The Salem Folly

In 1836 Joseph Smith traveled to Salem, Massachusetts on what the Lord would call a folly in the first verse of the 111^th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants. A "folly" is a mistake or an error on the part of the church leaders. The "folly" apparently was due to their attempts to solve the financial difficulties of the Church through their own efforts, without seeking the counsel from the Lord. Their motives were pure and they did not incur the Lord’s displeasure through their actions, which brought Joseph, Hyrum, Sydney Rigdon and others to follow Brother William Burgess in the hopes of finding a hidden treasure buried somewhere at the town of Salem. The Lord allowed Joseph to go to Salem because there was a treasure of much greater value to the kingdom than that for which they had come. There were many souls in Salem "and in the regions round about" whom the Lord knew would accept the gospel and help build the kingdom. In particular, the Lord directed the Church to "inquire diligently concerning the more ancient inhabitants and founders of this city."

Brother Erastus Snow began missionary activities in the City of Salem in 1841. Brother Snow accepted the instructions of the Lord and directed the first missionary work in Massachusetts and worked out of Salem as the center of activities. In his Journal of May 28, 1842 Elder Snow indicated that there were more than 90 members of the Salem Branch. When he arrived back in Nauvoo in April of 1843 Elder Snow indicated that he had baptized over one hundred people.

Who were the ancient inhabitants of Salem for whom the Lord seemed to give specific instructions in 1836 to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Several authorities have commented and conjectured on what the true meaning of this specific direction could have implied. Some have felt that the Lord was referring to Joseph’s own family Genealogy due to the fact that Robert Smith, the first of the Smith family to settle in America, originally settled in Essex County, Massachusetts. BH Roberts commented that the Lord’s instruction to learn about the ancient inhabitants of Salem were given, "doubtless having in views the securing of their genealogies and redemption of the past generations of men who had lived there; so that if for a moment the weakness of men was manifested in this journey, we see that fault reproved and the strength and wisdom of God made manifest by directing the attention of his servants to the real and true treasures that he would have them seek, even the salvation of men, both the living and the dead." Doubtless, Brother Roberts believed that critics of the church might might use the "folly" of this trip to argue that the Joseph was a false prophet due to his failure to uncover the money that had originally brought him on the trip. A record of the genealogies of the those who were converted in the area would ultimately show the hand of the Lord was involved in this "folly". The real treasure in the city would be proved to be the individual converts who would perform a work "for the benefit of Zion." If Brother Roberts assumption is accepted as a plausible explanation, then should we not examine the genealogies of the individuals who were eventually baptized in the region who fit the description of the Lord?

The Old Planters

Who were the founding fathers of the City of Salem and were any of their ancestors living at the time the revelation found in Section 111was given? Did any of them ever join the church and did their conversion truly fulfill the prophecy of providing a "treasure" for the Church, in the sense of the redemption of souls for the Church and building up of the kingdom.

The earliest history of Salem refers to 4 families as the most prominent in establishing the groundwork for the city. The heads of these families are known as the "Old Planters" and they are generally accepted as the "founders" of the City of Salem. A Company of immigrants sailed from Dorchester County in Somersetshire, England. The group was known as The Dorchester Company. They first arrived in the New World in 1624; only 4 years after the pilgrims landed at Plymouth. . The group spent 2 years with the Pilgrims at the Massachusetts Bay Colony before establishing the City of Salem at the port of Cape Ann in 1626. The city later became famous for the Salem witch trails wherein about 20 people were executed in 1692. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne was born there in the 17^th Century and the city is also the location of the literary "House of Seven Gables".

When the company first arrived an individual known as Roger Conant was the first leader. The first year was beset with difficulties and the project did not produce profits to the investors who had financed the expedition of The Dorchester Company. Most of the company was considering abandoning the settlement to look for gold or join with the Virginia colony to the south where the weather was said to be more favorable. Mr. Conant determined to stay even if all others deserted him. Word came back from the investors in England and requested a commitment from some of the others to stay with the settlement. Four individuals Roger Conant, John Woodbury, Peter Palfry and John Balch, were described as ‘honest men" and of "good character". The investors committed to continue to support the enterprise on the condition that these four men would agree to stay and develop the Salem site. A pact was made and these four men became known as the "four planters" who established the ancient site of Salem Massachusetts.

John Woodbury, The Old Planter

John Woodbury is often referred to as "The old Planter" in city records. He is spoken of with a certain kindly reverence not often to be looked for in official records, as "brother Woodbry" and as "father Woodbry," though by no means an elder in years. In 1627 he returned to England to report on the progress and brought new immigrants with him, including his brother William and his family as well as his son Nicolas.

John Woodbury was one of the original members of the 1^st Church, Salem, at its formation in 1629. He became a freeman in 1630 and established the Salem Police department, being appointed constable in the same year. One of the original five farms of two hundred acres each, "by the great pond side," was voted to John Woodbury by the colony in 1635. In 1635 John Woodbury was appointed one of the overseers and Layers out of the Lots of ground for the city. In 1637 he was chosen one of the selectmen, which office he filled till his decease, being present at every meeting of the board, the last one being December 3, 1641.

John Woodbury was described as one who "did what one resolute man could do to defeat the ambition of Richelieu and to give us a New England instead of a New France between the Hudson and the Bay of Fundy and, having accomplished this, died full of honors if not of years in 1641."

The Genealogy of John Woodbury

The descendants of John and his brother William Woodbury existed at and about the township of Salem for many generations. Woodburys continued to live in the city of Salem when it was incorporated in March of 1836. Ancestors bearing the name Woodbury fought in the revolutionary war. The Woodbury line was described by the eminent Genealogist Robert S. Rantoul who stated that they "were known as farmers, fishermen, shrewd and fearless captains of trading craft, ingenious mechanics and inventors, successful master-builders, estimable doctors and clergymen, public-spirited citizens, honest neighbors. Some have spun out at home the quiet, uneventful life of the New England Deacon; others have died abroad, by flood and field on every sea and shore. ‘Taken by the French while fishing,’—‘Lost with seven men and two boys at sea,’—‘Died in captivity,’—‘Missing abroad for a long while,"—"Lost on a home voyage from the West Indies,’— or the ‘Carolinas’—‘died from wounds on board H.M. King George’s Frigate Apollo,’—‘Fell overboard and drowned in the waters of Virginia by the breaking of the thole-pin while rowing in James River,"—‘Died in the French and Indian war,’—‘Killed at Canton, China’—‘Died on passage from Coast of Africa,’—‘Lost in the Bay,’—‘Washed overboard from ship Columbia on homeward passage from Liverpool’—‘Died in Mill Prison,’— such are some of the sadly suggestive epitaphs to be read by scores in the short and simple annals of this stalwart, coast-reared stock. Few ‘enterprises of great pith and moment’ were set on foot in the colony except a Woodbury was of the party, and they seem to have been ready early and late, whether in humble or conspicuous station and whatever might betide, to bear a man’s part." Charles Levi Woodbury rose in politics and held positions such as Secretary of the Navy under Andrew Jackson. He was elected as the governor of the State of Maine and was considered by his party to run for President of the United States. He died while serving as an associate justice on the Supreme Court under the Taney Court.

