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SIDNEY RIGDON
AMONG THE BAPTISTS HIS EARLY YEARS IN THE STATE OF OHIO Part A Part B Part C |
A Cabin in the Northern Ohio Woods
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Christian Baptist (1820s) | Greatrakes' Letters on Religious Notions (1826) | Udells' Incidents of Travel (1856)
Wm. Crafts' Early History of Auburn (1868) | A. Riddle's The Portrait (1874) | A. Hayden's History (1875)
Disciples in Hiram (1876) | History of Lake and Geauga Counties (1878) | Howe's Autobiography (1878)
Pioneer & General History of Geauga (1880) | Rice's Pioneer Life (1881) | History of Portage Co. (1885)
J. Kennedy's Early Days (1888) | O. Whitney's History of Utah (1892) | C. Crary's Reminiscences (1893)
G. Wickham's Pioneer Women (1896) | W. Mills' Western Reserve (1900) | Atwater Genealogy (1901)
History of West. Reserve (1910) | Ryan's History of Ohio (1912) | Wilcox's History of Disciples in Ohio (1918)
1952 Buckeye Disciples | Geauga Pioneers | Rigdon at Bainbridge | Misc. Text Files | Rigdon in PA
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History of Portage County, Ohio Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885 |
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Portage County, Ohio -- As Its Townships Appeared After 1816
The Northern Half of Aurora Township in the 1870s -- Click here for enlargement
From Walling's 1872 Map of Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Mahoning, Portage & Trumbull counties.
View 1872 enlargement | 1857 Aurora | 1857 Mantua | 1857 Hiram | 1857 Nelson
View 1857 Aurora (large) | 1857 Mantua (large) | 1857 Hiram (large) | 1857 Nelson (large)
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The Story of the
Western Reserve by William S. Mills NYC: Brown & Wilson, 1900 |
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History of the Western
Reserve Volume 1. by H. T. Upton NYC: Lewis Pub. Co., 1910 |
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[ 70-71 ]
THE WARREN TURNPIKE. The following people petitioned the legislature in 1815 to incorporate a company to make a turnpike road from Warren to points along the fourth range of townships to Lake Erie: Benj. Lane, Seymour Austin, James Quigley, Isaac Heaton, John Hayes, Jeremiah Brooks, Mark Westcott, John Dennison, E. Quinby, Wm. Anderson, Geo. Parsons, Francis Freeman, Barber King, A. McKinney, Calyin Pease, Elihu Spenser, Hezekiah Knapp, E. B. Clark, Daniel Bell, Samuel Quinby, Linus Tracy, Mark Leavitt, Elihu Whitney, Leonard Case, Simon Perkins, Zalmon Fitch, Adamson Bentley, John Leavitt and Thomas Webb.This request was granted, and the action of this company is on record... [ 128 ] THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS IN THE RESERVE. The following was written February 23, 1910, by Inez Smith, of Lamoni, Iowa, and approved by her father, Heman C. Smith, Church Historian:The Latter-Day Saints, erroneously called Mormons, a people whose history and doctrine have caused much comment in the historical world, were more or less prominent in northern Ohio during tile early thirties. These people organized their church on the 6th day of April, 1830, at Fayette, Seneca county, New York. The membership at first included just six members, but the new faith gained converts at a surprising rate, and, although opposition was heavy, there was soon quite a number who believed the story of the Book of Mormon, and, braving the opposition and danger they must meet, became members. In September, at a conference, the matter of preaching to the Indians came up, and Oliver Cowdery was chosen to go west, for the purpose of carrying the gospel to the people whose forefathers, as the Latter-Day Saints believed, had written the record known to the world as the Book of Mormon. Cowdery was accompanied on this mission by Peter Whitmer, Jr., Parley P. Pratt, and Ziba Peterson. Pratt had previously belonged to the church founded by Alexander Campbell, which had a stronghold in and around the village of Kirtland, in northern Ohio, and when he had become a member of the Latter-Day Saints church had left many friends in that vicinity, whom he determined to visit on his way west. The missionaries started out in October, on foot, and after a time arrived in Kirtland, in Lake (then Geauga) county, then a prosperous little town of about two thousand inhabitants. Among those prominent in Campbell's movement was one Sydney Rigdon, one of their preachers, and a peculiarly gifted speaker. Pratt had formerly known this man as a teacher, and was anxious to talk to him about the strange new religion. Rigdon was extremely skeptical as to the message at first, but, as was his custom, gave it consideration and study, and finally asked for baptism. Many of his congregation followed. The interest in these strange new missionaries, and the still stranger message they carried, spread rapidly through the country. The elders were kept preaching night and day, till in two weeks after their arrival one hundred and twentyseven souls had been baptized. This number soon increased to one thousand. Before leaving to continue their mission, the elders ordained Sydney Rigdon, Isaac Morley, John Murdock, Lyman Wight and many others to minister in the ordinances of the church and care for the still increasing church in Ohio. One of the new converts, Frederick Granger Williams, accompanied them on their journey. The mission to the west was peculiarly significant to the Saints, as it not only won to its ranks many men later prominently involved in [ 129 ] its history, but it was also partially the means of locating the church at Kirtland, in Ohio, where many of the most thrilling events of the history of the church were enacted. It was late in the year 1830 -- the same year in which the church was organized -- that the Saints were instructed to gather to the Ohio. They were also promised a rich spiritual endowment in that place, which promise, if we believe the testimony of aged members, was abundantly fulfilled. It was here that the organization into quorums took place, and many important doctrines of the church were received. Toward the later part of the month of January the migration began, and by June of the same year (1831) the body of the church was settled in and around Kirtland. In Kirtland at this time there was a Common Stock Company, the members of which mostly joined the church. They gave up the community life and, instead of this, a law was introduced which was called "The United Order," or the Law of Consecration. This law was instituted to regulate the world-old problem of equality in the temporal affairs of men, but its economic value was never appreciated by the Saints, and is now only beginning to be understood. The plan provides that every man shall hand in to the bishop of the church all over and above the necessities of his family for the general fund, by which those who need help can be aided by the church in their support. Out of this, too, has grown the "Order of Enoch," an order formed for benevolent purposes. The name of this order is significant of its work, when we remember that it grew out of the fact that it was modeled after the "City of Enoch," "Zion;" "and the Lord called his people Zion because they were of one heart and one mind and dwelt inrighteousness, and there were no poor among them." The first movement toward the establishment of the financial law was the organization of the Bishopric, the presidency of the Aaronic priesthood, which has "authority to minister in temporal things." The Bishopric has charge of the financial concerns of the church. The first bishop chosen was Edward Partridge. Having established themselves at Kirtland for a time, the elders were sent out from there to preach the faith they had in so short a time learned to love. The efforts of these men were very successful, and converts continued to flock to the Ohio. On the 6th day of June, 1831, at the fourth conference of the church, which was held at Kirtland, the high priests were ordained and the Melchizedek priesthood was fully received. The Melchizedek Priesthood has to do more particularly with the spiritual affairs in the church. About July of this year the spot was chosen for the ultimate location of the Saints. This place was in Jackson county, Missouri, at the town of Independence, and from this time on there was a gradual migration to Missouri, until the general exodus to that place, which occurred in 1838. In the meantime Joseph Smith, assisted by Sydney Rigdon, turned his attention to a revision of the Scriptures, which work had been commenced the previous December. For this purpose he retired with his wife, and adopted twin babies, to the quiet little town of Hiram, in Portage county, Ohio. Persecution had not abated, and was not lacking even in this quiet little place. On the night of March 25, 1832, while watching with one of the twins, who was sick with the measles, a mob entered the home of Joseph