Erastus Harper Rudd (1787 - abt. 1834)

Born 23 Jun 1787 in Chesterfield, New Hampshire

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 27 Jun 1834 at about age 47 in Parkville, Missouri

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Biography

Erastus Rudd was born 23 June 1787 in Chesterfield, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, and was the son of John and Chloe Hill Rudd. He married Experience Wheeler 28 Nov 1816. After their marriage they evidently moved to Springfield and Erie, Pennsylvania, and lived there until 1822, for at that place their first four children were born.

In 1822 they moved back to Chesterfield, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, where their other five children were born.

On 20 November 1833, Erastus was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Experience was converted and baptized soon after.

Very soon after their conversion the family moved to Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio, and there dwelt with the Saints and partook of the spiritual gifts of the newly founded [restored] church.

In 1834 when the Prophet Joseph Smith called for volunteers to join the ranks called Zions Camp from the youth and strength of the Church, Erastus became one of the first volunteers. This camp was raised to march one thousand miles to Jackson County, Missouri, for the purpose of defending the ill-treated saints at that place.

With the prophet at the helm, Zions Camp took up their march not knowing what might befall either them or [the prophet] himself ere the mission of the camp was completed.

After many days of weary travel, foot sore and tired, with enemies before them and behind them, they marched on. When within the borderlands of their journey's end, misfortune befell the camp.

Due to complainings and rebellions in Camp, the innocent suffered with the unfaithful, and a scourge broke upon them in fulfillment of the word of the Lord, if they did not repent. This scourge was in the form of cholera, and this dread disease took the lives of many of the members of Zions Camp.

On 26 June 1834 at Rush Creek, Missouri, Erastus H. Rudd fell a victim to this disease and died and was buried on the banks of the creek.

Sources

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 November 2020), memorial page for Erastus Rudd (27 Jun 1787–27 Jun 1834), Find a Grave Memorial no. 70017202, citing Mound Grove Cemetery, Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, USA ; Maintained by Rebecca Scano (contributor 46511485) Find A Grave: Memorial #70017202.