RIGDON, SIDNEY

born Feb. 19, 1793, Piny Fork, Pa., U.S. died July 14, 1876, Friendship, N.Y. American churchman, an early convert to Mormonism (1830) and first counselor to its founder, Joseph Smith. After the Mormons moved to Missouri (1838) and then to Nauvoo, Ill. (1839), Rigdon became estranged from Smith. When Smith was murdered (1844), however, Rigdon attempted to become head of the Mormon church. Defeated by Brigham Young, he was excommunicated. He then went to Pittsburgh and in 1845 was declared prophet and leader of a small group of Mormons who were formally organized as the Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites) by William Bickerton in 1862. Some historians believe that Rigdon, rather than Smith, wrote the Book of Mormon, but proof is lacking.