Smith and dragged him away, where both he and Sydney Rigdon were terribly maltreated by a mob. They were stripped, tarred, and brutally beaten by these men. Sydney Rigdon was sick and delirious for some days after this outrage, but Joseph Smith showed the courage that always characterized him, and the next morning found him preaching to a crowd in which many of those who attacked him during the previous night were numbered. A few days later one of the children died, as a result of the exposure on the night of the mob. This tiny victim was a first martyr to [ 130 ] (image of Kirtland Temple - not copied) [ 131 ] the new religion, but unfortunately not the last. We mention this mobbing merely because some historians have incorrectly stated that this incident occurred after the failure of the Kirtland Bank, and was attributable directly to that. But as the mobbing occurred in 1832, while the "bank" was not organized until 1837, the fallacy is very apparent. On the 25th of January, 1832, Joseph Smith was formally ordained president of the church, at Amherst, Ohio. On the 6th day of November, 1832, the son of Joseph Smith, who is now president of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was born at Kirtland, Ohio. He also was given the name of Joseph Smith. The church continued to prosper, branches being formed in other parts of the United States and Canada. In 1832-33 the School of the Prophets was established. This institution was for the purpose of educating the elders to better efficiency. The long-dreamed-of Temple was started in 1833 and its corner-stone laid on July 23, 1833. One of the important doctrines of the church was about this time promulgated in Kirtland, which is known as the "Wotd of Wisdom." This is a document relating largely, to the physical well-being of the individuals in the church, and, considering the limited personal knowledge of Joseph Smith, at the time, on these subjects, is truly wonderful. This doctrine condemns the use of liquors, tobacco, tea and coffee, and meat except in times of cold, famine and excessive hunger. On the 18th day of March, 1833, the First Presidency of the church was organized. This is, as the name implies, the presiding quorum of the church, and consists of the president of the church and his two counselors. At this time Sydney Rigdon and Frederick Granger Williams were chosen as counselors to President Joseph Smith. About this time the church was suffering from the persecutions of one Doctor Hurlburt, an expelled member of the church. He had been excommunicated for immoral conduct, and, after trying in every way possible to reverse the decision against him, he turned his attention to opposing the church in every possible way. He originated the Spaulding theory, which was without question accepted for a time by some writers anxious to dispose of the question of the origin of the Book of Mormon, but has later been proven false by authorities outside of the church, who have taken the trouble to compare the Book of Mormon with the original of the Spaulding romance, now in the possession of Oberlin College. On the 17th of February, 1834, the High Council of the church was organized. It was composed of High Priests, and its office was and is mainly judiciary. It forms the highest court of appeal in the church. On the 14th of February the Quorum of the Twelve were chosen; also two quorums of seventy organized. The office of these two quorums is the active ministry. The twelve acted under the direction and appointment of the presidency. The seventy acted under the direction of the twelve. A reference to New Testament history will reveal the origin of these names, as well as help explain their office work. There was an institution known as the Kirtland Bank, which has been by some writers mixed up with the history of this people. The Kirtland Bank was not a bank at all, but merely an association, known as the "Kirtland Safety Society," and was entered into by private individuals. It was in no sense a church institution. However, many of the members were "Mormons," and Joseph Smith was for a short time interested in the enterprise. When the bank failed, as many older and better es¿ tablished institutions did at the same time, the church was held responsible by some. Some of the members were unable to pay their creditors and did leave Kirtland without paying them, but they sent back agents from Missouri and Illinois to settle with their creditors, and this with no action in law to compel them to [ 132 ] do so; which shows they were honest in their intentions, if not wise in their purpose. These settlements are attested by signed certificates from Kirtiand and Painesville business men. Persecution became so violent in the latter part of the year 1837 that there was a general exodus to Missouri, where the church had been gathering gradually for some time. Probably the most permanent reminder of the "Mormon" occupancy in Ohio is the Temple, which still stands in Lake county, Ohio. From the hour of its beginning, in 1833, the people labored incessantly to complete it. The members were poor, but zealous and devoted, and in that laid the secret of their success. They gave all they had -- money, time, and labor -- to the cause, without recompense, except the fulfilment of the dreams they had cherished. Joseph Smith was foreman, and no man was too rich or too great to labor with his own hands upon the Temple walls. The women spun, wove, dressed the cloth, and made garments for the laborer. It was a vast undertaking for so humble and poor a people, and it was only by the uncomplaining sacrifice on the part of each man, woman and child that it was completed. It was a joyful day when the Temple was finally dedicated, on Sunday, March 27, 1836, with imposing ceremonies, and many are the wonderful things that are said to have happened at that Temple service, as our grandfathers remembered it. The Kirtland Temple stands on elevated ground, south of the east fork of the Chagrin river, about three miles southeast of Wilioughby, Ohio, and six miles in direct line from Lake Erie. The building is three stories high, exclusive of basement. The first and second stories are auditoriums, each fifty-five by sixty-five feet on the inside, exclusive of the vestibule and stairways. In each room there were eight pulpits -- four in each end. The lot belonged to William Marks, but was deeded by him and his wife, Rosannah, by warranty deed conveyed to Joseph Smith, as sole trustee, in trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in 1841. Joseph Smith was murdered in Carthage, Illinois, June 27, 1844, and the church disorganized, about one-tenth of the membership following Brigham Young to Utah, where they drifted deeper and deeper into apostacy, and introduced the pernicious doctrine of polygamy, which was never promulgated by Joseph Smith. In 1860 Joseph Smith, the son of the prophet Joseph Smith, came to Amboy, Illinois, and presented himself to a small band of those who citing to the old faith. This body of people held to the original tenets of the church, and, believing that Joseph Smith had appointed his oldest son to succeed him, waited until he should come into his heritage. This band of people, known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, lay claim to being the original church. This claim is supported by the findings of two courts, in suits brought for title to property. This church found, in 1876, when they started to look after the Kirtland Temple, that the property had been levied upon by Henry Holcomb, as the administrator of the Joseph Smith estate, and sold as his individual property, finally passing into the hands of one Russell Huntley, who deeded it to Joseph Smith, president of the Reorganized Church, and Mark H. Forscutt, secretary of the same church. There was a cloud on the title, by reason of the transfer being made as the individual property of Joseph Smith, and legal steps were taken to have this cloud removed. Suit was brought in the Court of Common Pleas of Lake county, Ohio, against all parties having color of title to the property. The findings of the court were as follows: "In Court of Common Pleas, Lake County, Ohio, February 23d, 1880. Present: Hon. L. S. Sherman, Judge; F. Paine, Jr., Clerk; and C. F. Morley, Sheriff. Journal Entry, February Term, 1880. