Footnotes
Coltrin, Diary and Notebook, 23 Mar. 1833. The school that Coltrin referred to is the School of the Prophets.
Coltrin, Zebedee. Diary and Notebook, 1832–1833. Zebedee Coltrin, Diaries, 1832–1834. CHL. MS 1443, fd. 2.
Coltrin, Diary and Notebook, 26 Mar. 1833.
Coltrin, Zebedee. Diary and Notebook, 1832–1833. Zebedee Coltrin, Diaries, 1832–1834. CHL. MS 1443, fd. 2.
Patten, Journal, 25 Mar. 1833, [42].
Patten, David W. Journal, 1832–1834. CHL. MS 603.
Revelation, 1 June 1833 [D&C 95:10].
The assignments listed here were, by all accounts, a result of decisions made at the 23 March meeting and are thus featured herein after the other minutes recorded for this meeting, although the order of the two entries is reversed in Minute Book 1. (See Minutes, 23 Mar. 1833–A.)
| ) | to go to N Yor [New York] |
| & | |
| ) |
| ) | go to from thence eastward— |
| ) |
| ) | to g[o] west see to the affa[i]r of his family thence as the spirit directs |
| ) | Eastward preach by the way and go to the Churches that they have raised up &c—— |
| ) |
| ) | East as far as and & the Churches round about and Labour with them |
| ) |
| ) | Journey eastward to and find and make known to him what the Lord is doing in this place |
| ) |
| ) | Should return and find his brother and bring him to understanding and remain where he now lives till provision can be made for him |
| ) | go to and preach by the way—— |
| ) |
Murdock and Coltrin left Kirtland on 26 March 1833 and stayed with Coltrin’s brother Graham in Painesville, Ohio, on their way to Thompson, Ohio. Continuing east through Pennsylvania, Murdock and Coltrin arrived at Westfield Township, New York, on 10 April 1833. (Murdock, Journal, 26 Mar. and 10 Apr. 1833; Coltrin, Diary and Notebook, 26–28 Mar. and 10 Apr. 1833.)
Murdock, John. Journal, ca. 1830–1859. John Murdock, Journal and Autobiography, ca. 1830–1867. CHL. MS 1194, fd. 2.
Coltrin, Zebedee. Diary and Notebook, 1832–1833. Zebedee Coltrin, Diaries, 1832–1834. CHL. MS 1443, fd. 2.
Johnson and Pratt had returned in mid-February from a yearlong mission through several eastern states, where they enjoyed considerable success. Pratt’s later history reported that in their 1832 mission he and Johnson “traveled on foot near 4000 miles; attended 207 meetings mostly in places where they had not heard the word; baptized 104 persons and organized several new branches of the Church.” Of the new assignment given here, Pratt reflected, “Elder Lyman Johnson and myself, having received a commandment, through the prophet, to visit the Churches and preach in the eastern states, left Kirtland on the 26th of March to fill our mission. We arrived in Bath, New Hampshire on the 7th [of] June, having attended 44 meetings by the way and baptized 13.” Pratt and Johnson returned to Kirtland on 28 September 1833 after, according to Pratt, “having been absent 6 months during which I traveled about 2000 miles; attended 125 meetings, and baptized upwards of 50 persons.” (“History of Orson Pratt,” 16–17, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861, CHL.)
Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.
Hyrum Smith’s journal chronicled his departure with Orson Hyde and indicated that the purpose of their mission was both evangelical and financial: “I Hyrum Smith after tarriing [tarrying] in Kirtland three month[s] and 5 Days labouring with my Hands & in the Spirit in the Church of Christ I Started again on the twenty Sixth Day of the third month (1833) to Journey Eastward to Proclaim the gospel to the world and to Call upon the rich to ass[is]t the Poor Saints in Kirtland the 26th went to Painsvill.” Hyde later also gave an account of their mission: “In the Spring of 1833 I in company with Hyrum Smith, went on a mission to Elk Creek township, Erie Co. Pa. where we labored several weeks, and baptized a number of persons into a branch of the Church, previously raised up there by the ministry of John F. Boynton and others. We also preached considerably in North East Township Ohio, and in other places while passing to and fro, baptizing some few by the way. Returned to Kirtland in the summer.” (Hyrum Smith, Diary, 26 Mar. 1833, [10]; “History of Orson Hyde,” 12, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861, CHL.)
Smith, Hyrum. Diary, Mar.–Apr. 1839, Oct. 1840. CHL. MS 2945.
Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.
Humphrey’s intended destination was probably the Stockholm, New York, area, where he lived before his conversion. After his baptism, Humphrey moved to Kirtland in 1831. (1830 U.S. Census, Stockholm, St. Lawrence Co., NY, 41; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 11, [2].)
Census (U.S.) / U.S. Bureau of the Census. Population Schedules. Microfilm. FHL.
Sherman had been absent from his family while serving a mission during the summer of 1832. (“Biography of Lewis Robbins,” 2.)
“Biography of Lewis Robbins,” ca. 1845. Typescript. CHL. MS 18637.
Sylvester Smith had recently returned to Kirtland from New York, where he had served a mission the previous winter. In a letter dated 16 May 1833 from Chenango Point, New York, Smith indicated that he and Harpin Riggs, who had just been ordained an elder on 15 February 1833, left Kirtland around the first week of April. Smith’s letter does not reference their mission to find and inform Martin Harris. Referring to Riggs, Smith wrote, “Though young, he bids fair to be useful. His faith is good.” Smith also gave details on their travels: “We have travelled about five hundred miles in about six weeks. We held fifteen meetings, and I trust that we shall continue to receive the grace of God to support us even to the end.” (“Biography of Lewis Robbins,” 2; Minutes, 15 Feb. 1833; “Progress of the Church of Christ,” The Evening and the Morning Star, July 1833, 108–109.)
“Biography of Lewis Robbins,” ca. 1845. Typescript. CHL. MS 18637.
The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
Bishop had only recently arrived in Kirtland. At a conference four days earlier, he “arose and said he came for information and desired to know his duty.” His brother, Gladden Bishop, was an elder and was likely living at or near Westfield Township, New York. What is meant by the direction to “bring him [Gladden] to understanding” is unclear. But by at least 24 June 1833, Gladden was apparently a member of the church in good standing, as he served as the chairman of a disciplinary council of elders. (Minute Book 1, 24 June 1833.)
Rigdon was born and raised at St. Clair Township, Pennsylvania, located just outside of Pittsburgh. (JS History, vol. A-1, 61.)
Whether Rigdon and Johnson actually went to Pittsburgh is unknown. By 21 April 1833, JS received a letter from Rigdon reporting his missionary success in Medina County, Ohio, approximately 120 miles west of Pittsburgh. Given the distance between Kirtland and Pittsburgh and the transit time needed for the letter to arrive, if Johnson and Rigdon did travel to Pittsburgh after this meeting, they could not have preached there for long. By 2 May 1833, Rigdon was once again in Kirtland. (Letter to Church Leaders in Jackson Co., MO, 21 Apr. 1833; Minutes, 2 May 1833.)
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