Editing Oliver Cowdery (section)

==Biography==
===Early life===
Oliver Cowdery was born October 3, 1806, in [[Wells, Vermont|Wells]], [[Vermont]]; his father, William, moved the family to the nearby town of [[Poultney, Vermont|Poultney]] when Cowdery was three years old.<ref>[[Preston Nibley]], ''Oliver Cowdery: His Life, Character and Testimony'' (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1958).</ref> His mother, Rebecca Fuller Cowdery, died on September 3, 1809. In his youth, Cowdery hunted for buried treasure using a [[divining rod]], a common practice at the time.<ref>''EMD'', 1: 603–05, 619–20; Quinn, 37.</ref>

At age 20, Cowdery left Vermont for [[upstate New York]], where his older brothers had settled. He clerked at a store for just over two years and in 1829 became a school teacher in [[Manchester, New York|Manchester]].<ref>Lucy Cowdery Young to Andrew Jenson, March 7, 1887, Church Archives</ref> Cowdery lodged with different families in the area, including that of [[Joseph Smith, Sr.]], who was said to have provided Cowdery with additional information about the [[golden plates]] of which Cowdery said he had heard "from all quarters."<ref>[[Dan Vogel]], ''Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet'' (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2004), 154; [[Junius F. Wells]], "Oliver Cowdery", ''[[Improvement Era]]'' XIV:5 (March 1911); [[Lucy Mack Smith]], "Preliminary Manuscript," 90 in ''Early Mormon Documents'' 1: 374–75.</ref>

===Book of Mormon scribe and witness===
{{Book of Mormon}}
Cowdery met [[Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith, Jr.]] on April 5, 1829—a year and a day before the official founding of the [[Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|Church of Christ]]—and heard from him how he had received golden plates containing ancient [[reformed Egyptian]] writings.<ref>''[[Joseph Smith–History]]'' 1:66.</ref> Cowdery told Smith that he had seen the golden plates in a vision before the two had met.<ref>{{cite book |first=Grant |last=Palmer |title=An Insider's View of Mormon Origins |publisher=Signature Books |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |date=2002 |page=179 |quote=According to [[Lucy Mack Smith]], the 'Lord appeared unto a young man by the name of Oliver Cowdery and showed unto him the plates in a vision.'}}</ref>

Before meeting Cowdery, Smith had virtually stopped translating after the [[lost 116 pages|first 116 pages]] had been lost by [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]]. Working with Cowdery, however, Smith completed the manuscript of what would become the [[Book of Mormon]] between April 7 and June 1829, in what [[Richard Lyman Bushman|Richard Bushman]] later called a "burst of rapid-fire translation."{{sfn|Bushman|2005|p=70}} Cowdery also unsuccessfully attempted to translate part of the Book of Mormon by himself.<ref>''[[History of the Church (Joseph Smith)|History of the Church]]'' 1:36-38; D&C 8, 9.</ref>

Cowdery and Smith reported that on May 15, 1829, they received the [[Aaronic priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Aaronic priesthood]] from the resurrected [[John the Baptist]], after which they [[Baptism (Latter Day Saints)|baptized]] each other in the [[Susquehanna River]].<ref>''[[Messenger and Advocate]]'' [http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/u?/NCMP1820-1846,7012 '''1''':14–16] (October 1834); Bushman, 74–75.</ref> Cowdery said that he and Smith later went into the forest and prayed "until a glorious light encircled us, and as we arose on account of the light, three persons stood before us dressed in white, their faces beaming with glory." One of the three announced that he was the [[Saint Peter|Apostle Peter]] and said the others were the apostles [[James, son of Zebedee|James]] and [[John the Apostle|John]], who many presume then gave them the [[Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints)#Restoration account debate|Melchizedek priesthood]].<ref>Charles M. Nielsen to Heber Grant, February 10, 1898, in Dan Vogel, ed., ''Early Mormon Documents'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1998), 2: 476; ''[[History of the Church (Joseph Smith)|History of the Church]]'' 1:39–42.</ref>

Later that year, Cowdery reported sharing a vision, along with Smith and [[David Whitmer]], in which an angel showed them the golden plates. Harris said he saw a similar vision later that day. Cowdery, Whitmer and Harris signed a statement to that effect and became known as the [[Three Witnesses]]. Their testimony has subsequently been published in nearly every edition of the Book of Mormon.

