"And again, I have called my servant Edward Partridge; and I give a commandment, that he should be appointed by the voice of the church, and ordained a bishop unto the church, to leave his merchandise and to spend all his time in the labors of the church." Doctrine and Covenants 41:9¹

Edward Partridge was born on August 27, 1793, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He moved to Painesville, Ohio, where he owned a hat store, and married Lydia Clisbee on August 22, 1819.² Initially a Universal Restorationist, Partridge later adhered to the Campbellite faith before encountering missionaries in November 1830.³ He visited Joseph Smith in Fayette, New York, with Sidney Rigdon and was baptized into the Church of Christ on December 11, 1830.⁴ Partridge was ordained an elder by December 15, 1830, and became the first bishop of the church in February 1831, in Kirtland, Ohio.⁵

As a bishop, Partridge helped the Saints settle in Ohio and later in Missouri, where he played a crucial role in establishing Zion despite initial skepticism. He aided in the distribution of land to the Saints, as instructed in the law of consecration. Though Partridge faced challenges in acquiring land, he remained dedicated to his responsibilities.⁶

1. Doctrine and Covenants 41:9

2. Sherilyn Farnes, “Fact, Fiction and Family Tradition: The Life of Edward Partridge (1793-1840), The First Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” scholarsarchive.byu.edu

3. "Partridge, Edward," josephsmithpapers.org

4. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 10, 106-107

5. "Partridge, Edward," josephsmithpapers.org; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 11, 118

6. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 12, 126-131; "Partridge, Edward," josephsmithpapers.org