McCord, Alexander (1811-1887)

MCCORD, CHATBURN, BRIGGS, WOOD, PRATT

Posted By: Shelby Coordinator (email)
Date: 8/14/2020 at 07:46:32

MCCORD. Alexander McCord was born in the city of New York, N.Y., January 10th, 1811, and died at his residence on the Nishna Botna, near Harlan, Shelby county, Iowa, June 15th, 1887, aged 76 years, 4 months and 5 days. The immediate causes of his demise were old age and general debility. His life abounded with many trying and stirring events.

He united with the Latter Day Saints in York, Canada, in May, 1836, being baptized by Elder P. P. Pratt. He resided for a time near Nauvoo, Illinois; moved thence to western Iowa in 1846; enlisted in the noted Mormon Battalion, in which he served as sergeant under Captain Hunt, and went with it to California, where he was honorably discharged, and from whence he went to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he became alienated from that fragment of the church because of the perverse and corrupt teachings and practices introduced into it by Brigham Young and his fellows, and, with others, crossed mountain and plain on horseback between February and April 1848, to "Winter Quarters," so as to prevent his wife and children from going on to Utah.

After this he engaged in farming extensively at Galland's Grove, Shelby county, Iowa, and by his industry and good management, in due time secured a competency for himself and family. Later on he located the farm and residence where he finished his mortal career.

He united with the Reorganized Church in 1859, was ordained to the eldership in 1860, and to the office of Seventy in 1861.

In 1863 he accompanied E. C. Briggs on a mission to Utah, and in company with Elders J. W. Chatburn and Samuel Wood went there on another mission in 1869-70. He did considerable local preaching in various localities, and in many ways proved a valuable helper in the ministry.

Bro. McCord was a man of many virtues: his hospitality was proverbial, and his confidence in and love of the latter day work were unswerving. In many ways he contributed of his temporal means to the finances of the church, and in aid of its traveling ministry.

He died in full possession of his mind, without any apparent pain, and talked to his wife to the last. He requested her to lay him down in bed, and when this was done he said to her he was perfectly easy, and in two minutes thereafter his spirit fled its earthly tenement to "return to God who gave it."

His body was buried June 16th in a private burying ground on his farm, after an appropriate sermon by Elder J. W. Chatburn to a large concourse of relatives and friends.

"Death's but a path that must be trod,

If man would ever pass to God.”

Source: The Saints’ Herald, volume 34, 1887, pg 567-8. [Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints]

Contributed by Lisa Walden