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Charles Coulson Rich (August 21, 1809 – November 17, 1883) was an early leader in the
Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by J ...
. He led one of the first groups of
Mormon pioneer The Mormon pioneers were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter Day Saints, who migrated beginning in the mid-1840s until the late-1860s across the United States from the Midwest to the S ...
s west from
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockfo ...
under the leadership of
Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his death in 1877. During his time as chu ...
after
Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he ...
's murder. Rich was chosen and served as an
apostle An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...
of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...
(LDS Church) under Brigham Young after the Church settled in
Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th state ...
. President Young asked Rich to open up
San Bernardino, California San Bernardino (; Spanish for "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 cen ...
for settlement in 1850, and Bear Lake Valley, located in
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
and
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...
, in 1863. Rich founded many communities in Bear Lake Valley, including
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, Montpelier,
Fish Haven Fish Haven, originally named Rush Creek, is an unincorporated community along the shores of Bear Lake in Bear Lake County, Idaho, United States. It is 4 km (2.5 miles) north of the Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West ...
,
Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the t ...
, Georgetown, St. Charles, Bloomington, Bennington, Wardboro,
Dingle Dingle ( Irish: ''An Daingean'' or ''Daingean Uí Chúis'', meaning "fort of Ó Cúis") is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about southwest of Tralee and northwest of Kill ...
, Glencoe and Pegram in Idaho, and Garden City, Meadowville, and Laketown in Utah.


Biography


Personal life

Rich was born in on August 21, 1809 in
Campbell County, Kentucky Campbell County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 93,076. Its county seats are Alexandria and Newport. As an adult he reached six feet, 4 inches in height, and was considered a tall man for the time period. Rich was baptized into the early
Latter Day Saint church The Church of Christ was the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith. Organized informally in 1829 in New York and then formally on April 6, 1830, it was the first organization to implement the principles found in Sm ...
on April 1, 1832, after having been taught by
Lyman Wight Lyman Wight (May 9, 1796 – March 31, 1858) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri, in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apost ...
in 1831. In 1838, Rich married Sarah D. Pea, whom he had previously proposed to by letter, the two never having met. Rich followed the church's principle of
plural marriage Polygamy (called plural marriage by Latter-day Saints in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was practiced by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more tha ...
, taking six wives and fathering a total of 51 children. In 1863, Rich led a party of early Mormons to colonize parts of southeastern Idaho, which at the time was thought to be part of
Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th state ...
. The communities of
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
and Geneva, Idaho, as well as some other neighboring towns, were under his direction. Rich was one of the most prominent enslavers in the Utah territory and enslaved six humans.


Church leadership

Rich was a leader in
Caldwell County, Missouri Caldwell County is a county located in Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 9,424. It is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Its county seat is Kingston. The county was organized December 29, 183 ...
, and fought in the
Battle of Crooked River The Battle of Crooked River was a skirmish between Latter Day Saints forces and a Missouri state militia unit from southeast of Elmira, Missouri, in Ray County; the militia was under the command of Samuel Bogart. The battle was one of the prin ...
. It was recorded that, during the battle, Rich "dropped his sword... and administered to wounded Apostle
David W. Patten David Wyman Patten (November 14, 1799 – October 25, 1838) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was killed at the Battle of Crooked River and is regarded as a martyr ...
, then assuming command and winning the battle." Rich was also reported to have been shot "while carrying a flag of truce" around
Far West, Missouri Far West was a settlement of the Latter Day Saint movement in Caldwell County, Missouri, United States, during the late 1830s. It is recognized as a historic site by the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, added to the register in 1970. It ...
. His log house is the only structure from the Mormon period in 1836–38 in Caldwell County to have survived to this day. After the expulsion of the Latter Day Saints from Missouri, Rich settled in
Nauvoo, Illinois Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its historic importance and its ...
, where he was made an original member of the
Council of Fifty "The Council of Fifty" (also known as "the Living Constitution", "the Kingdom of God", or its name by revelation, "The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ") was a La ...
. He also served as a member of the Nauvoo High Council, and as Brigadier-General in the
Nauvoo Legion The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized militia of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States. With growing antagonism from surrounding settlements it came to have as its main function the defense of Nauvoo, and surrounding Latter Day Sain ...
. After the
death of Joseph Smith Joseph Smith, the founder and leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother, Hyrum Smith, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois, Carthage, Illinois, United States, on June 27, 1844, while awaiting trial in the town jail. As may ...
, Rich followed the leadership of
Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his death in 1877. During his time as chu ...
and the surviving
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to '' Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...
. He and his family migrated to what became Utah with the main body of the church in 1847, leading a
pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land. In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...
company that arrived October of that year. When Young and the other apostles returned that winter to
Winter Quarters, Nebraska Winter Quarters was an encampment formed by approximately 2,500 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as they waited during the winter of 1846–47 for better conditions for their trek westward. It followed a preliminary ten ...
, Rich served as a counselor to John Smith, who presided over the early pioneers in the
Salt Lake Valley Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably Murray, Sandy, South Jordan, West Jordan, and West Valley City; its total ...
. In October 1848, Rich was made the president of the Salt Lake
Stake Stake may refer to: Entertainment * '' Stake: Fortune Fighters'', a 2003 video game * '' The Stake'', a 1915 silent short film * "The Stake", a 1977 song by The Steve Miller Band from ''Book of Dreams'' * ''Stakes'' (miniseries), a Cartoon Netw ...
. Brigham Young appointed Rich a member of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to '' Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...
on February 12, 1849. Rich helped form a Latter-day Saint settlement in
San Bernardino, California San Bernardino (; Spanish for "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 cen ...
. However, this settlement attracted many people who wanted to avoid Young and other leaders of the LDS Church. The members who supported Young were asked to return to Utah in 1857 at the time of the
Utah War The Utah War (1857–1858), also known as the Utah Expedition, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the US gov ...
. At the request of President Brigham Young, Charles C. Rich settled the Bear Lake (on the Utah–Idaho border) region and is the namesake of
Rich County, Utah Rich County is a county in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 2,264, making it the third-least populous county in Utah. Its county seat is Randolph, and the largest town is Garden City. The county ...
and St. Charles, ID. In the early 1860s, Rich served as
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
of the British
Mission Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...
of the church.


