Show DR WILLARD RICHARDS FIRST EDITOR OF THE DESERET NEWS the made its advent in the newspaper field I 1 just net forty seven years ago today its editor at that time was or dr willard rioha ads rda the pioneer of western journalism he was the son of joseph and rhoda RW bo hards harde and was born at hopkinton hopkinson Hop kinton middlesex county massachusetts june mr richards was a cousin of president brigham young a physician by profession a manof scholarly soho arly attainments and a vigorous writer he wai wa ordained an apostle epostle la in the church of jesus christ of latter day saints april 14 1840 while on a mission to great britain on october SO 80 1841 he was elected a member of the nancoo city council in december of that year he was appointed recorder for the temple private secretary to the prophet joseph smith and general church clerk he kept all of the P prophets Prop 0 helps heis private journals and was with him at the time of his martyr dom doin in carthage gr altage jull ail and made an entry just a few minutes before the awful tragedy his two minutes in jail is in described as an being one of the most moat thrilling documents ever written at the time of the expulsion from nauvoo he acted as church historian a position to which he had been appointed december 1842 under president young he assisted in planning the journey of the gioi pioneer eer pathfinders Path finders across the continent and arrived in salt lake a second lime ime as captain of a large company in the dallof fall of 1848 As civil officer he served as secretary of the provisional government of the state of deseret Dea eret as a mein member her of the legislature and postmaster of great salt lake he was also a member of the first presidency of the church and general historian thereof history says of him that he chronicled events dates circumstances circa instances and incidents with rare accuracy of judgment and great tenacity of memory he possessed a calm and even mind and yet was rather reserved and naturally diffident of his own superior ability on great and rare occasions his masterly energies came forth like a well disciplined and invincible troop that know knew their place and prerogative to act in defense of the truth 10 her died in great salt lake 11 1854 mourned and loved by all who know him |