Chronology of Mormonism
Encyclopedia
This is a chronology of Mormonism. In the late 1820s, founder Joseph Smith, Jr. announced that an angel had given him a set of golden plates
engraved with a chronicle of ancient American peoples
, which he had a unique gift to translate. In 1830, he published the resulting narratives as the Book of Mormon
and founded the Church of Christ in western New York
, claiming it to be a restoration of early Christianity
.
Moving the church to Kirtland, Ohio
in 1831, Smith attracted hundreds of converts, who were called Latter Day Saints. He sent some to Jackson County, Missouri
to establish a city of Zion
. In 1833, Missouri settlers expelled the Saints from Zion, and Smith's paramilitary expedition
to recover the land was unsuccessful. Fleeing an arrest warrant in the aftermath of a Kirtland financial crisis
, Smith joined his remaining followers in Far West, Missouri
, but tensions escalated into violent conflicts with the old Missouri settlers. Believing the Saints to be in insurrection, the Missouri governor
ordered their expulsion from Missouri, and Smith was imprisoned on capital charges
.
After escaping state custody in 1839, Smith directed the conversion of a swampland into Nauvoo, Illinois
, where he became both mayor and commander of a nearly autonomous militia
. In 1843, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States
. The following year, after the Nauvoo Expositor
criticized his power and such new doctrines as plural marriage, Smith and the Nauvoo city council ordered the newspaper's destruction as a nuisance
. In a futile attempt to check public outrage, Smith first declared martial law
, then surrendered to the governor of Illinois
. He was killed by a mob
while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois
.
After Smith's death, his followers split in to several groups, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who followed Brigham Young
as Smith's successor. These Mormons followed Young to the Great Basin
, where they established a theocratic society. Eventually, after the Mormons discontinued their practice of polygamy, they entered mainstream American society and became champions of the nuclear family. A branch of Mormon fundamentalists who disagreed with that decision broke off from the LDS Church and established their own organizations. In the 20th century, the LDS Church grew dramatically, and currently has millions of members worldwide.
, she tells of a vision in which Jesus
spoke through a veil and told her to "warn the people to prepare for death" and to "declare faithfully unto them their accountability before God". .
24 January 1796 : Smith's parents Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
are married in Tunbridge, Vermont
by Seth Austin
1796 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith states in a letter that "I believe that the stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, spoken by Daniel, and has smitten the image upon his feet." .
1797 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith have an unnamed baby child, who dies. . There is disagreement on whether this was a boy or a girl.
6 December 1797 : Joseph, Sr., his father Asael, his brother Jesse, and fourteen others form a Universalist
Society. .
11 February 1798 : Smith's brother Alvin Smith
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
10 April 1799 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith writes a letter to his family, intended to be read after his death, articulating his belief in universal salvation
, warning them not to look to outward formalities of religion. . Asael Smith, however, was a pew holder of the local Congregational church
, a church known at the time for having preachers who taught Christian Universalism
and Unitarian
theology.
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
4 August 1800 – 4 May 1801 : The Smith family may not have been counted during the 1800 U.S. census. Although there are "Joseph Smith" families in both Tunbridge
and Poultney, Vermont
, neither of them match in ages and children with the family of Joseph and Lucy Smith. .
1800-02 : Smith, Sr. may have moved temporarily to or visited Poultney, Vermont
, 50 miles from Tunbridge, according to residents who said he lived there "at the time of the Wood movement
here". .
spring or early summer 1800 : A counterfeiter named (Justus?) Winchell organizes a dowsing
company to dig for money in Middletown
and Rutland, Vermont
. Winchell associates with Nathaniel Wood
, who had founded the New Israelites
some years earlier, whose religious elements included temple building, divination, polygamy, and the idea that they were literal descendants of the Israelites. . Among the company is Warren Cowdery, Jr., the father of Oliver Cowdery
, the dowser
who became Smith's scribe in 1829. . According to interviews conducted by a local historian, Joseph Smith, Sr.
was also part of the New Israelites, and was one of its "leading rods-men" . There is no historical consensus linking Smith, Sr. to the New Israelites; however, he said that his money digging career began during this decade or earlier. .
14 January 1802 : The New Israelites
, having prophesied this day as the end of the world, are confronted by local militia. This is known as the "Wood Scrape". The militia fires their weapons to disperse the "Fraternity of Rodsmen". .
about spring 1802 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith rent out their farm in Tunbridge, Vermont
and move to the more urban Randolph, Vermont
to set up a merchant shop. They operate with $1,800 in goods on credit from merchants in Boston
. .
1802 : Soon after moving to Randolph, Smith, Sr. speculates on a shipment of ginseng
, which he sends from the port in New York City
to China
.
about fall or winter 1802 : Six months after moving to Randolph, Lucy contracts tuberculosis
. .
1802-03 : While deathly ill, Lucy has a religious conversion
after she believes she hears the voice of God. . She said that she perceived her "mind at one time raising gradually, borne away to Heaven above all hight [sic] then reverting back again to my babes and my Companion at my side", after which she promised God that if she would live, she would try to find religion, and then heard a voice saying "Seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you let your heart be comforted ye believe in God believe [sic] also in me". . Lucy tries to find a religious home, but is unhappy with several ministers; therefore, she concludes that "there is not on Earth the religion which I seek I must again turn to my bible taking Jesus and his deciples [sic] for an ensample". .
1803 : A large Christian revival sweeps across Vermont
and Connecticut
. .
about 1803 : After the ship returns from China with the proceeds from the sale of Smith Sr.'s ginseng (a round trip that might have taken about a year), the earnings are stolen by a Royalton
merchant who flees to Canada
. .
1803 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith move from Royalton
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
1803 : The Smiths must sell their farm in Tunbridge to cover their debts to Boston
merchants, and they thereafter become poor tenants. .
17 May 1803 : Smith's sister Sophronia is born in Tunbridge
. .
1803-04 : Lucy attends meetings at a Methodist
church, and Smith, Sr. "went a few times to gratify [Lucy] for he had so little faith in the doctrines taught by them that my feelings were the only inducement for him to go"..
1803-04 : Hearing that Joseph, Sr. is attending Methodist meetings, Smith's Universalist
grandfather Asael Smith appears at his door, throws Thomas Paine
's Age of Reason
, into the house, and angrily demands that Smith, Sr. read it until he had believes it. He also suggests that Smith, Sr. ought not let Lucy attend the meetings. As a result, the Smiths stop attending Methodist church meetings. .
1803-04 : Lucy Mack Smith
visits a grove near Tunbridge
to pray about her husband's rejection of organized religion. When she returns home and goes to sleep that night, she has a vision that Smith, Sr. would eventually accept the "pure and undefiled Gospel of the Son of God" .
about 1804 : The Smiths move from Tunbridge
to Royalton, Vermont
, where they "resided a few months". .
27 August 1804 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack purchases property in Sharon, Vermont
. .
1804-05 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy move to Sharon, Vermont
, where they rent the farm of Lucy's father while Joseph, Sr. cultivates crops in the summer and teaches school in the winter. . Solomon Mack likely lives with them. .
23 December 1805 : Smith is born in Sharon, Vermont
to Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
. . Vermont residents recall that Smith, Sr. told them the young Joseph was born with a caul
(a sign of good luck), and that Smith, Sr. "intended to procure a stone for [him] to see all over the world with". .
3 May 1806 : Smith, Sr. witnesses a land transaction between his in-laws Solomon Mack and Daniel G. Mack in Sharon, Vermont
. .
