Benjamin Franklin Grouard
Benjamin Franklin Grouard (1819–1894) was one of the earliest Latter Day Saint missionaries to the Society Islands, which now constitute French Polynesia.
Grouard was born in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and in 1843 was called to go with Addison Pratt, Noah Rogers and Knowlton Hanks, with the plan to preach the gospel in Hawaii. On the trip aboard a whaling ship, Hanks died. Due to ship sailing schedules they were only able to reach the Society Islands. They had many converts there and Grouard married a native woman. When the other missionaries left Grouard stayed.
After Pratt returned he reconnected with Grouard. In 1852, Grouard and his family returned to the United States, settling in San Bernardino, California. He later left the church and became a spiritualist.
Grouard was the father of the army scout Frank Grouard.
References
- Dan L. Tharpp. Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography. p. 592-593
- R. Lanier Britsch. "French Polynesia". in Arnold K. Garr, Donald Q. Cannon and Richard O. Cowan, ed., Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000) p. 399-400