six hundred persons, and traveled more than five thousand miles, principally on foot. In May, 1838, he started for Missouri with a company of Saints. occupying thirty wagons, and arrived at De Witt, Carroll county, Mo., in the beginning of October, while that place was being attacked by a ruthless mob, which a few days later succeeded In driving all the Saints away. The exiles, including Bro. Page and his company, sought protection in Far West, Caldwell county, where they shared in all the grievous persecutions which the Saints there had to endure. Elder Page buried his wife and two children, who died as martyrs for their religion, through extreme suffering, for the want of the common comforts of life. Having been called by revelation to the Apostleship, Elder Page was ordained one of the Twelve Apostles Dec. 19,1838, at Far West, under the hands of Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. He filled the vacancy caused by the apostasy of Luke S. Johnson. Early in 1839 he started with his family for Illinois, but on the way he met Pres. Brigham Young and others of the Twelve, who persuaded Bro. Page to return to Far West to attend the secret conference held In the morning of April 26, 1839. Soon after he located below Warsaw, Hancock county. Ill., and neglected to go to England with his brethren of the Twelve, according to the word of the Lord. In April, 1840, he was appointed by a general conference at Nauvoo to accompany Orson Hyde on a mission to Jerusalem, and although he started on this mission, he never left the shores of America. He traveled through Indiana and Ohio, and spent the winter of 1840-41 preaching occasionally in Cincinnati and vicinity. In June, 1841, he arrived in Philadelphia, where Geo. A. Smith on his return from England met him, and knowing the Saints were willing to raise ample means to carry Elder Page on his Journey, Elder Smith urged him to proceed on. his mission tor Jerusalem, but he did not go. Soon after he became involved in difficulty with the branch in Philadelphia, and In the fall Pres. Hyrum Smith wrote to him to come home. He did not return to Nauvoo until the spring of 1842; on his way he delivered several discourses at Pittsburg, and formulated a petition which was signed by the Saints and others, to Pres. Joseph Smith, praying that he might be sent to Pittsburg. At the conference held at Nauvoo In April, 1843, he was sent to Pittsburg, where he organized a branch of the Church composed of those baptized by himself and other Elders, and some who emigrated thither. In organizing this branch he drew up a constitution, requiring their president to be elected every four months. At the first election he was chosen president; at the second election Elder Small was chosen president, having received the most votes. Elder Page moved his family to Pittsburg, where he continued to preach. During the summer of 1843, the quorum of the Twelve went eastward from Nauvoo on a mission. Elders Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt and John E. Page met at Cincinnati and there reorganized the branch. Elders Kimball and Pratt proceeded on their mission, and as soon as they were gone. Elder Page called the members of the branch together and annulled the organization, re-establishing the old one. A few days later Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff and Geo. A. Smith visited Cincinnati, and disapproved of Elder Page's proceedings, for the reason that it was not right for one of the Twelve to undo what three had done. Elder Page, in company with his brethren of the Twelve, went to Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and Boston; in the latter city he remained for some time. Pres. Joseph Smith, disapproving of his course in Boston, directed him to proceed to Washington and build up a branch there. He went to Washington, remained a short time, and baptized several, then returned to Pittsburg. Soon after Pres. Smith's death, an advertisement appeared in the Beaver (Penn.) "Argus," that Elder John E. Page was out of employment and would preach for anybody that would sustain his family. In a council of the Twelve held at Nauvoo Feb. 9, 1846, Elder Page was disfellowshipped from that quorum, after which he became very bitter against his former associates and advised the Saints to accept the apostate James J. Strang as their leader. He soon afterwards left Nauvoo, and after traveling about one hundred and twenty miles he met a company of Saints coming from Canada. He told them that he was one of the Twelve sent by council to inform them that they must turn about and go to Woree, Wisconsin, Mr. Strang's place of gathering. He deceived some, but most of the Saints would not believe him and sent a messenger to Nauvoo to find out the truth of the matter. Elder Page was excommunicated from the Church, June 26, 1846. Soon afterwards he dwindled into obscurity and died near Sycamore, De Kalb county, Ill., in the fall of 1867. (See also "Millennial Star," Vol. 27, p. 103.)