1 April 1807 : In the court of Windsor County, Vermont, a person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
16 April 1807 : A second person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
1807 : Sharon
resident George Downer is convicted of passing two counterfeit bills the previous spring. There is some tenuous evidence, based in part on a descendant of the counterfeiter against whom Smith, Sr. testified on April 1, that Smith, Sr. was an accomplice in that case who avoided conviction by turning state's evidence
. See (noting the evidence is weak, but arguing that it favors the involvement of Smith, Sr. given that court records verify there was an unnamed accomplice who testified against Downer). But see (discounting the evidence; Brooke notes that Brodie does not mention the court records showing there was an unnamed accomplice witness).
1807 : Smith family moves from Sharon
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
.
15 October 1807 : Smith, Jr., his brother Jesse, and other Tunbridge residents petition the Vermont legislature for an exemption from providing their own military equipment as members of the Vermont militia. .
13 March 1808 : Smith's brother Samuel is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
1808-1810 : Smith family moves from Tunbridge
to Royalton, Vermont
.
1808-1810 : Smith possibly attends school on Dewey Hill, taught by Deacon John Rinney, although he may have been too young. .
. .
24 March 1810 : Ephraim Smith dies. .
winter of 1810-11 : A Christian revival occurs in the towns around Royalton, Vermont
. . Smith, Sr. becomes "much excited upon the subject of religion" and "contended" for a restoration of primitive Christianity. .
spring 1811 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack, after being ill all winter in Sharon, Vermont
, and after searching the scriptures and praying, sees a vision and later hears a voice. . He is converted to evangelical Calvinism
and denounces Universalism
. .
13 March 1811 : Smith's brother William is born in Royalton, Vermont
.
April 1811 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
tells his family about his first vision. He sees a field representing the barrenness of true religion upon the earth, and he sees a log containing a box. His spirit guide tells him that if he eats the contents of the box, he will be filled with "wisdom and understanding". He raises the lid of the box, but is unable to eat its contents because "all manner of beasts, horned cattle, and roaring animals, rose up on every side in the most threatening manner possible". Based on the vision, Smith, Sr. concludes, more than ever, that there is no true religion on the earth. He would have six other visions between 1811 and 1819.
1811 (after May 11): After selling his property in Sharon, Vermont
and moving to live with Smith's uncle Daniel in Royalton
, Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack self-publishes a booklet describing his heavenly visions and voices of the previous winter: .
1812 (after May) : Smith family moves from Royalton, Vermont
to Lebanon, New Hampshire
.
1812 (after May) : Joseph Smith, Sr.
has his second vision, in which he saw a barren field representing the desolate world, a "narrow path", a stream with a rope running along its bank leading to a beautiful tree bearing a fruit whiter than snow that was "delicious beyond description. While eating, he thought "I cannot eat this alone, I must bring my wife and children, that they may partake with me." Thus, he brought his family to eat the fruit. However, there was a "spacious building" across the valley where the tree was, filed with finely-dressed people looking down and mocking Smith's family. Smith's spirit guide said that the fruit represented "the pure love of Christ". The guide said that the spacious building represented "Babylon, and it must fall". .
winter of 1812–1813 : Smith and his siblings contract typhoid fever
, and Smith acquires osteomyelitis
in his leg. He has surgery to remove infected bone, causing him to hobble on crutches at least until 1816. .
about 1813 : Smith stays with his uncle Jesse Smith in Salem, Massachusetts
while recovering from his leg operation.
8 July 1813 : Smith's sister Katherine is born in Lebanon, New Hampshire
. .
by May 1815: Smith family moves to Norwich, Vermont
, and their first year of crops fails. They survive by selling fruit. .
15 March 1816 : The Smith family is "warned out of town
" in Norwich, Vermont
. .
1816 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
relates to his family his third vision, in which he was lame, but his spirit guide sent him through a garden amidst 12 wooden images of giants. After each of the wooden giants sequentially bowed toward him in obeisance, he was healed. .
25 March 1816 : Smith's brother Don Carlos is born. .
summer 1816 : New England
and other areas experience a climate abnormality known as the Year Without a Summer
.
1816 - 1817 : Palmyra experiences a large Christian revival
.
fall 1816 : Smith, Sr. moves to the village of Palmyra, New York
. dates this as the summer of 1816.
January 1817 : Lucy Mack Smith and the remainder of the family move to Palmyra
, where they live in a small house on Main Street. .
abt. 1817 : Smith, Sr. opens a "cake and beer shop" in Palmyra, selling "gingerbread, pies, boiled eggs, root-beer, and other like notions of traffic", and peddles these on the street from a handcart during Independence Day
celebrations and military training days". . A journalist who visited the area in 1831 wrote in his notes that Smith, Sr. "was a vender—made gingerbread and buttermints &c&c". He said, "In this article [gingerbread? ginger?] he was a considerable speculator, having on hand during a fall of price no less than two baskets full.... What their dividends were I could not learn, but they used considerable molasses
, and were against the duty
on that article". .
abt. 1817 : Influenced by the Christian revivals of 1816-17 , Smith later recalls, "At about the age of twelve years my mind become [sic] seriously imprest with regard to the all importent [sic] concerns for the wellfare [sic] of my immortal Soul which led me to searching the scriptures believeing [sic] as I was taught, that they contained the word of God thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations led me to marvel excedingly [sic] for I discovered that they did notadorn instead of adorning their profession by a holy walk and Godly conversation agreeable to what I found contained in that sacred depository." .
1817-19 : In Palmyra, Smith, Sr. and his oldest sons take occasional day jobs, such as gardening, harvesting, and well-digging, to supplement their income. . Lucy Mack Smith
sets up a business selling painted oil-cloth coverings .
April 1817 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
is listed on the local road list as living in Palmyra village
, on Road District 26. .
1817-21 : During some period between these years, Smith visits the office of the Palmyra Register weekly and buys a news paper for his father. .
December 1817 : A "Joseph Smith" (Sr.?) joins the Masonic
lodge in nearby Canandaigua, New York
. .
April 1818 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
family is living in Palmyra village
. .
May 1818: Joseph Smith, Sr.
relates to his family his sixth vision. Smith, Sr. rushes toward a meetinghouse where multitudes of other people are entering, but just as he arrives there, the door shuts before him. The porter tells him that he must be barred entry to satisfy justice. After praying for forgiveness of sins, the mercy of Jesus
satisfied the needs of justice and he was allowed entrance. .
April 1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
family is listed on tax records as still living in Palmyra village
. .
1819 : The Smith family builds a log home in the town of Palmyra
, away from the village and adjacent to the border of Manchester
. said they moved into the log home two years after arriving in Palmyra. remembers the Smiths occupying this log home in the winter of 1819-20. dates the move to the log home to 1818, said that the Smiths occupied the land as squatters
, and described the log home as "divided into two rooms, on the ground-floor, and had a low garret, in two apartments. A bedroom wing, built of sawed slabs, was afterward added". They may have begun clearing trees and farming nearby land they did not yet own, or they may have been renting the land.
1819-1820s : While on their new property, the Smiths engage in "chopping and retailing of cord-wood, the raising and bartering of small crops of agricultural products and garden vegetables, the manufacture and sale of black-ash baskets and birch brooms, the making of maple sugar and molasses in the season for that work, and in the continued business of peddling cake and beer in the village on days of public doings". They also engage in hunting and fishing, trapping muskrat
s, and digging out groundhog
s from their holes, and spending time at Palmyra
shops. .