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: Plaintiff. Against Lucien Williams, Joseph Smith, Sarah F. [ 133 ] Videon, Mark H. Forscutt, the Church in Utah of which John Taylor is President and commonly known as the Mormon Church, and John Taylor, President of said Utah Church. Defendants. Now at this term of the Court came the Plaintiff by its attorneys, E. L. Kelley, and Burrows and Bosworth, and the Defendants came not, but made default; and thereupon, with the assent of the Court, and on motion and by the consent of the Plaintiff a trial by jury is waived and this cause is submitted to the Court for trial, and the cause came on for trial to the Court upon the pleadings and evidence, and was argued by counsel; on consideration whereof, the Court do find asmatters of fact: (1st). That notice was given to the Defendants in this action by publication of notice as required by the statutes of the state of Ohio; except as to the Defendant, Sarah F. Videon, who was personally served with process. (2d). That there was organized on the 6th day of April, 1830, at Palmyra (Fayette), in The state of New York, by Joseph Smith, a Religious Society, under the name of "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," which in the same year removed in a body and located in Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio; which said Church held and believed, and was founded upon certain well defined doctrines, which were set forth in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Book of Doctrine and Covenants. (3d). That on the 11th day of February, A. D. 1841, one William Marks and his wife, Rosannah, by Warranty Deed, of that date, conveyed to said Joseph Smith as sole Trustee-in-Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, being the same Church organized as aforesaid, the lands and tenements described in the petition, and which are described as follows: [The description of the land is omitted.] And upon said lands said Church had erected a church edifice known as The Temple, and were then in the possession and occupancy thereof for religious purposes, and so continued until the disorganization of said Church, which occurred about 1844. That the main body of said Religious Society had removed from Kirtland aforesaid, and were located at Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1844, when said Joseph Smith died, and said Church was disorganized and the membership (then being estimated at about 100,000) scattered in smaller fragments, each claiming to be the original and true Church before named, and located in different states and places. That one of said fragments, estimated at ten thousand, removed to the Territory of Utah under the leadership of Brigham Young, and located there, and with accessions since, now constitute the Church in Utah, under the leadership and Presidency of John Taylor, and is named as one of the defendants in this action. That after the departure of said fragment of said church for Utah, a large number of the officials and membership of the original church which was disorganized at Nauvoo, reorganized under the name of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and on the 5th day of February, 1873, became incorporated under the laws of the state of Illinois, and since that time all other fragments of said original Church (except the one in Utah) have dissolved, and the membership has largely become incorporated with said Reorganized Church which is the Plaintiff in this action. That the said Plaintiff, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is a Religious Society, founded and organized upon the same doctrines and tenets, and having the same church organization, as the original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, organized in 1830, by Joseph Smith, and was organized pursuant to the constitution, laws and usages of said original Church, and has branches located in Illinois, Ohio, and other States. That the church in Utah, the Defendant of which John Taylor is President, has materially and largely departed from the faith, doctrines, laws, ordinances and usages of said original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and has incorporated into its system of faith the doctrines of Celestial Marriage and a plurality of wives, and the doctrine of Adam-God worship, contrary to the laws and constitution of said original Church. And the Court do further find that the Plaintiff, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the True and Lawful continuation of, and Successor to the said original Church of Jesus Christ of [ 134 ] Latter Day Saints, organized in 1830, and is entitled in law to all its rights and property. And the Court do further find that said Defendants, Joseph Smith, Sarah F. Videon and Mark H. Forscutt, are in possession of said property under a pretended title, derived from a pretended sale thereof, made by order of the Probate Court of Lake County, on the petition of Henry Holcomb, as the administrator of said Joseph Smith, as the individual property of said Smith; and the Court finds that said Smith had no title to said property, except as the Trustee of said Church, and that no title thereto passed to the purchasers at said sale, and that said parties in possession have no legal title to said property. And the Court further finds that the legal title to said property is vested in the heirs of said Joseph Smith, in trust for the legal successor of said original Church, and that the Plaintiffs are not in possession thereof." Under the direction of the Reorganized Church, the Temple has been restored, and ever since the restoration of the Temple to its original owners they have maintained a branch of the church there, generally keeping a representative in charge of the Temple. The membership of the church in Ohio, as shown by the General Church Records, numbers at present (in ‘1910) one thousand seven hundred and six. [ 136 ]
[Western Reserve Bank in Warren] Calvin Austin, 200 $ 5,000 David Clendenin, 200 5,000 John Ford, 300 7,500 Turhand Kirtland, 300 7,500 Poily Kirtland, 20 500 John Kinsman, Sr., 800 20,000 Simon Perkins, Sr., 300 7,500 William Rayen, 300 7,500 Asael Adams, Sr., 20 500 Seymour Austin, 20 500 John Andrews, 20 500 John Brainard, 4 100 William Bell, Jr., 50 1,250 Adamson Bentley, 20 500 Mary Bentley, 10 250 David Bell, 20 500 Oliver Brooks, 20 500 Richard Brooks, 10 250 David Bell, 12 300 Benjamin Bentley, Jr., 2 50 John Leavitt, 25 650 Lydia Dunlap, 8 200 John Doud, 20 500 Charles Dutton, 75 1,875 Anne Jane Dutton, 25 625 Edward Draa, 4 100 Daniel Heaton, 20 500 Francis Freeman, 25 625 Otis Guild, 20 500 Lois Guild, 125 Jerusha Guild, 10 250 Peter Hitchcock, 10 250 John B. Harmon, 20 500 Ira Hudson, 20 500 Benjamin J. Jones, 10 250 Thomas G. Jones, 10 250 Jared Kirtland, 20 500 Abram Kline, 30 750 Samuel King, 40 1,000 Charles King, 20 500 Samuel Leavitt, 40 1,000 Henry Lane, 20 500 Wheeler Lewis, 20 500 Lambert W. Lewis, 20 500 Comfort S. Mygatt, 100 2,500 Calvin Pease, 20 500 Laura G. Pease, 10 250 George Parsons, 20 500 Francis M. Parsons, 5 125 Ephraim Quinby, 100 2,500 James Quigley, , 20 500 Samuel Quinby, 20 500 Plumb Sutliff, 20 500 Samuel Tyler, 50 1,250 Trial Tanner, 8 200 Mary Tanner, 2 50 John E. Woodbridge, 20 500 Elisha Whittlesey, 10 250 Fannie Witherby, 5 125 Josiah Wetmore, 4 100 Henry Wick, 6o 1,500 David Webb, 4 100 James Hezlep, 20 500 E. T. Boughton, 12 300 Robert Montgomery, ¿o 1,250 Nancy Quinby, 20 500 It will be seen that ten of these stockholders were women.... [ 139 ] QUAINT EXTRACTS FROM "TRUMP OF FAME." ...July 8, 1812, Adamson Bentley occupies a full half-column of the Trwmp of Fame, telling of one John North, who in March came through this country posing as a Baptist minister. He also posed as a single man. Bentley took great pains to find out about him, and declares him a fraud...[ 140 ] Adamson Bentley, the Baptist minister, had to piece out his salary by engaging in business. June 16th he and Jeremiah Brooks give notice of dissolution of partnership... [ 179 ] IDDINGS MAP OF 1816. Mr. Lewis M. Iddings in contributing "Sketch of the Early Days of Warren" to the "Mahoning Valley Ohio Historical Collection," made a map which is so interesting and so accurate that we are reproducing it here. Mr. Iddings is consular agent (practically minister) to Egypt, and is so far distant that we cannot ask his permission. He is greatly interested in the old-time history because of his family connection, and we feel sure will be glad to have the readers of this history in possession of this information, especially as the volume above referred to is out of print and this information should be preserved. In the following explanations, which correspond with the numbers on the map, the streets are called by names, familiar to us now, although they were originally numbered -- Main street being No. 1, High street No. 2, Market street No. 3, South street No. 4, Liberty street (Park avenue) No. 5. Mahoning avenue was considered to be only a continuation of No. 1. But neither numbers nor names were often used for many years. As is the case in smaller places today, in familiar conversation, localities were known by the names of the persons living in the neighborhood. 1. Mill and dam, but by Lane and Dally in 1802, owned in 1816 by Mr. James L. VanGorder. 2. The Henry Lane house, now owned and occupied by William H. Baldwin. 3. The house of Mrs. Rowe. 4. House of Mr. Jacob Harsh. 5. House in whkh, at one time, lived a Mr. McFarland. 6. House of General Simon Perkins (the home of Eliza B. Perkins now is here). 7. House built by George Phelps. 
