“One of the Mob fled behind a tree, wheeled, and shot Captain Patten, who instantly fell mortally wounded.” — Thomas Bullock¹

David Patten was born on November 14, 1799, in Vermont and later moved to New York and Michigan Territory. He married Phoebe Ann Babcock in 1828 and was baptized by his brother John on June 15, 1832. David served numerous missions, including to Michigan Territory, eastern states, and the southern U.S. He was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on February 15, 1835.² It was later reported that while on a mission in Tennessee, he had an encounter with a large man who was identified as Cain.³ Patten moved to Far West, Missouri, in 1836, where he was active in defending the Saints in Caldwell County during the Mormon-Missouri War.⁴ On October 25, 1838, he was mortally wounded during the skirmish at Crooked River and died shortly after.⁵

1. 25 October 1838, JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1

2. “Patten, David,” josephsmithpapers.org

3. Lycurgus Wilson, Life of David W. Patten: First Apostolic Martyr, 46-47

4. “Mormon-Missouri War of 1838,” churchofjesuschrist.org

5. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 24, 274, 283; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 29, 343-345