Heywood, Joseph Leland, 1815-1910

Merchant in Quincy, Illinois and Church Trustee in Nauvoo.

Joseph Leland Heywood (1815-1910) was born in Grafton, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin Heywood and Hannah Rawson. He began his life as a merchant and left his home in Massachusetts for Illinois in 1838. While in Nauvoo, Heywood heard Joseph Smith (1805-1844) preach and was converted and baptized that same day. He was ordained an Elder and Bishop in 1844. Before following the migration of the church to Utah, Heywood was chosen as a trustee to care for and dispose of the church property at Nauvoo. He was appointed postmaster of Salt Lake City, Utah; set apart as the first Bishop of the 17th ward at Salt Lake City; helped settle Nephi, Utah and Carson Valley, Nevada; was appointed a U.S. marshal in 1851; and was ordained a Patriarch in 1874. Heywood's first wife was Sarepta M. Blodgett and his plural wives were Sarah Symonds, Martha Spence, and Mary Bell.

Joseph Leland Heywood was born on August 1, 1815, in Grafton, Massachusetts. At the age of 22 he became a merchant in Illinois, where he married Sarepta Blodgett in 1841. Joseph first heard Joseph Smith preach while visiting Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1842, and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Mississippi River on the same day. He and Sarepta moved from their home in Quincy to Nauvoo in 1845, and Joseph was made a trustee of the Church property in the area following the explusion of the Mormon leaders. In 1848 the Heywoods departed for Salt Lake City with the Willard Richards Company. Joseph was appointed by the federal government as postmaster of Salt Lake City in 1849 and in 1850 was made the U.S. Marshal for Utah by President Millard Fillmore. He also remained active in Mormon activities, becoming a Patriarch in 1874 and helping to settle the town of Nephi, Utah. Joseph married three plural wives (Sarah Symonds, Martha Spence, and Mary Bell) and had a total of twenty children. He died in Panguitch, Utah, on October 16, 1910.

Mormon pioneer who served as trustee for the property of the Mormon Church at Nauvoo, Illinois; postmaster for Salt Lake City; and U.S. Marshall for Utah. Heywood also helped to colonize southern Utah and the towns of Nephi and Panguitch.

Resident of Nauvoo, Illinois.

Mormon pioneer who served as trustee for the property of the Mormon Church at Nauvoo, Illinois, postmaster for Salt Lake City, and U.S. Marshall for Utah. Heywood also helped to colonize southern Utah and the towns of Nephi and Panguitch.