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Source: Church History Vol. 4 Chapter 4 Page: 66 (~1874)

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66 elders and Saints in Columbus, you know their record needs no finishing touch of mine.-The Saints' Herald, vol. 21, p. 340.

April 3, 1874, Elder Isaac Sheen died at Plano, Illinois. Of his death the Herald of April 15 stated as follows:

It is with sorrow that we notice the departure from this life of Bro. Isaac Sheen.

A man so long known as a steadfast defender of the faith, and so intimately connected and acquainted with every step of the progress of the work, can but be seriously missed from his place by the church. An able and discriminating collector of statistics, a careful compiler of facts, he was a strong man in the points upon which he had collated his proofs. A man of radical temperament, he was quite positive in debate, and what was to him right, he defended with all his powers; what was wrong, he opposed with vehemence, without fear of persons or consequences; he made some enemies and many friends.

Bro. W. W. Blair, in his discourse upon the occasion of the funeral, said of Bro. Sheen:

"Bro. Isaac Sheen was born at, Leicestershire, England, December 22 1810. He emigrated to America in 1830, and for near ten years resided chiefly in Philadelphia and Germantown, Pennsylvania.

"He was raised under the influences of the Baptist Church, and drew thence, probably, his earliest thoughts concerning religion. On coming to America he associated largely with the Friends, for whom he formed a strong attachment. Like them, he took a deep interest in the cause of universal freedom; and he labored effectively for the abolition of American slavery, even periling his own life to secure to the colored man the sweets of human liberty that he himself enjoyed.

"In 1840, in the city of Philadelphia, he first heard the doctrines taught by the Latter Day Saints; and he received them with all readiness of mind, and in the same year was baptized and confirmed by Erastus Snow.

"In 1841 he was ordained at Kirtland, Ohio, by Elder Zebedee Coltrin, to the office of an elder

"In August, 1842, he went to Nauvoo, Illinois, and thence to Macedonia, Hancock County Illinois, where himself and family remained until January, 1846.

"At the time of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, he took decided grounds against the usurpations of Brigham Young and the Twelve. He was always an uncompromising and outspoken opponent of polygamy and its kindred evils, and used his time and means freely in combatting [combating] them.

"In 1846 himself and family located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained till 1863, when they removed to this place.

"In October, 1859, he first met with the Reorganized Church, at a semiannual conference, at the residence of Bro. Israel L. Rogers, where he readily embraced the work, and united with us. He was appointed by this same conference to edit and publish, with the aid of Elders Wm. Marks

(page 66)

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