Comments on: Finding the Missing Pioneers: A Case Study

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:22:55 +0000

Modern day (whether “modern” means 1927 or 1943 or 2010) members are exceedingly sloppy genealogists, Sam, and the temple work has been done for early members of the church dozens upon dozens upon dozens of times, because descendants didn’t have the original date of baptism or didn’t bother to check to see that the work had already been done (in life, or by proxy in an earlier generation). Don’t read anything at all about the character of your ancestors into the fact that some descendant unnecessarily repeated the ordinances.

The one exception would be if you found evidence that an ancestor had been baptized *in life* more than once. Rebaptizing was a common practice throughout the 19th century. Very occasionally it was due to an excommunication and repentance, but by far the most common cause for rebaptizing was as a sign that someone was recommitting himself to the gospel: upon his arrival in Utah, during the 1856 Reformation, when he entered a United Order community, or before he received his endowments. It was so common that membership record books from that era include a column to record a second baptism.

But if you’re dealing with repeated baptisms by proxy, the cause is 99.999999999% likely to be sloppiness on the part of a descendant.

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:35:33 +0000

A question – Why would a relative who lived in Kirtland, Missouri, Nauvoo and Utah and whose children have baptism dates in the 1830s have a baptism date of 1927? or 1943? I have a few relatives like this. I guess one answer may be they were excommunicated and rebaptized really late in life or through the temple. Any other thoughts?

By: Diane Peel

Diane Peel — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:34:39 +0000

I think my last post was dang close to being the truly over-the-top, obituary-like, overwritten bits of prose anyone has written of Ardis-pretending to have known her, yet completely ignorant that the piece has her feeling not praised, but sends fit of giggles welling up through her entire being instead.

Ah well, you get my drift. Maybe. Unless writing at 2 or 4 a.m. has(d) me feeling both obscure and maudlin. And maybe I should have paid more attention while we were diagramming sentences.

I could just have said that Ardis is doing exactly what she wanted to do-what she had the ability to do.

By: Diane Peel

Diane Peel — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:32:42 +0000

If only some of you could know just how much and for how long Ardis has wanted to tell just the sort of stories and share the many talents she shows here at Keepa and elsewhere with just the kind of people (anybody who’s interested) she does here. She’s having a bit of a giggle, fairly often, too!

I’m just so glad to read things like comment #28 and to realize her understanding, knowledge and skills are becoming more widely known and appreciated so that when someone like David Roberts needed a person just like her, someone else was able to point him in her direction and he could hire her!

That’s two paragraphs ending in exclamation points, but I’ve just really gotten to know Keepa and I’m kind of excited! I visited before now from time to time, on sort of a monthly basis, but had NO idea that the content changed much much more often than that. (I blame my ‘slow speed’ on brain damage) It makes me tired-sleepy even-just thinking about the time she spends on this-even with help. And as Ardis has good reason to know, it’s hard to make me sleepy! Diane (world class insomniac sp?)

By: Hunter

Hunter — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:56:23 +0000

Sorry to reply so late, kevinf. I am only about halfway through the book, so can’t definitively say, yet. But from what I’ve read, I can say that Roberts’ treatment of Church history in the first part of the book is remarkably comprehensive, if quite a bit impertinent in tone. And he seems to be really wanting to pin blame for the handcart tragedy almost entirely on Brigham. But, even if you disagree with his tone and thesis, the guy can write! Man, can he write!

By: kevinf

kevinf — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:25:16 +0000

Hunter, I had noticed that same acknowledgment in Robert’s book a month or two back while browsing at a Barnes and Noble. I haven’t read the book, though. Is it worth it? I’ve got ancestors who came in a later handcart company, and it sounded interesting.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:20:16 +0000

By: Clark

Clark — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:19:16 +0000

According to the sidebar, the “presiderer at the door” would only be there to ensure every reached a unanimous agreement, which would be comment #19 and 28!

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:45:30 +0000

Only duct tape? I’m finding that I need a nail gun.

By: Anne (U.K)

Anne (U.K) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:40:16 +0000

am late to this, but wanted to say thanks for the ‘how to’ post, Ardis. So much to learn…

Have duct taped my mouth so as not to express any opinions about NFS. Seems safer!