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Luke Samuel Johnson (1807–1861) (commonly
known as Luke Johnson and Luke S. Johnson)  was a
leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an
original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles
from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with
his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson
Hyde, his brother-in-law. 

Luke Samuel Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in
Vermont, a son of John Johnson and Elsa Jacobs. 
He wrote of his family in an autobiographical
sketch:
    
:"My grandfather, Israel Johnson lived in
Chesterfield, New Hampshire, and was much
respected by his neighbors for his honesty,
integrity and industry.  My father, John Johnson,
was born in Chesterfield, New Hampsire, April
11th, 1779.  He followed the occupation of farming
on a large scale, and was noted for paying his
debts and living independently.  He moved from
Pomfret, Vermont, to Hiram, Protage county, Ohio. 
He was connected with the Methodist church for
about five years previous to receiving the Gospel.
 My father was satisfied in regard to the truth of
"Mormonism" and was baptized by Joseph Smith,
Jun.(sic), in the winter of 1830-31, and furnished
him and his family a home, while he translated a
portion of the Bible."  (see Ludlow, p. 357)    

Johnson was an educator and a physician.  He
married Susan H. Poteet on November 1, 1833.  This
marriage produced six children.  Later in life, he
practiced plural marriage and had a total of
fifteen children. 

=== Church Membership and Service ===

Luke Johnson was baptized into the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints on May 10, 1831 by
Joseph Smith, Jr. By October of 1831, he had been
ordained an Elder and went on a LDS mission to
southern Ohio with Robert Rathburn.  Later in
1831, he joined Sidney Rigdon in preaching the
gospel in areas of Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Their
efforts brought about fifty new members into the
young church, including Elder Rigdon's mother and
other members of the Rigdon family. 

Johnson was ordained to the office of high priest
by Joseph Smith, Jr. on October 25, 1831.  With
Seymour Brunson and Hazen Aldrich, he served as an
LDS missionary in Ohio, Virginia, and Kentucky in
1832-33, baptizing more than a hundred persons on
their journey.  He was a member of the Kirtland
LDS high council which was formed on February 17,
1843.  On June 26, 1834, Johnson marched with
Zion's Camp, suffering with cholera on the
journey.  At age 27, Johnson was chosen and
ordained one of the original members of the Quorum
of Twelve Apostles on February 15, 1835.  Shortly
after the Council was formed, the new Apostles
were sent on missions.  Johnson served in the
Eastern United States, New York and Upper Canada. 
He returned to Kirtland, Ohio in late 1836.    
   
Luke Johnson defended the Prophet Joseph Smith
from criticism on several occasions.  But, in
1837, he became alienated from Joseph Smith,
perhaps because of financial losses suffered in
the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society. He was
disfellowshiped at Kirtland, Ohio on September 3,
1837.  Johnson was later received back into
fellowship for a short time, but was
excommunicated and dropped from the Twelve at Far
West, Missouri on  April 13, 1838.  After leaving
the church, Johnson taught school and then studied
medicine, ultimately setting up a medical practice
in Kirtland.
 
In 1846, after the death of Joseph Smith, Johnson
requested permission to address an assembly of the
saints in Nauvoo, Illinois. He said: "I have
stopped by the wayside and stood aloof from the
work of the Lord... But my heart is with this
people. I want to be associated with the saints,
go with them into the wilderness and continue with
them to the end." Johnson's brother-in-law,
Apostle Orson Hyde rebaptized him on March 8,
1846.  However, he never again served in the
higher councils of the Church.

Johnson and his family traveled with Brigham Young
and Wilford Woodruff to Utah, as part of the first
group of 143 pioneers in July 1847.  Johnson
settled in St. John, Tooele County, Utah where he
served as Bishop of a local LDS congregation.  He
died December 9, 1861 in the home of Orson Hyde.

== Reference ==

* Allen, James B. and Leonard, Glen M.  The Story
of the Latter-day Saints.  Deseret Book Co., Salt
Lake City, UT, 1976.  ISBN 0-87747-594-6.

* Jenson, Andrew. editor.  LDS Biographical
Encyclopedia; Vol. 1 and Vol. 4.

* Ludlow, Daniel H.,  A Companion to Your Study of
the Doctrine and Covenants, Deseret Book Co., Salt
Lake City, UT, 1978.  ISBN 1-57345-224-6.

== Exterior Links ==
*
http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/w/o/wol3/johnsls
1.htm Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages

start box
series box |
 title= Quorum of the Twelve Apostles |
 years= February 15, 1835–April 13, 1838 |
 before=Parley P. Pratt |
 after= William Smith (Mormonism)|William Smith |

end box

	Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

Luke Samuel Johnson (1807–1861) (commonly
known as Luke Johnson and Luke S. Johnson)  was a
leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an
original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles
from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with
his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson
Hyde, his brother-in-law. 

