Thomas B. Marsh
Born: 1 November 1800
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 25 April 1835
Excommunicated: 17 March 1839
Rebaptized: 1857
Died: January 1866
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 25 April 1835
Excommunicated: 17 March 1839
Rebaptized: 1857
Died: January 1866
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Conference Talks About Thomas B. Marsh
Biographical Articles
Jenson, Andrew. "Marsh, Thomas B." Biographical Encyclopedia. Volume 1. pg. 74-76.
MARSH, Thomas B., a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1833, and the first president of the Twelve, was born Nov. 1, 1799, in Acton, Middlesex county, Mass. He spent his early boyhood on a farm at Westmoreland, New Hampshire, and when fourteen years of age, he left home and went to Vermont. After working on a farm in that State three months, he went to Albany, N. Y., and engaged in a public house as a waiter, where he remained eighteen months. After this he spent four years in a New York City hotel, and then moved to Long Island, where he engaged as groom to Edward Griswald, in whose service he remained one and a half years, during which time he married Elizabeth Godkin, Nov. 1, 1820. Immediately after marrying, he commenced a grocery business in New York, in which however, he did not succeed. He was then employed in a type foundry in Boston for seven years, and during this period he joined the Methodist Church; but he did not succeed in becoming a genuine Methodist, as he could not make the creed of that denomination correspond with the Bible. He subsequently withdrew from all sects, but by the spirit of prophecy, which rested upon him in some degree, he was led to anticipate the rife of a new church, which would have the truth in its purity. Finally he was, as he believed, led by the spirit of. God to make a journey westward, in company with Benjamin Hall. Having arrived in Lyonstown, N. Y., he heard for the first time of the golden book, that had been found by a youth named Joseph Smith. He immediately changed the course of his journey and went to Palmyra, where he found Martin Harris in Egbert B. Grandin's printing office. The first sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon had just been struck off, and he obtained a sheet from the printer to take with him. As soon as Martin Harris found out his intentions, he took him to the house of Joseph Smith, Sen., where he found Oliver Cowdery, who gave him all the information he wanted at that time. After staying there two days, he started for Charleston, Mass., highly pleased with the information he had obtained. After arriving home, and showing his wife the sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon, which he had brought with him, she also believed it to be the work of God. During the following year Marsh corresponded with Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith the Prophet, and made preparations to move west. Learning by letter that the Church of Jesus Christ had been organized on April 6, 1830, he moved to Palmyra, Ontario county, N. T., in the following September, and was baptized by David Whitmer, in Cayuga lake, in that same month. A few days later he was ordained an Elder, and by revelation appointed a physician to the Church. He remained in the State of New York during the fall and winter, and in the spring of 1831 he returned with the main body of the Church to Kirtland, Ohio. At the conference held at Kirtland, June 6, 1831, be was ordained a High Priest by Lyman Wight, and also received an appointment to go to Missouri and preach on the way, which he did in company with Selah J. Griffin. In the beginning of 1S32, Bishop E. Partridge having furnished him with an Indian pony, he returned to Kirtland, accompanied by Cyrus Daniels. After laboring and preaching through the country around Kirtland until the summer opened, he, in company with Ezra Thayre, performed a mission to the State of New York, returning home early in the fall, and shortly after he removed to Jackson county, Missouri, as leader of a small company of Saints. He arrived in Jackson county Nov. 10. 1832, and located with the brethren from Colesville, N. Y., receiving his inheritance —about thirty acres of land, set off by Bishop Partridge—on the Big Blue river where he during the winter, erected a comfortable log house, into which he moved his family in the spring, and commenced clearing land to raise some corn and potatoes. In the latter part of that year, he, in connection with the rest of the Saints in Jackson county, was driven from his home by the mob. While the majority of the exiles found temporary shelter in Clay county, he and others wintered in Lafayette county, where he taught school. In the spring of 1834, having learned that Joseph Smith and a company of men were coming to relieve the Saints in Missouri, Bro. Marsh moved to Clay county, where he lived when Zion's Camp arrived. In the course of the summer he cultivated a small piece of land and succeeded in raising some corn. He was chosen as a member of the High Council. In January, 1835, in company with Bishop Partridge, and agreeable to revelation, he returned to Kirtland, where he was ordained one of the Twelve Apostles under the hands of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris, April 26, 1835. During the summer, in connection with other members of the quorum of the Twelve, he performed a mission to the Eastern States. In the winter of 1835-36 he attended school in Kirtland, and studied Hebrew under Professor Seixas, a Jew by birth. In the