Shadrach Roundy: Joseph Smith's Towering Bodyguard, Mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 124

Shadrach Roundy (January 1, 1789 – 1872) was born in Rockingham, Vermont, and became one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in early Nauvoo. Standing 'fully six feet tall, raw-boned and muscular,' he was described as a physical giant who used his size in the service of the Prophet.

Roundy was baptized early in the Church's history and served as a personal bodyguard to Joseph Smith during the Prophet's tumultuous final years in Nauvoo. He appears in Doctrine and Covenants 124:141, where the Lord specifically names him as one directed to serve in the Nauvoo House organization — an honor that placed his name permanently in canonized scripture.

His own autobiographical account records the intimacy of his service: 'I helped build the Temple in Nauvoo. I also acted as a body guard for the Prophet Joseph Smith. One night Joseph knew he was in danger. He asked me to pick him up and carry him to a place of safety.' The image of this towering man carrying the Prophet through the dark streets of Nauvoo is one of the most vivid human details of that period.

Roundy was not just a physical protector — he was a frequent guest at Joseph Smith's home, where the Prophet kept Egyptian mummies and papyri that would become the Book of Abraham. He witnessed life in Nauvoo at the closest possible range.

After the martyrdom, Roundy served as a bishop in Winter Quarters and was present in the pioneer company that reached the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. His is the story of total consecration: body, strength, and life, all placed at the feet of the Prophet and the cause of Zion.