William Huntington

Who was William Huntington?

William Huntington was an early leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, most prominently during the time the Mormon pioneers were moving from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City.

Huntington was born in New Granthan, Cheshire County, New Hampshire. In 1804 he and his parents moved to Watertown, Jefferson County, New York In 1806 Huntington married Zina Baker and they became the parents of nine children. From 1816 to 1832 Huntington was a member of the local Presbyterian Church. In the winter of 1832–1833 he first read the Book of Mormon and was baptized a member of the Church of the Latter Day Saints in 1835.

In 1836, Huntington moved to Kirtland, Ohio in a company of Latter Day Saints from upstate New York led by Orson Pratt and Luke S. Johnson. Huntington was one of the investors in the Kirtland Safety Society, in which institution he lost about $500. In 1838 he moved to Missouri and settled in Adam-ondi-Ahman. As the Latter Day Saints were forced to leave Missouri in the winter of 1838–1839 Huntington was appointed by Brigham Young to be one of the men to supervise the removal of the poor.

On 8 July 1839, Huntington's wife Zina died in Nauvoo. In October 1840, Huntington was appointed a member of the Nauvoo Stake High Council. While at Nauvoo, he married Lucy Partridge, the widow of Edward Partridge. Huntington left Nauvoo on 9 February 1846.