Newel Knight

(1800–47)

Newel Knight was born in Marlborough, Vermont. He married Sarah Coburn in 1825. The following year, Knight’s father hired Joseph Smith as a day laborer. In May 1830, Knight was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Seneca County, New York. He was the president of the branch of the Church in Colesville, New York, and between April and July of 1831, he led the branch in relocating from Broome County, New York, to Jackson County, Missouri (see Doctrine and Covenants 52:32; 56:6–7). He was the recipient of an early revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 54). In November 1833, he and other Latter-day Saints were expelled from Jackson County and resettled in Clay County, Missouri. In July 1834, he was appointed to the Zion high council there. After the death of his first wife in September 1834, he married Lydia Goldthwaite Bailey in November 1835. During 1837 and 1838, he served on the Zion high council in Far West, Missouri. In 1839 he moved to Commerce, Illinois, which was later renamed Nauvoo, where he served on the high council until 1845. He left Nauvoo in 1846 and died the following year in Nebraska.

References in the Doctrine and Covenants

Doctrine and Covenants 52, 54, 56, 124

Additional Information

Biographical facts and sources, The Joseph Smith Papers

Saints, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth

Revelations In Context

• The Journey of the Colesville Branch