Seymour Brunson (September 18, 1799 – August 10, 1840) was an early convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is most noted since it was at a speech given at his funeral that

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 ...

first presented the doctrine of

Baptism for the Dead Baptism for the dead, vicarious baptism or proxy baptism today commonly refers to the religious practice of baptizing a person on behalf of one who is dead—a living person receiving the rite on behalf of a deceased person. Baptism for the dead ...

. Brunson was born on September 18, 1799, in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. His parents were Reuben and Salley Clark Brunson. In 1813, at the age of 14, he enlisted in the United States military as a 16-year-old and served during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

. In 1823, Brunson married Harriet Matilda Gould. They eventually had seven children. Brunson was baptized a member of

Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16. * The entire body of Ch ...

in January 1831 in

Strongsville, Ohio Strongsville is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and a suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the city population was 44,750. The city's nickname 'Crossroads of the Nation,' originated from the Baltim ...

. He served as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

in both

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

and

and then moved to

Daviess County, Missouri Daviess County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,430. Its county seat is Gallatin. The county was organized December 29, 1836, from Ray County and named for Major Joseph Hamilton D ...

, just south of

Far West Far West may refer to: Places * Western Canada, or the West ** British Columbia Coast * Western United States, or Far West ** West Coast of the United States * American frontier, or Far West, Old West, or Wild West * Far West (Taixi), a term used ...

. After a year he moved into the town. It was Brunson who , in April 1838, brought the charges against

Oliver Cowdery Oliver H. P. Cowdery (October 3, 1806 – March 3, 1850) was an American Mormon leader who, with Joseph Smith, was an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836. He was the first baptized ...

that led to Cowdery's

excommunication Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...

. During that fall, Brunson served as a major in the Daviess County militia. After this, he moved to

Quincy, Illinois Quincy ( ), known as Illinois's "Gem City", is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Illinois, United States, located on the Mississippi River. The 2020 census counted a population of 39,463 in the city itself, down from 40,633 in 2010. ...

, for a short time and then on to

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 ...

. At Nauvoo, Brunson served as a member of the High CouncilRichard O. Cowa, ''Temples to Dot the Earth'' (Salt Lake City:Bookcraft, 1989) p. 45 and as a lieutenant colonel in the Hancock County Militia. He also served as one of Joseph Smith's bodyguards. He died on August 10, 1840.

Notes

Sources

*
BYU Studies–Mormon Biographical Register–B

External links

Seymour Brunson escapes the government troops / Pennie Brunson, 1977 February
L. Tom Perry Special Collections
Seymour Brunson Promissory note to Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith
L. Tom Perry Special Collections
Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith bond to Seymour Brunson
L. Tom Perry Special Collections 1798 births 1840 deaths People from Orwell, Vermont American Latter Day Saint missionaries Converts to Mormonism American military personnel of the War of 1812 Bodyguards Leaders in the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) Religious leaders from Vermont Latter Day Saint missionaries in the United States {{LDS-stub