1819-1820s : Smith, Jr. works as a clerk for the peddling of cake and beer on public occasions, and sometimes is duped into accepting counterfeit coins from other youth. . See also ("I believe his son, Joe Junior, was at times a partner in the concern.").
1819 : Alvin Smith
leaves home to raise money for the family .
1819 : An unknown shooter hides under a wagon, and when Smith approaches his home, the shooter fires across the path, missing Smith but lodging a bullet in a cow. .
1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
tells his family about his seventh and last vision, telling him that he lacked one thing in order to secure his salvation. His spirit guide wrote what that one thing was on a piece of paper, but Smith, Sr. awoke before he could read it. .
September 1819 : According to , Smith discovers a seer stone, which is white and opaque, and resembles a child's foot. Tucker's account apparently conflates the story of finding this stone with the better-documented story of Smith finding his brown seer stone in 1822. argues that this 1819 date cannot be relied upon, and that it is not established that Smith began using a seer stone for treasure digging until 1822.
resident William Stafford and makes the sacrifice within a circle at the cite of the dig. After three hours of digging, one of the party accidentally breaks the enchantment by breaking silence and causes the excavation to fail.
about 1820 : According to , Smith is paid 75 cents to locate a stolen roll of cloth with his seer stone. He sends the owner on a three mile trip to look for the cloth, but it is never found.
about 1820 : During this period are the earliest reports of the Smiths conducting treasure quests in the Palmyra/Manchester area. date this earliest digging to 1820. See also (dating the first digs to 1820 and suggesting the first digs occurred on their Manchester land). In , James Gordon Bennett
says, without giving a definite year, that "the Smith's and their associates commenced digging, in the numerous hills which diversify the face of the country in the town of Manchester. The sensible country people paid slight attention to them at first.... They Would occasionally conceal their purposes, and at other times reveal them by such snatches as might excite curiosity. They dug these holes by day, and at night talked and dreamed over the counties' riches they should enjoy, if they could only hit upon an iron chest full of dollars. In excavating the grounds, they began taking up the green sod in the form of a circle of six feed diameter—then would continue to dig to the depth of ten, twenty, and sometimes thirty feet.")
April : Smith family is listed on local records as living at the end of Stafford Road in Palmyra Township
(i.e., their log home at the border adjacent to Manchester
). Alvin Smith
is listed as living in Palmyra village
. .
spring : According to , Smith uses his seer stone to locate buried treasure near the Smiths' property, and gathers contributions from Palmyra residence for an excavation, which is conducted "at the dead hour of night". After "preparatory mystic ceremonies", digging begins in absolute silence in order not to break the "enchantment". When the chest of money is nearly within reach, one of the party accidentally speaks, thus causing the treasure to vanish. dates this treasure quest to after 1822, arguing that Smith did not obtain his first stone until that year.
spring : According to Smith's later accounts, he has his First Vision
. Depending on the account, it is either a visit by one or more angels, or a theophany
. In the vision, a heavenly messenger tells him his sins are forgiven and that all the churches on the Earth at that time were false.
in what was then Farmington
. (In 1821, this would become the town of Manchester
.) They had already been working this land, either squatting or renting from the owner. said that Smith made a small payment "to bind the bargain".
18 July : Smith's youngest sister Lucy is born. .
1822 : Alvin begins construction on a frame house for the Smiths.
February–August : Smith takes an interest in Methodism
. says that Smith "catch[es] a spark of Methodism
in the camp meeting
, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road", and is known there as "a very passable exhorter" at evening Methodist meetings. says that Smith "joined the probationary class of the Methodist church in Palmyra, and made some active demonstrations of engagedness". According to Turner, this date must be after Smith's participation in the debating club (i.e., after Jan. 25, 1822). Date must also be after 7 July 1821, when the Methodists acquired their property in the woods off Vienna Road The Methodists did not begin building their meetinghouse on Vienna Road until 19 June 1822 , but may have held camp meetings there while waiting for the building. It also must be on or before the summer of 1822, when Turner left the Palmyra area . dates this to the revivals of 1824-25, but does not acknowledge that Turner said he left the Palmyra area in the summer of 1822.
February–August : Smith withdraws from his Methodist probationary class. says that Smith "arose and announced that his mission was to restore the true priesthood. He appointed a number of meetings, but no one seemed inclined to follow him as the leader of a new religion." says that Smith's "assumed convictions were insufficiently grounded or abiding to carry him along to the saving point of conversion, and he soon withdrew from the class. The final conclusion announced by him was, that all sectarianism was fallicious, all the churches on a false foundation, and the Bible a fable."
1822 : Smith finds the black seer stone from a neighbor and locates his own seer stone in a well, at a depth of 22 feet. The digging occurred on the property of Clark Chase, whose son Willard disputed Smith's ownership of the stone. This would be the stone he used for later money digging and translation of the Book of Mormon
.
1822-23? : The Smiths seek the expertise of a reputed treasure seer
living many miles away. Several sources identify this seer as Luman Walter
. In , reprinting an 1831 article by James Gordon Bennett
, Bennett describes this great seer as having "a particular felicity in finding out the spots of ground where money is hid and riches obtained. [Some anonymous member of the treasure quest party] related long stories how this person had been along shore in the east—how he had much experience in money digging—how he dreamt of the very spots where it could be found". He said that the Smiths worked for a time "to scrape together a little 'change' sufficient to fetch on the money dreamer." Bennett believed this distant magician was Sidney Rigdon
, based on discussion with Palmyra
residents who thought Rigdon was the author
of the Book of Mormon
. However, the story parallels a story told by Abner Cole
in the Palmyra Reflector on 12 June 1830 (see below), which says the distant magician was Luman Walter
, an occultist from Sodus, New York
who had been educated in Europe.
1822-23 : Smith, Sr. participates in treasure digging under the direction of scryer
Luman Walter
, with at least one dig on the property of Palmyra journalist Abner Cole
, according to . states that Cole's property was "Manchester lot 2". Cole lost this property some time after 19 August 1824, after which Benjamin Tabor owned it. Enoch Saunders rented from at least Tabor, and was renting at the time this excavation occurred.
about 1822-24? : Luman Walter
assists or conducts digs on the hill Cumorah
. According to one Palmyra resident, Walter conducts three digs on the hill Cumorah
, after having no success, he suggests that Smith, Jr. might be the only one that could find treasure there. . relates a story reported by James Gordon Bennett
that "About the time that this person [the scryer from far away, which Bennett identifies as Sidney Rigdon
but could be Walter] appeared among them, a splendid excavation was begun in a long narrow hill, between Manchester and Palmyra. This hill has been called by some, the Golden Bible Hill.... In the face of this hill, the money diggers renewed their work with fresh ardour, [the scryer/Rigdon] partly uniting with them in their operations." Bennett dates this story to about the time of the Palmyra's large religious revival of 1824-25. . says that on the summit of Cumorah is a "yet partially visible pit where the money speculators had previously dug for another kind of treasure".
congregationalist
minister in Poultney, Vermont
(and pastor of Oliver Cowdery
's family), publishes View of the Hebrews from the press of the Poultney Gazette. The book concludes, based on reports of a parchment book, metal artifacts, and plates found in Indian burial mounds, that the American Indian peoples were the Ten Lost Tribes
. . See (contains an internal date of July 1823).
21–22 September : Late at night, Smith says he had three visions, and one again in the morning, of an angel, who showed him the location of a buried golden book
engraved with a history of the Indians.
