Oliver Cowdery
| Oliver Cowdery | |
|---|---|
Daguerreotype of Oliver Cowdery found in the Library of Congress, taken in the 1840s by James Presley Ball | |
| Assistant Counselor in the First Presidency | |
| September 3, 1837 – April 11, 1838 | |
| End reason | Resignation / Excommunication |
| Assistant President of the Church | |
| December 5, 1834 – April 11, 1838 | |
| End reason | Resignation / Excommunication |
| Second Elder of the Church | |
| April 6, 1830 – December 5, 1834 | |
| End reason | Called as Assistant President of the Church |
| Latter Day Saint Apostle | |
| 1829 (aged 22) – April 12, 1838 | |
| Reason | Restoration of priesthood |
| End reason | Resignation / Excommunication |
| Reorganization at end of term | No apostles immediately ordained |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Oliver H. P. Cowdery October 3, 1806 Wells, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | March 3, 1850 (aged 43) Richmond, Missouri, U.S. |
| Resting place | Richmond Pioneer Cemetery, Missouri, U.S. 39°17′6.76″N 93°58′34.93″W / 39.2852111°N 93.9763694°W |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Ann Whitmer |
| Children | 6 |
| Signature | |
Oliver H. P. Cowdery (October 3, 1806 – March 3, 1850) was an American religious leader who, with Joseph Smith, was an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement in the 1820s and 1830s.
He was the principal scribe to the Book of Mormon, the first baptized Latter Day Saint, one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, a key early missionary, and a member of the First Presidency in Kirtland.
Cowdery's relationship with Joseph Smith and the church's leadership deteriorated in the mid-1830s, and in 1838 he was excommunicated with several other prominent Missouri leaders amid a leadership struggle with Smith.
After his excommunication, Cowdery moved to Wisconsin, where he practiced law and became involved in local politics. Cowdery briefly joined a Methodist church before being rebaptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in 1848.