- Source: Jennetta Richards
Jennetta Richards (August 21, 1817-July 9, 1845) was a prominent early member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was one of the first members of the Latter-day Saint Church to be baptized and the first member to be confirmed in England. Jennetta Richards was also one of the first women in the Latter-day Saints movement to receive a temple endowment and sealing. Jennetta Richards was the wife of Willard Richards, a member of the Latter-day Saint First Presidency.
Early life
Jennetta Richards was born on August 21, 1817. She was born in Walker Fold, Lancashire, England to Reverend John Richards and Ellen Charnock. Jennetta Richards was the youngest of eight children born to the Richards family. Before her marriage to Willard Richards, she taught at the school within her father's independent church in Walker Fold.
Conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In August of 1837, Jennetta Richards visited her friends Ann and Thomas Walmsley living in nearby Preston. During Jennetta Richards visit, the Walmsleys shared their recent experiences with Heber C. Kimball, a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) missionary. Ann Walmsley had been frail due to a chronic illness. Herber Kimball promised Anne Walmsley that she would be healed if she was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After her baptism, Ann Walmsley’s health began to improve gradually.
After hearing the Ann Walmsley’s miraculous story, Jennetta Richards met Heber Kimball on the first day at the Walmsley’s home. That evening and the following day Jennetta Richards went and listened to Heber Kimball’s message. On the third day of her visit, August 4, 1837, she was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber Kimball in the River Ribble. Jennetta Richards was then confirmed on the water's edge by Kimball. Although not the first person to be baptized into the Latter-day Saint faith in England, she was the first person to be confirmed.
When Jennetta Richards returned home from her trip in Preston, she informed her parents of her baptism. John Richard wrote to Heber Kimball and invited him to use his chapel in Walker Fold. During this early time period of the Mormon church, it was common for the missionaries to utilize the buildings of other congregations. In Kimball’s first week in Walker Fold, he taught and baptized six people. However, as John Richards began to see how many people were being converted to Mormonism, he asked Heber Kimball to move on so as not to lose his whole congregation.
On April 10, 1838, Jennetta Richards received her patriarchal blessing alongside Hannah Greenwood. A patriarchal blessing is a one-time blessing given by a church patriarch by the laying on of hands. Although Jennetta Richard's blessing was given by a patriarch, Heber Kimball was in attendance and participated in the blessing.
Marriage
On the day Jennetta Richards was baptized, Heber Kimball wrote to his fellow missionary Willard Richards, “I baptized your wife today,” pre-emptively predicting the marriage of Jennetta Richards and Willard Richards. Willard Richards had been assigned to serve in the Bedford area. While visiting the missionaries in Preston, Willard Richards recorded an interaction he had with Jennetta Richards. While walking to a church service together, he remarked, “Richards is a good name; I never want to change it, do you, Jennetta?” She replied, “No, I do not. I think I never will.” On June 29,1838, Jennetta Richards became engaged to Willard Richards. They were married on September 24, 1838 in Preston, Lancashire. Jennetta, whose maiden name was Richards, never changed her name from Richards as that became her married name. On July 17,1839, Jennetta Richards gave birth to their first son, whom they named Heber John. However, after contracting smallpox, Heber John died at only five months old. In October of 1840, Jennetta Richards gave birth to another son, who they also named Heber John.
Life in America
In April of 1841, Jenetta Richards immigrated to America. Willard Richards went ahead of the family to Nauvoo, while Jennetta Richards and Heber John Richards stayed with Willard Richards’ sisters in Richmond, Massachusetts.
Willard Richards spent many months in Nauvoo, Illinois working alongside the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith would receive a letter from a lonely Jennetta Richards asking Smith for the return of her husband. Smith’s response included his gratitude and utmost trust in Willard Richards, and that Willard would be on his way to Massachusetts soon. Willard Richards left Nauvoo on July 1 and would arrive in Richmond on July 14, 1842. When Willard arrived, he found a very ill Jennetta. A week after she returned to full health and accompanied Willard Richard to New York. There they worked on raising money for the Nauvoo Temple and to respond to the anti-Mormon lecture tour of John C. Bennett. After their trip to New York, Jennetta and Willard returned to Richmond to collect their son Heber John, who they had left with William Richard, his uncle. The family would then return to Nauvoo.
In May 1843, Jennetta Richards and Willard Richards participated in the Latter-day Saint sealing ordinance. They were one of the first five couples to receive this religious ordinance. Jennetta Richards was one of the first women to receive the Latter-day Saint endowment ceremony which had recently been given to women. On September 28, 1843, Joseph Smith administered the endowment ceremony to a woman for the first time and Jennetta received it soon after.
Polygamy
Willard Richards would engage in his first polygamous marriage on January 18, 1843. He married Sarah Longstroth and Nanny Longstroth, who were respectively sixteen and fourteen years old. These marriages were not consummated at this time and Sarah and Nancy Longstroth subsequently returned to their home in St. Louis. It was agreed that Sarah and Nancy Longstroth would live with their parents until they grew older. Their relationship with Willard Richards would not progress until both Willard Richards and the Longstroth family would move to Utah after Jennetta Richard's death. This meant that Jennetta Richards never lived with Willard Richard's other wives. Nine months after Richard’s polygamous marriage, Jennetta Richards would give birth to a daughter. Rhoda Ann Willard was born in September of 1843.
Death
Jennetta Richards died on July 9, 1845, at the age of 27. Jennetta Richards was often sick throughout life, and journal entries of Willard Richards demonstrate that they were both hopeful of another recovery. During the six weeks of her illness, Willard Richards was often found by her bedside. However, despite his best efforts Jennetta Richards died from this illness. Jennetta Richards’ oldest child, Heber John Richards thought that Jennetta died of a broken heart because of Willard Richards’ polygamous relations.
Jennetta Richards’ remains were placed in two coffins and then a vault. As per her request, she was buried in the front garden of their house in Nauvoo. Richards’ funeral was held at six o’clock on the evening of her death due to the hot weather. John Taylor prayed, a hymn was sung, and both Heber Kimball and Brigham Young spoke.
Jennetta Richard's grave was moved twice. It is now located on the west side of Durphy Street between White and Hotchkiss streets in Nauvoo, Illinois.
External links
L. Tom Perry Special Collections: Jennetta Richard's Letters
Wilford Woodruff Papers: Jennetta Richard's
Joseph Smith Papers: Jennetta Richard's
"Picturing history: Sites connected to Jennetta Richards"