Sarah Marietta Kingsley Cleveland (October 20, 1788 - 1856[1]) was the first counselor to Emma Smith in the presidency of the Relief Society from 1842 to 1844.

Sarah M. Cleveland
First Counselor of the General Presidency of the Relief Society
March 17, 1842 (1842-03-17) – 1844
Called byEmma Smith
SuccessorZina D. H. Young
Personal details
BornSarah Marietta Kingsley
(1788-10-20)October 20, 1788
Becket, Massachusetts, United States
Died1856[1]
Plymouth, Illinois, United States[1]
Spouse(s)John Howe[1]
John Cleveland
ParentsEbenezer Kingsley

Cleveland was born in Becket, Berkshire County, Massachusetts[2] to Ebenezer Kingsley. She was married to John Cleveland and later to the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith. Her husband was a judge in Nauvoo, Illinois, and unlike her did not join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; he was a Swedenborgian. Cleveland remained in Nauvoo with her husband when the main body of the Latter Day Saints moved to what later became Utah Territory.

Marriage to Joseph Smith

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A letter from John L. Smith, Sarah Kingsley’s son-in-law, to the First Presidency, dated March 8, 1895, states: "In the days of Joseph. Mother [Sarah M. Kingsley (Howe)] Cleveland by advice, was sealed to the prophet in Nauvoo but lived with her [non-LDS] husband John Cleveland." Sarah was also resealed to Joseph Smith vicariously in the Nauvoo Temple in 1846.[3]

Sources

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  1. ^ a b c d "BYU Studies: Biographical Registers - C". Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  2. ^ Madsen, Carol Cornwall (1994). In Their Own Words: Women and the Story of Navoo. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. p. 120. ISBN 0-875797709.
  3. ^ Brian Hales, "Sarah Kingsley", Joseph Smith's Polygamy.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints titles
First First Counselor in the general
presidency of the Relief Society

1842 – 1844
Vacant
Title next held by
Zina D. H. Young
as First Counselor in the general
presidency of the Relief Society of
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints