George Burkett (Sheppard Side 4 Great Grandpa)

The Story for George Burkett is a unique one for me. I was looking for pioneer heritage and was able to find several on both sides that really were exciting. However George Burkett stuck out to me for some reason. I found his name on the overland trail church history website I started doing some research on him and found there were some original documents in the Church History Library downtown. I had to be downtown for a work assignment and had some time to kill so I jumped over there to see what I could find. Well I was in for a treat. I asked around about the process and found some pretty cool stuff. I will list his accomplishments below and then what I was able to see at the church history library.

George Burkett: Born in Bedford Pennsylvania to George and Catherine (both of German descent)
 Married Sarah Smith in 1810 
Joined church in 1831 in Indiana
 Was ordained an elder 1832
 driven out of Jackson county 1833
 1834 Zions camp arrived at his house and the camp had caught cholera, Prophet Joseph promises if his family helps the sick no one under his roof would catch Cholera (no one did)
 Prophet Joseph requested that George bring a man and sign a habeas corpus for Joseph and Hyrum which he cheerfully did and entered into bonds to release Sidney Rigdon from jail 
1836 called by Joseph Smith to preach in Illinois 
1839 Goes to Nauvoo 
1846 Ordained High Priest by George A Smith
 Was in the battle of Nauvoo 
1846 married Elizabeth Evans after Sarah Smith died 
1848 arrived in Council Bluffs 
1852 Arrived in and presided over a branch in West Jordan UT 
1855 moved to Binghams Fort 
1862 Moved to Ogden Valley 
1871 Died

 As you can see there was some awesome stuff here. This was all taken from a profile he wrote of his life. What I was able to see at the Church History Library:
 Patriarchal Blessing given to him by Joseph Smith Sr. 
Hand written letters to his children while he lived in Ogden
 His own diary where he hand copied some sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, Also Promises made to him by Joseph Smith 
His original mission papers given by Joseph Smith

 I found this to be so cool as it connected me to him. I haven't found any more information about him living in West Jordan, but I thought that was a sign to me that this was someone I needed to pay attention to and pass his legacy onto my children.