(click here to view higher resolution image of the 1816 map) [ 180 ] 8. House and blacksmith-shop of Mr. Reeves. 9. Log house built by Mr. James Scott, and torn down a short time since. For many years it was covered up in the Graeter House. 10. House of Dr. John B. Harmon, now occupied by Dr. J ulian Harmon. u. House of Mn. George Parsons; a new house in 1816, or built so soon thereafter that it is with propriety placed on the map. 12. The jail. 13. House of Mr. James Scott. 14. House of Mr. David Bell. 15. Cabin of "John Jerrodell." i6. House and office of Judge Pease; house still stands. 17. House of Mr. Richard Iddings. 18. House of George Mull (?). 19. House of Mark Wescott. 20. Foundations of the old Western Reserve Bank building. 21. House and store of Asael Adams, where the Franklin Block now is. 22. The "Shook" house. 23. House of Mrs. M'Williams. 24. A shop kept by ,occupied by Mr. Uhl. 25. House of Captain Oliver Brooks; still stands. 26. House of Mn. Thomas D. Webb; in good repair; occupied by Elizabeth, William and Frank Iddings. This house was built, in 1807 by Mr. John S. Edwards, and is probably the oldest building in Warren, unless forty-six is older. 27. House of Mr. Hake; still stands. 28. House of Jonathan Rankin. 29. House and tannery (in the rear) of Mr. James Quigley. 30. House of Elihu Spencer. 31. House of Mr. Zebina Weatherbee. 32. House of Mr. Samuel Chesney. 33. A store occupied at one time by Mr. William Bell and Mr. James Quigley. 34. "Castle William," or the Cotgreave house. 35. For many years the site of the first hotel in the place. 36. In 1816 probably a hatter's shop ; afterward a store kept by Judge King. 37. Four ¿ stores in which Wheeler Lewis, the Quinbys and the Austins were in business. 38. House of Judge Calvin Austin. 39. House of Tony Canter. 40. House of Mr. Jeduthen Rawdon. 41. The Western Reserve Bank. (Union National Bank now.) 42. Little log house, in which George Loveless probably opened the first stone in Warren. 43. The Leavitt House, for many years a hotel and later known as the Walter King place. 44. Building, probably erected ‘by Mr. Adamson Bentley, and in which he engaged in mercantile business. From this building the first number of the Trump of Fame, now the Western Reserve Chronicle, was issued in 1812. 45. House in which, in 1816, lived Mn. Jeremiah Brooks (great-uncle of Mr. James Brooks). It was built by Mr. Ephraim Quinby during the first summer he was here, in 1799. Attached to it was the first jail in Trumbull county. In front of it (b) were the corncribs between which the first court was held. 46. House of Judge Francis Freeman, now the eastern end of the Austin House. 47. Mill and carding machine. This last had just been erected by Levi Hadley, and was sold in this year to Mr. Benjamin Stevens. [ 181 ] 48. House of one Morrow. 49. House of James Ellis. 50. House of Mr. Burnett. 51. House of Mr. Quinby. 52. The "old court-house," then in an unfinished state. a, b and c are explained on the map. FIRST SERMON PREACHED IN WARREN. The first sermon preached in Warren, Trumbull county, was June 8, 1800. In 1803 ten men and women organized the Concord Baptist church, with the "Philadelphia confession of faith." The members' of this movement were the members of the Dally family, and the children of Isaac Ewalt, now residing in Howland, are descendants. A few months later, five members joined the church by baptism and the laying on of hands, and among these was John Reeves.JOHN REEVES. William J. Kern, in "One Hundred Years of Baptist History in Warren, Ohio," says: "John Reeves, at whose home in Howland many church meetings and preaching services were held in the year to follow, proved to be one of the most valuable members the church ever had. He was a member until his death, 1851. He was one of the six who refused to leave the church and faith in the schism of 1828. In the year 1805 he represented the Concord Baptist church as a delegate to the Mahoning [sic - Redstone?] Baptist Association, held in Mill Creek (Youngstown). He presented the letter and the credentials of the church, upon which the Concord church was received into the Mahoning Association."CONCORD OR FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. In 1810 Adamson Bentley became the regular pastor, and the congregation grew under his teachings so that in 1821-'22 a church was built on High street where the Christian church now stands. The land upon which this church stood was deeded "by Ephraim Quinby to the trustees of the Baptist church, called Concord, their heirs and assigns, to be used for Baptist church purposes only." (Kerr.) At this time there were twenty-six members, fourteen of whom were men. "A portion of the church membership was in Youngstown and vicinity, and for three or four years the church met half the time at that place."The two families which clung to the Baptist church were those of Ephraim Quinby and John Reeves, six people in all. In 1834 seven people rejuvenated the Baptist church, and the next year passed a resolution withdrawing the hand of fellowship from all who had departed from the faith of the regular Baptist church. The same year the church was re-incorporated and in 1836 it joined with the Beaver Baptist Association and later the Trumbull Baptist Association, at the time of its formation. Among the members of this Baptist church were some of the hardiest and most enthusiastic men and women of the community. Among the mmisters who have served that church were Rev. William Winters, Lewis Ranstead, E. T. Brown, Allen O. Fuller, John T. Wilson, Rev. J. P. Stevenson, Rev. J. S. Hutson, Rev. J. S. Rightnoun, Rev. William'Codville, Chester F. Ralston, Rev. F. G. Bouton and Rev. W. E. Barker. The first church building of this resuscitated organization was erected on lands given by John Reeves, on Pine street, between High and Market, and is still standing. It is in a very dilapidated condition and has been used as a shop, laundry and second-hand store. In 1893 the name was changed from Concord to First Baptist. In 1894 the fine new church now standing on High street was completed. It cost $23,000.... [ 184 ] CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH. The Central Christian church was organized in a dramatic way. In 1828 Walter Scott and J. C. Mitchell, "devout followers of Alexander Campbell, came to Warren ‘to besiegeand take the place.' "At first they were rather coldly received, but soon the Rev. Mr. Bentley, of the Baptist church, allowed them the use of his edifice, and the congregation soon taxed the capacity of the church. Among the convents made were almost the entire membership of the Baptist church. In fact, this first Warren church, the Baptist, was taken possession of by the new congregation.At this time there was a great controversy among church people as to the right form of baptism, and different matters of doctrine. So much so that sometimes ill feeling was engendered between members of the same family and between neighbors and former friends. This was true in regard to the Baptists and the Disciples, although no more so in these two churches of Warren than in all churches of that time. After the coming of Scott, Mr. Bentley worked with great power and zeal, and the next year he was chosen, with Scott, Hayden and Bosworth, to travel about in the interests of the church. In 1820 a church was erected, but it was three years before services were held in it. It was a square building, with no tower or ornamentation. In 1852 it was remodeled and a spine was put on. After Mr. Bentley moved away, for four [ 185 ] years there was no regular pastor. Marcus Bosworth and John Henry labored with a good deal of zeal and preached occasionally. In 1834 John Hartzell was associate elder with Cyrus Bosworth. During this time of the church history such men as Zeb. Rudolph, J. H. Jones, Moss, Perky, Bnockett and Allerton were occasional speakers. John Smith had direct charge for about two years. J. E. Gaston served from 1847 until 1851, when Isaac Errett became pastor. The Rev. Mr. Errett was one of the strongest men the church has ever had. At the end of his four years ministry Joseph King, a graduate of Bethany College, served for one year. During this time Calvin Smith and James A. Garfield frequently addressed the congregation. J. W. Errett was also a pastor, resigning in 1859. The next year Edwin Wakefield gave a portion of the year to the congregation. In 1861 J. W Lamphear became pastor of the church, serving seven years, not in succession, however, since he was absent two years of that time. Some of the strongest men in the Christian church preached here occasionally, such as President Pendleton and B. A. Hinsdale.... [ 552 ]
[Ashtabula Co.]
"In 1809 to 1813, one Solomon Spaulding was engaged in business at Conneaut, and not being in robust health, he spent much of his time at writing, a kind of work for which he possessed considerable talent. Being well educated, he entertained opinions on various subjects that were interesting to his acquaintances. He wrote a book entitled 'Manuscript Found,' which he was desirous of publishing; in fact, he submitted it to a printing firm in Pittsburg, from whose custody the manuscript year.s afterward mysteriously disappeared. From the strongest circumstantial evidence it is believed that Spaulding's writings -- somewhat altered -- served as the basis or substance of the Book of Mormon, which Joseph Smith claimed to have found underground on a hillside at Palmyra, in 1827; and also that Sidney Rigdon was the medium through whom Spaulding's manuscript found its way to Joseph Smith. It is not the purpose to trace the chain of evidence, nor to relate the history of Mormonism. These facts have been stated solely for the purpose of noting that on the Reserve Mormonism took the first step in its course." [From William S. Mills' 1900 The Story of the Western Reserve... p. 106] [ 699 ] SMITH AND RIGDON TARRED AND FEATHERED. The people of Hiram tarred and feathered Rigdon and Smith, who were in Hiram at the time of the Mormon agitation. Several stories have been told as to why this was done. The truth is that they received this treatment because they were Mormons, because they had interested the people of that vicinity in their belief, and because some of these converts had decided them to be frauds. This was before the days of polygamy. It was largely a quarrel among different religions in the beginning, later because it was believed the new followers were to be deceived. Mason Tilden, now over ninty years old, who was born in Hiram, says Smith was taken from his bed in a log house standing just back of the so-called Joseph Smith oak, and that Sidney Rigdon was taken from the Stevens house, to be treated to their respective coats of tar and feathers. The Stevens house is located about two miles southwest of Hiram College. In the early days of Monmonism Joseph Smith, its founder, lived for a time in this house and thus it was the headquarters of the Mormon church. In March, 1832, a company was formed of citizens of Shalersville, Garrettsville and Hiram, which proceeded to execute their vengeance on Smith and Rigdon. One room in the house is still called the "Revelation Room," because [ 700 ] here on the night following, Smuith claimed to have received a revelation instructing him to depart for the West. ZEB RUDOLPH. Zeb Rudolph. the father of Mrs. Garfield. was a man of quiet calm nature, and when the word was brought to him that his son-in-law had been nominated for the presidency, instead of rejoicing as most elderly men would, he hesitated a few mnoments and then said: "I hope no harm will come from it."... |
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History of Ohio...
