The Baptism of Franklin D. Richards: A Family Conversion

Franklin D. Richards was born in 1821 in Richmond, Massachusetts, into a devout Congregationalist family. The conversion of the Richards family to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was significantly influenced by their cousins, Brigham and Joseph Young, who introduced the restored gospel to the family in 1835. Franklin's father, Phinehas Richards, and his brother, George, were among those who embraced the message early on. By 1838, seventeen-year-old Franklin was eager to join his brother George, who had already been baptized and had traveled to Missouri to gather with the Saints. Franklin's own path to the Church was solidified through his family's testimony and his own study. On June 3, 1838, in his hometown of Richmond, Massachusetts, Franklin was baptized by his father, Phinehas Richards. Following his baptism, he soon departed to join the main body of the Church in the West, eventually becoming a prominent leader, serving as an Apostle and Church Historian. His conversion marked the beginning of a lifetime of dedicated service to the Church, spanning from the early days in Nauvoo to his later years in Utah.