Amasa Mason Lyman

Amasa Mason Lyman was born on the 30th of March in 1813 in the town of Lyman, New Hampshire. When Amasa was two years old his father, Roswell Lyman, left to seek a farm in the West, but never returned and was later reported to have died. Amasa’s mother married a man by the name of Isaiah Emerson and then moved to the village of Holland, New Hampshire, which left Amasa, by this time nine years of age, with his maternal grandparents. Within two years his grandparents died and Amasa stayed to live with his uncle Parley Mason. When Amasa was 19 he converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been taught by Orson Pratt and Lyman Johnson. After he was baptized in April 1832, Amasa was no longer welcome in the Mason household. With only $11.13 he made his way 700 miles to the Lyman Johnson farm. Amasa Lyman became a Mormon Church elder that August.
        In August of 1832, Joseph Smith told Amasa Lyman that "the Lord requires your labors in the vineyard". Amasa agreed to serve a mission for the church. Amasa would go as far east as Cabell County, Virginia (present-day West Virginia). In June of 1835, Amasa was called by Joseph Smith to be a member of the "First Quorum of the Seventy".
        In April of 1884, Joseph Smith taught Lyman the principle of polygamy. Amasa said "As he warmly grasped my hand for the last time [Joseph Smith said] 'Brother Amasa, go and practice the principles I have taught you, and God bless you.'" Amasa would eventually amass eight wives.

By the time he was 29, Amasa was ordained an apostle by Brigham Young (this occurred on August 20th, 1842). Amasa served 25 years as an apostle, including one and a half years in the church First Presidency as a counselor to Joseph Smith. Amasa was at one time imprisoned with Joseph Smith in the Richmond jail. He was a regent of the University of Nauvoo, a justice of the peace and a company captain in the first two pioneer treks to Utah. He helped to lead a detachment of the Mormon Battalion from Pueblo to the Great Salt Lake Valley, and helped to lay out the wards of Salt Lake City. He later served ten years in the Utah Territorial Legislature. He scouted the western and southern approaches to Utah and designed a defense against potential enemy attacks. Amasa and Porter Rockwell evaluated the valley around Utah Lake for its first settlement. Amasa Lyman filled a call to build and lead a Mormon community at San Bernardino with Charles Rich, and served as president of the California Mission (1853-1854). He edited and managed the British periodical The Millennial Star, and served as European Mission President from 1860 to 1862, a position later filled by two of his sons.

Lyman helped form the Nauvoo Legion in Utah with Daniel Wells and Charles Rich. Amasa and son Francis built and operated a flour and a sawmill, among the first of each in Utah. He worked to help establish Utah communities like Fillmore, Parowan, Minersville, Farmington and Salt Lake City. He was known as an entertainer as well as a gentleman. Lyman was also known as an expert in carpentry, iron work, fine mechanics, fruit and vegetable production and cattle raising. Lyman was an avid reader and was well-informed on many subjects. Despite suffering from cancer, lingering internal injuries, physical discomforts, persecution and “unjust property loss”, he taught and preached encouragement, love and kindness. When not out of the territory on assignments, he traveled around Utah with “endless diligence assisting settlers”. Amasa Lyman had eight wives, including three of the Partridge girls, Caroline Ely, Eliza Maria and Lydia. On the 6th of October in 1867, Amasa had his apostleship stripped for “ambiguous preachings about the atonement of Jesus Christ”. Amasa was then excommunicated from the LDS Church on the 12th of May in 1870. Amasa Lyman died on February 4, 1877 in Fillmore, Utah. He was reinstated as a member of the church and as an apostle after his death (reinstated on January 12, 1909).

Wives:

1. Maria Louisa Tanner
1. Married in 1835
2. 8 children
2. Diontha Walker
1. Married in 1942
2. 0 children
3. Caroline Ely Partridge
1. Married in 1844
2. 6 children
4. Eliza Maria Partridge
1. Married in 1846
2. 5 children
5. Pauline Phelps
1. Married in 1846
2. 7 children
6. Priscilla Turley
1. Married in 1846
2. 6 children
7. Cornelia Leavitt
1. Married in 1846
2. 2 children
8. Lydia Partridge
1. Married in 1853
2. 4 children