Isaac Morley (1786-1865)
11 Mar. 1786–24 June 1865. Farmer, cooper, merchant, postmaster. Born at Montague, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Thomas Morley and Editha (Edith) Marsh. Family affiliated with Presbyterian church. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, before 1812. Married Lucy Gunn, June 1812, at Montague; immediately returned to Kirtland. Served in War of 1812 as private and captain in Ohio militia. Elected trustee of Kirtland, 1818. Baptized into reformed Baptist (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellite) faith by Sidney Rigdon, 1828. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Parley P. Pratt, 15 Nov. 1830. Saints migrating from New York settled on his farm at Kirtland, 1831. Ordained a high priest by Lyman Wight, 4 June 1831. Counselor to Bishop Edward Partridge at Kirtland, 1831, and in Missouri, 1831–1838. Lived at Independence, Jackson Co., Missouri, 1831. Appointed to set in order branches of church in Missouri, 3 Dec. 1832. Appointed bishop, 25 June 1833. Driven from Jackson Co. into Clay Co., Missouri, Nov. 1833. Member of Missouri high council, by 19 Dec. 1833. Served mission to eastern U.S. with Edward Partridge, June–Oct. 1835. Returned to Missouri and moved family to what became Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri, Apr. 1836. Ordained a patriarch by Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith, 7 Nov. 1837. Moved to Hancock Co., Illinois, 1839; founded Yelrome (Morley’s Settlement, later in Tioga), where he served as bishop. Appointed president of stake at Lima, Adams Co., Illinois, 22 Oct. 1840. Member of Masonic lodge in Nauvoo, Hancock Co. Moved to Nauvoo, 1845. Admitted to Council of Fifty, 11 Apr. 1845. Moved to Winter Quarters, unorganized U.S. territory (later in Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska), 1846. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley, 1848. Elected senator of provisional state of Deseret, 12 Mar. 1849. Led initial settlement of Latter-day Saints at Sanpete Valley, unorganized U.S. territory (later in Sanpete Co., Utah Territory), 28 Oct. 1849, and presided at Manti, Sanpete Co., 1849–1853. Member of Utah territorial legislature, 1851–1857. Died at Fairview, Sanpete Co.
Retrieved with permission from The Joseph Smith Papers.