Death and legacy

After suffering from paralysis, Rich died on November 17, 1883 in
Paris, Idaho Paris is a city and county seat of Bear Lake County, Idaho, United States. Located on the western side of the Bear Lake Valley, the city's population was 513 at the 2010 census, down from 576 in 2000. Paris was settled on September 26, 1863, by ...
. He has been remembered as "a man of strength and great power of endurance." His granddaughter, Ada May Rich, became the mother of
Laraine Day Laraine Day (born La Raine Johnson, October 13, 1920 – November 10, 2007) was an American actress, radio and television commentator, and former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) contract star. As a leading lady, she was paired opposite major film sta ...
, who became an actress. File:Mill Burr 1 sold to Charles C Rich By Brigham Young.JPG, Mill burrs sold to Charles C Rich by Brigham Young in exchange for a pair of mules in 1876 to make flour for the people of Bear Lake Valley. File:Millstone 2 sold to Charles C Rich By Brigham Young.JPG, They were made in France and moved across the plains by Ox Cart and used in Salt Lake City prior to being sold to Rich. Currently located south of the Paris Idaho Tabernacle.


Sermons

*"Privileges Better Appreciated By Absence—Present Salvation," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 4, pp. 353–54 *"Sufficiency of the Gospel—Obedience to Truth," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 5, pp. 296–300 *"Present Opportunities of Obtaining a Knowledge of the Principles of Truth—Importance of Improving Them," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 10, pp. 90–95 *''"Building the Temple—General Duties of the Saints," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 10, pp. 160–63 *"Labor To Build Up The Kingdom," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 12, pp. 3–5 *"Saints Should Be Whole-Hearted—Seek First the Kingdom," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 19, pp. 26–30 *"Expectations Deferred," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 19, pp. 161–68 *"Blessing the Result of Obedience to Law—Our Agency in the Flesh," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 19, pp. 249–58 *"No Salvation in Ignorance," ''
Journal of Discourses The ''Journal of Discourses'' (often abbreviated ''J.D.'') is a 26-volume collection of public sermons by early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The first editions of the ''Journal'' were published in England ...
'', vol. 19, pp. 371–76


Notes


References

*''2005 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Morning News, 2004). *
Leonard J. Arrington Leonard James Arrington (July 2, 1917 – February 11, 1999) was an American author, academic and the founder of the Mormon History Association. He is known as the "Dean of Mormon History" and "the Father of Mormon History" because of his man ...
, ''Charles C. Rich: Mormon General & Western Frontiersman'' (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1974) *John Henry Evans, ''Charles Coulson Rich: Pioneer Builder of the West'' (New York: Macmillan, 1936)


External links

* *
Charles C. Rich papers
L. Tom Perry Special Collections The L. Tom Perry Special Collections is the special collections department of Brigham Young University (BYU)'s Harold B. Lee Library in Provo, Utah. Founded in 1957 with 1,000 books and 50 manuscript collections, as of 2016 the Library's specia ...
,
Harold B. Lee Library The Harold B. Lee Library (HBLL) is the main academic library of Brigham Young University (BYU) located in Provo, Utah. The library started as a small collection of books in the president's office in 1876 before moving in 1891. The Heber J. Gran ...
,
Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

Home missionary meeting minutes
L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
Rich's house in Caldwell County, Missouri is preserved by the Far West Cultural Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rich, Charles C. 1809 births 1838 Mormon War 1883 deaths 19th-century American politicians 19th-century Mormon missionaries American Mormon missionaries in England American city founders American general authorities (LDS Church) Apostles (LDS Church) Converts to Mormonism Doctrine and Covenants people Latter Day Saints from Idaho Latter Day Saints from Illinois Latter Day Saints from Missouri Latter Day Saints from Utah Members of the Utah Territorial Legislature Mission presidents (LDS Church) Mormon pioneers Nauvoo Legion People from Campbell County, Kentucky People from Paris, Idaho People of the Utah War Religious leaders from Kentucky Religious leaders from Missouri Harold B. Lee Library-related 19th century articles