===Second Elder of the church===
When the Church of Christ was organized on April 6, 1830, Smith became "First Elder" and Cowdery "Second Elder." Although Cowdery was technically second in authority to Smith from the organization of the church through 1838, in practice [[Sidney Rigdon]], Smith's "spokesman" and counselor in the [[First Presidency]], began to supplant Cowdery as early as 1831. Cowdery held the position of [[Assistant President of the Church]] from 1834 until his [[excommunication]] in 1838.<ref>Bushman, p. 124</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Dan|last=Vogel|title=Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet|publisher=Signature Books|location=Salt Lake City|date=2004|asin= B07NTCYDQB|page=548}}</ref> He was also a member of the first [[presiding high council]] of the church, organized in [[Kirtland, Ohio|Kirtland]], [[Ohio]], in 1834.

On December 18, 1832, Cowdery married Elizabeth Ann Whitmer, the daughter of [[Peter Whitmer, Sr.]] and sister of [[David Whitmer|David]], [[John Whitmer|John]], [[Jacob Whitmer|Jacob]] and [[Peter Whitmer, Jr.]] They had six children, of whom only one daughter survived to maturity.<ref>Maria Louise Cowdery, born August 11, 1835.</ref><ref name="Anderson1992">{{cite book |last1=Anderson |first1=Richard |last2=Ludlow |first2=Daniel |title=Encyclopedia of Mormonism |date=1992 |publisher=Macmillan |location=New York |isbn=9780029040409 |pages=335–340 |url=https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/node/568 |access-date=30 January 2023}}</ref>

Cowdery helped Smith publish a series of revelations first called the [[Book of Commandments]] and later, as revised and expanded, the [[Doctrine and Covenants]]. He was also the editor, or on the editorial board, of several early church publications, including the ''[[Evening and Morning Star]]'', the ''[[Messenger and Advocate]]'' and the ''Northern Times''.

When the church created a bank known as the [[Kirtland Safety Society]] (KSS) in 1837, Cowdery obtained the money-printing plates. Sent by Smith to [[Monroe, Michigan|Monroe]], [[Michigan]], he became president of the Bank of Monroe, in which the church had a [[controlling interest]].<ref>See Mark L. Staker, "Raising Money in Righteousness: Oliver Cowdery as Banker," in ''Days Never to Be Forgotten: Oliver Cowdery'', ed. Alexander L. Baugh (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2009), 143–254.</ref> Both banks failed that same year. Cowdery moved to the newly founded Latter Day Saint settlement in [[Far West, Missouri|Far West]], [[Missouri]], and suffered ill health through the winter of 1837–38.

===1838 split with Smith===
By early 1838, the relationship between Smith and Cowdery had deteriorated significantly. Cowdery felt that Smith's integration of economic and political plans into religious matters was encroaching on the separation of church and state. Cowdery also expressed his concerns of Smith's relationship with Alger, a teenage maid living with the Smiths in Kirtland in a January 1838 letter to his brother [[Warren A. Cowdery|Warren]]:
<blockquote>"[We] had some conversation in which in every instance I did not fail to affirm that which I had said was strictly true. A dirty, nasty, filthy affair of his and [[Fanny Alger]]'s was talked over in which I strictly declared that I had never deserted from the truth in the matter, and as I supposed was admitted by himself."<ref name="Bushman2005" />{{rp|pages=323–325, 347–349}}</blockquote>In January 1838, Smith and Rigdon left Kirtland and took over the [[Far West, Missouri]] church in March 1838, which had previously been under the presidency of [[W. W. Phelps (Mormon)|W. W. Phelps]] and David Whitmer—a close friend and brother-in-law to Cowdery. [[Thomas B. Marsh]], [[David W. Patten]], and [[Brigham Young]], were ordained as the new stake presidency in Missouri. The new presidency requested [[John Whitmer]], who had been the [[Church Historian and Recorder|Church historian and recorder]], and a member of the stake presidency in Missouri, to turn in his historical notes and writings. When he failed to comply, Whitmer was removed from his position, and prompted an investigation into the financial handlings of the Missouri leadership.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Romig |first=Ronald E. |title=Eighth Witness: The Biography of John Whitmer |date=2014-11-24 |publisher=John Whitmer Books |isbn=978-1-934901-28-1 |language=English}}</ref>

