Dissidence in Nauvoo
    Dissidence in Nauvoo & Beyond
Dissidence among larger population of Saints

While it is understood that not all the history of my family is harmonious, it would appear that in the face of theological
strife the Newberry family suffered irreparable harm.  The divisive events that were taking place in Nauvoo with the
hierarchy, seemed to follow a trickle down affect through the Newberry family.

James Newberry, whose ten children were all members of the Church saw within the fabric of his own family an
undercurrent of concern, which seems to have translated into developments that tore the family asunder.

While James is only mentioned occasionally as a cog in the greater wheel of the Church, he lived in Nauvoo with his
unmarried daughters and supposedly his second wife Nancy Brown.  He was called upon to gather funds for the building
of the Temple, and perhaps like his son-in-law, worked to unofficially protect the city.  He is mentioned in Hosea
Stout's Diary who was a primary player in this work.  James was also called to sign affidavits addressed to the president
of the United States, and a mission to Indiana.  He was a small fish among the larger fish - but was given some importance
in the offices to which he was assigned.

By 1845 James married again to Elizabeth Haskins.  This was a polygamous relationship, therefore putting him in the
position of following through with the new tenets of the Church.  Brigham Young seemed imbued with the spirit for which
Joseph was struck down.

The state of Illinois rescinded the Nauvoo's city charter, and Nauvoo began a downhill slide, which further divided the
loyalty of members. Some of this dissidence had followed the Church from Kirtland in 1838 when Joseph Smith and
his loyal friends left and moved to Far West.  Even then the dissident faction followed him in the names of the Whitmers,
W. W. Phelps and others. Joseph Smith's brother Williams was always at odds with his brother's religious views, yet
he continued to stay close to the family but often criticized his brother. Other members would try and quarter support
for other leaders. James Strang was among those along with William Smith, Sidney Rigdon, George Miller, and Lyman
Wight. Olivery Cowdery was also to leave the church when Young took over..

By March of 1846 the Mormons were again being driven from their city.  James and his families may have been living in
Des Moines Township sometime before this, as his civil marriage to Elizabeth Haskins took place in Iowa.  His sons
probably saw their father as participating in polygamy, a practice for which they had no regard or abjectly abhorred. 
His older children's disposition as citizens of Iowa may tell the story of what happened, though there is no written record
to consult.

It is known that Abraham, after the exodus of the Mormons to Council Bluffs, stood aloof to any religion.  This young
man was brought up as a Mormon.  Yet he stayed friendly to the people, but  no longer participated.  His brother James
who owned land near his brother also stayed in Iowa, but later became an important man in the RLDS church.  Their
brother John, went to Wisconsin with other dissident factions.  It is thought that he may have gone with others of Joseph
Smith's own family who joined briefly with James Strang until he began pushing polygamy. John and his wife Lucinda
(Elizabeth) disappeared from the radar around 1856-60. Recently it was discovered that Lucinda died in Wisconsin
between 1855 and 1858.  Judging by the sale of a piece of property which had been bought only six months before, it
is thought she must have died in that six month time frame. John sold the property and was noted as a widower. John
was known to have returned to Iowa, but his  death date and place are unknown. Their children were farmed out to
their father's siblings and grandfather.

Jane Newberry and her husband Jacob Crandall went to western Iowa to Shelby Co. where a group of anti-polygamy
Mormons settled and built their numbers. 

Their father James A. Newberry followed Brigham Young to Council Bluffs.  After about 1848, James seems to part
company with the Brighamites, staying behind in Council Bluffs, and moving around the county to various locales - i.e.
Wheelers Grove, Indian Creek, and he owned land in Montgomery Co.  What follows is a more detailed description
of his children who stay in Iowa. We believe he followed the group called the Cutlerites.  There were other groups
who would form their own sects.  The Strangites, Rigdonites and others would vie for members from the original
population.  Even Emma Smith and her family stood aloof from other groups until the Reorganization began in
the late 1850's and early 60's.

More on the Sons & daughter who stayed in Lee County, Iowa

Abraham B. Newberry
A. B. Newberry, third child of James A. Newberry and Mary Smith Newberry, was born March 1, 1816 in Orange
county New York.  After becoming of age he began farming operations on his own account, in Des Moines Twp.,
where he was married on New Year’s Day 1842 to Miss Eliza Duty, a native of Vermont who was born Oct. 24,
1842 to Israel Duty and Mehitable (Sawyer) Duty. The Duty family was related to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and
Abraham Newberry's wife was a cousin to Joseph Smith. (Israel Duty is found to be one of the prominent members
of the Strangite organization who were said to have moved to Wisconsin to practice their own form of Joseph Smith's
Mormonism with James Strang.

Three children were born to them - Orson O., Rosaline and Charles.  Mr. Newberry was the proprietor of 1800 acres
of land, lying in what is known as String Prairie. He was largely engaged in stock raising.  He contributed largely to the
growth and development of this section of the county, and a fine representative of the pioneer element of the Hawkeye
State. Abraham Newberry stood aloof from the LDS Church most of his adult life, for reasons unknown to us, but always
welcomed members and missionaries to his home.  He and his wife were later divorced.  It is believed by this author that
their differences in religious belief probably precipitated their division. Mrs. Newberry maintained her own home in the
same county.