spring he returned to his place on Fishing river, in Clay county, Mo., where he ai rived in April. When, shortly after, difficulties arose between the Saints and the citizens of Clay county, Bro. Marsh was appointed a delegate from Fishing river for the purpose of amicably arranging matters. He was also elected a member of a committee to present resolutions in a meeting, held in Liberty. On that occasion he was enabled to speak so feelingly in relation to the former persecutions of the Saints, that Gen. Atchison, who was present, could not refrain from shedding tears. This meeting passed resolutions to assist the Saints in seeking a new location, and appointed committees to collect means to aid the poor. The Church also appointed Bro. Marsh and Elisha H. Groves to visit the branches in Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, for the purpose of borrowing money to enter lands in the new settlement, at the land office, for the convenience of the immigrating Saints. The two started on this mission in July and succeeded in borrowing upwards of $1,400, principally from the brethren in Kentucky and Tennessee, at 10 per cent interest. Sept. 19, 1836. they parted with Wilford Woodruff and the Saints in Kentucky, and, accompanied by David W. Patten and his wife, returned to Missouri. Bro. Marsh proceeded immediately to the new city, which, during his absence, had been laid out and called Far West, procured a lot, built a house and spent the following winter in making improvements and preaching to the Saints. In June, 1837, he started for Kirtland, in company with David W. Patten and Wm. Smith, and there tried to reconcile some of the Twelve and others of high standing, who had come out in opposition to the Prophet. In July and August he accompanied Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon on a mission to Canada, after which he again proceeded to Missouri, where he arrived in October. Elder Marsh and David W. Patten were appointed presidents pro tern, of the Church in Missouri, Feb. 10, 1838, the former presidency having been rejected. After the arrival of Joseph Smith, he assisted in exploring the country northward on Grand river, where Adam-ondi-Ahman was located at that time. About the time when the persecutions against the Saints in Caldwell county. Mo., commenced, in August, 1838, Elder Marsh became disaffected and turned a traitor against his brethren. Shortly after he moved away from Far West and located in Clay county. Later he settled in Richmond, Ray county. He was finally excommunicated from the Church at a conference, held at Quincy, Ill., March 17, 1S39. In July, 1857, Thos. B. Marsh was rebaptized in Florence, Nebraska, and came to Utah that same year. A few years afterwards he died at Ogden as a pauper and invalid. A little insignificant mound, covered with rock, and an old weather-beaten board, upon which the letters T. B. M. were faintly seen, was all that marked the last resting place on the Ogden cemetery of this once distinguished Apostle until quite recently.
MARSH, Thomas B., a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1833, and the first president of the Twelve, was born Nov. 1, 1799, in Acton, Middlesex county, Mass. He spent his early boyhood on a farm at Westmoreland, New Hampshire, and when fourteen years of age, he left home and went to Vermont. After working on a farm in that State three months, he went to Albany, N. Y., and engaged in a public house as a waiter, where he remained eighteen months. After this he spent four years in a New York City hotel, and then moved to Long Island, where he engaged as groom to Edward Griswald, in whose service he remained one and a half years, during which time he married Elizabeth Godkin, Nov. 1, 1820. Immediately after marrying, he commenced a grocery business in New York, in which however, he did not succeed. He was then employed in a type foundry in Boston for seven years, and during this period he joined the Methodist Church; but he did not succeed in becoming a genuine Methodist, as he could not make the creed of that denomination correspond with the Bible. He subsequently withdrew from all sects, but by the spirit of prophecy, which rested upon him in some degree, he was led to anticipate the rife of a new church, which would have the truth in its purity. Finally he was, as he believed, led by the spirit of. God to make a journey westward, in company with Benjamin Hall. Having arrived in Lyonstown, N. Y., he heard for the first time of the golden book, that had been found by a youth named Joseph Smith. He immediately changed the course of his journey and went to Palmyra, where he found Martin Harris in Egbert B. Grandin's printing office. The first sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon had just been struck off, and he obtained a sheet from the printer to take with him. As soon as Martin Harris found out his intentions, he took him to the house of Joseph Smith, Sen., where he found Oliver Cowdery, who gave him all the information he wanted at that time. After staying there two days, he started for Charleston, Mass., highly pleased with the information he had obtained. After arriving home, and showing his wife the sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon, which he had brought with him, she also believed it to be the work of God. During the following year Marsh corresponded with Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith the Prophet, and made preparations to move west. Learning by letter that the Church of Jesus Christ had been organized on April 6, 