Emery George Fletcher (July 22, 1868 - July 21, 1953) was a Latter Day Saint leader who served as the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite), succeeding Isaac Whiting in that office after Whiting died in 1922. During his tenure, the Cutlerites fulfilled a long-cherished dream of their founder, Alpheus Cutler, by relocating their church headquarters from Clitherall, Minnesota (where it had been since 1865) to Independence, Missouri, within sight of the Temple Lot. However, this move had the unintended consequence of commencing a division between the Minnesota and Missouri branches of the church, which led to a short-lived schism after Fletcher's death.
Fletcher was born in Clitherall, Minnesota, on 22 July 1868. He married Ethel Florence Minton in Fergus Falls and had four children with her. Following her death in 1908, he married Emily Augusta Whiting on 18 April 1915 in Clitherall, but this marriage produced no children.
Moving to Zionedit
Headquarters and meetinghouse of the Cutlerite church in Independence, Missouri, built during the presidency of Emery Fletcher in the 1920s
Before 1920, there had only been one Cutlerite congregation in Clitherall. However, during the early 1920s, a majority of this congregation elected to relocate to Independence, Missouri, near the Temple Lot, where they purchased land and erected a building which became their new church headquarters.
Independence was an urban environment, in sharp contrast to rural Clitherall. According to Rupert Fletcher, president of the Cutlerite church from 1958 to 1974 and author of Alpheus Cutler and The Church of Jesus Christ, the schism that would lead to the founding of the so-called True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) after Emery's death was precipitated by what Rupert (Emery Fletcher's son, and a later president of the Cutlerite church) called "the lack of communication and a wide difference in environment."[2] Whereas the Minnesota congregation were primarily "members of a rural society, engaged in agrarian pursuits,"[2] the Missouri members lived and worked "in an urban community."[2] "The problems and needs of each have little in common with the other", wrote he, and this often "caused disunity."[2] However, following the death of "True Church" founder Clyde Fletcher, this schism was rapidly healed, and the Cutlerite people reunited around the leadership of then-president Rupert Fletcher (Emery's son).
Fletcher died on 21 July 1953, one day before what would have been his eighty-fifth birthday. He is buried in Clitherall with several other early Cutlerite pioneers in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.
Childrenedit
All of Emery Fletcher's children were by his first wife, Ethel Minton:
Nellie
Elmer Claude
Rupert J., who would later serve as president of the Cutlerite church
Neil George
Referencesedit
^ abFletcher, Rupert J.; Whiting, Daisy (1974). Alpheus Cutler and The Church of Jesus Christ. Church of Jesus Christ. pp. 47—55 & 271—274.
emery, fletcher, emery, george, fletcher, july, 1868, july, 1953, latter, saint, leader, served, fourth, president, church, jesus, christ, cutlerite, succeeding, isaac, whiting, that, office, after, whiting, died, 1922, during, tenure, cutlerites, fulfilled, l. Emery George Fletcher July 22 1868 July 21 1953 was a Latter Day Saint leader who served as the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ Cutlerite succeeding Isaac Whiting in that office after Whiting died in 1922 During his tenure the Cutlerites fulfilled a long cherished dream of their founder Alpheus Cutler by relocating their church headquarters from Clitherall Minnesota where it had been since 1865 to Independence Missouri within sight of the Temple Lot However this move had the unintended consequence of commencing a division between the Minnesota and Missouri branches of the church which led to a short lived schism after Fletcher s death Emery Fletcher4th President of The Church of Jesus Christ Cutlerite May 28 1922 1922 05 28 July 21 1953 1953 07 21 Called byIsaac Whiting 1 PredecessorIsaac Whiting 1 SuccessorErle WhitingPersonal detailsBorn 1868 07 22 July 22 1868Clitherall Minnesota United StatesDiedJuly 21 1953 1953 07 21 aged 84 Battle Lake Minnesota United StatesResting placeMt Pleasant CemeterySpouse s Ethel Florence MintonEmily Augusta WhitingParentsJoseph Edmund FletcherSarah Louisa Muir Contents 1 Early years 2 Moving to Zion 3 Children 4 ReferencesEarly years editFletcher was born in Clitherall Minnesota on 22 July 1868 He married Ethel Florence Minton in Fergus Falls and had four children with her Following her death in 1908 he married Emily Augusta Whiting on 18 April 1915 in Clitherall but this marriage produced no children Moving to Zion edit nbsp Headquarters and meetinghouse of the Cutlerite church in Independence Missouri built during the presidency of Emery Fletcher in the 1920s Before 1920 there had only been one Cutlerite congregation in Clitherall However during the early 1920s a majority of this congregation elected to relocate to Independence Missouri near the Temple Lot where they purchased land and erected a building which became their new church headquarters Independence was an urban environment in sharp contrast to rural Clitherall According to Rupert Fletcher president of the Cutlerite church from 1958 to 1974 and author of Alpheus Cutler and The Church of Jesus Christ the schism that would lead to the founding of the so called True Church of Jesus Christ Cutlerite after Emery s death was precipitated by what Rupert Emery Fletcher s son and a later president of the Cutlerite church called the lack of communication and a wide difference in environment 2 Whereas the Minnesota congregation were primarily members of a rural society engaged in agrarian pursuits 2 the Missouri members lived and worked in an urban community 2 The problems and needs of each have little in common with the other wrote he and this often caused disunity 2 However following the death of True Church founder Clyde Fletcher this schism was rapidly healed and the Cutlerite people reunited around the leadership of then president Rupert Fletcher Emery s son Fletcher died on 21 July 1953 one day before what would have been his eighty fifth birthday He is buried in Clitherall with several other early Cutlerite pioneers in the Mt Pleasant Cemetery Children editAll of Emery Fletcher s children were by his first wife Ethel Minton Nellie Elmer Claude Rupert J who would later serve as president of the Cutlerite church Neil GeorgeReferences edit a b Fletcher Rupert J Whiting Daisy 1974 Alpheus Cutler and The Church of Jesus Christ Church of Jesus Christ pp 47 55 amp 271 274 a b c d Fletcher amp Whiting 1974 p 75 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Emery Fletcher amp oldid 1220418631, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
