Elder Franklin D. Richards called on Presidents Woodruff and Smith, and presented to the President the key of the Nauvoo [Illinois] Temple. He had received it from sister Elizabeth E. Rice of Hooper [Utah], widow of Leonard G. Rice of Farmington [Utah]. She explained how the key came into her possession. The Committee left in charge of the Nauvoo temple, after the expulsion of the Saints, consisted of Almon Babbitt, brothers [Joseph L.] Heyw[oo]d, and [John S.] Fullmer. When the Temple was destroyed, the key was in the possession of brother Babbitt. Martha Babbitt, a cousin of A[lmon]. W. Babbitt and a sister of sister Rice, was living in the Babbitt family, and thus obtained the key. She
came to Utah and lived in Farmington, but on going East on account of her health, she left some things in charge of her sister. Martha died at Kanesville [Iowa]. The key thus came into the possession of sister Rice, who had been solicited many times to sell the key, but she would not part with it even to her children, feeling that she would rather it should go to the President of the Church. President Woodruff was very pleased to receive it, and as sister Rice was in poor circumstances, he made her a present of $10.
[Journal History, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
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