22 September : Smith tells his father about his visions of the angel, and visits the hill Cumorah
where the angel said the plates were buried. He returns empty-handed, claiming that he had failed to strictly follow the angel's commandments. He says the angel required him to return in exactly one year with his brother Alvin
.
23 September : Smith tells the rest of his family about the visions and his visit to Cumorah .
September–November : Every night, the Smith family gathers to hear Smith tell stories of the "ancient inhabitants of this continent, [including] their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship" .
23 October : The Wayne Sentinel, to which the Smith family subscribed , recounts a vision of Asa Wild, who said that "every denomination of professing christians had become exceedingly corrupt", including the Presbyterians and Methodists, of which he had been a member. Therefore, prior to the Millennium
, which would arrive in seven years (i.e., 1830), there would be a restoration of primitive Christianity. God was in the process of "raising up" a class of people "signified by the Angel mentioned by the Revelator, XIV. 6, 7, which flew in the midst of heaven" who would preach the true gospel. These people "are of an inferior class, and small learning", and "they will be rejected by every denomination as a body; but soon, God will open their way, by miracles, judgments, &c." See .
15 November : Alvin contracts "bilious cholic", and a physician administers a toxic amount of calomel
. Five physicians are unable to get him to expel the poison .
19 November: Alvin dies. On his death bed, he encourages Smith to "do everything that lies in your power" to obtain the golden plates
. .
20 November : Smith pays a $3.00 fee at the Palmyra drug store. .
17 May : A new land agent, John Greenwood, receives power of attorney over the Smith property. .
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
and returns empty handed because he was unable to bring Alvin (or possibly one of Alvin's body parts). . The angel requires him to return in exactly one year with the "right person"; Smith was to know that person by looking in his seer stone.
25 Sept. : The Smith family hears rumors that Alvin's grave had been exhumed and dissected (possibly by the young Joseph Smith). To prove this was untrue, Joseph Smith, Sr.
has Alvin's body exhumed in the presence of witnesses.
29 Sept. : Joseph Smith, Sr.
runs an add in the Wayne Sentinel for six weeks, announcing that he had exhumed Alvin's body, and that it was undisturbed. It also runs 6, 13, 20, 27 October and 3 November.
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : The Palmyra area experiences a large Christian revival
of Baptists and Presbyterians, and Lucy, Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel become Presbyterians. . Smith discourages them from attending, preferring solitary study of the Bible
. .
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : According to James Gordon Bennett
, during the Palmyra revivals, Smith first began "turning their digging concern into a religious plot." Subscribing to the Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
, Bennett states that the idea for this shift was Sidney Rigdon
's. .
22 September : Smith visits Cumorah
and returns empty handed. Prior to this date, Smith had selected Samuel T. Lawrence as the "right person", and either Smith changed his mind and visited Cumorah alone, or brought Lawrence to the hill but the angel failed to appear. .
11 October : A speech by M. M. Noah, a Jewish rabbi and editor of the New York Enquirer is reprinted in The Wayne Sentinel
of Palmyra, summarizing the many parallels found in other literature between the American Indians and the Jews. .
October–November : The frame house begun by Alvin in 1822 is finally completed and the family moves in. . says this house is partly enclosed, and never completed, and that the Smiths used the original log home as a barn.
October : Smith is approached by Josiah Stowell, from South Bainbridge, New York
, who had been searching for a lost Spanish mine near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
(now Oakland
), and needed a treasure seer .
October : Smith and his father travel to Harmony
hoping to raise money to pay off their Manchester farm.
1 November : Smith, Sr, Smith, Jr., and seven others sign a contract for a money digging company in Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
. .
November : The money digging company stays at the home of Isaac Hale, father of Smith's future wife Emma Hale
. .
17 November : The money digging company disbands.
November 1825 to March 1826 : Although the money digging company has disbanded, Smith continues to work for Josiah Stowell, and attends school. . Smith uses two stones to search for treasure and prays for help in the endeavor. .
December : Because the Smiths are delinquent on their mortgage, land agent John Greenwood sells the Smith farm to a group of three men. The new owners give the Smiths until 15 December for Hyrum to raise $1,000. .
20 December : A local Quaker named Lemuel Durfee Sr. buys the farm and allows the Smiths to rent the property until spring 1828, in exchange for labor by Samuel. .
before Justice Albert Neely. He is charged with being a "disorderly person
", because he was a "glass looker". According to witnesses, he was either convicted but allowed to escape, or discharged for lack of evidence . Smith states that by looking at the stone he can discover hidden treasures, gold mines, coined money, and lost property. .
11 August : Joseph Smith, Sr.
is listed among delinquent subscribers of The Wayne Sentinel
published by E. B. Grandin. .
14 August : William Morgan
, a disaffected Freemason
from Batavia, New York, registers a copyright for an exposé of Masonic rituals. (See December 1826 entry, regarding publication.)
11 September : William Morgan
, who was working to publish Illustrations of Masonry, an exposé revealing secret Masonic ceremonies, is seized in Batavia, New York by several parties and later taken to Fort Niagara
, after which he mysteriously disappears. This "Morgan affair" stokes the fires of an anti-Masonic
movement, and soon leads to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party
, especially active in Western New York
.
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
without the "right person". The angel tells him that the next annual visit on 22 September 1827 is his last chance to obtain the golden plates
. The angel tells Smith that he must be married in order to obtain the plates. .
fall : Smith looks into his seer stone and determines that Emma Hale
, whom he had met previously, is the "right person" with whom he must go to Cumorah
in 1827 to successfully obtain the golden plates
. .
2 November : Smith's brother Hyrum
marries Jerusha Barden. .
November : Josiah Stowell can no longer afford to continue searching for buried treasure, and Smith travels to Colesville, New York
for a few months to work for Joseph Knight, Sr.
. . Smith directs further excavations on Knight's property and at other locations around Colesville .
December: William Morgan
's exposé of Masonic rituals is published in Batavia, New York: . (See 11 September 1826.)
in South Bainbridge, New York
and they are married by judge "Squire Tarbill" (Zachariah Tarbell). .
January : Josiah Stowell moves Smith and his bride to Manchester
. .
10 March : Smith receives a receipt for credit of $4.00 on the account of Abraham Fish, who is known to have financed some of Smith's treasure expeditions. .
23 March : The Wayne Sentinel
, the Palmyra
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin, quotes the Rochester Daily Advertizer in arguing: "The excitement respecting Morgan
, instead of decreasing, spreads its influence and aquires [sic] new vigour daily....The Freemason...[is] proscribed, as unworthy of 'any office in town, county, state, or United States!' and the institution of masonry,...is held up as DANGEROUS and detrimental to the interests of the country!".
16 April : Smith's brother Samuel begins a seven-month term of work for Lemuel Durfee, owner of the Smith Family Farm
, in exchange for tenancy.. .
1 June : The Wayne Sentinel
runs a story of a German scholar working in the Vatican Library
who said he had found evidence that the Mexicans and Egyptians were in communication in ancient times, and that there were examples in Mexico of biblical texts written in two different Egyptian dialects.
June : Smith, Sr. tells fellow treasure seeker Willard Chase that several years ago, a spirit had appeared to Smith and told him about a golden book. .
June - June 1828 : Hyrum Smith
is listed during this term as a member of the Palmyra
Mount Moriah Masonic Lodge No. 112. .
