Joseph Murdock

Joseph Murdock

  . Birth: 	Nov. 14, 1783 Lebanon New London County Connecticut, USA Death: 	Oct. 9, 1843 Nauvoo Hancock County Illinois, USA

In the year 1830 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized in Fayette, Seneca, New York. By 1836 the people in the nearby city of Hamilton, where the Murdock's lived, heard of the gospel.

One day two men came to the door. They were strangers and said they were Mormon missionaries, told their names and asked to see the man of the house. Joseph Murdock had been ill for a number of years. He had hurt himself lifting a heavy green log and was an invalid. Sally told the missionaries that her husband was a very sick man and that he had just gone to sleep and under no circumstances would she awaken him. However, she told them if they could come back later in the day they could see her husband.

Later that afternoon the men returned and told their story to the family. Joseph Murdock told them they either had a true gospel as taught by Jesus Christ or were the biggest imposters on the earth. He told them if they would administer to him and he became a well man, the family would join the church. The missionaries did administer to Joseph Murdock and he recovered from his 15-year illness. The Elders visited them many times and the family was baptized. It was a glorious day for the Murdock family when the weary Mormon missionaries stopped at their door.

Soon after their baptism, the spirit of gathering came upon them. They sold their farm and disposed of most of their property and started toward the headquarters of the Saints, in Nauvoo, Illinois.

About three days before reaching Nauvoo they were met by men who said that Joseph Smith was in need of a few hundred dollars and that he had sent them out to borrow it from them. Joseph Murdock told Sally to let the men have the money, but she said she would take the money to the Prophet herself. Upon arriving in Nauvoo they found that no such message had been sent. They did, however, give all their money to the Prophet, but he returned it telling them to take care of it, as they could do so as well as he.

Joseph Murdock became ill again and after arriving in Nauvoo his condition became more serious. He felt certain that if the Prophet of God would give him a blessing he would be healed. Joseph Smith did bless him and told him if he would be baptized seven times in the Mississippi River he would be made well. He was baptized accordingly and was healed.

On October 10, 1843, Joseph Murdock suddenly sickened and passed away. He was buried in Nauvoo. Previous to his death, Joseph had extracted a promise from Sally that if it were impossible for him to go on to Zion that she would remain with the Saints and bring their fourteen year old son, Nymphus, up among them. Nymphus was the only remaining child not married at the time.

Compiled by Dora May Murdock Greenwood, his great granddaughter

Family links:

Parents:

 William Murdock (1738 - 1811)

 Sarah Daynes Murdock (1750 - 1826)

Spouses:

 Sally Stacy Murdock (1788 - 1864)*

 Sarah Bonney Murdock (1787 - 1817)*

Children:

 Betsey Bonny Murdock Greene (1810 - 1883)*

 Joseph Stacy Murdock (1822 - 1899)*

 John Deans Murdock (1824 - 1846)*

 Nymphas Coridon Murdock (1833 - 1917)*

Siblings:

 Eunice Murdock Murdock (1763 - 1834)**

 William Murdock (1771 - 1853)**

 Eliphalet Murdock (1775 - 1852)*

 Salome Murdock Douglass (1780 - 1859)*

 Joseph Murdock (1783 - 1843)

 Celinda Murdock Fuller (1790 - 1866)*

*Calculated relationship

• *Half-sibling

Burial: Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds Nauvoo Hancock County Illinois, USA

Source: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=30682540

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Mar 3 2016, 5:19:53 UTC