Nine excommunication charges were presented against Cowdery, which included selling lands in Jackson County without authorization, trying to destroy the character of Joseph Smith, and disregarding his ecclesiastical duties for the practice of law. On April 12, 1838, a church court excommunicated Cowdery.<ref>Bushman, 347–48. Among other things, Cowdery was accused of "virtually denying the faith by declaring that he would not be governed by any ecclesiastical authority nor Revelations whatever in his temporal affairs."</ref> David Whitmer was also excommunicated at the same time, and apostle [[Lyman E. Johnson]] was disfellowshipped;<ref>''[[History of the Church (Joseph Smith)|History of the Church]]'' '''3''':16–20.</ref> John Whitmer and Phelps had been excommunicated a month earlier.<ref>''[[History of the Church (Joseph Smith)|History of the Church]]'' '''3''':7.</ref> Cowdery refused to appear before the council, but sent a letter of resignation, reiterating his desire to live his religious beliefs independent from his economic and political decisions. 

These men were became collectively known as "dissenters", but continued to live in and around Far West, where they owned a great deal of property, much of which was purchased when they were acting as agents for the church.<ref>{{harvnb|Hamer|2004|p=xv–xvii}}</ref> Possession became unclear and the dissenters threatened the church with lawsuits. After Rigdon delivered [[Salt Sermon|a sermon]] that implied dissenters had no place in the Latter-Day Saint community, the [[Danite|Danites]] forcibly expelled them from the county. The [[Danite|Danite Manifesto]], a letter addressed to Cowdery and the other dissenters, was signed by some eighty-four Latter-Day Saints (but not Smith or Rigdon<ref>{{cite report |title=Missouri Documents |page=106 |quote=Document containing the correspondence, orders &c. in relation to the disturbances with the Mormons; and the evidence given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Courthouse in Richmond, in a criminal court of inquiry, begun November 12, 1838, on the trial of Joseph Smith, Jr. and others for high treason and other crimes against the state (Missouri. Office of the Secretary of State; Missouri. General Assembly (1840–1841))}}{{full citation needed|date=May 2020}}</ref>). It warned:

{{wikisource|Danite Manifesto}}
<blockquote>you shall have three days after you receive this communication to you, including twenty-four hours in each day, for you to depart with your families peaceably; which you may do undisturbed by any person; but in that time, if you do not depart, we will use the means in our power to cause you to depart.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1838Sent.htm |collaboration=United States Senate |title=Document Showing The Testimony ... on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr. |quote=(Washington D. C.: Blair & Rives, 1841) |website=olivercowdery.com |series=Joseph Smith's History Vault}}</ref></blockquote>

Cowdery and the dissenters fled the county. Reports about their treatment circulated in nearby non-Mormon communities and increased the tension that led to the [[Mormon War (1838)|1838 Mormon War]], which ultimately resulted in the Latter-Day Saints' expulsion from Missouri.<ref name=Bushman2005>{{cite book |author-link=Richard Bushman |first=Richard Lyman |last=Bushman |title=Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling |title-link=Rough Stone Rolling |place=New York, NY |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |year=2005}}</ref>{{rp|pages=349–353}}

===1838–48===
Between 1838 and 1848, Cowdery studied and practiced law in [[Tiffin, Ohio]], where he became a civic and political leader. He joined the local [[Methodism|Methodist]] church and served as secretary in 1844.<ref>Vogel, ed. ''EMD'', 2: 504. Gabriel J. Keen, a leading member of the Tiffin Methodist Church, swore in 1885 that Cowdery had publicly renounced Mormonism before being admitted as a member, but there is no corroborative evidence for Keen's claim. The document is at 2: 504-07.</ref> Cowdery, also edited the local [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] newspaper until it was learned that he was one of the Three Witnesses, at which time he was reassigned as assistant editor. He was nominated as his district's Democratic Party candidate for the [[Ohio State Senate]] in 1846, but was defeated when his Mormon background was discovered.<ref name="Stanley R. Gunn 1962">Stanley R. Gunn, ''Oliver Cowdery, Second Elder and Scribe'' (Salt Lake City, 1962)</ref>

