John Doyle Lee (1812-1877)

6 Sept. 1812–23 Mar. 1877. Farmer, courier, riverboat fireman, policeman, merchant, colonizer. Born in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois Territory. Son of Ralph Lee and Elizabeth Doyle. Served in Black Hawk War, 1831. Married Agatha Ann Woolsey, 23 July 1833, in Randolph Co. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 17 June 1837. Moved to Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri, June 1838. Ordained a seventy, 19 June 1839. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by 1840. Served missions to Tennessee in 1841, 1842, and 1843. Served as policeman in Nauvoo, beginning Dec. 1843. Appointed to serve mission to Kentucky, by summer 1844. Elected trustee of Seventies Library and Institute Association, 24 Dec. 1844. Worked as clerk for Quorums of the Seventy and Nauvoo temple committee. Admitted to Council of Fifty, 1 Mar. 1845. Participated in plural marriage during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. Migrated to Salt Lake Valley with Brigham Young pioneer company, June–Sept. 1848. Moved to Washington Co., Utah Territory, by 1852; assisted in colonization of southern Utah. Served as probate judge, assessor, collector, and clerk of Washington Co. Participated in Mountain Meadows Massacre, Sept. 1857, in Washington Co. Moved to Arizona Territory, after June 1870, and was excommunicated shortly thereafter. Tried for his part in massacre, 1874–1876, in Beaver, Beaver Co., Utah Territory; executed at Mountain Meadows. Buried in Panguitch, Iron Co., Utah Territory.

Retrieved with permission from The Joseph Smith Papers.