EDSON BARNEY PROJECT
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized by Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830 near Fayette, New York. That fall four missionaries were called to go to the Indian territories to the west. On their way they stopped at various places in present day Ohio, including Amherst, the home of the Royal Barney, Sr. family. One of the missionaries was Parley P. Pratt, who had been a resident of Amherst.

In 1831 a branch of the Church was established in Amherst. Among the first converts were members of the Royal Barney, Sr. family. These included Royal’s wife, Rachel, and his children, Philena, Edson, Royal and Aramel. Also, Edson’s wife, Lillis, and Royal’s wife, Sarah, were baptized. (Apparently the father, Royal Sr., never joined the new religion.)

Edson Barney was a carpenter and wheelright and one of the workers on the Kirkland temple

Edson and Royal, Jr. soon rose to positions of some prominence in the Church. In 1834 Joseph Smith organized an “army” to march to Missouri to assist members of the Church there, who were being driven from their homes. Edson and Royal were members of Zion’s Camp, as this group was called. Many future leaders of the Church came from the ranks of Zion’s Camp, including Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Brigham and Joseph Young, George A. Smith, Orson Hyde, Heber C. Kimball, Amasa Lyman, David Patten, Orson and Parley Pratt, Lyman Wight and Wilford Woodruff. After the group returned to Ohio, Royal and Edson were both called to be members of the First Quorum of Seventy.

Edson and his family eventually joined the Mormons in Nauvoo when that Illinois city was established as the new headquarters for the Church. The Barneys also joined the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo to western Iowa in 1846, where they stayed until 1850, before crossing the plains to Utah. During the Iowa phase of the migration, Edson entered into plural marriage with Louisa Walker Butterfield, who had divorced her first husband, Jacob Butterfield.

In Utah the Barney family settled in Provo, where they lived until 1860, when they were called to go south. Eventually they settled in St. George, where they lived for many years. Edson had seven children by Lillis (one of whom died as an infant) and nine children by Louisa (four of whom died young). One of his daughters was a plural wife of Brigham Young. At the time of his death, in 1905, at the age of 98, Edson was the oldest member of the Mormon Church and had been a member longer than anyone else.

I am actively collecting materials on the Barney family. My intent is to write a biography of Edson Barney, his wives and children. I would like also to profile the Royal Barney family. I would appreciate hearing from any of you who are descendants of Edson or Royal. Please follow this link to contact me and let me know your connection to the family. If you have the time, I would love to hear a little about you. Please also send a link to this page to other members of your family, so they will know about this project.
Thanks, Morris Thurston