William Wines Phelps (February 17, 1792 – March 7, 1872) was an American author, composer, politician, and early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Phelps was called by Smith to serve as assistant president of the church in Missouri[1] and as a member of the Council of Fifty.

[2] His father, Enon Phelps, and mother, Mehitable Goldsmith,[3] moved the family to Homer, New York, in 1800.

"[2] He next moved to Trumansburgh, Tompkins County, New York, where he edited the anti-Masonic newspaper Lake Light.

[5]: 650–651 Phelps purchased a copy of the Book of Mormon from Parley P. Pratt[3] on April 9, 1830, just three days after Church of Christ was organized.

On April 29, 1831, Phelps was imprisoned at Lyons, New York, by a "couple of Presbyterian traders, for a small debt, for the purpose, as [he] was informed, of 'keeping [him] from joining the Mormons.

[4] In the early part of 1835, Phelps and his son, Waterman, were called to Kirtland, arriving on May 16, 1835, and departing on April 9, 1836.

[13] During his stay in Kirtland, Phelps acted as "co-steward over the modern revelations" alongside Joseph Smith, editing the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants for publication.

[2] In late June or early July 1835, Joseph Smith acquired Egyptian papyri from Michael Chandler, and Phelps began assisting with the translation of what would become the Book of Abraham[13][3] in the Pearl of Great Price, acting as Smith's scribe.

[3] Phelps was called before the High Council on March 10, 1838, and was accused of profiting from Far West land deals and reneging on a $2,000 contribution to "the house of the Lord" that was not paid.

On July 8, Smith received a revelation saying that Phelps and fellow dissenter, Frederick G. Williams, could be ordained as elders and serve missions abroad.

[24] Phelps also worked alongside John Taylor in editing the Times and Seasons and Nauvoo Neighbor and Willard Richards in compiling Joseph Smith's personal history.

He believed that the city charter gave the church leaders power to declare the newspaper a nuisance.

[3] In an effort to maintain order in the church, "he used his considerable influence in August and September 1844 to sustain the Twelve Apostles as leaders during the succession crisis.

"[2] In 1846, he entered into plural marriage, marrying Laura Stowell and Elizabeth Dunn on February 2, 1846, in Nauvoo.

At Winter Quarters he was credited with ordering “unquestionably the first press to reach Nebraska soil” from Philadelphia.

He participated in the creation of the Provisional State of Deseret's constitution and wrote an almanac documenting the activities of the Latter-day Saints in Utah for fourteen years.

He wrote poems and articles for the Deseret News, as well as essays on religious topics such as the Second Coming, the priesthood, and Joseph Smith's revelations.

"[3] Phelps is probably best known for his legacy of Mormon hymns, many of which appear in the current edition of the LDS Church's hymnal.