Church Officers in the Kirtland Stake, October 1835–January 1838
The following charts list local ecclesiastical leadership
of the Church of the Latter Day Saints in the “stake of Zion” at
Kirtland, Ohio, between October 1835 and January 1838. Many of the
charts reflect important changes to these organizations during this
period.
Presidency of the High Council
The high council, consisting of a three-person
presidency and twelve counselors, was organized on 17 February 1834. The
council was responsible for conducting disciplinary proceedings, making
administrative decisions, and “settleing 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 parties.” The presidency of the high council,
organized on the same date, was composed of the church’s general
presidency, and its members did not change until late 1837. During a 7
November 1837 general assembly in , was
replaced by in the general church presidency;
he presumably lost his place in the presidency of the high council at
the same time. In mid-January 1838, JS and departed Kirtland and
relocated to , Missouri. Around this time, , , and were appointed as the presidency of the high
council in Kirtland.
| 17 February 1834 | 31 January 1838 |
| Joseph Smith Jr. | |
High Council
After it was organized on 17 February 1834, the high council underwent two changes later that year:
in August, replaced , who had died during the expedition, and in September, replaced , who
faced discipline for misconduct in the Camp of Israel. On 13 January 1836, several members
of the council—including , , , , and Hyrum Smith—were “called to fill other offices”
and thus replaced. Sometime before 21 January 1836, was appointed president of the Kirtland high
council. Another major
reorganization of the Kirtland high council occurred on 3 September
1837, when eight members were removed, some of whom had been associated
with dissent.
| 17 February 1834 | 13 January 1836 | 3 September 1837 | 31 January 1838 |
Bishopric
A December 1831 revelation directed that be appointed and
ordained bishop of the church in ; two months later, and were ordained as his
counselors. Even though Hyrum Smith was ordained as an
assistant president in the church presidency in December 1834, it appears he continued in his capacity as a
counselor in the bishopric until January 1836, when was appointed to replace him. Reynolds
Cahoon, and possibly Vinson Knight, left to move to sometime in January
1838. Whitney continued to act as bishop in Kirtland until he left for
Missouri in fall 1838.
| By 10 February 1832 | 13 January 1836 | 31 January 1838 |
| , bishop | , bishop | , bishop |
Quorum of High Priests and Quorum of
Elders
Though the offices of elder and high priest had existed in the church
since the early 1830s, the quorum of the elders and the quorum of the
high priests were not officially organized in until January 1836. During a 15 January 1836 grand
council meeting in which church leaders “organized the authorities of
the church,” was selected and
ordained as president of the Kirtland high priests quorum; was subsequently chosen and ordained as president of the
elders quorum.
Beman chose and to be his first and second counselors during a meeting
on 25 January 1836, after which he “organized the quorum according to
age, and [took] their names.” Don Carlos Smith’s
counselors were selected around the same time, though extant records do
not reveal their identities. On 27
November 1837, nominated Reuben
Hedlock to preside over the elders quorum after Beman passed away. Presumably then became
Hedlock’s first counselor. Two days after Hedlock’s appointment, was ordained as his second counselor.
Following the church presidency’s departure from in mid-January 1838, the elders quorum, led by , , and , remained in Kirtland and continued to meet regularly
until at least mid-September 1841. also
remained in Kirtland until early May 1838.
| Presidency of Quorum of High Priests | |
| By 28 January 1836 | 31 January 1838 |
| , president | , president |
| Unidentified counselors | Unidentified counselors |
| Presidency of Quorum of Elders | |
| By 25 January 1836 | 31 January 1838 |
| , president | , president |