Braithwaite/Mormon Insights Article #1/page 1

Mormon Insights Article

Title
Porter Rockwell: Man of Faith or Murderer?
Kicker (126 characters)
Loyalty to Joseph Smith earned Porter Rockwell protection from bullets and blade. That
protection also led to his infamous reputation.
Highlights of the source article (265 words)
Porter Rockwell was a lawman and a bodyguard to Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. In spite of
his rough reputation, he was a faithful and devout man, as stated in the Mormon Channels
discussion of Stories from the Life of Porter Rockwell by Rockwell and Borrowman.
[http://www.mormonchannel.org/listen/series/legacy-audio/porter-rockwell-episode-45]
Orrin Porter Rockwell (18131878) was eight years younger than Joseph Smith.
[http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/joseph-smith] [https://www.lds.org/generalconference/2014/10/joseph-smith?lang=eng] When Porter was young, Joseph often defended
him from bullies, earning Porters unwavering loyalty. Later, Porter would protect Joseph from
mobs and persecution.
However, Porter didnt become handy with a gun until the Saints moved to
Missouri.[https://www.lds.org/ensign/1979/04/like-gold-seven-times-purified-early-saints-inmissouri?lang=eng&query=saints+in+missouri] After finding his young wife crying on the
rubble of their honeymoon cottagewhich had been destroyed by a mobhe vowed that he
would never again be caught without a gun.
After the Saints were expelled from Missouri, Porter was offered money and an early release
from prison if he lured Joseph back into Missouri, but he declined. In return, Joseph blessed
Porter that bullet and blade could not harm him, so long as Porter stayed true to his covenants
and never cut his hair or his beard. Unfortunately, outlaws attempted to disprove the blessing by
killing him; however, no one ever succeeded in gunning him down.
Porter never relished taking a mans life. Despite unfounded rumors that he killed hundreds of
men, his great-great-grandson points out that the true number is closer to 12. Porter enjoyed the
blessings protection his entire life and eventually died of natural causes. He had a temple
recommend in his possession when he passed, which leaves no doubt concerning how his
ecclesiastical leaders felt about Porter.
Listen to the full Legacy episode here. [http://www.mormonchannel.org/listen/series/legacyaudio/porter-rockwell-episode-45]
Source: Mormon Channel [www.mormonchannel.org]
For more insights:

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Read an article in the Friend magazine about Orrin Porter Rockwell.

[https://www.lds.org/friend/1984/05/orrin-porter-rockwell?lang=eng]
Read a review in BYU Studies Quarterly of Harold Schindlers book Orrin Porter Rockwell:
Man of God, Son of Thunder
[https://byustudies.byu.edu/showtitle.aspx?title=8916]
Daniel Braithwaite, Mormon Insights