Summer : According to , a "mysterious stranger" appears at the Smith residence and meets privately with Smith, Jr., possibly multiple times.
August : Smith and his wife Emma visit Harmony
to retrieve Emma's possessions. . Peter Ingersoll moves Emma's furniture from Harmony to Manchester. Smith tells his father-in-law Isaac Hale that he will give up glass-looking. .
August : Smith works two days mowing for landlord Lemuel Durfee, Sr. .
fall : states that stories that Smith was about to recover the golden plates
were given "wide circulation". Tucker dates the stories of the First Vision
and Smith's subsequent angel Moroni visions to this time period, arguing they are retrospective inventions (pp. 28, 33).
about fall : According to , Smith approaches Willard Chase, a carpenter, and asks him to make him a strong chest to hold the golden plates
. In lieu of payment, Smith offers to give Chase a share in the profits generated by the plates.
20 September : Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight Sr. arrive in Manchester
in anticipation of Smith obtaining the golden plates. .
22 September : After the stoke of midnight, Smith takes a wagon to visit Cumorah
with his wife Emma
, and retrieves the golden plates
while she prays. . Smith says he hid the plates in a fallen tree top at Cumorah. With the plates, he says he found a sword, a breastplate, and a set of spectacles
, telling Joseph Knight that with them, "I can see anything". .
late September : Smith travels to nearby Macedon, New York
to work for Mrs. Wells. .
September–October : Alone, Smith visits Cumorah and returns with something heavy wrapped in a frock, which he places in a chest. Willard Chase claims that Smith admits that if it had not been for the brown stone found on the Chase property years earlier, he would not have found the plates. . Chase believes that because the stone is his, Chase has at least part ownership of the plates.
September–October : After the original chest said to hold the plates is smashed by members of Smith's former money digging company, Smith obtains a "glass box" (a wooden box used to hold pieces of glass) and says that the plates are kept inside.
October : The family of Martin Harris, a wealthy Palmyra
resident, hears about the golden plates from Lucy Mack Smith
. Martin's wife and daughter visit the Smith home to investigate, and Harris conducts his own investigation, asking Smith how the book was found. Smith says that he had located the plates via his brown seer stone, and that an angel appeared to him and told him that it was God's work, and that Smith must quit the money-digging company, translate the plates, and publish the translation. Harris offers, "If the Lord will show me that it is his work, you can have all the money you want." .
fall : According to , Smith tells Palmyra
residents that when he first saw the golden plates
, he saw a "display of celestial pyrotechnics", as the angel appeared as his "guide and protector", while "ten thousand devils gathered there, with their menacing sulphureous [sic] flame and smoke, to deter him from his purpose!"
fall : Harris is said to have mused around the village of Palmyra
about "what wonderful discoveries Jo Smith had made, and of his finding plates in a hill in the town of Manchester (three miles south of Palmyra), —also found with the plates a large pair of "spectacles
," by putting which on his nose and looking at the plates, the spectacles turned the hieroglyphics into good English." .
fall : According to , Palmyra residents were not generally aware at this time of the spectacles
Smith said were found with the plates.
fall: According to , "notorious wags" William T. Hussey and Azel Vandruver visit the Smith home and say they are willing to view the golden plates
, taking upon themselves the risk that they would be being struck dead if they saw them. They observe something "concealed under a piece of thick canvas". After Hussey removes the canvas and sees a tile brick, Smith claims to have pulled a joke on the men, and "with the customary whiskey hospitalities, the affair ended in good-nature".
November–December : Harris gives Smith $50, which allows him to get out of debt and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
. Emma's brother Alva comes from Harmony to pick up the couple.
December : Smith and his wife leave Manchester
and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
(now Oakland
, where they live with Emma's parents. . During transit, the glass box said to contain the plates is hidden in a barrel of beans. .
30 December : Smith's sister Sophronia marries Calvin Stoddard in Palmyra
. Smith is apparently absent. .
and her brother Reuben Hale. Smith also attempts to translate some of the characters.
February : Hyrum Smith
and Martin Harris travel to Harmony to see Smith. .
February - March : Martin Harris takes a transcript of characters
and some of their translations to several scholars in New York
. . According to , these scholars include "Hon. Luther Bradish
, Dr. Mitchell, Professor Anthon
, and others". James Gordon Bennett
later reported that Harris told a potential financer
in 1830 that he first approached "one of the Professors of Columbia College" (Anthon), who told Harris that he "could not decypher them", but referred him to Samuel L. Mitchill, who "looked at his engravings—made a learned dissertation on them—compared them with the hieroglyphics discovered by Champollion
in Egypt—and set them down as the language of a people formerly in existence in the East, but now no more". . Harris said that after speaking with Mitchill, he returned to Anthon, "who put some questions to him and got angry with Harris". . According to , Harris returns to Palmyra after his meetings in New York
and tells residents that Smith is a "little smarter than Professor Anthon
." According to , Harris declared "in a boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an unlearned man as he was, to 'confound worldly wisdom'".
February : An anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
6 March : A second anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
, attended by representatives from the counties of Wayne
(Palmyra) and Ontario
(Manchester). .
12 April : Harris begins acting as Smith's scribe while Smith begins dictating a translation of the golden plates, which Smith calls the Book of Lehi. ).
14 June : Harris persuades Smith to allow him to take the original, uncopied 116 manuscript pages to Palmyra to show his skeptical wife and family. .
15 June : Smith and his wife have their first child, named Alvin, who dies soon after birth. Emma nearly dies, and hovers near death for days. .
June–July : According to , Lucy Harris
took the 116 manuscript pages from Martin Haris while he was sleeping, and burned them. Tucker said that she kept this "a profound secret to herself, even until after the book was published".
4 July : Anti-Masons
hold a third convention in Le Roy, New York
. .
abt. 7 July : Smith visits Manchester to find out what happened to Harris, and learns that Harris has lost the 116 manuscript pages. Smith says the plates and the Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
are taken away.
July : Smith returns to Harmony
.
July : In Harmony, Smith dictates his first known written revelation , chastising him for losing the manuscript translation, and noting that "this is the reason that thou has lost thy privilages for a season, for thou hast suffered the counsel of thy director to be trampled upon from the beginning." and describe this as Smith's first known written revelation. The identity of the speaker is unknown, because this revelation, unlike most later ones, refers to God
and Jesus
in the third person, although a hint to his identity may perhaps be found in his reference to "my people, the Nephites". refers to the speaker as a "messenger". The revelation indicates that the "very purpose" of the golden plates
is to ensure the Lamanite
s know about the Nephite
s, and "come to the knowledge of their fathers, and...that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ".
4 August : Anti-Masons
hold a fourth convention in Le Roy, New York
. Dissatisfied with both parties, they form the Anti-Masonic Party
. .
September : Lucy
, Hyrum
, and Samuel Smith stop attending the Presbyterian church in Palmyra
. .
7 September : Anti-Masons
hold a fifth convention in Le Roy, New York
. They nominate Solomon Southwick as their candidate for Governor of New York
. .
22 September : On this, the anniversary of Smith's Cumorah visits, Smith begins translating again, using his seer stone. Smith begins translating where he left off, know known as the Book of Mosiah
.
September 1828 to March 1829 : Samuel, Emma
, and her brother Reuben Hale serve as Smith's scribes. Translation is sporadic because Smith has to work to support his family, and very little gets translated until April 1829.
October : Cowdery takes a job teaching school in Manchester. He boards with the Smiths in Manchester.
aft. 22 September 1828 : Smith, Sr. and Lucy visit Smith, Jr. and Emma at Harmony and meet the Hales.
