Jesse Haven papers, 1848-1900

Jesse Haven was born in Holliston, Massachusetts on March 28, 1814. He converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1838, being baptized by Joseph Ball on April 13. He joined the Saints in Missouri and was present for the Saints persecution and expulsion from the state. Haven was ordained an Elder by Brigham Young on January 10, 1839. In March of 1841 Haven was called to serve a mission to the Eastern States. Haven married Martha Hall in November of 1842, and emigrated to Nauvoo the following year. In Nauvoo, Haven taught school and was chosen as one of the presidents of the Fourteenth Quorum of the Seventy. In 1848 Haven served a second mission to the Eastern States before making the journey to the Salt Lake Valley in 1850. Upon Haven's arrival he takes a second wife. In August of 1852 Haven is called on a mission to South Africa in 1852, becoming one of the first missionaries to spend any real length of time in the country (Joseph Richards, who en route to India stopped at the Cape of Good Hope for about a month distributing some pamphlets earlier in 1852). While in South Africa Haven founds the South African Mission and writes two tracts ("Some of the Principle Doctrines..." and "Celestical [sic] Marriage"). He returns to Salt Lake City in 1856 and serves as the Chaplain for the Sixth Utah Territorial Legislature. He later moves to Enterprise in Morgan County, and becomes one of the leaders of the community. Haven died at his grandson's home in Preston, Idaho on December 13, 1905.