Volume 3. by Daniel J. Ryan NYC: Century Hist. Co., 1912 |
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[ 399 ]
The Church of the Latter Day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr., at Fayette, Seneca County, New York, April 6, 1830. Tons of literature have been published discussing the question whether Smith was an honest enthusiast, an earnest mystic or an arrant impostor. It is not the purpose here to add to this class of writings, but to record the historical facts in the life of Mormonism connected with Ohio. Hence a mere narrative of Smith's claims will suffice for an intelligent understanding of his work in this State. In 1823 he claimed that he discovered golden plates on which were written the records of Mormon. They were not taken out of their resting place until 1827, because of an inspiration he said he had received from an angel. In 1830 he published a translation of them under the name of "The Book of Mormon." In this work it is told how, in the reign of King Zedekiah of Jerusalem, Lehi, an Israelite, with his family, went from Palestine to America; his adventures and revelations were recorded on these plates as published in this book. The sons of Lehi became the ancestors of the North American Indians; the descendants of Nephi, one of the sons, became good Christians and preserved the sacred plates which Joseph Smith, Jr., is said to 400 THE RISE AND PROGRESS have discovered. They converted all America to Christianity. In consequence of wars, at the beginning of the fourth century, the Church fell to pieces. Then came Mormon, a mighty hero, and drove out these American Philistines, who, in time, had become red and barbarous. They afterward returned and exterminated the Christian Nephites. Mormon's son, Moroni, found Lehi's plates, giving a history of his people, in A. D. 420. The publication of the "Book of Mormon" at Palmyra, N.Y., in 1830, created a sensation in the religious world. It was attacked as a fraud and it was charged that it was a plagiarism of the writings of one Solomon Spaulding, who lived at Conneaut in Ashtabula County. This work of Spaulding was entitled "The Manuscript Found," and it was claimed that it was written in scriptural style, similar to the "Book of Mormon"and that it was the real foundation for that production. And further, that it was surreptitiously obtained by Joseph Smith, Jr., who appropriated its ideas and its language. This theory was advanced soon after the publication of the "Book of Mormon." At that time, the Mormon elders attracted attention by their preaching about Conneaut, and when the Mormon Bible, as the new work was called, was read, many persons present were struck by what they thought was a similarity between Smith's book and the Spaulding manuscript. It should be stated that Solomon Spaulding used to read his manuscript to his neighbors until many of them became familiar with its language, contents and style. When they heard the "Book of Mormon," some of them testified that it was substantially OF AN AMERICAN STATE 401 the Spaulding manuscript. Owing to his financial straits, Solomon Spaulding was never able to publish his work, which was a romance of prehistoric America. At one time it was in possession of a Pittsburg publishing house, from whence it is said to have been stolen. This theory of the origin of the "Book of Mormon" gradually became the accepted one among the Gentiles and found its place in the literature of the time, being accepted by the encyclopaedias of Britannica, Chambers, Appleton and others. This view obtained until I884, when the late James H. Fairchild, then president of Oberlin college, was visiting Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, where he met an old anti-slavery friend, Lewis L. Rice, who had years before, been the editor of the Painesville Telegraph, and also State Printer at Columbus, Ohio. President Fairchild asked him to examine his old pamphlets and papers and see what contributions he could make to the anti-slavery literature of the Oberlin College Library. In a few days, he returned with an old, worn and faded manuscript of 170 pages, which proved to be the long lost manuscript of Solomon Spaulding. It came into Mr. Rice's possessions in 1839 with other books and papers, when he took possession of the Painesvile Telegraph. This manuscript is now in the Oberlin College Library. President Fairchild, in a paper read before the Western Reserve Historical Society, March 23, 1886, and published as Tract No. 77 of that Society, discusses with originality and interest the "Manuscript of Solomon Spaulding and the Book of Mormon." It is the first authentic information on that subject. 402 THE RISE AND PROGRESS In this paper, President Fairchild says: "The manuscript has no resemblance to the ‘Book of Mormon.' There is not a name or an incident common to the two. It is not written in the solemn Scripture style. It is a story of the coming to this country, from Rome, of a ship's company, driven by a storm across the ocean, in the days of the Emperor Constantine. They never returned to their own land, but cast in their lot with the aboriginal tribes inhabiting the country, and it is chiefly occupied with the account of the civilization and conflict of these tribes -- the Delawares, Ohions, Kentucks, Sciotons, Chiaugans, etc., etc. The names of the persons are entirely original, quite as remarkable as those in the ‘Book of Mormon,' but never the same -- such as Bombal, Kadocam, Lobaska, Hamboon, Uliponn, Lamesa, etc." Professor Fairchild's position, however, is not accepted by all writers on this subject. The strongest answer to his argument is "The Origin of the Book of Mormon, Re-Examined in its Relation to Spaulding's Manuscript Found." This was written by A. T. Schroeder in 1901, and published by direction of the Salt Lake Ministerial Association of Salt Lake City. It is analytical and argumentative, and piesents all the testimony bearing on the question involved. The proposition contended for is that the manuscript in the Oberlin College Library was not the one from which "The Book of Mormon" was plagiarized; that it was never in the hands of a publisher, and therefore could not have been stolen; that there was another and rewritten story that formed the foundation of OF AN AMERICAN STATE 403 the Mormon work, and that this fact is susceptible of proof which the writer proceeds to draw out. Whatever may be the facts as to the origin of the "Book of Mormon," the Mormon Church was organized at the time and place stated, including at first just six in its membership -- Joseph Smith, Sr., Hyrum Smith, Joseph Smith, Jr., Samuel Smith, Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Knight. In June, 1830, the first convention of the church was held at Fayette, at which thirty members were present. Smith had by this time claimed the full powers and responsibilities of a Prophet. Angels constantly visited him, and the Lord was giving him frequent revelations. He called himself the "Mouthpiece of God." Still with all these opportunities of associating with Divinity firsthand, the public seemed loth to rush to Smith's standard of Faith. Whether it was due to the ungodliness of his neighbors, or their knowledge of the Prophet, is not known, and much has been written on both sides. He evidently had experienced the wisdom of the Biblical saying, that "a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, and in his own house," and he commenced to make arrangements for a western migration. In October Oliver Cowdery, Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson and Peter Whitmer, Jr. started for the far West on a mission to the Indians. They stopped at Kirtland; here and at Mentor near by, was the stronghold of the Church of the Disciples, founded by Alexander Campbell, and both congregations were presided over by one Sidney Rigdon. He was one of the leading preachers of the Disciples' faith in the Western Reserve, and was a man of ability, 404 THE RISE AND PROGRESS of great eloquence, but of an emotional and erratic temperament. In his day he was listened to with affection and confidence by the people of his denomination. Sidney Rigdon joined the new and strange religion of Mormonism, and from that moment he became a man of great power in that faith. Many of his congregation followed him. The Mormon missionaries preached day and night until, when they started on their western journey, they had made a thousand converts. Sidney Rigdon was made the first minister of the Mormon Church. In December, 1830, he was given the special indorsement of the Lord through a revelation to Smith, and by another revelation Kirtland, Rigdon's Ohio home, was designated as the gathering place of the faithful, the Promised Land of the Saints. In January, 1831, Joseph Smith, Jr. and his family left western New York, accompanied by more than fifty families of his followers. As they traveled overland to what they called, and what they believed to be, the New Jerusalem, the seeds of Mormonism were sown by the wayside and many converts were made. Amid prayers and singing and religious demonstrations, they entered Ohio, and by June of that year the majority of the Church was settled in and about Kirtland. Active proselyting immediately commenced. Smith and Sidney Rigdon attempted the conversion of the little village of Hiram, noted afterwards as the seat of a college presided over by James A. Garfield. Their zeal was met with angry resistance, resulting in both being tarred and feathered by the indignant and orthodox populace. Nothing daunted, Smith appeared OF AN AMERICAN STATE 405 next morning, which was Sunday, in his usual capacity as the "Prophet of the Lord." Rigdon was rendered temporarily insane on account of his treatment. This event occurred March 25, 1832. During this year there came to the Mormon colony, a young man, just over thirty, whose life and career fill the greatest space in the history of Mormonism. This was Brigham Young. He was a man of much native shrewdness, earnest in his purposes yet eminently practical in worldly affairs. Smith, himself a great reader of men, saw at a glance the material before him, and Young was