An old family letter mentions that Brigham Young stayed on a corner of the Newberry Farm back in 1846.  At this time
archeological studies are taking place on the co-owned property of James and Abraham..

James W. Newberry
J. W. Newberry the fourth child of James A. Newberry and Mary Smith Newberry was born in Orange county,
New York December 9th 1817, and was nearly twenty-one years of age when he arrived with his parents in Lee Co,
and soon afterwards commenced life on his own account.  Shortly afterward he married Edith A. Benedict, a native
of Canada West, who was born in September 1830 to Ezra A. Benedict and Edith (Parish) Benedict.  They were
married in Des Moines Twp., her parents having emigrated to Iowa when she was only fourteen years of age. 

Her parents later went to Des Moines, IA where they remained until their decease, both living to an advanced age.   
Edith A. Benedict was a cousin twice removed.  His paternal grandmother was a Benedict and Edith was the grand
daughter of one of his father's (James A. Newberry's) uncles.

Mr. Newberry was an honored pioneer of Des Moines Twp., and extensive land proprietor, general farmer and
stock-grower, the owner of 1117 acres of land. Part of his land (312 acres) was in Scotland, Co., Missouri. 
Ten children were born to James W. Newberry and Edith Armantha Benedict Newberry. They were Washington,
West W., Armantha, Ella D., Alta M. Fred D., Charles D. (Fred and Charles were twins)  Deceased children were,
Smith B. ,Moline and one unnamed. Mr. Newberry and Mrs. Newberry adhered to the faith of the Reorganized Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he serving as an Elder until October 6, 1863 when he was ordained a high Priest
and served in that capacity until his death.


Jane Newberry Crandall and John Smith Newberry
Jane Newberry b. Oct. 17, 1812, married Jacob Crandall and moved to Shelby Co. Iowa. She and her husband
were dissidents to the LDS church because of the polygamy question.  They took up the mantle of the RLDS Church
in the 1860's when Joseph Smith III was installed as leader of the reorganization. The RLDS movement began in
Wisconsin where many of the dissident Saints (including her brother and other non-blood relatives) removed in the
1840's after the death of Joseph Smith. 

John Smith Newberry, b. May 22, 1814, Jane's brother was heavily involved with the Wisconsin Saints, and
spent a lot of time as a lead miner in the area.  It is thought that he and his family moved back to Iowa sometime
after Blanchardville was abandoned by the Church. John Smith Newberry went to Galena, Illinois and then to Argyle,
Iowa where we believe he is  probably buried. His first edition Book of Mormon is in the Special Collections as the
RLDS Library in Independence, Missouri. It was recently discovered that Lucinda died in Wisconsin sometime
between 1855 and 1858. John Smith Newberry sold a piece of land that he had purchased only six months
previously, in 1858. We think he moved back to Iowa for a short period of time, just before his death.  His grave
is still unknown, but some records seem to indicate that he might be buried on the old family farm somewhere. 
However, the land has been divided up over the years since 1870. As for the children: one of his sons is found
living with his grandfather  James A. Newberry in SW Iowa, and two other children were found living with Jacob
and Jane Crandall. And another with Abraham. The children were teenagers and younger.

Harriet Newberry Palmer
One of his younger daughters Harriet, b. Nov. 24, 1825 was said to have gone west too, but this is a fallacy.
She wanted to be the plural wife of George Morris (husband of her sister Hannah Maria) but Jane her eldest
sister stepped in and stopped her 17 year old sister from making this mistake. She married a man named Seth
Palmer and died in Montrose in 1849. There are two children for Harriett that no one has been able to account
for.  However, Seth Palmer went to Harrison Co., and remarried.

It is thought that polygamy and other problems made dissident members and apostates out of the oldest
children of James Newberry and Mary Smith.  The younger children however, continued to embrace the faction
of the Church led by Brigham Young.  All the rest of the children James and Mary's children went west to Utah
or California.

James and Mary's daughters who went west

Other Topics and Destinations:

Newberry Researcher's Corner - BRICK WALLS  This page is dedicated to the continuing research of the family and the
 researchers who continue with me to sift through the ancient records of the New England and New York.

All pages
Stage 1
/Connecticut / New York / More Newberry's in New York Samuel Smith / Smith Farm / Revolution /
Old School Baptists
/Native people in New England / Stage 2 / Ohio / Missouri / Illinois & Iowa / Nauvoo /
Flight to SW Iowa
/ The Half Breed Tract / Cutlerite membership / dissidence in NauvooDeath of James Newberry /
Wives and Family
/ Children who Went west /Stage 3 /Exodus to Utah / Utah Morrisites / Hannah's Children /
Hannah's Necklace
/ genealogy table / Addenda /Newberry Brick WallsWhispers - beginning the search /
Bibliography
/ Family Album / Jonathan Newberry Bible /

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