Soon
after the saints moved to Nauvoo, they prepared to build a temple. On April 6, 1841, the temple's cornerstone was laid. The beautiful structure was to be 128
feet long by 88 feet wide with a clock tower and weather vane reaching
to a total height of 165 feet - a 60% increase over the dimensions of the
Kirtland Temple.
 |
| Weather-vane atop the temple tower |
There
were many similarities to the Kirtland Temple which they had been forced to
abandon. For example, there were two assembly halls, one on the first floor and
one on the second. One difference with the Kirtland Temple was a full basement
which housed a a baptismal font.
Construction
was only half complete at the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith in
1844.
As mob violence increased during the summer
of 1845, Brigham Young encouraged the saints to complete the temple even though they were making preparations to abandon the city, so they could receive the sacred ordinances
before they departed on their perilous trek across the continent.
Due
to persecution, the saints were not able to entirely complete the construction during
the Nauvoo era, however the basement with its font had been finished and dedicated
in 1841, as were the first floor assembly hall and the attic (dedicated
November 1845). When these parts of the building were completed they were used
for performing ordinances (basement and attic) and for worship services (first
floor assembly hall).
 |
| Assembly Hall today in the beautifully reconstructed Nauvoo Temple |
During
the winter of 1845-46, the temple began to be used for endowments and sealings. The first
endowments were performed in the temple on December 10, 1845, and before the
saints were expelled 5,615 endowments were performed and recorded.
 |
| Erastus Snow |
Elder Erastus Snow beautifully described the spiritual outpouring upon the saints during this time, “The spirit, power, and wisdom of God reigned continually in the temple and all felt
satisfied that during the two months we occupied it in the endowments of the
Saints, we were amply paid for all our labors in building it.”
The
building was in use for only a short period, but during that time period, many
of my ancestors were privileged to participate in the sacred ordinances of the
temple, including the following. Many proxy baptisms for their departed loved one were also performed.
Birth date Endowment
- Bateman, Joseph 04 Sep 1802 28 Jan 1846
- Bateman, Thomas 17 Sep 1808 27 Jan 1846
- Bateman, William 24 Apr 1824 29 Jan 1846
- Chase, Abigail Eliza 04 Oct 1820 15 Dec 1845
- Chase, Abner 18 May 1813 06 Feb 1846
- Chase, Amos S. 18 Dec 1820 06 Feb 1846
- Chase, Charlotte 11 May 1825 15 Dec 1845
- Chase, Darwin 25 Feb 1816 06 Jan 1846
- Chase, Diana 23 Jul 1827 15 Dec 1845
- Chase, Ezra 04 Feb 1796 15 Dec 1845
- Chase, Isaac 12 Dec 1791 13 Dec 1845
- Chase, Phebe 07 Dec 1794 13 Dec 1845
- Chase, Tirzah 29 Jul 1796 15 Dec 1845
- Edwards, William 16 May 1810 31 Jan 1846
- Fuller, Edward M. 20 Jan 1792 20 Jan 1846
- Fuller, Hannah 24 Jan 1797 20 Jan 1846
- Fuller, Hannah E. 24 Feb 1827 29 Jan 1846
- Fuller, Ovanda 27 Jun 1822 20 Dec 1845
- Greathouse, Mary Ann 04 Nov 1827 02 Feb 1846
- Pond, Abigail A. 14 Jul 1828 30 Dec 1845
- Thorn, Abigail 02 Apr 1821 20 Jan 1846
- Thorn, Asahel 04 Sep 1808 28 Jan 1846
- Thorn, Joseph 22 Dec 1811 28 Jan 1846
- Thorn, Richard 18 Jun 1825 22 Jan 1846
Most of the Latter Day Saints left Nauvoo, beginning in February
1846, but a small crew remained to finish the temple's first floor, so that it
could be formally dedicated. Once the first floor was finished with pulpits and
benches, the building was finally dedicated in private services on 30 April
1846, and in public services on 1 May.
In September 1846 the remaining Latter
Day Saints were driven from the city, no doubt looking over their shoulder at the temple they loved.
