LDS Biographical Encyclopedia

Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia
Volume 1
Biographies

Gould, John one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies for a short period of time in 1837, joined the Church at an early day and was numbered among its first Elders. In the fall of 1833, together with Orson Hyde, he was sent as a special messenger from Kirtland to the Saints in Missouri. From this important mission they returned to Kirtland Nov. 25, 1833, bringing the "melancholy intelligence of the riot in Zion" the previous July. He was ordained and set apart as one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies April 6, 1837, under the hands of Sidney Rigdon and Hyrum Smith. At a conference held at Kirtland, Sept. 3, 1837; he was objected to as a president of Seventies. Six brethren, instead of five, had been selected to fill vacancies in the council of Seventies in April, 1837, it being supposed at the time that Levi W. Hancock, who was absent from Kirtland, had also been ordained a High Priest. This being a mistake the Prophet requested Bro. Joseph Young to see John Gould and signify to him the desire of the Prophet to have him placed in the High Priests' quorum. Bro. Gould complied with the wishes of the Prophet, and he was consequently ordained a High Priest. The last mention made of John Gould in the history of Joseph Smith is his call to perform missionary labor in Illinois in April, 1844.

*John Gould is a brother to my ancestor Priscilla Gould who married John Wildes