ordained as an elder to preach at once, and in three years after, at a conference held at Kirtland, he was selected as one of the Twelve Apostles. These three men -- Smith, Rigdon and Young -- formed a triumvirate that gave Mormonism its early strength and progress. To them can be credited the force that enabled it to locate and establish itself in Ohio in the face of a tremendous and persistent opposition. Smith furnished the religious ardor and inspired his people with a faith that they seemed to accept without question from his hands. Sidney Rigdon was the intellectual force and furnished the brilliant work of the pulpit. Brigham Young was more of an official or political leader. His strong, practical character supplied all the qualities in that direction in which his associates were lacking. It was at Kirtland that Brigham Young married his first Mormon wife, thereby starting his remarkable matrimonial career, which has been one of the startling and disagreeable facts of Mormonism. At the time of his death, August 29, 1877, he left seventeen wives, 406 THE RISE AND PROGRESS sixteen sons and twenty-eight daughters, and had been the father of fifty-six children. Young was first married in 1824, but his wife died eight years later, leaving two children. At Kirtland, he married Mary Ann Angel, whose parents lived a mile and a half from that village. At that time, Kirtland was in Geauga County, and in the records of the probate court of that county at Chardon may be seen to-day the following license: "The State of Ohio, Geauga County, ss: Personally appeared Brigham Young and made application for a marriage license for himself and Mary Ann Angel of the Township of Kirtland, in said County, and made solemn oath that he, the said Brigham Young, is of the age of twenty-one years and the said Mary Ann Angel is the age of eighteen years. That they are both single, and no nearer of kin than first cousins. That he knows no legal impediment against their being joined in marriage." In Brigham Young's signature to this application, he spells his first name "Brickham" and a small "y" commences his surname. In the clerk's office of the county is also the following record: "Be it remembered that on the thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord 1834, Brigham Young and Mary Ann Angel, of the County of Geauga, were legally joined in marriage, by competent authority, in conformity with the provisions of the statutes of the State of Ohio, in such cases made and provided, OF AN AMERICAN STATE 407 and a certificate of the said marriage, signed by Sidney Rigdon, the minister who solemnized the same, has been filed in the office of the Clerk of Common Pleas of the said County of Geauga, this third day of April, A. D. 1834. It is interesting to know that this Ohio girl, the only legitimate wife of Brigham Young's household, ranked first in his estimation throughout all of his eventful life. Perhaps her legitimacy as a wife had something to do with it. Hepworth Dixon, the English writer and traveler, visited Salt Lake City when Young was at the acme of his power, and he writes of this wife: "The queen of all is the first wife, Mary Ann Angel, an aged lady, whose five children, three sons and two daughters, are now grown up. She lives in a white cottage, the first house ever built in Salt Lake valley." This marriage and wife, at one time, served him to a very advantageous purpose, according to J. H. Kennedy, the author of "Early Days of Mormonism." When Ann Eliza, the nineteenth wife of Brigham Young, sued him for divorce and alimony, he sent to an attorney of Geauga County for a certified copy of his license and marriage certificate, which he pleaded as a bar to Ann Eliza's action. Thus, coolly claiming that as he was already married to Mary Ann, he could not legally be married to Ann Eliza. The year 1832 was one of almost feverish supernaturalism at Kirtland. On January 25th of this year, Joseph Smith, Jr., was formally ordained President of the Church at Amherst, Lorain County. In 408 THE RISE AND PROGRESS March, he was consecrated as President of the High Priests. During this summer, he was untiring in his labors; he was working on a Mormon translation of the Holy Bible, he founded a School of the Prophets and supervised and edited The Evening and Morning Star. He was drifting further and further into his claims of divine authority, until even the gift of miracles was assumed by himself, Rigdon and others of the elders. One of the most remarkable and impressive occurrences of that day authenticated by unquestionable testimony and reliable authority, was that of the cure of Mrs. Johnson of Hiram. Two of the leading citizens of that village were subjecting the new faith to critical and prayerful investigation with a view to accepting Mormonism. They were Ezra Booth, a Methodist minister, and Symonds Ryder, an elder of the Disciples Church. They determined to call upon Smith for a supreme test. They had a subject in their neighbor, Mrs. Johnson, who for six years, had a useless right arm, resulting from a stroke of paralysis. The two orthodox ministers accompanied Mrs. Johnson, her husband and her physician to Kirtland, and they presented themselves before Joseph Smith, Jr. The ministers entered into a warm discussion with Smith regarding Mormonism. During their argument, Ryder asked if he could perform miracles as his followers claimed. Smith replied, "I cannot work miracles, but I believe that God, working through me, can." Thereupon, Ryder brought forward Mrs. Johnson, who had been standing by unobserved. "Here is Mrs. Johnson," said he with triumph, "She has a lame arm. Has God given OF AN AMERICAN STATE 409 power to any man on earth to cure her?" It was a crisis for the Prophet. Then followed the marvelous. Smith never quailed, nor showed the slightest weakness in this situation. He moved backwards a few steps, he fixed his eyes upon those of the affected woman and into them he gazed intently and steadily. Then he stepped forward to her side, held her palsied hand in his, and in a commanding and solemn tone, said: "Woman, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command thee to be whole." Then he turned abruptly and in silence, left the room. Mrs. Johnson moved her arm and found it full of life and subject to her control. Until the day of her death, fifteen years afterward, she had the same use of it as she had of her left arm. In a sermon, preached at Hiram, August 3, 1870, President B. A. Hinsdale of Hiram college narrated this occurrence and referred to it as follows: "The company were awe-stricken at the infinite presumption of the man, and the calm assurance with which he spoke. The sudden mental and moral shock -- I know not how better to explain the well attested fact -- electrified the rheumatic arm. Mrs. Johnson at once lifted it up with ease and on her return next day, she was able to do her washing without difficulty or pain." The miracle of the Prophet spread among the faithful, and scenes of religious enthusiasm rivalling those of Oriental devotees followed the great event. Of course, it was wholly ascribed to supernatural power. We can obtain a view of the psychological condition of this period from a book written by Eber D. Howe and published in 1834, entitled "Mormonism Unveiled." 410 THE RISE AND PROGRESS Mr. Howe founded the We find in the strange manifestations of this time simply what has appeared among other religious enthusiasts in every other age and land. Speaking of this phase of life at Kirtland, Howe says: "They pretended that the power of miracles was about to be given to all those who embraced the new faith, and commenced communicating the Holy Spirit by laying their hands upon the heads of the converts, which operation at first produced an instantaneous prostration of body and mind. Many would fall upon the the floor, where they would lay for a long time, apparently lifeless. They thus continued these enthusiastic exhibitions for several weeks. The fits usually came on during or after their prayer meeting, which was held nearly every evening. The young men and women were more particularly subject to this delirium. They would exhibit all the apish actions imaginable, making the most ridiculous grimaces, creeping upon their hands and feet, rolling upon the frozen ground, going through with all the Indian modes of warfare, such as knocking down, scalping, ripping open and tearing out the bowels." At other times, they would run through the fields, get upon stumps, preach to imaginary congregations, enter the water and perform all the ceremony of baptising. OF AN AMERICAN STATE 411 Many would have fits of speaking all the different Indian dialects, which none could understand. Again, at the dead of night, the young men might be seen running over the fields and hills in pursuit, as they said, of the balls of fire, lights, etc., which they saw moving through the atmosphere. Three of them pretended to have received permission to preach, from the skies. One of the young men referred to freely acknowledged, some months afterwards, that he knew not what he did for two or three weeks." The widespread religious emotionalism manifested on these occasions by the laity, under which each individual claimed the "gift of tongues," and the "power of miracles and divine inspiration," alarmed the Prophet. The local press also, which was altogether in charge of unbelievers, was exploiting the strange doings and was heaping ridicule upon these demonstrations. He saw that it was bringing Mormonism into disrepute, that it was an invasion of his sacred powers and prerogatives and that it tended to spiritual individualism, if not religious chaos. Therefore, there came a revelation to the Prophet that no one should have communication with the Most High except Joseph Smith, Jr. This ended the wonderful evidences of supernatural influence among the plain people of Zion. One of the dreams of the Prophet was that the new religion should exhibit material and temporal prosperity as well as spiritual and religious dominion. The accumulation of property, therefore, became a decided part in the program of the Church. Early in 1833 it was decided by