NEWSPAPER OBITUARY - January 26, 1889 The Deseret News Weekly - Salt Lake City, Utah - In Farmer's Ward, Salt Lake County, January 14th, 1889, Azmon Woodruff, brother of President Wilford Woodruff, died of old age and general disability. Deceased was born at Avon, Hartford County, Connecticut, November 29, 1802, and was the son of Aphek and Bulah Thompson Woodruff. From early youth, Brother Azmon was very religious and much devoted to reading the Scriptures. When he was twelve years old he could not be induced to engage in any of the sports of youth, but all his leisure moments were spent in reading the Bible. From his youth and early manhood he was a strong believer in the literal fulfillment of the Scriptures and was greatly interested in the prophecies. He never joined any sectarian church, but often testified before large congregations previous to the revelation of the fullness of the Gospel to Joseph Smith, that the Lord, in these last days, would establish His Church and Kingdom upon the earth as in ancient day, with apostles and prophets and with the same gifts and graces that were manifested in the days of Christ and His apostles. Deceased moved to Oswego County, New York, with his brother Wilford and settled in Richland in 1832, engaging in farming and lumbering. In the fall of 1833 two "Mormon" Elders, Zera Pulsipher and Elijah Cheeney visited that neighborhood, stopped with the Woodruff family, and held a meeting and preached in the schoolhouse. The next day Azmon and his brother Wilford offered themselves for baptism. They were baptized on the 31st day of December, 1833, being the first two baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that county. Others followed in baptism, and Elder Pulsipher organized a branch of the Church of a dozen members, and ordained Azmon Woodruff as Elder and Wilford Woodruff a Teacher. Wilford left that region in the spring following and went to Kirkland. He accompanied Joseph Smith and Zion's Camp to Clay County, Missouri, while Azmon remained in Richland, now Daysville, until 1875, at which time he emigrated to Salt Lake City. He settled in Farmer's Ward, where he spent most of his time since, with the exception of one year with his son Henry, at Ashley, and one summer on a visit to his children at Daysville, but he returned to Zion, having a desire to lay his body down with the Saints. Like his fathers before him, he lived to a good old age. He receives a burial with the Saints according to his desire, and awaits a glorious resurrection. It was rather a remarkable circumstance that, though the eldest and youngest brothers, Azmon and Wilford, who were baptized together, and had been separated most of the time for fifty-five years from the days of their baptism. Providence at last brought them together so that the youngest had the privilege of administering to the wants of his eldest brother in the last days and hours, even to the time of his death, which was a consolation to both.
NEWSPAPER OBITUARY - January 26, 1889 The Deseret News Weekly - Salt Lake City, Utah - In Farmer's Ward, Salt Lake County, January 14th, 1889, Azmon Woodruff, brother of President Wilford Woodruff, died of old age and general disability. Deceased was born at Avon, Hartford County, Connecticut, November 29, 1802, and was the son of Aphek and Bulah Thompson Woodruff. From early youth, Brother Azmon was very religious and much devoted to reading the Scriptures. When he was twelve years old he could not be induced to engage in any of the sports of youth, but all his leisure moments were spent in reading the Bible. From his youth and early manhood he was a strong believer in the literal fulfillment of the Scriptures and was greatly interested in the prophecies. He never joined any sectarian church, but often testified before large congregations previous to the revelation of the fullness of the Gospel to Joseph Smith, that the Lord, in these last days, would establish His Church and Kingdom upon the earth as in ancient day, with apostles and prophets and with the same gifts and graces that were manifested in the days of Christ and His apostles. Deceased moved to Oswego County, New York, with his brother Wilford and settled in Richland in 1832, engaging in farming and lumbering. In the fall of 1833 two "Mormon" Elders, Zera Pulsipher and Elijah Cheeney visited that neighborhood, stopped with the Woodruff family, and held a meeting and preached in the schoolhouse. The next day Azmon and his brother Wilford offered themselves for baptism. They were baptized on the 31st day of December, 1833, being the first two baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that county. Others followed in baptism, and Elder Pulsipher organized a branch of the Church of a dozen members, and ordained Azmon Woodruff as Elder and Wilford Woodruff a Teacher. Wilford left that region in the spring following and went to Kirkland. He accompanied Joseph Smith and Zion's Camp to Clay County, Missouri, while Azmon remained in Richland, now Daysville, until 1875, at which time he emigrated to Salt Lake City. He settled in Farmer's Ward, where he spent most of his time since, with the exception of one year with his son Henry, at Ashley, and one summer on a visit to his children at Daysville, but he returned to Zion, having a desire to lay his body down with the Saints. Like his fathers before him, he lived to a good old age. He receives a burial with the Saints according to his desire, and awaits a glorious resurrection. It was rather a remarkable circumstance that, though the eldest and youngest brothers, Azmon and Wilford, who were baptized together, and had been separated most of the time for fifty-five years from the days of their baptism. Providence at last brought them together so that the youngest had the privilege of administering to the wants of his eldest brother in the last days and hours, even to the time of his death, which was a consolation to both.
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