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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
  1. 1

    Minutes, 17 Feb. 1834; Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:2].  

  2. 2

    Minutes, 7 Nov. 1837.  

  3. 3

    Revelation, 12 Jan. 1838–C; Hepzibah Richards, Kirtland, OH, to Willard Richards, Bedford, England, 18–19 Jan. 1838, Willard Richards, Papers, CHL.  

    Richards, Willard. Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490.

  4. 4

    Minutes, 28–29 Aug. 1834; Minutes, 24 Sept. 1834.  

  5. 5

    Minutes, 13 Jan. 1836.  

  6. 6

    Minutes, 17 Aug. 1835; “General Assembly,” in Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 ed., 256; JS, Journal, 21 Jan. 1836; Partridge, Journal, 21 Jan. 1836.  

    Partridge, Edward. Journal, Jan. 1835–July 1836. Edward Partridge, Papers, 1818–1839. CHL. MS 892, box 1, fd. 2.

  7. 7

    Joseph Coe, John Johnson, and Martin Harris were likely among the dissenters in summer 1837; Orson Johnson had been excommunicated. Thomas Grover was replaced when he moved west, while Samuel James “could not attend to the duties of the office.” John Smith had previously been ordained to the church presidency. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  8. 8

    Replaced by Samuel James on 13 January 1836 after being chosen as an assistant counselor in the church presidency on 3 September 1837. (Minutes, 13 Jan. 1836; Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  9. 9

    Samuel James was proselytizing in Virginia in August 1837 and was likely removed from the high council because of this absence. (“Minutes of a Conference,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Sept. 1837, 3:574–575.)  

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  10. 10

    Likely in Kirtland as he attended a meeting there on 20 March 1838. Arrived in Missouri on 14 May 1838. (Kirtland Camp, Journal, 20 Mar. 1838; JS, Journal, 14 May 1838.  

    Kirtland Camp. Journal, Mar.–Oct. 1838. CHL. MS 4952.

  11. 11

    Chosen as an assistant counselor in the church presidency on 3 September 1837. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  12. 12

    It appears that Richards left for a mission in fall 1837, during which time Thomas Burdick sat on the council in his place. (Minute Book 1, 8 Oct. 1837; Minutes, 7 Nov. 1837.)  

  13. 13

    Objected to and replaced on 3 September 1837. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  14. 14

    Objected to and replaced on 3 September 1837. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  15. 15

    A revelation directed Granger to move to Missouri in July 1838, but because the Latter-day Saints were expelled from Missouri, he remained in Kirtland. (Letter to William Marks and Newel K. Whitney, 8 July 1838; Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 28 Mar. 1841.)  

    Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

  16. 16

    Objected to and replaced on 3 September 1837. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  17. 17

    Still in Kirtlandby 8 July 1838. (Letter to William Marks and Newel K. Whitney, 8 July 1838.)  

  18. 18

    Died during the 1834 Camp of Israel expedition and was replaced on the high council by Orson Johnson on 28 August 1834. (Minutes, 28–29 Aug. 1834.)  

  19. 19

    Excommunicated from the church sometime before 3 September 1837. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  20. 20

    Left Kirtland for Missouri by 2 October 1837. Replaced by Lyman Sherman. (Minute Book 1, 2 Oct. 1837.)  

  21. 21

    Replaced by John P. Greene on 13 January 1836. (Minutes, 13 Jan. 1836.)  

  22. 22

    Objected to on 3 September 1837, but after confession on 10 September he was retained. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837; Minute Book 1, 10 Sept. 1837.)  

  23. 23

    Likely not in Kirtland on 31 January 1838 as he probably left with or around the same time as JS. (JS, Journal, 13 Mar. 1838.)  

  24. 24

    Replaced by Joseph Kingsbury on 13 January 1836. (Minutes, 13 Jan. 1836.)  

  25. 25

    Objected to and replaced on 3 September 1837. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  26. 26

    Likely in Kirtland as he attended a meeting there on 20 March 1838. (Kirtland Camp, Journal, 20 Mar. 1838.)  