the presidency to purchase all the land at Kirtland that they could pay for; and in addition, 412 THE RISE AND PROGRESS erect for the glory of the Church, a grand temple that should be a lasting monument to Zion. This was determined upon after Joseph Smith, Jr., received a revelation May 6, 1833. The fund for the construction of the Temple was to be provided from tithes, and one-seventh of the time of each Mormon was to be contributed in labor. Notwithstanding that the membership was poor, they zealously and earnestly assumed this burden. They were as anxious as Smith that the dreams of the Church should materialize in a Temple to the Lord. Smith himself assumed the position of foreman, and he saw that every man in Zion did his share; that rich and poor, old and young, all contributed with their own hands the labor due. The women worked also and spun, wove and sewed cloth into garments for those who labored. The master builder was Joseph Bump, and at the end of every day, he was handed a special written revelation from the Prophet, outlining his duties for the day following. Heber C. Kimball in his journal published in the Times and Seasons (Vol. 6, pp. 867,868), an official organ of the church, gives an inside picture of the industry and sacrifice exercised in the construction of the Temple. Therein he states: "At this time the brethren were laboring night and day building the house of the Lord. Our women were engaged in spinning and knitting in order to clothe those who were laboring at the building, and the Lord only knows the scenes of poverty, tribulation, and distress which we passed through in order to accomplish this thing. My wife toiled all summer in lending her aid towards its accomplishment. OF AN AMERICAN STATE 413 She had a hundred pounds of wool, which, with the assistance of a girl, she spun in order to furnish clothing for those engaged in the building of the Temple; and although she had the privilege of keeping half the quantity of wool for herself, as a recompense for her labor, she did not reserve even so much as would make her a pair of stockings, but gave it for those who were laboring at the house of the Lord. She spun and wove, and got the cloth dressed and cut and made up into garments, and gave them to those men who labored on the Temple. Almost all the sisters in Kirtland labored in knitting, sewing, spinning, etc., for the purpose of forwarding the work of the Lord, while we went up to Missouri to endeavor to reinstate our brethren on their lands, from which they had been driven." "Elder Rigdon when addressing the brethren upon the importance of building this house, spake to this effect: that we should use every effort to accomplish this building by the time appointed; and if we did, the Lord would accept it at our hands; and on it depends the salvation of the church and also of the world. Looking at the sufferings and poverty of the church, he frequently used to go upon the walls of the building both by night and day and frequently wetting the walls with his tears, crying aloud to the Almighty to send means whereby we might accomplish the building. After we returned from our journey to the West, the whole church united in this undertaking, and every man lent a helping hand. Those who had no teams went to work in the stone quarry and prepared the stones for drawing to the house. 414 THE RISE AND PROGRESS "President Joseph Smith, Jr., being our foreman in the quarry; the Presidency, high priests, and elders all alike assisting. Those who had teams assisted in drawing the stone to the house. These all laboring one day in the week, brought as many stones to the house as supplied the masons through the whole week. We continued in this manner until the walls of the house were reared. The committee who were appointed by revelation to superintend the building of the house were, Hyrum Smith, Reynolds Cahoon, and Jared Carter. These men used every exertion in their power to forward the work." The corner stone of the Temple was laid July 24, 1833, and for nearly three years the labor of construction was carried on day and night with unceasing and enthusiastic sacrifice. The Temple was dedicated March 27, 1836. It was a day of mysterious and emotional enthusiasm; for four days and four nights following, the Saints abandoned themselves to an excited religious fervor. There were four hundred and sixteen elders, priests, teachers and deacons assembled in the Temple, and there were gathered there many thousands from all over Northern Ohio. Joseph Smith, Jr. was in the atmosphere of his highest power. Visions appeared to him; among those present he announced Moses, Elijah and Elisha. These ancient prophets appeared, so he announced, and bestowed upon him supreme power over things spiritual and temporal. Angels freely communicated with him on this eventful day, and they mingled freely in the throng, but were not visible to any mortal eyes save his. Brigham Young also appeared in great glory. OF AN AMERICAN STATE 415 He was seized with the "gift of tongues," and although his sermon was unintelligible, every one of the faithful knew it was the language of inspiration. There were other signs and wonders. Hovering over the Temple was seen a pillar of fire, and in the air, supernatural sounds of heavenly music were heard. The ceremony of washing the feet was performed on the night of March 27, and each Saint performed this service for another. The Mormon records tell that many remained in the Temple all night "gloryfying God and prophesying." These scenes kept up until March 31, and on their termination, the Saints felt as if they had really reached the Promised Land. The Kirtland temple was built on elevated ground and it may be seen a long distance off; it is three miles southeast of Willoughby and six miles direct from Lake Erie. It is a massive structure of rough stone plastered over with cement and marked in imitation of regular courses of masonry. It is sixty by eighty feet and three stories high beside the basement. In the front wall, over the largest window is the inscription, "House of the Lord, built by the Church of the Latter Day Saints, A. D. 1834." The first and second stories are auditoriums, 55 by 65 feet. The attic or third story is divided into five apartments. In each of the auditoriums are four pulpits, one rising above the other and each holding three persons. These pulpits were designed for the priesthood of Aaron and Melchisedec. Such is this queer structure as it stands to-day. It is an architectural monstrosity and yet it remains as a historic memorial of great human endeavor and enthusiasm. For that day and that people, it was a 416 THE RISE AND PROGRESS courageous undertaking, and its cost -- sixty thousand dollars -- was itself of great magnitude when we bear in mind the scarcity of money at that time. The next few years of the Church at Kirtland saw the ecclesiastical machinery increased with a view both to more effective organization and a more imposing symbolism. On March i8, 1833, the first Presidency was established, consisting of Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams. These three were also to be presidents of the High Council, which was created February 17, 1834. This body was composed of the following High Priests: Joseph Smith, Sr., John Smith, Joseph Coe, John Johnson, Martin Harris, John S. Carter, Jared Carter, Oliver Cowdery, Samuel H. Smith, Orson Hyde, Sylvester Smith and Luke Johnson. This was the judiciary of the Church, and was the Court of Last Appeal for all disputes. In the language of the Mormon record: "The High Council was appointed by revelation for the purpose of settling important difficulties which might arise in the Church, which could not be settled by the Church or the Bishop's Council to the satisfaction of the Party." On May 3, 1834, the Elders formally chose the name of "The Church of Jesus Christ [sic] of Latter Day Saints" to designate the new spiritual organization. Following this action other important church measures were adopted, looking to its perfection. On February 14, 1835, a quorum of Twelve Apostles was organized, consisting of Lyman E. Johnson, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, David W. Patton, Luke Johnson, William E. McLellin, John F. Boynton, Orson Pratt, William Smith, Thomas B. March and OF AN AMERICAN STATE 417 Parley P. Pratt. On February 28 two Quorums of Seventy were organized. These were the active ministers of the church. They were under the direction of the Twelve Apostles and these in turn were appointed by and acted under the authority of the Presidency. When the general assembly of the church was held on August 17 the "Book of Doctrines and Covenants" was declared to be the rule of faith and Mormon life. On January 4, 1836 a Hebrew professorship was established, and on June 12, 1837, Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde headed a body of foreign missionaries who were sent to England to convert its people to the Mormon faith. Having reached a point where the church had nearly a perfect organization, almost autocratic power and an increasing membership, it turned into the dangerous channel of money-making and financial investment. The period was one of speculation, and notwithstanding the divine guidance assumed by the Church, it fell into the error of worldly ways. This took the form first of real estate ventures and afterward of banking. Smith himself in his autobiography gives a frank history of the troubles that the church encountered. Says he: "At this time the spirit of speculation in lands and property of all kinds, which were so prevalent throughout the whole nation was taking deep root in the church; as the fruits of this spirit evil surmisings, fault-finding, disunion, dissension and apostasy followed in quick succession, and it seemed as though all the powers of earth and hell were combining their influence in an especial manner to overthrow the church at once and make a final end. The enemy 418 THE RISE AND PROGRESS abroad and apostates in our midst united in their scheme; flour and provisions were turned toward other markets; and many became disaffected toward me, as though I were the sole