1830, he moved to Palmyra, Ontario county, N. T., in the following September, and was baptized by David Whitmer, in Cayuga lake, in that same month. A few days later he was ordained an Elder, and by revelation appointed a physician to the Church. He remained in the State of New York during the fall and winter, and in the spring of 1831 he returned with the main body of the Church to Kirtland, Ohio. At the conference held at Kirtland, June 6, 1831, be was ordained a High Priest by Lyman Wight, and also received an appointment to go to Missouri and preach on the way, which he did in company with Selah J. Griffin. In the beginning of 1S32, Bishop E. Partridge having furnished him with an Indian pony, he returned to Kirtland, accompanied by Cyrus Daniels. After laboring and preaching through the country around Kirtland until the summer opened, he, in company with Ezra Thayre, performed a mission to the State of New York, returning home early in the fall, and shortly after he removed to Jackson county, Missouri, as leader of a small company of Saints. He arrived in Jackson county Nov. 10. 1832, and located with the brethren from Colesville, N. Y., receiving his inheritance —about thirty acres of land, set off by Bishop Partridge—on the Big Blue river where he during the winter, erected a comfortable log house, into which he moved his family in the spring, and commenced clearing land to raise some corn and potatoes. In the latter part of that year, he, in connection with the rest of the Saints in Jackson county, was driven from his home by the mob. While the majority of the exiles found temporary shelter in Clay county, he and others wintered in Lafayette county, where he taught school. In the spring of 1834, having learned that Joseph Smith and a company of men were coming to relieve the Saints in Missouri, Bro. Marsh moved to Clay county, where he lived when Zion's Camp arrived. In the course of the summer he cultivated a small piece of land and succeeded in raising some corn. He was chosen as a member of the High Council. In January, 1835, in company with Bishop Partridge, and agreeable to revelation, he returned to Kirtland, where he was ordained one of the Twelve Apostles under the hands of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris, April 26, 1835. During the summer, in connection with other members of the quorum of the Twelve, he performed a mission to the Eastern States. In the winter of 1835-36 he attended school in Kirtland, and studied Hebrew under Professor Seixas, a Jew by birth. In the spring he returned to his place on Fishing river, in Clay county, Mo., where he ai rived in April. When, shortly after, difficulties arose between the Saints and the citizens of Clay county, Bro. Marsh was appointed a delegate from Fishing river for the purpose of amicably arranging matters. He was also elected a member of a committee to present resolutions in a meeting, held in Liberty. On that occasion he was enabled to speak so feelingly in relation to the former persecutions of the Saints, that Gen. Atchison, who was present, could not refrain from shedding tears. This meeting passed resolutions to assist the Saints in seeking a new location, and appointed committees to collect means to aid the poor. The Church also appointed Bro. Marsh and Elisha H. Groves to visit the branches in Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, for the purpose of borrowing money to enter lands in the new settlement, at the land office, for the convenience of the immigrating Saints. The two started on this mission in July and succeeded in borrowing upwards of $1,400, principally from the brethren in Kentucky and Tennessee, at 10 per cent interest. Sept. 19, 1836. they parted with Wilford Woodruff and the Saints in Kentucky, and, accompanied by David W. Patten and his wife, returned to Missouri. Bro. Marsh proceeded immediately to the new city, which, during his absence, had been laid out and called Far West, procured a lot, built a house and spent the following winter in making improvements and preaching to the Saints. In June, 1837, he started for Kirtland, in company with David W. Patten and Wm. Smith, and there tried to reconcile some of the Twelve and others of high standing, who had come out in opposition to the Prophet. In July and August he accompanied Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon on a mission to Canada, after which he again proceeded to Missouri, where he arrived in October. Elder Marsh and David W. Patten were appointed presidents pro tern, of the Church in Missouri, Feb. 10, 1838, the former presidency having been rejected. After the arrival of Joseph Smith, he assisted in exploring the country northward on Grand river, where Adam-ondi-Ahman was located at that time. About the time when the persecutions against the Saints in Caldwell county. Mo., commenced, in August, 1838, Elder Marsh became disaffected and turned a traitor against his brethren. Shortly after he moved away from Far West and located in Clay county. Later he settled in Richmond, Ray county. He was finally excommunicated from the Church at a conference, held at Quincy, Ill., March 17, 1S39. In July, 1857, Thos. B. Marsh was rebaptized in Florence, Nebraska, and came to Utah that same year. A few years afterwards he died at Ogden as a pauper and invalid. A little insignificant mound, covered with rock, and an old weather-beaten board, upon which the letters T. B. M. were faintly seen, was all that marked the last resting place on the Ogden cemetery of this once distinguished Apostle until quite recently.