Thomas B. Marsh(1799-1866) was the first ordained apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835-1839. He was disaffected from the church for some years, but later rejoined.

Early Life

Marsh was born in the town of Acton, Massachusetts in Middlesex County, Massachusetts on November 1, 1799. His father was James Marsh his mother was Mary Law. He spent his early life farming in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. He ran away at 14 to Chester, Vermont and worked as a farmer for 3 months. Then he left for Albany, New York, working as a waiter for 18 months. He spent 2 years working at the New York City Hotel in New York City, New York, then returned to Albany for a year, and then back at the hotel for 2 more years. He spent 18 months working as a groom for Edward Griswold in Long Island, New York.

He married Elizabeth Godkin on November 1, 1820 while employed for Griswold. After his marriage, he attempted unsucessfully to run a grocery business for 18 months. After that, he spent 7 years working at a type foundry in Boston, Massachusetts.

During his work at the type foundry, he joined the Methodist Church. However, dissatisfied because Methodism did not correspond to the Bible in his mind, he left and joined a group of friends in what others called a Quietist sect.

Joining the Church

Marsh left his home in Boston and journeyed west. In his words, "I believed the Spirit of God dictated me to make a journey west." He travelled with Benjamin Hall. He stayed at Lima, New York in Livingston County, New York for three months before returning home. On the way home, he stopped at Lyonstown, where a lady informed him of the Golden Plates that Joseph Smith had obtained. She directed him to Palmyra, New York and to meet Martin Harris there.

Marsh travelled to Palmyra and discovered Martin Harris at the printing office, working on the printing of the Book of Mormon. He was able to obtain the first 16 pages of the book. He met Oliver Cowdery at this time as well.

Returning to his home, he showed the 16 pages to his wife. They both were pleased and corresponded with Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith. After The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was formed on April 6, 1830, he moved with his family up to Palmyra to join them that September.

He was baptized by David Whitmer in Cayuga Lake that September, and a few months later ordained an elder by Oliver Cowdery.

Joseph Smith received Doctrine and Covenants section 31 directed at Marsh on September 26 to September 28, 1830. In this he was called as the church physician.

Marsh moved with the church to Kirtland, Ohio in the spring of 1831. He was ordained a high priest and received a call to proselyte to Missouri with Ezra Thayer (See Doctrine and Covenants 52:22). Thayer delayed for a long time, and so Marsh went to Joseph Smith, whereupon Selah J. Griffin was appointed in Thayer's stead. (See Doctrine and Covenants 56:5).

Apostleship

Falling Away

Marsh signed an affidavit in 1838(?) that was critical of Joseph Smith and claimed he had organized a group called the "Danites" to murder those who opposed him. This affidavit was used by Governor Lilburn W. Boggs as the basis for the extermination order. This in turn led to the death of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in Carthage Jail. Shortly afterwards, Brigham Young led the saints to Salt Lake Valley, Utah due to the intense persecution.

Rejoining

Marsh wrote an autobiography in 1864, published in the Millenial Star of that year.

It was said by Elder Thomas Job, a missionary serving in Utah, that shortly before his death he attended a conference of the Reorganized Church and claimed that Young Joseph was a prophet, and that he would attempt to move east to join them.

Thomas B. Marsh passed away in Ogden, Utah in January of 1866. He is buried at the Ogden Cemetary. The tombstone is adorned with a plank of wood, on which can barely be read "T. B. M.".

Modern Opinion

In the modern era, Marsh is rarely talked about in discourses on religion or sermons in the LDS church. When he is mentioned, he is often cited as the failure to seize an opportunity. Had Marsh been faithful and swallowed his pride, he would've possibly become the next president of the church instead of Brigham Young. (David W. Patten was killed shortly after becoming an apostle.) Rarely, Marsh's conversion story is cited as an example of how powerful the Book of Mormon is in convincing people of the truthfulness of the church.

References

• "History of Thomas B. Marsh", Millennial Star 26 (1864):359-60, 375-76, 390-92, 406. [1] (http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/b/marsh_tbh.phtml)
• Granpa Bill's G.A. Pages on Thomas B. Marsh (http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/w/o/wol3/marshtb1.htm)
• Information on the events before his death: [2] (http://www.centerplace.org/history/misc/soc/soc57.htm)