3–5 November : In the New York gubernatorial election
, Anti-Masonic Party
candidate Solomon Southwick obtains 33,335 votes, compared to 136,783 votes for Martin Van Buren
and 106,415 for Smith Thompson
. .
travel to Harmony. ). Smith dictates a revelation calling the elder Smith to take part in a "marvelous work". The revelation refers to God in the third person.
March : Martin Harris becomes skeptical about the golden plates
, and asks Smith to let him see them. Smith dictates a revelation for Harris . Unlike prior revelations, this one refers to God in the first person. It also says that Smith had "entered into a covenant" with God not to show the plates to anyone unless God commands otherwise. It says that Smith "has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift". While future generations would have access to the plates, in the present generation, the words of the book would go out with the testimony of the Three Witnesses
who would have "power, that they may behold and view [the plates] as they are, and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation." For the first time, a Smith revelation specifically refers to the restoration of a church: "[I]f the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old." The revelation says that Harris could be one of the three witnesses if he humbles himself. However, if he sees the plates, Harris is commanded to say nothing more than "I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God". Because of a conspiracy to destroy Smith, he is commanded to translate a few more pages, and then "stop for a season, even until I command thee again".
March : Harris returns to Palmyra. .
5 April : Oliver Cowdery
, a school teacher and dowser
, arrives in Harmony with Samuel
.
7 April : Cowdery begins acting as Smith's scribe while translating the golden plates.
April : Smith dictates a revelation calling Cowdery to assist with a "marvelous work", and referring to the "cause of Zion
". The revelation refers to Cowdery's "gift" (dowsing
) and instructs Cowdery to "exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries." He is only to reveal his gift to "those which are of thy faith". The revelation refers to "records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people." Cowdery is to use his "gift" to assist in bringing these records to light. Both Cowdery and Smith are given the "keys" to this gift, so that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established".
April : Smith dictates what is characterized as a translation of a parchment written by John the Apostle
and "hid up by himself". The revelation says that John will "tarry" on the earth until the Second Coming
. .
April : Smith dictates a revelation referring to Cowdery's two "gifts". The first gift is Cowdery's ability to "receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient". The second gift is "working with the rod" (dowsing
). The revelation says "there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands, for it is the work of God". Cowdery is commanded to "[a]sk that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records, which have been hid up...."
April : Cowdery begins to translate (perhaps by dowsing
), then returns to acting as Smith's scribe. Smith dictates a revelation indicating that God took away his gift to translate for the time being because he was not persistent, and misunderstood the nature of translation, which requires the translator to "study it out in your mind". After the golden plates
were translated, the revelation says, Cowdery could assist with translating "other records".
abt. April : Smith dictates a portion of the golden plates telling a story of Alma the Elder, who baptized his followers by immersion, "having authority from the Almighty God", and called his community of believers the "church of God, or the church of Christ". (Mosiah 18:13-17). The book described the clergy in Alma's church as consisting of priests, who were unpaid and were to "preach nothing save it were repentance and faith in the Lord". (Mosiah 18:20). Alma later established many churches, which were considered "one church" because "there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God." (Mosiah 25:22). In addition to priests, the clergy of these churches included teachers (Mosiah 25:21) and elders. (Alma 4:7).
about May : Smith dictates part of his translation (Third Nephi
chapter 11) describing the exact mode of baptism by immersion, including the exact words to use. According to Oliver Cowdery
's later reminiscence, "after writing the account given of the Savior's ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent, it was easily to be seen . . .that . . . none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel." Oliver Cowdery, Letter 1, Messenger and Advocate 1 (October 1834): 15.
15 May : Smith and Cowdery baptize each other. Years later, details gradually emerged concerning a vision prior to this baptism: In 1832, Smith's unpublished history indicated that the priesthood had been received by the "ministering of angels". . In an 1834 publication, Cowdery first told the story of receiving the Aaronic priesthood on this date via a vision of John the Baptist
, and then of Smith and Cowdery baptizing each other. Smith essentially agreed with Cowdery's account of the vision.
May : As the translation proceeds, Smith dictates a revelation claiming that the lost 116 manuscript pages still exist, and that the people who possess them have altered them and are waiting for Smith to re-translate the same material. Then, these people plan to argue that Smith cannot translate the same material twice, and thus Smith has only "pretended to translate". Thus, the revelation directs Smith not to re-translate the Book of Lehi. The revelation indicates that the originally-translated Book of Lehi had indicated that it was just an "abridgment" of the "plates of Nephi". Thus, Smith is directed to translate the "plates of Nephi", containing a "more particular account" of the material Smith had already translated. Smith is only to translate the "first part" of these "plates of Nephi", however, continuing down to the reign of King Benjamin
, which Smith had already translated from the abridgment. The revelation also speaks of "establishing my gospel that there may not be so much contention". It defined the church of Christ as follows: "whoso repenteth, and cometh unto me, the same is my church: whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me: therefore, he is not of my church".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling his brother Hyrum
to assist in a "marvelous work", but he is not yet called to preach, but he is to be patient, meanwhile praying that he can assist in "the translation of my work". The revelation says that Hyrum "hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift", and refers to "that which you [Hyrum] are translating".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling Joseph Knight to assist in a "marvelous work".
1 June : Smith moves to Fayette, New York
and continues translation at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr.
.
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling David Whitmer
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer is told that if he asks with faith he "may stand as a witness of the things of which [he] shall both hear and see".
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling John Whitmer
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer becomes one of Smith's scribes. .
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling Peter Whitmer, Sr.
to assist with the "marvelous work".
early June : Smith and Cowdery begin baptizing new converts in Seneca Lake, including Hyrum Smith
, David Whitmer
, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. .
early June : Years later, after 1839, Smith recalls that he and others gathered in the "chamber of Mr. Whitmer's
house", where they heard a voice commanding them to ordain elders, but they refrained from doing so until the organization of the church. .
between June 1 and 14: Smith dictates a revelation directed to Oliver Cowdery
and David Whitmer
, referring to Smith's previous baptism of Cowdery (presumably on May 15) and instructing Cowdery to "build up my church". Both Cowdery and Whitmer are called to "cry repentance unto this people" and to "search out" the identities of the twelve disciples whom God had called and given power to baptize and to ordain priests and teachers. Cowdery and Whitmer will know the identities of these twelve "by their desires and their works".
11 June : Using a title page that Smith says was written by Moroni, Smith obtains a copyright for the Book of Mormon
(the name of his translation of the golden plates
). .
first half of June : Smith sends Martin Harris with a copy of the Book of Mormon
title page and a few pages of translation to Palmyra
to see if E. B. Grandin, owner of The Wayne Sentinel
, will agree to publish it. Harris meets with Grandin twice, and the second time threatens that if Grandin does not publish it, they will publish it in Rochester, New York
. Grandin provides an approximate estimate of costs, but declines to publish the book. .
about June? : Smith directly or indirectly approaches Thurlow Weed
, a well-known anti-Masonic
publisher and activist in Rochester, New York
about printing the Book of Mormon
. Weed refuses.
about June? : Smith attempts unsuccessfully to secure the financial assistance for publishing the Book of Mormon
from several family acquaintances including George Crane (a Quaker). .
June : Smith begins dictating a replacement section for the Book of Lehi, beginning with the First Book of Nephi
.
