Williams, Frederick Granger

28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system of medicine as physician. Married Rebecca Swain, Dec. 1815. Lived at Warrensville, Cuyahoga Co., by 1816. Worshipped with Sidney Rigdon’s reformed Baptist (later Disciples of Christ or Campbellite) congregation. Moved to Chardon, Geauga Co., Ohio, by 1828. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., 1830. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and ordained an elder, Oct./Nov. 1830, by missionaries under leadership of Oliver Cowdery who were en route to Missouri and Indian reservations in unorganized U.S. territory. Accompanied Cowdery to Missouri frontier on mission. Ordained a high priest, 25 Oct. 1831, at Orange, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. Appointed clerk and scribe to JS, 20 July 1832. Attended organizational meeting of School of the Prophets, 22–23 Jan. 1833, in Kirtland. Member of United Firm, 1833–1834. Assistant president/counselor in presidency of church, 1833–1837. Consecrated by deed to JS roughly 142 prime acres in Kirtland, 1834. Participated in Camp of Israel expedition to Missouri, 1834. Editor of Northern Times and member of publications committee that printed Doctrine and Covenants and Emma Smith’s A Collection of Sacred Hymns, for the Church of the Latter Day Saints under auspices of firm F. G. Williams & Co., 1835. Helped organize and was a trustee of School of the Prophets. Stockholder in Kirtland Safety Society. Elected justice of the peace, Kirtland, 1837. Elected officer of Kirtland Safety Society to replace Sidney Rigdon, July 1837. Removed from church presidency, 7 Nov. 1837. Moved to Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri, 1837. An 8 July 1838 JS revelation directed Williams be ordained an elder and preach abroad. Reconfirmed into church, 5 Aug. 1838. Excommunicated, 17 Mar. 1839, at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois. Restored to fellowship at Commerce, Hancock Co., Illinois, Apr. 1840. Died at Quincy.