Luke Samuel Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in
Vermont, a son of John Johnson and Elsa Jacobs. 
He wrote of his family in an autobiographical
sketch:
    
:"My grandfather, Israel Johnson lived in
Chesterfield, New Hampshire, and was much
respected by his neighbors for his honesty,
integrity and industry.  My father, John Johnson,
was born in Chesterfield, New Hampsire, April
11th, 1779.  He followed the occupation of farming
on a large scale, and was noted for paying his
debts and living independently.  He moved from
Pomfret, Vermont, to Hiram, Protage county, Ohio. 
He was connected with the Methodist church for
about five years previous to receiving the Gospel.
 My father was satisfied in regard to the truth of
"Mormonism" and was baptized by Joseph Smith,
Jun.(sic), in the winter of 1830-31, and furnished
him and his family a home, while he translated a
portion of the Bible."  (see Ludlow, p. 357)    

Johnson was an educator and a physician.  He
married Susan H. Poteet on November 1, 1833.  This
marriage produced six children.  Later in life, he
practiced plural marriage and had a total of
fifteen children. 

=== Church Membership and Service ===

Luke Johnson was baptized into the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints on May 10, 1831 by
Joseph Smith, Jr. By October of 1831, he had been
ordained an Elder and went on a LDS mission to
southern Ohio with Robert Rathburn.  Later in
1831, he joined Sidney Rigdon in preaching the
gospel in areas of Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Their
efforts brought about fifty new members into the
young church, including Elder Rigdon's mother and
other members of the Rigdon family. 

Johnson was ordained to the office of high priest
by Joseph Smith, Jr. on October 25, 1831.  With
Seymour Brunson and Hazen Aldrich, he served as an
LDS missionary in Ohio, Virginia, and Kentucky in
1832-33, baptizing more than a hundred persons on
their journey.  He was a member of the Kirtland
LDS high council which was formed on February 17,
1843.  On June 26, 1834, Johnson marched with
Zion's Camp, suffering with cholera on the
journey.  At age 27, Johnson was chosen and
ordained one of the original members of the Quorum
of Twelve Apostles on February 15, 1835.  Shortly
after the Council was formed, the new Apostles
were sent on missions.  Johnson served in the
Eastern United States, New York and Upper Canada. 
He returned to Kirtland, Ohio in late 1836.    
   
Luke Johnson defended the Prophet Joseph Smith
from criticism on several occasions.  But, in
1837, he became alienated from Joseph Smith,
perhaps because of financial losses suffered in
the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society. He was
disfellowshiped at Kirtland, Ohio on September 3,
1837.  Johnson was later received back into
fellowship for a short time, but was
excommunicated and dropped from the Twelve at Far
West, Missouri on  April 13, 1838.  After leaving
the church, Johnson taught school and then studied
medicine, ultimately setting up a medical practice
in Kirtland.
 
In 1846, after the death of Joseph Smith, Johnson
requested permission to address an assembly of the
saints in Nauvoo, Illinois. He said: "I have
stopped by the wayside and stood aloof from the
work of the Lord... But my heart is with this
people. I want to be associated with the saints,
go with them into the wilderness and continue with
them to the end." Johnson's brother-in-law,
Apostle Orson Hyde rebaptized him on March 8,
1846.  However, he never again served in the
higher councils of the Church.

Johnson and his family traveled with Brigham Young
and Wilford Woodruff to Utah, as part of the first
group of 143 pioneers in July 1847.  Johnson
settled in St. John, Tooele County, Utah where he
served as Bishop of a local LDS congregation.  He
died December 9, 1861 in the home of Orson Hyde.

== Reference ==

* Allen, James B. and Leonard, Glen M.  The Story
of the Latter-day Saints.  Deseret Book Co., Salt
Lake City, UT, 1976.  ISBN 0-87747-594-6.

* Jenson, Andrew. editor.  LDS Biographical
Encyclopedia; Vol. 1 and Vol. 4.

* Ludlow, Daniel H.,  A Companion to Your Study of
the Doctrine and Covenants, Deseret Book Co., Salt
Lake City, UT, 1978.  ISBN 1-57345-224-6.

== Exterior Links ==
*
http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/w/o/wol3/johnsls
1.htm Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages

start box
series box |
 title= Quorum of the Twelve Apostles |
 years= February 15, 1835–April 13, 1838 |
 before=Parley P. Pratt |
 after= William Smith (Mormonism)|William Smith |

end box