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Source: Church History Vol. 3 Chapter 39 Page: 756

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756 work, and hence unacceptable in the position occupied, we have heard of no other complaint or charge against him.

JAMES BLAKESLEE.

James Blakeslee was born in Milton, Chittenden County, Vermont, July 18, 1802. He received the gospel as taught by the Latter Day Saints when he was thirty-one years old, and was baptized at Ellisburgh, Jefferson County, New York, by Elder David W. Patten, on July 19, 1833. The next day he was ordained a priest by Elder Patten.

In the spring of 1834, he was ordained an elder, by Elder Thomas Dutcher. In the office of elder he labored diligently for about six years; and then by direction of President Joseph Smith he was ordained a seventy in the autumn of 1840, under the hands of Brigham Young. The Times and Seasons, volume 5, page 543, contains a notice of the expulsion of James Blakesley, with others, from the church. This is supposed to be the same person, though the name is spelled differently. The notice reads as follows: "At a meeting of the High Council, in the city of Nauvoo, this 18th day of May, 1844. Resolved, that James Blakesley, Francis M. Higbee, Charles Ivans, and Austin Cowles, be cut off from this church for apostasy.

"GEORGE W. HARRIS, President pro tem.

"JOSEPH M. COLE, Clerk pro tem."

The next account that we have seen of Elder Blakeslee was after the death of Joseph Smith, when he supported the claims of Sidney Rigdon. At the annual conference held by the adherents of Rigdon, at Pittsburg [Pittsburgh], Pennsylvania, in April, 1845, Elder Blakeslee was selected as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, and was also made a member of the quorum of seventy-three.

On June 21, 1845, he wrote to the Messenger and Advocate (Rigdon's organ), from West Buffalo, Iowa, where he was laboring in connection with George M. Hinkle in the interests of Rigdon's kingdom. Another communication, July 29, 1845, to the same paper, gave account of labor done in Iowa, and in Mercer County, Illinois.

(page 756)

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