14 June : Oliver Cowdery
sends a letter to Hyrum Smith
referencing language from the "twelve disciples" revelation. (Joseph Smith letterbook (22 November 1835 to 4 August 1835) 5-6. Commentators generally agree that this letter references the revelation. See, e.g., Larry C. Porter (June 1979), Dating the Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, Ensign, p. 5.)
abt. June or later : Oliver Cowdery
receives a revelation called the Articles of the Church of Christ
, about "how he should build up his church & the manner thereof". it discusses the ordination of priest and teachers, and calls members to meet regularly to partake of bread and wine. Cowdery is described as "an Apostle of Christ". The revelation contains language found in the "twelve disciples" and "three witnesses" revelations.
June : Smith dictated the following text from the Second Book of Nephi
(found at ): "Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book, and the things therein. And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will of God..." According to information added in 1852 to the History of the Church (but absent in the 1842 Times and Seasons publication of the same material), this passage initiated the idea of showing the plates to three witnesses. There is a similar passage in the Book of Ether
, and that passage might have been the spark (as proposed by several later editions of History of the Church). It is not known whether the Book of Ether was translated before or after the Second Book of Nephi.
second half of June : Smith dictates a revelation to Oliver Cowdery
, David Whitmer
, and Martin Harris that if they have faith, they may be the Three Witnesses
to the Book of Mormon
, as well as the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim
, and the Liahona. .
second half of June : Oliver Cowdery
, David Whitmer
, and Martin Harris become the first Three Witnesses
, other than Smith, of the golden plates
by seeing them in a vision in Fayette.
second half of June : Eight additional witnesses "see" the golden plates
. It is uncertain whether they see them in a vision or with their natural eyes.
26 June : The title page of the Book of Mormon
is published in The Wayne Sentinel
, the weekly Palmyra
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin. . Grandin announces that he intends to publish the book "as soon as the translation is complete". Grandin had received a copy of the title page from Smith earlier in June.
end of June : Smith completes translation of the Book of Mormon
.
11 August : The anti-Masonic
Palmyra Freeman calls the Book of Mormon
"the greatest piece of superstition that has come to our knowledge." The article gives an account of how the plates were found by Joseph Smith, referring to three visits by "the spirit of the Almighty", "a huge pair of spectacles", golden plates
of dimensions eight by eight by six inches, Harris' visit to Samuel Mitchill. The article reproduces the title page of the Book of Mormon. No known copies survive, but the article was reprinted in other newspapers such as the Niagara Courier (27 August 1829).
25 August : A contract is drawn up with E.B. Grandin to print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon for $3,000. Martin Harris agrees to mortgage his farm to pay for the printing. .
August–March 1830 : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
copies manuscript pages from the originals, gives them to Hyrum
, who takes them to E. B. Grandin's printing press. The manuscript is typset by John Gilbert. .
2 September : Abner Cole
begins publishing the weekly Palmyra Reflector, using E. B. Grandin's printing press. Cole announces, "The Golden Bible, by Joseph Smith Junior, author and proprietor, is now in press and will shortly appear. Priestcraft is short lived!"
16 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "The Book of Mormon is expected to be ready for delivery in the course of one year — Great and marvellous things will "come to pass" about those days."
23 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "We understand that the Anti-Masons have declared war against the Gold Bible—O! how impious! / The number of Gold Bible Apostles is said to be complete. Jo Smith, Jr. is about to assign to each, a mission to the heathen. We understand that Abraham Chaddock intends to build the first house in Harris' New-Jerusalem.... / Some few evenings since, a man in the town of Mendon, had a loud call to go and preach the doctrines contained in the Gold Bible, under heavy denunciations." (May refer to Calvin Stoddard, who had a "loud call" according to .)
30 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he accuses the editor of the anti-Masonic
Palmyra Freeman of plagiarizing the Book of Mormon
by using the phrase "Beware of SECRET ASSOCIATIONS". Cole notes that "The 'Gold Bible' is fast gaining credit; the rapid spread of Islamism was no touch to it!"
4–22 October : Smith arrives in Harmony and writes a letter to Oliver Cowdery
(still in Manchester) that he has bought a horse from Josiah Stowell, and wants someone to come pick it up. .
7 October : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he refers mockingly to an article in the Palmyra Freeman (now lost) about Mormonism
, and how "the building of the TEMPLE OF NEPHI is to be commenced about the beginning of the first year of the Millennium", and how Mormons were claiming that the Book of Mormon
would "astonish the natives".
8 October : Smith and Oliver Cowdery
purchase a copy of the Authorized Version of the Bible, Old Testament
Apocrypha
included, at the E. B. Grandin bookstore, for $3.75. They would later use the book for the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
. Note that gives this date as 8 October 1828, a year earlier.
6 November : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
replies to Smith's letter, and says that Martin Harris will travel to Harmony and pick up the horse in two or three weeks. .
9 December : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, which used E. B. Grandin's printing press and therefore had access to the Book of Mormon
manuscripts, Cole announces that "at the solicitation of many of our readers we have concluded to commence publishing extracts from it on or before the commencement of the second series".
28 December : Cowdery writes to Smith in Harmony, stating that "it may look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer". .
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints the first part of Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
from the Book of Mormon
.
13 January : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he continues to print Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
from the Book of Mormon
.
January : Palmyra residents organize a boycott of the Book of Mormon
.
January : E. B. Grandin suspends printing the Book of Mormon
.
16 January : Smith, Sr.
and Martin Harris sign an agreement on selling copies of the Book of Mormon
. It is witnessed by Oliver Cowdery
. .
January : Based on assurances from Harris, E. B. Grandin resumes printing the Book of Mormon
.
22 January : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints an extract from the Book of Alma
, chapter 20, from the Book of Mormon
.
January : Threatened with legal action by Hyrum Smith
, Abner Cole
stops printing extracts of the Book of Mormon
.
February : An anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
early 1830 : Martin Harris visits lawyer-philanthropist Charles Butler
and asks for a $1300 loan to finance publication of the Book of Mormon
, but Butler declines. Harris promises that once the book is printed, Butler will receive a copy, and that once he reads it, he will be converted. Butler later receives a copy. . During the Harris describes to Butler his story of taking a transcript of characters
to Charles Anthon
and Samuel L. Mitchill in New York
. .
March : Smith travels from Harmony to Manchester with Joseph Knight, Sr., and learns that Martin Harris has been waffling on his commitment to paying his share of the debt for publication of the Book of Mormon.
March : Smith dictates a revelation for Martin Harris , explaining a "mystery": Smith reveals that "eternal damnation" or "endless punishment" does not mean punishment forever; rather, it just means "God's punishment". Nevertheless, Harris would suffer that exquisite punishment unless he repented, sold part of his farm, and used the cash to pay off the debt to E.B. Grandin for publication of the Book of Mormon
.
about March : Martin Harris is present at the E. B. Grandin printing press when "The Testimony of Three Witnesses
" at the end of the Book of Mormon
is being typeset. The typesetter later said that he asked, "'Martin, did you see those plates with your naked eyes?' Martin looked down for an instant, raised his eyes up, and said, 'No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.'" .
19 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
"will be ready for sale in the course of next week".
26 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
"is now for sale, wholesale and retail, at the Palmyra Bookstore".
This is a chronology of Mormonism. In the late 1820s, founder Joseph Smith, Jr. announced that an angel had given him a set of golden plates
engraved with a chronicle of ancient American peoples
, which he had a unique gift to translate. In 1830, he published the resulting narratives as the Book of Mormon
and founded the Church of Christ in western New York
, claiming it to be a restoration of early Christianity
.
