”Amongst those who attended our meetings regularly, was Newel Knight son to Joseph Knight. He and I had now many and serious conversations on the important subject of man’s eternal salvation: we had got into the habit of praying much at our meetings and Newel had said that he would try and take up his cross, and pray vocally during meeting;“ — Joseph Smith1
Born on September 13, 1800, in Marlborough, Vermont, Newel moved with his family to Colesville, New York, in 1811. He became acquainted with Joseph Smith in 1826, when his father, Joseph Knight Sr., hired Joseph Smith.2
One day, when Newel went to the woods to pray, an increasingly oppressive feeling overcame him, growing so intense he asked for the prophet to come see him and cast the devil out. Joseph Smith rebuked the devil in the name of Jesus Christ.3
In May 1830, Newel was baptized by David Whitmer, and on September 26, 1830, he was ordained a priest.4 As the President of the Colesville branch of the Church,2 he helped organize the migration of the Colesville Saints to Ohio in April–May 1831.5
