Jacob Hamblin: 'The Peacemaker' — He Healed the Sick, Made Peace Among Nations, and Was Never Harmed by Those He Sought to Befriend

Jacob Hamblin (April 2, 1819 – August 31, 1886) was one of the most remarkable missionaries in the history of the Restored Church — not to distant nations, but to the Native American peoples of the American Southwest. Called in 1854 to serve among the Paiute, Navajo, and Hopi peoples, Hamblin became known throughout the frontier as 'the Peacemaker.'

Hamblin's autobiography records extraordinary accounts of faith, healing, and divine protection:

— He administered to a Native American woman who was gravely ill, anointing her and laying on hands in faith. She recovered when it seemed certain she would die, and the event opened doors among her people for the gospel.

— He fulfilled remarkable prophecies of Heber C. Kimball regarding the Indians he would encounter.

— He traveled repeatedly into territories where other men had been killed, yet was never harmed. His protection was so consistent that Native peoples came to regard him as having special spiritual power.

— He brokered peace after the Mountain Meadows Massacre, working to return orphaned children to their families.

Utah History to Go records: 'Hamblin started missionary work almost immediately and became known as a faith healer, showing the signs of those that believe.'

He crossed the Colorado River dozens of times, made peace with tribes that had killed other pioneers, and established relationships that held for decades. President John Taylor called him 'the Apostle to the Lamanites.' Jacob Hamblin's life was one sustained miracle — of preservation, healing, and the power of love to disarm hostility.