Minutes, 9 February 1834

Source Note

Minutes,
Kirtland Township
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
More Info
, Geauga Co., OH, 9 Feb. 1834. Featured version copied [ca. 9 Feb. 1834] in Minute Book 1, pp. 26–27; handwriting of
Orson Hyde
8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...
View Full Bio
; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
The 9 February 1834
conference
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
View Glossary
chronicled in these minutes was evidently called to help church leaders in
Kirtland
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
More Info
, Ohio, including JS, better understand the situation of the
branch
An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...
View Glossary
of the church in
New Portage
Settled by 1815. Population severely diminished by epidemic, possibly typhus, in late 1820s. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited and preached at many meetings in town, by 1831. Large branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized, early...
More Info
, Medina County, Ohio, and to provide instruction to members living there. The New Portage branch was relatively new; several
elders
A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...
View Glossary
, including
Reynolds Cahoon
30 Apr. 1790–29 Apr. 1861. Farmer, tanner, builder. Born at Cambridge, Washington Co., New York. Son of William Cahoon Jr. and Mehitable Hodges. Married Thirza Stiles, 11 Dec. 1810. Moved to northeastern Ohio, 1811. Located at Harpersfield, Ashtabula Co.,...
View Full Bio
,
David Whitmer
7 Jan. 1805–25 Jan. 1888. Farmer, livery keeper. Born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Raised Presbyterian. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, shortly after birth. Attended German Reformed Church. Arranged...
View Full Bio
,
Lyman Johnson
24 Oct. 1811–20 Dec. 1859. Merchant, lawyer, hotelier. Born at Pomfret, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of John Johnson and Alice (Elsa) Jacobs. Moved to Hiram, Portage Co., Ohio, Mar. 1818. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Sidney Rigdon...
View Full Bio
, and
Thomas B. Marsh
1 Nov. 1800–Jan. 1866. Farmer, hotel worker, waiter, horse groom, grocer, type foundry worker, teacher. Born at Acton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of James Marsh and Molly Law. Married first Elizabeth Godkin, 1 Nov. 1820, at New York City. Moved to ...
View Full Bio
, had preached in the area to counteract
Ezra Booth
14 Feb. 1792–before 12 Jan. 1873. Farmer, minister. Born in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Admitted on trial to Methodist ministry, 4 Sept. 1816, and stationed in the Ohio District in Beaver, Pike Co. Admitted into full connection and elected a deacon...
View Full Bio
’s derogatory letters against the church that had been published in the Ohio Star in fall 1831,
1
See Historical Introduction to Revelation, 1 Dec. 1831 [D&C 71].
but no one in the area reportedly joined the church until spring 1833, when Milton Stow
baptized
An ordinance in which an individual is immersed in water for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon explained that those with necessary authority were to baptize individuals who had repented of their sins. Baptized individuals also received the gift of...
View Glossary
“a number of persons, some of whom belonged to the Methodist Church.” Soon thereafter,
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
View Full Bio
baptized sixteen people in New Portage, and by early 1835, according to one estimate, more than sixty church members lived in the area.
2
Ambrose Palmer, 28 Jan. 1835, Letter to the Editor, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Jan. 1835, 1:62; “Progress of the Church of Christ,” The Evening and the Morning Star, June 1833, 100.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
The New Portage branch continued to grow after the 9 February conference was over.
3
The branch comprised ninety-three members by January 1835 and one hundred members by 6 June 1835. (Ambrose Palmer, 28 Jan. 1835, Letter to the Editor, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Jan. 1835, 1:62; Minute Book 1, 6–7 June 1835.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

In the minutes featured here, church members in
New Portage
Settled by 1815. Population severely diminished by epidemic, possibly typhus, in late 1820s. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited and preached at many meetings in town, by 1831. Large branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized, early...
More Info
were instructed to build a “temporary house” for meetings. The proceedings of several councils and conferences held in the New Portage area over the next two years were recorded in Minute Book 1,
4
See Minute Book 1, 8 Sept. 1834; 18 Nov. 1835; 10 June 1836.
and the last such meeting of record, dated 10 June 1836, was held at the home of
Ambrose Palmer
15 Sept. 1784–before Sept. 1838. Farmer, tavern keeper, surveyor, glass worker, manufacturer, justice of the peace. Born at Winchester, Litchfield Co., Connecticut. Moved to Trumbull Co., Ohio, by 1807. Married Lettis (Lettice) Hawkins of Castleton, Rutland...
View Full Bio
, suggesting that branch members may not have built the meetinghouse as they had been instructed to do.

Footnotes
1. 1
  See Historical Introduction to Revelation, 1 Dec. 1831 [D&C 71].
2. 2
  Ambrose Palmer, 28 Jan. 1835, Letter to the Editor, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Jan. 1835, 1:62; “Progress of the Church of Christ,” The Evening and the Morning Star, June 1833, 100.
  
  Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
  The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
3. 3
  The branch comprised ninety-three members by January 1835 and one hundred members by 6 June 1835. (Ambrose Palmer, 28 Jan. 1835, Letter to the Editor, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Jan. 1835, 1:62; Minute Book 1, 6–7 June 1835.)
  
  Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
4. 4
  See Minute Book 1, 8 Sept. 1834; 18 Nov. 1835; 10 June 1836.

Hide editing marks

of Bro. was taken into consideration whether he should remove from to or not; it was decided that he should not remove.

The work of the building of the in was also taken into Consid[e]ration it was decided that the brethren in this place should assist in Erecting the all that is in their power, that the of the Church may be endowed with power from on high according to the promise of God, that the work of the father may roll forth. It was also advised that the brethren in this place, build a temporary house to meet in for the present, knowing that a of will not be established in this place at present, and by building a cheap house in this place, the brethren can be able to do more towards building the in .

Clk [p. 27]

of Bro. was taken into consideration whether he should remove from to or not; it was decided that he should not remove.

The work of the building of the in was also taken into Consideration it was decided that the brethren in this place should assist in Erecting the all that is in their power, that the of the Church may be endowed with power from on high according to the promise of God, that the work of the father may roll forth. It was also advised that the brethren in this place, build a temporary house to meet in for the present, knowing that a of will not be established in this place at present, and by building a cheap house in this place, the brethren can be able to do more towards building the in .

Clk [p. 27]

View entire transcript |

Cite this page

Document Information
Editorial Title
Minutes, 9 February 1834
ID #
7878
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D3:425–427
Handwriting on This Page
- Orson Hyde
Footnotes
1. 4
  It is unclear who was contemplating having Rigdon move to New Portage, Medina County, or why. One church member living in Medina County singled out Rigdon as the missionary “who opened the scriptures to our understanding in that clear light in which we had never before understood them.” Rigdon had also successfully presided over a council held in nearby Norton, Ohio, that settled a local controversy. JS’s later history explicitly linked the decision to keep Rigdon in Kirtland with the recital of “the proceedings of a former Conference” mentioned in the minutes here. The history states, “It had been suggested that Elder Rigdon might remove from Kirtland to New Portage, but after listening to the proceedings of a previous conference, in Portage, . . . it was decided that Elder Rigdon should not remove.” (Ambrose Palmer, 28 Jan. 1835, Letter to the Editor, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Jan. 1835, 1:62; Minutes, 2 May 1833; JS History, vol. A-1, 424.)
  
  Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
2. 5
  The effort to enlist the help of church members to build the House of the Lord in Kirtland began on 4 May 1833, when a conference of high priests appointed Hyrum Smith, Jared Carter, and Reynolds Cahoon as a committee to oversee the collection of funds for constructing the building. One month later, on 1 June 1833, the committee issued a circular to branches of the church advising them how to collect funds from its members. (Minutes, 4 May 1833; Hyrum Smith et al., Kirtland, OH, to “the Churches of Christ,” 1 June 1833, in JS Letterbook 1, pp. 36–38.)
3. 6
  A revelation dated 2 January 1831 directed members of the Church of Christ living in New York to move to Ohio, where they would be “endowed with power from on high” preparatory to engaging in “a great work . . . among all Nations.” A later revelation associated this endowment of power with the House of the Lord in Kirtland. (Revelation, 2 Jan. 1831 [D&C 38:32–33]; Revelation, 1 June 1833 [D&C 95:8]; see also Revelation, Feb. 1831–A [D&C 43:16].)

Minutes, 9 February 1834

Cite this page

Request for Documents