PAGE, John E., a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles from 1838 to 1849,was the son of Ebenezer and Rachel Page, and was born Feb. 25, 1799, In Trenton Township, Oneida county, New York. He was baptized by Emer Harris (brother to Martin Harris) Aug. 18, 1833, in Ohio; ordained an Elder by Nelson Higgins In Sept., 1833,and moved to Kirtland in the fall of 1835. In May, 1836, he was called to go on a mission to Canada, to which he objected for the reason that he was destitute of clothing. The Prophet Joseph took off his coat and gave It to him, telling him to go, and the Lord would bless him. He started May 31, 1836, for Leeds county, Canada West, and returned after seven months and twenty days' absence. Feb. 16, 1837, he again left Kirtland, taking with him his family consisting of wife and two children, and continued his mission In Canada. During his two years' labor there he baptized upwards of six hundred persons, and traveled more than five thousand miles, principally on foot. In May, 1838, he started for Missouri with a company of Saints. occupying thirty wagons, and arrived at De Witt, Carroll county, Mo., in the beginning of October, while that place was being attacked by a ruthless mob, which a few days later succeeded In driving all the Saints away. The exiles, including Bro. Page and his company, sought protection in Far West, Caldwell county, where they shared in all the grievous persecutions which the Saints there had to endure. Elder Page buried his wife and two children, who died as martyrs for their religion, through extreme suffering, for the want of the common comforts of life. Having been called by revelation to the Apostleship, Elder Page was ordained one of the Twelve Apostles Dec. 19,1838, at Far West, under the hands of Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. He filled the vacancy caused by the apostasy of Luke S. Johnson. Early in 1839 he started with his family for Illinois, but on the way he met Pres. Brigham Young and others of the Twelve, who persuaded Bro. Page to return to Far West to attend the secret conference held In the morning of April 26, 1839. Soon after he located below Warsaw, Hancock county. Ill., and neglected to go to England with his brethren of the Twelve, according to the word of the Lord. In April, 1840, he was appointed by a general conference at Nauvoo to accompany Orson Hyde on a mission to Jerusalem, and although he started on this mission, he never left the shores of America. He traveled through Indiana and Ohio, and spent the winter of 1840-41 preaching occasionally in Cincinnati and vicinity. In June, 1841, he arrived in Philadelphia, where Geo. A. Smith on his return from England met him, and knowing the Saints were willing to raise ample means to carry Elder Page on his Journey, Elder Smith urged him to proceed on. his mission tor Jerusalem, but he did not go. Soon after he became involved in difficulty with the branch in Philadelphia, and In the fall Pres. Hyrum Smith wrote to him to come home. He did not return to Nauvoo until the spring of 1842; on his way he delivered several discourses at Pittsburg, and formulated a petition which was signed by the Saints and others, to Pres. Joseph Smith, praying that he might be sent to Pittsburg. At the conference held at Nauvoo In April, 1843, he was sent to Pittsburg, where he organized a branch of the Church composed of those baptized by himself and other Elders, and some who emigrated thither. In organizing this branch he drew up a constitution, requiring their president to be elected every four months. At the first election he was chosen president; at the second election Elder Small was chosen president, having received the most votes. Elder Page moved his family to Pittsburg, where he continued to preach. During the summer of 1843, the quorum of the Twelve went eastward from Nauvoo on a mission. Elders Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt and John E. Page met at Cincinnati and there reorganized the branch. Elders Kimball and Pratt proceeded on their mission, and as soon as they were gone. Elder Page called the members of the branch together and annulled the organization, re-establishing the old one. A few days later Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff and Geo. A. Smith visited Cincinnati, and disapproved of Elder Page's proceedings, for the reason that it was not right for one of the Twelve to undo what three had done. Elder Page, in company with his brethren of the Twelve, went to Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and Boston; in the latter city he remained for some time. Pres. Joseph Smith, disapproving of his course in Boston, directed him to proceed to Washington and build up a branch there. He went to Washington, remained a short time, and baptized several, then returned to Pittsburg. Soon after Pres. Smith's death, an advertisement appeared in the Beaver (Penn.) "Argus," that Elder John E. Page was out of employment and would preach for anybody that would sustain his family. In a council of the Twelve held at Nauvoo Feb. 9, 1846, Elder Page was disfellowshipped from that quorum, after which he became very bitter against his former associates and advised the Saints to accept the apostate James J. Strang as their leader. He soon afterwards left Nauvoo, and after traveling about one hundred and twenty miles he met a company of Saints coming from Canada. He told them that he was one of the Twelve sent by council to inform them that they must turn about and go to Woree, Wisconsin, Mr. Strang's place of gathering. He deceived some, but most of the Saints would not believe him and sent a messenger to Nauvoo to find out the truth of the matter. Elder Page was excommunicated from the Church, June 26, 1846. Soon afterwards he dwindled into obscurity and died near Sycamore, De Kalb county, Ill., in the fall of 1867. (See also "Millennial Star," Vol. 27, p. 103.)