A Prophecy and a Mission - Andrew Losee Lamoreaux

There is a story of our great, great, great grandpa on my father's (William Evans Hughes) maternal side. His name is Andrew Losee Lamoreaux and is identified as one of the "Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah" He was given a blessing by the prophet Joseph Smith that he would serve a mission in France and would pass away before returning to his family (then in Utah). It is an amazing story of Andrew's faith and of the prophetic qualities of Joseph Smith!

Andrew Losley Lamoreaux was born in Scarborough, Upper Canada, in 1813, the son of John McCord Lamoreaux and Ann Losley. He joined the Church in Canada and migrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he became well acquainted with the prophet Joseph Smith. Before Joseph Smith's martyrdom, Joseph gave Andrew Losee Lamoreaux a blessing at Dayton, Ohio. In that blessing Joseph said that Andrew would live to see the establishment of the Saints in the Rocky Mountains, and upon arrival in this new Zion, he would be called as a missionary to the land of his original ancestors, France. The prophet further stated that while Andrew was serving his mission, with great power he would covert many souls to the faith. These converts, he was told, he should bring to America. "But," continued the Prophet, "you will not be permitted yourself to return to your loved ones in Zion. You will die a martyr in a just cause." The prophet wept as he foretold this calamity.

Andrew did go with the pioneer Saints to Zion. Upon arrival in Utah, Andrew and his brother David settled in Farmington, Utah - about 18 miles north of Salt Lake City, Utah. There they established homes. As prophesied by Joseph Smith, eight years later on September 15, 1852 at a special conference, Brigham Young called Andrew on a mission - to France - he was appointed to be the President of the French Mission. Andrew's family, remembering the blessing and prophecy of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pled with him not to go. But Andrew insisted that this was not the mission spoken of by Joseph. Besides, Andrew felt it was a call from the Lord and he was determine to do whatever the Lord asked him to do. Leaving his family and his new home behind, he accepted the assignment to serve a mission in France.

Andrew learned the French language very rapidly and became exceptionally proficient in it. After his arrival on the Island of Jersey on the northern coast of France in April, 1853, he entered immediately upon the duties of his mission, and during  the short period of his presidency he indefatigably worked to promote the interest of the Church. He translated and published some very valuable and useful works into the French language, assisted by Louis Alphonzo Bertrand. Among the works translated were the “Voice of Warning,” ”The Book of Doctrine and Covenants,” extracts from “The Seer” treating upon plural marriage, etc. He selected some two hundred hymns, which with other manuscript copies and publications were placed in the hands of the presidency of  the British Mission. His eloquence and fervor touched the hearts of many, and a permanent branch of the Church was established there.

Returning from his mission, Elder Lamoreaux crossed the Atlantic for America. He traveled  in the ships “Chimborazo” and “Samuel Curling” with a company of saints from the French Mission numbering seventy-four souls. Most of these members had been brought into the Church through his perseverance and unrelenting energy. It was early summer when the party landed at New Orleans, LA. They then sailed up the Mississippi River by steamboat as far as St. Louis, MO. Here the group planned to form a pioneer company and begin the trek over the plains by covered wagons to the rocky mountains - to the new Zion. Going inland, up the Mississippi River, Elder Lamoreaux arrived in St. Louis, Mo., June 2, 1855, with several hundred passengers.

On arriving at St, Louis he took up his residence with James H. Hart, his coadjutor (assistant) and counselor during the first twelve months of his presidency of the French Mission. Elder Lamoreaux spent Sunday, June 10th at the camp, instructing and counseling the saints under his charge. In the evening he addressed the congregation in a large church with considerable spirit and energy and every soul appeared to rejoice under his spiritual and excellent remarks.

However, cholera was then prevalent in the Midwest and in the camp as well. Elder Lamoreaux had been suffering several days with the diarrhea and remarked that what on all former occasions had relieved him appeared to have no effect upon him this time. He continued to grow worse, sickness and cramps seizing upon his robust frame, causing a gradual and certain decline. The elders and some of  the sisters were very attentive to him during his sufferings and administered to him repeatedly, but at the age of 42 his spirit finally took its flight on Wednesday, June 13, 1855, the immediate cause of his death being the so-called Asiatic cholera.

The St. Louis “Luminary,” a periodical published in the  interest of the Church at St. Louis, MO., at that time, spoke very highly of the faithfulness and integrity of Elder Lamoreaux, who was held in great esteem by all who knew him. When the “Luminaty” reported the tidings of his death, they exclaimed, ‘Surely, Brother Joseph was a Prophet, for all his words have come to pass."  Thinking this an incident that should not be lost, it was penned from the mouth of Andrew's eldest daughter. The author (Kimball Stewart Erdman, great-grandson of David Burlock Lamoreaux, youngest brother of Andrew Losee Lamoreaux) added that, "Andrew's excessive labor and toil in providing for this company of French Saints under his charge during the hot weather in June, and in the unhealthy climate of St. Louis, predisposed him to that terrible scourge that laid him low, and thus he fell a sacrifice for his brethren.”

He was buried in St. Louis, and his friends were left to journey across the plains without him. The prophecy was indeed fulfilled but Andrew had lived and served without fear or regret. He did indeed give up his life for the gospel.

The following is quoted from a letter written to George A. Smith by Erastus Snow in Salt Lake City Sept. 3, 1865: “ I have just learned from the family of the late Andrew L. Lamoreaux that Joseph Smith, during his tour to Washington in 1839, stopped with them in Dayton, Ohio, and before leaving laid his hands on Elder Lamoreaux and blessed him, and prophesied upon his head, that he would go on a mission to France, learn another tongue and do much good but that he would not live to return to his family, as he would fall by the way as a martyr."

"The Prophet wept, as he  blessed him and told him these things, adding that it was pressed upon him and he could not refrain from giving utterance to it. Elder Lamoreaux talked with his family about it when he left them in 1852, and endeavored to persuade them that this was not the time and mission upon which he should fall, but to believe that he would at thus time be permitted to return again."

Wm. Calvin Hughes
Lake Elsinore, California
January 2015