“I do solemnly obligate myself, ever to conceal & never to reveal the secret purposes of [the Danites].” — Sampson Avard¹

Sampson Avard was born in Great Britain on October 23, 1800. He was baptized and ordained as an elder in 1835 and later as a high priest. Avard served a mission and was a stockholder in the Kirtland Safety Society before moving to Far West, Missouri, by 1838.² He helped organize the Danites, a secretive militia formed to protect the Saints.³ Avard later testified against Joseph Smith, claiming Smith’s involvement in the Danites’ actions, and was excommunicated in 1839.⁴

1. Sampson Avard deposition, Minutes and Testimonies, 12–29 November 1838 [State of Missouri v. Gates et al. for Treason], josephsmithpapers.org

2. “Avard, Sampson,” josephsmithpapers.org

3. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 27, 314; “Danites,” josephsmithpapers.org

4. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 31, 368-369