After the [[death of Joseph Smith|Smiths’ death]] on June 27, 1844, a [[succession crisis (Latter Day Saints)|succession crisis]] split the Latter-Day Saint movement. Cowdery's father and brother were followers of [[James J. Strang]], who pressed his claim as the movement's successor by claiming that he had found and translated ancient records engraved upon [[Voree plates|metal plates]], similar to the golden plates Smith had translated in the 1820s.<ref>Grant Palmer, ''An Insider's View of Mormon Origins'' (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002), 208–13.</ref> In 1847, Cowdery and his brother moved to [[Elkhorn, Wisconsin|Elkhorn]], [[Wisconsin]], about twelve miles away from Strang's headquarters in [[Voree, Wisconsin|Voree]]. In Elkhorn he entered law practice with his brother and became co-editor of the ''Walworth County Democrat''. In 1848 he ran for state assemblyman but was again defeated when his Mormon ties were disclosed.<ref name="Stanley R. Gunn 1962"/>

===LDS Church rebaptism===
In 1848, Cowdery traveled to the frontier settlement of [[Winter Quarters, Nebraska|Winter Quarters]] (in present-day [[Nebraska]]) to meet with followers of [[Brigham Young]] and the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)|Quorum of the Twelve]], asking to be reunited with the church.<ref>"Brethren, for a number of years, I have been separated from you. I now desire to come back. I wish to come humble and be one in your midst. I seek no station. I only wish to be identified with you. I am out of the Church, but I wish to become a member. I wish to come in at the door; I know the door, I have not come here to seek precedence. I come humbly and throw myself upon the decision of the body, knowing as I do, that its decisions are right." (Stanley R. Gunn, "Oliver Cowdery Second Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Division of Religion, Brigham Young University," (1942), 166, as cited in ''[[Improvement Era]]'', 24, p. 620.)</ref> The Twelve referred the application to the [[High council (Latter Day Saints)|high council]] in [[Pottawattamie County, Iowa|Pottawattamie County]], [[Iowa]], which convened a meeting with all [[high priest (Latter Day Saints)|high priests]] in the area to consider the matter. After Cowdery convinced the meeting attendees that he no longer maintained any claim to leadership within the church, his application for rebaptism was unanimously approved.<ref name = faulring>Scott H. Faulring, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/transcripts/?id=50 "The Return of Oliver Cowdery"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021025608/http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/transcripts/?id=50 |date=October 21, 2011 }}, Maxwell Institute, byu.edu.</ref> On November 12, 1848, Cowdery was rebaptized by [[Orson Hyde]] of the Quorum of the Twelve into—what had become following the succession crisis—the LDS Church in Indian Creek at [[Kanesville, Iowa]].

Cowdery then traveled to meet with Whitmer in [[Richmond, Missouri]] to persuade him to move west and rejoin the Saints in [[Utah Territory]]. Cowdery, however, succumbed to [[tuberculosis]] and died March 3, 1850 in David Whitmer's home in Richmond.<ref>Scott H. Faulring, [https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=6&article=1083&context=mi&type=additional "The Return of Oliver Cowdery,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021025608/http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/transcripts/?id=50 |date=October 21, 2011 }} Maxwell Institute, Provo, Utah.</ref><ref>Of Cowdery's death, Whitmer said: "Oliver died the happiest man I ever saw. After shaking hands with the family and kissing his wife and daughter, he said 'Now I lay down for the last time; I am going to my Saviour'; and he died immediately with a smile on his face." (Stanley R. Gunn, Oliver Cowdery Second Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Division of Religion, Brigham Young University. (Stanley R. Gunn: 1942), 170–71, as cited in ''[[Millennial Star]]'', XII, p. 207.)</ref>

In 1912, the official church magazine ''[[Improvement Era]]'' published a statement by Jacob F. Gates, son of early Mormon leader [[Jacob Gates]], who had died twenty years prior. According to the recollection by his son, the elder Gates had visited Cowdery in 1849 and inquired about his witness testimony concerning the Book of Mormon, wherein he reportedly reaffirmed his witness.<ref name=Grampa>{{cite web |url=http://www.gapages.com/gatesj1.htm |title=Jacob Gates |access-date=2008-04-06 |publisher=Grampa Bill |archive-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814190734/http://www.gapages.com/gatesj1.htm |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref name="Testimony of Jacob Gates">{{Citation |author=Scott H. Faulring |title=The Return of Oliver Cowdery |publisher=[[Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship|Maxwell Institute]] |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=6&article=1083&context=mi&type=additional |access-date=2025-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021025608/http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/transcripts/?id=50 |archive-date=2011-10-21 |url-status=dead }}; {{cite book |last=Gates |first=Jacob F. |article=Testimony of Jacob Gates |title=Improvement Era 15 |date=March 1912 |page=92}}</ref>