cause of those very evils I was most strenuously striving against, and which were actually brought upon us by the brethren not giving heed to my counsel. No quorum in the church was entirely exempt from the influence of those false spirits who were striving against me for the mastery; even some of the Twelve were 80 far lost to their high and responsible calling, as to begin to take sides with the enemy." The facts are, however, that among the most conspicuous real estate speculators in the church were Joseph Smith, Jr., his father and other relatives. The books of the recorder's office at Chardon are silent witnesses to this fact. A plat, made in April and recorded in May, 1837, provided for a city to be known as "Kirtland City." The Temple was located in the center. The plat shows that there were to be two hundred and twenty-five blocks of twenty lots each, making forty-five hundred city lots in all. In the syndicate putting this allotment on the market, we read names familiar in the church. They were Joseph Smith, Sr., Joseph Smith, Jr. and his wife Emma, Eliza R. Snow, the Mormon poetess, Hyrum Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Heber C. Kimball and Sidney Rigdon. Whether the proceeds of this vast real estate project were to go into the church treasury is not known, for rack and ruin came upon the dream of a boom town before it was realized. OF AN AMERICAN STATE 419 As an adjunct to carrying out the plans for acquiring wealth for the church, the Prophet had a revelation that he should start a bank. He thereupon appealed to the Legislature for a charter for that purpose, but it was refused. Thereupon, disregarding the refusal of the Legislature, he organized in January, 1837, the "Kirtland Safety Society Bank." Smith was made president and Sidney Rigdon, the cashier; the capital stock was fixed at $5,ooo. It exercised banking powers as freely as if it had been incorporated, and issued its bills with the assurance by Smith of future payment and that the Lord would take care of them. The bank was expected to be of great aid in warding off financial distress, which was becoming apparent. The first evidence came when Newell K. Whitney and Sidney Rigdon were sued on a note by the Bank of Geauga at Painesville. This was settled, only to be followed by a suit against the general store syndicate composed of Rigdon, Smith and Cowdery. A judgment for a large amount was given against these parties. Distress again followed in July, 1837, when as a result of financial complications, Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Reynolds Cahoon and Jared Carter executed a mortgage on the Temple to secure an indebtedness of $4,500. The climax was reached when a proceeding was instituted against Smith and Rigdon for acting as bank officers without authority of law. They were arrested, and at the October term of the court in that year, they were found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 each. On their trial, they claimed that they represented a mutual savings association and not a bank, 420 THE RISE AND PROGRESS and that the bills issued were individual notes. The case was taken up on error on these grounds; it was never decided, as all of the defendants fled beyond the jurisdiction of the court before the time of hearing. As the year 1837 was drawing to a dose, it was apparent that the Mormon church had reached a critical period of its history. In November, the bank suspended specie payment and closed its doors. This was the fatal blow to Mormonism in Ohio. After this, followed scenes of revolt and open crimination against the Prophet. In the midst of schism, opposition, apostasy and personal threats, it must be said that he stood his ground as long as there was any show of stemming the tide that had set in against him. But the dangers grew apace with the hours, and he saw only attempted revenge, arrest, prosecution and punishment in the near future for him. It was on the last Sabbath of 1837 that Smith and Rigdon met their people in the Temple to combat and suppress the religious mutiny. They failed to quell the opposition and on a vote, the Prophet's spiritual powers were not recognized. The end can best be described by Smith himself. Afterward in The Evening and Morning Star, he thus wrote of his departure from Kirtland: "A new year dawned upon the church at Kirtland in all the bitterness of the spirit of apostate mobocracy, which continued to rage and grow hotter and hotter, until Elder Rigdon and myself were obliged to flee from its deadly influence, as did the apostles and prophets of old, and as Jesus said, ‘When they persecute you in one city, flee ye to another.' And on the evening of the twelfth OF AN AMERICAN STATE 421 of January (1837) about io o'clock, we left Kirtland on horseback to escape mob violence which was about to burst upon us under the color of legal process, and to cover their hellish designs and save themselves from the just judgment of the law. The weather was extremely cold, and we were obliged to secrete ourselves sometimes to elude the grasp of our pursuers, who continued their race more than two hundred miles from Kirtland, armed with pistols, etc., seeking our lives." The fleeing Prophet and his High Priest found safety and a welcome among the Mormons at Far West, Missouri, where another Zion was planted, modelled after Kirtland. A town was platted and another temple projected and a stormier career was entered upon. The Missourians inaugurated a war that eventually drove the Saints to Illinois, where in 1840 they founded the town of Nauvoo. Here another temple was planned and the construction commenced. The introduction of polygamy amused bitter hostilities against Smith and his followers, culminating in riot and bloodshed. Joseph and Hyrum Smith were arrested on the charge of treason and imprisoned in the Carthage jail. June 27, 1844, a mob attacked the jail and murdered them both. This event practically disorganized the church. Brigham Young succeeded Smith and led a small minority of his church to Utah, where under his polygamous reign it started a career in which it has developed great wealth and power. The original Mormon faith as established by Joseph Smith, Jr. was adhered to by a small band of followers. 422 THE RISE AND PROGRESS It is known now as the "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," and is a strong opponent of the doctrine and practice of polygamy. They own and occupy the Kirtland Temple, having acquired a complete title to it in 1880. The Court of Common Pleas of Lake County in an action in which "The Church in Utah of which John Taylor is President and commonly known as the Mormon Church" was chief defendant, decreed that the ownership was in the "reorganized" church. The allegations in this suit to establish title were not disputed, therefore they are interesting from an historical viewpoint. In its petition, the plaintiff, the reorganized church, after giving a detailed statement of its origin and settlement at Kirtland, and a description of the land conveyed to Joseph Smith, Jr. as Trustee for the use of that church, says: "And upon said lands said Church had erected a church edifice known as the Temple, and were then in possession and occupancy thereof for religious purposes, and so continued until the disorganization of said Church, which occurred about 1844. That the main body of said Religious Society had removed from Kirtland aforesaid, and were located at Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1844, when said Joseph Smith died, and said Church was disorganized and the membership (then being estimated at about 100,000) scattered in smaller fragments, each claiming to be the original and true Church before named, and located in different states and places. "That one of said fragments, estimated at ten thouand, removed to the Territory of Utah under the leadership of Brigham Young, and located there, and with accessions since, now constitute the Church in Utah, OF AN AMERICAN STATE 423 under the leadership and Presidency of John Taylor, and is named as one of the defendants in this action. "That after the departure of said fragment of said church for Utah, a large number of the officials and membership of the original church which was disorganized at Nauvoo, reorganized under the name of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and on the 5th day of February, 1873, became incorporated under the laws of the state of Illinois and since that time all other fragments of said original Church (except that one in Utah) have dissolved, and the membership has largely become incorporated with said Reorganized Church which is the plaintiff in this action. "That the said Plaintiff, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is a Religious Society, founded and organized upon the same doctrines and tenets, and having the same church organization, as the original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, organized in 1830, by Joseph Smith, and was organized pursuant to the constitution, laws and usages of said original Church, and has branches located in Illinois, Ohio, and other States. "That the church in Utah, the Defendant, of which John Taylor is President, has materially and largely departed from the faith, doctrines, laws, ordinances and usages of said original Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and has incorporated into its system of faith the doctrines of Celestial Marriage and a plurality of wives, and the doctrine of Adam-God worship, contrary to the laws and constitution of said original Church." 424 THE RISE AND PROGRESS The court proceeded to decree that the reorganized church was the true and lawful successor to the original church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr., in 1830, and entitled in law to all its rights and property. Thus the Temple passed into the hands of the followers of those who built it. It has been restored and a branch of the reorganized church now worships therein. The present membership in Ohio according to the official church records of 1910 numbers one thousand seven hundred and six persons. |
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