About this artist
William Wines Phelps (February 17, 1792 – March 7, 1872) was an early leader of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He printed the first edition of the Book of Commandments, which became a standard work of the Church and wrote numerous hymns, some of which are included in the current version of the Church's hymnbook. He was at times both close to and at odds with Church leadership. He testified against Joseph Smith, Jr., providing evidence that helped persuade authorities to arrest Smith. He was excommunicated three times and rejoined the church each time. He was a ghost writer for Smith and was called by Smith to serve as assistant president of the church in Missouri, and served on the Council of Fifty. After the Smith's martyrdom, he supported Brigham Young as the new Church president.
Born in Hanover Township, New Jersey, his father, Enon Phelps, and mother, Mehitable Goldsmith, moved the family to Homer, New York, in 1800. Phelps was a descendant of the Puritan leader William Phelps. As a child, Phelps attended public schools. As a young man, he traveled to Ohio, but soon returned to Homer, where he began publishing the Western Courier.
On April 28, 1815, he married Stella Waterman (later called Sally). He next moved to Trumansburgh, Tompkins County, New York, where in 1823 he founded the Lake Light. In 1827, he relocated to Canandaigua, New York, where he began publishing and edited the anti-Masonic newspaper Ontario Phoenix through 1828. Phelps was described by Dean Jessee as "one of founders" of the anti-Masonic movement in New York.
Self well educated as a young man, Phelps wanted to seek the office of lieutenant governor of New York. He purchased a copy of the Book of Mormon on April 9, 1830, just three days after the Church was organized. He met Joseph Smith, Jr. on December 24, 1830, and was convinced Smith was a prophet. On April 29, 1831, Phelps was imprisoned at Lyons, New York, by a "couple of Presbyterian traders, for a small debt, for the purpose, as I was informed, of 'keeping me from joining the Mormons.'"
Phelps visited Kirtland in 1831, was baptized on June 10, 1831, and established a print house in Independence, Missouri, where he published the Evening and Morning Star. On July 20, 1833, while working to publish the Church's Book of Commandments, a mob of vigilantes attacked Phelps's home, seized the printing materials, destroyed many papers, destroyed the press, and threw his family and furniture out of doors.
Phelps took part in the Mormon Exodus across the Great Plains and settled in Salt Lake City in 1849. He served a mission in southern Utah Territory from November 1849 to February 1850. There he served in the Utah territorial legislature and on the board of regents for the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah). Phelps died on March 7, 1872, in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory and is buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Phelps is probably best known for his legacy of Latter-day Saints hymns, many of which appear in the current edition of the hymnal of the Church.