Zebedee Coltrin was the son of John Coltrin and
Sarah Graham. He was born 7 September 1804 in Ovid, Seneca County, New
York. The family moved to Geauga County, Ohio in 1814 and settled in Strongsville,
Cuyahoga County, Ohio, shortly thereafter.
Zebedee married Julia Ann Jennings (born 1813 in
Pennsylvania) before April 1828. The Coltrins apparently had five children,
all of whom died in infancy.
Zebedee was baptized 9 January 1831 by Solomon Hancock
and confirmed 19 January 1831 by Lyman Wight.
He was ordained an Elder 21 January 1831 by John Whitmer. He was appointed
to travel to Missouri with Levi W. Hancock
6 June 1831. The missionary companionship baptized many and established
large branch of church in Winchester, Indiana, 1831.
Elder Coltrin returned to Ohio 15 June 1832 and was
ordained a High Priest by Reynolds Cahoon on 17 July 1832. He attended the
School of Prophets in 1833. On 20 February 1834 he was appointed to preach
in Upper Canada.
Zebedee became a member of Zion's Camp and marched
to relieve the Saints in Zion in 1834. He was ordained a Seventy 28 February
1835 and placed in the First Quorum of Seventy. He was ordained president
of First Quorum of Seventy 1 March 1835. When it was determined that he
had previously been ordained a High Priest he was released as president
and member of the First Quorum of Seventy 6 April 1837 and the vacancy
caused thereby in the Council of Seventies was filled April 6, 1837, when
Daniel S. Miles was chosen to succeed him.
In 1836 he attended the School of Elders in Kirtland
and was priviledged to attend the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in
1836. He was a charter member of, and owned stock in, the Kirtland
Safety Society in 1837. We may assume that, like others, he lost his investment
therein, but Grampa finds no evidence that he breathed the winds of apostasy that
swept Kirtland in the wake of the Society's failure.
Elder Coltrin settled in Nauvoo 1839 but later moved
back to Kirtland. There he was chosen a counselor in the Kirtland Stake
presidency 22 May 1841, then returned to Nauvoo by 1842. He assisted in
rescuing Joseph Smith from the Dixon arrest in
1843. He was appointed to travel to Michigan to campaign for Joseph Smith as President
of United States in April 1844.
He received his Endowments 22 December 1845.
Zebedee Coltrin left Illinois with Saints 1846 and
located in Winter Quarters. He arrived in Salt Lake Valley 24 July 1847.then
returned to Winter Quarters November 1847. He took his family to Utah 1851
and was directed to locate in Spanish Fork, Utah, 1852. He was ordained
a Patriarch on 31 May 1873 by John Taylor.
He was married to Mary Mlott by whom he fathered eight
known children: John Graham, Mary Mlott, Zebedee, Haman, Electa, Sarah,
Elizabeth, and Hugh.
Zebedee Coltrin died in Spanish Fork, Utah County,
Utah, 21 July 1887. At the time of his death the Deseret News said
editorially: "This respected and venerable man was one of the oldest members
of the Church and was identified with many of its earliest incidents in
the days of Kirtland. He was closely associated with the Prophet Joseph
and has often testified to having been a witness of and participant in
many marvelous spiritual manifestations. Father Coltrin has for many years
past officiated as a Patriarch, and has left an excellent record for faithfulness."