The Jeremiah Woodbury Family

At the time the Prophet traveled to Salem, relatives of the Old Planter, John Woodbury continued to live at and around the City of Salem and throughout Massachusetts. Jeremiah Woodbury and his family of five sons and two daughters were some of the most direct descendants who lived in a nearby community known as New Salem. Jeremiah was working as a farmer and a schoolteacher. Pursuant to the revelation in Section 111, the missionary efforts for the State of Massachusetts were organized. The Jeremiah Woodbury family associated closely with the Haskell and Pomeroy families in the neighborhood who were also related to the Woodbury line. One of the cousins, Zula Hastings, appeared before them on a night in 1841 and announced "I’ve been to a Mormon meeting. The preacher Elder Maginn, spoke more good sense than all the ministers I ever heard." The Woodbury, Haskell and Pomeroy families all agreed to go to the next meetings and examine the teachings. Several people in the community joined but other’s continued to be skeptical. Jeremiah’s wife, Elizabeth had been bed ridden and an invalid for many years. When she determined to be baptized, arrangements were made for her to be carried to her baptism in the nearby river. She was carried to the river. A miraculous healing took place and after the baptizm, she walked home from the services. Her healing caused quite a stir in the community and was the cause of many others to join the church. The Woodburys and their friends made plans to move to Nauvoo. A triple wedding ceremony was held just before their departure wherein the three oldest boys, William, Joseph and Thomas all took wives from the congregation of the new converts. Thomas married one of the daughters of the Haskell family and the two families remained close through the trials for the rest of their lives.

Jeremiah Woodbury and his family moved to Nauvoo and are said to have become intimately acquainted with the Prophet and other prominent men in the Church. At on time when the Prophet was greatly in need of financial assistance, Jeremiah Woodbury helped him out with a generous contribution. The Prophet laid his hands on Jeremiah’s head and gave him a blessing, promising him among other things that he would never lack for money. Jeremiah would later testify many times during his later years that though he had experienced many trials and hardships during the journey across the plains and the pioneer conditions in Utah, when money and every other necessity were hard to obtain, he had never seen one day when he was without money.

The Woodbury family endured the persecution of the Saints in Nauvoo and was present when Joseph and Hyrum were murdered. They traveled across the plains with the first available company, having been assigned to the George B. Wallace Company who arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in late September, 1847, about two months after the first company arrived in Salt Lake. The Woodbury family continued to play prominent roles in their individual church groups and assigned areas. Orin Nelson Woodbury, a son of Jeremiah married Ann Cannon, sister of George Q. Cannon and was one of the original settlers of Saint George, Utah under the direction of President Brigham Young and carried some of the first fruit trees to the area which were planted in the Southern Utah soil. John Stillman Woodbury, 4^th son of Jeremiah was known as a poet musician who wrote 4 of the hymns that appeared in the official hymn book of the church for over 50 years.

The Woodbury Family and the Church

Generations of the Woodbury family have intermarried and been associated with the development of the early church down to the present day. Reading through the history of the members of this family will show numerous Bishops, Stake Presidents, Patriarchs, Relief Society instructors, Seventies, Missionaries, Temple Workers, Sunday School Presidents, members of the Tabernacle Choir, youth leaders, Seminary teachers, and faithful church leaders of every kind. In helping to develop the State of Utah, Woodbury’s have been involved in fields of industry, and civic responsibilities, working to build and strengthen their stakes of their local areas. Through the efforts of faithful descendants, the genealogical and temple work of all of the Woodbury descendants from the "Old Planter" John Woodbury, to the present time has been performed.

It is unknown how many thousands of descendants; living and dead have been active members of the church. An attempt to estimate the number, living and dead done by Angus Canon Woodbury in 1957 reported the number at 2,296. Two generations have since passed and an estimate of several tens of thousands is not thought to be out of the realm of possibility. Hundreds of descendants have served as missionaries and have certainly been instrumental in bringing thousands of people to the gospel.

Whether the Lord was referring to the Woodbury family when he instructed Joseph to "inquire diligently concerning the more ancient inhabitants and founders of this city" is mere conjecture. Certainly many faithful members of the church were baptized from the same area. It is not know whether or not any of the ancestors of any of the other founder of the city ever joined the church. Many converts have certainly obtained higher positions in the Church and many may boast of greater deeds done by their ancestors. The Woodbury line, however, has been a solid branch that stems from the time the Prophet first received this revelation known as the 111^th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants. For those who may want to ridicule the church or call Joseph Smith a false Prophet for participating in this "folly", the genealogy of the Woodbury family will certainly stand as a testimony that truly there were "more treasures than one" in the City of Salem and the "regions round about" for the "Benefit of Zion".

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