    Kirtland Camp. Journal, Mar.–Oct. 1838. CHL. MS 4952.

  27. 27

    Replaced by Hyrum Smith on 24 September 1834. (Minutes, 24 Sept. 1834.)  

  28. 28

    Replaced Hyrum Smith on 13 January 1836. (Minutes, 13 Jan. 1836.)  

  29. 29

    Likely in Kirtland as he signed the Kirtland camp constitution, 13 March 1838. (Kirtland Camp, Constitution, 13 Mar. 1838, CHL.)  

    Kirtland Camp. Journal, Mar.–Oct. 1838. CHL. MS 4952.

  30. 30

    Replaced by Thomas Grover on 13 January 1836. (Minutes, 13 Jan. 1836.)  

  31. 31

    By 3 September 1837, Grover and his family had moved to Far West, Missouri, and he was replaced on the council on that date. (Minute Book 2, 1 Aug. 1837; Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)  

  32. 32

    Revelation, 4 Dec. 1831–A [D&C 72:1–8]; Hyrum Smith, Diary and Account Book, 10 Feb. 1832; Cahoon, Diary, 10 Feb. 1832.  

    Smith, Hyrum. Diary and Account Book, Nov. 1831–Feb. 1835. Hyrum Smith, Papers, ca. 1832–1844. BYU.

    Cahoon, Reynolds. Diaries, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 1115.

  33. 33

    JS History, 1834–1836, 20.  

  34. 34

    JS, Journal, 13 Jan. 1836; Minutes, 13 Jan. 1836.  

  35. 35

    Cahoon was in Missouri by early May 1838; Knight was there by at least late June 1838. Whitney left Kirtland during fall 1838 but did not reach northwestern Missouri before Missouri governor Lilburn W. Boggs ordered the expulsion of the Latter-day Saints from the state in October. (JS, Journal, 7 and 8 May 1838; Vinson Knight, Spencerburg, MO, to William Cooper, Perryburg, NY, 3 Feb. 1839, International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, UT; “Conference Minutes,” Elders' Journal, Aug. 1838, 61; Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 10 June 1838; [Elizabeth Ann Smith Whitney], “A Leaf from an Autobiography,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 Nov. 1878, 91.)  

    Knight, Vinson. Letter. Spencerburg, MO, to William Cooper, Perryburg, NY, 3 Feb. 1839. International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, UT.

    Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Kirtland, OH, Oct.–Nov. 1837; Far West, MO, July–Aug. 1838.

    Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

    Woman’s Exponent. Salt Lake City. 1872–1914.

  36. 36

    Though the elders quorum had not yet been formally organized, John Gould was listed as “president of the Elders” during a 17 August 1835 meeting in which a general assembly of the church approved the Doctrine and Covenants. (Minutes, 17 Aug. 1835.)  

  37. 37

    Minutes, 15 Jan. 1836; JS, Journal, 15 Jan. 1836; Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 15 Jan. 1836.  

    Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

  38. 38

    Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 25 Jan. 1836.  

    Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

  39. 39

    JS’s journal states that counselors were consecrated and anointed but does not name them. (JS, Journal, 28 Jan. 1836.)  

  40. 40

    Minute Book 1, 27 Nov. 1837.  

  41. 41

    Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 29 Nov. 1837.  

    Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

  42. 42

    Hedlock remained in Kirtland until at least 17 June 1838, when he was released and replaced as president by John Morton; the 10 June 1838 entry in the Elders Quorum record indicates that Hedlock was going to Zion (probably with the Kirtland camp). (Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 10 and 17 June 1838.)  

    Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

  43. 43

    After Beman died, and two days after Hedlock became president, Bosley was ordained a counselor on 29 November 1837. On 26 February 1838, Hedlock ordained Martin Peck as a counselor. This may be because either Morton or Bosley moved to Missouri or was disciplined—though the record of the Kirtland elders quorum does not indicate either. (Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 29 Nov. 1837 and 26 Feb. 1838.)  

    Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

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