170 years ago today - Aug 11, 1841

[Nauvoo Temple] William Weeks turned over the carving of the oxen to Elijah Fordham, who spent the next eight weeks carving the twelve animals. Others may have also helped with carving. John Carling is also mentioned as a carver of the font's wooden oxen.

[Source: Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple]