Hazen Aldrich

Who was Hazen Aldrich?

Hazen Aldrich was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., Aldrich went on to lead a small denomination of Latter Day Saints known as the Brewsterites.

Aldrich was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire to Andrew H. Aldrich and Annis Sweetland. In April or May 1832, Aldrich was taught about the Latter Day Saint movement by missionaries Orson Pratt and Lyman E. Johnson and was baptized in Bath, New Hampshire. Aldrich was baptized at the same time as future Apostle and member of the First Presidency Amasa M. Lyman.

On July 4, 1832, Aldrich was given the Melchizedek priesthood and ordained to the office of elder by Pratt. On June 8, 1833, Pratt ordained him a high priest. In 1834 Aldrich participated in the Zion's Camp expedition to Missouri.

On February 28, 1835, Joseph Smith, Jr. ordained Aldrich to the office of seventy and chose him as the presiding president of the newly organized First Quorum of Seventy. However, when it was discovered by Smith that Aldrich had previously been ordained a high priest, he asked Aldrich to stand down from his position and join the quorum of high priests. Aldrich did so on April 6, 1837, which left Joseph Young as the presiding president of the Seventy.