Moving the church to Kirtland, Ohio
in 1831, Smith attracted hundreds of converts, who were called Latter Day Saints. He sent some to Jackson County, Missouri
to establish a city of Zion
. In 1833, Missouri settlers expelled the Saints from Zion, and Smith's paramilitary expedition
to recover the land was unsuccessful. Fleeing an arrest warrant in the aftermath of a Kirtland financial crisis
, Smith joined his remaining followers in Far West, Missouri
, but tensions escalated into violent conflicts with the old Missouri settlers. Believing the Saints to be in insurrection, the Missouri governor
ordered their expulsion from Missouri, and Smith was imprisoned on capital charges
.
After escaping state custody in 1839, Smith directed the conversion of a swampland into Nauvoo, Illinois
, where he became both mayor and commander of a nearly autonomous militia
. In 1843, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States
. The following year, after the Nauvoo Expositor
criticized his power and such new doctrines as plural marriage, Smith and the Nauvoo city council ordered the newspaper's destruction as a nuisance
. In a futile attempt to check public outrage, Smith first declared martial law
, then surrendered to the governor of Illinois
. He was killed by a mob
while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois
.
After Smith's death, his followers split in to several groups, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who followed Brigham Young
as Smith's successor. These Mormons followed Young to the Great Basin
, where they established a theocratic society. Eventually, after the Mormons discontinued their practice of polygamy, they entered mainstream American society and became champions of the nuclear family. A branch of Mormon fundamentalists who disagreed with that decision broke off from the LDS Church and established their own organizations. In the 20th century, the LDS Church grew dramatically, and currently has millions of members worldwide.
, she tells of a vision in which Jesus
spoke through a veil and told her to "warn the people to prepare for death" and to "declare faithfully unto them their accountability before God". .
24 January 1796 : Smith's parents Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
are married in Tunbridge, Vermont
by Seth Austin
1796 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith states in a letter that "I believe that the stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, spoken by Daniel, and has smitten the image upon his feet." .
1797 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith have an unnamed baby child, who dies. . There is disagreement on whether this was a boy or a girl.
6 December 1797 : Joseph, Sr., his father Asael, his brother Jesse, and fourteen others form a Universalist
Society. .
11 February 1798 : Smith's brother Alvin Smith
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
10 April 1799 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith writes a letter to his family, intended to be read after his death, articulating his belief in universal salvation
, warning them not to look to outward formalities of religion. . Asael Smith, however, was a pew holder of the local Congregational church
, a church known at the time for having preachers who taught Christian Universalism
and Unitarian
theology.
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
4 August 1800 – 4 May 1801 : The Smith family may not have been counted during the 1800 U.S. census. Although there are "Joseph Smith" families in both Tunbridge
and Poultney, Vermont
, neither of them match in ages and children with the family of Joseph and Lucy Smith. .
1800-02 : Smith, Sr. may have moved temporarily to or visited Poultney, Vermont
, 50 miles from Tunbridge, according to residents who said he lived there "at the time of the Wood movement
here". .
spring or early summer 1800 : A counterfeiter named (Justus?) Winchell organizes a dowsing
company to dig for money in Middletown
and Rutland, Vermont
. Winchell associates with Nathaniel Wood
, who had founded the New Israelites
some years earlier, whose religious elements included temple building, divination, polygamy, and the idea that they were literal descendants of the Israelites. . Among the company is Warren Cowdery, Jr., the father of Oliver Cowdery
, the dowser
who became Smith's scribe in 1829. . According to interviews conducted by a local historian, Joseph Smith, Sr.
was also part of the New Israelites, and was one of its "leading rods-men" . There is no historical consensus linking Smith, Sr. to the New Israelites; however, he said that his money digging career began during this decade or earlier. .
14 January 1802 : The New Israelites
, having prophesied this day as the end of the world, are confronted by local militia. This is known as the "Wood Scrape". The militia fires their weapons to disperse the "Fraternity of Rodsmen". .
about spring 1802 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith rent out their farm in Tunbridge, Vermont
and move to the more urban Randolph, Vermont
to set up a merchant shop. They operate with $1,800 in goods on credit from merchants in Boston
. .
1802 : Soon after moving to Randolph, Smith, Sr. speculates on a shipment of ginseng
, which he sends from the port in New York City
to China
.
about fall or winter 1802 : Six months after moving to Randolph, Lucy contracts tuberculosis
. .
1802-03 : While deathly ill, Lucy has a religious conversion
after she believes she hears the voice of God. . She said that she perceived her "mind at one time raising gradually, borne away to Heaven above all hight [sic] then reverting back again to my babes and my Companion at my side", after which she promised God that if she would live, she would try to find religion, and then heard a voice saying "Seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you let your heart be comforted ye believe in God believe [sic] also in me". . Lucy tries to find a religious home, but is unhappy with several ministers; therefore, she concludes that "there is not on Earth the religion which I seek I must again turn to my bible taking Jesus and his deciples [sic] for an ensample". .
1803 : A large Christian revival sweeps across Vermont
and Connecticut
. .
about 1803 : After the ship returns from China with the proceeds from the sale of Smith Sr.'s ginseng (a round trip that might have taken about a year), the earnings are stolen by a Royalton
merchant who flees to Canada
. .
1803 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith move from Royalton
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
1803 : The Smiths must sell their farm in Tunbridge to cover their debts to Boston
merchants, and they thereafter become poor tenants. .
17 May 1803 : Smith's sister Sophronia is born in Tunbridge
. .
1803-04 : Lucy attends meetings at a Methodist
church, and Smith, Sr. "went a few times to gratify [Lucy] for he had so little faith in the doctrines taught by them that my feelings were the only inducement for him to go"..
1803-04 : Hearing that Joseph, Sr. is attending Methodist meetings, Smith's Universalist
grandfather Asael Smith appears at his door, throws Thomas Paine
's Age of Reason
, into the house, and angrily demands that Smith, Sr. read it until he had believes it. He also suggests that Smith, Sr. ought not let Lucy attend the meetings. As a result, the Smiths stop attending Methodist church meetings. .
1803-04 : Lucy Mack Smith
visits a grove near Tunbridge
to pray about her husband's rejection of organized religion. When she returns home and goes to sleep that night, she has a vision that Smith, Sr. would eventually accept the "pure and undefiled Gospel of the Son of God" .
about 1804 : The Smiths move from Tunbridge
to Royalton, Vermont
, where they "resided a few months". .
27 August 1804 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack purchases property in Sharon, Vermont
. .
1804-05 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy move to Sharon, Vermont
, where they rent the farm of Lucy's father while Joseph, Sr. cultivates crops in the summer and teaches school in the winter. . Solomon Mack likely lives with them. .
23 December 1805 : Smith is born in Sharon, Vermont
to Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
. . Vermont residents recall that Smith, Sr. told them the young Joseph was born with a caul
(a sign of good luck), and that Smith, Sr. "intended to procure a stone for [him] to see all over the world with". .
3 May 1806 : Smith, Sr. witnesses a land transaction between his in-laws Solomon Mack and Daniel G. Mack in Sharon, Vermont
. .
1 April 1807 : In the court of Windsor County, Vermont, a person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
16 April 1807 : A second person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
1807 : Sharon
resident George Downer is convicted of passing two counterfeit bills the previous spring. There is some tenuous evidence, based in part on a descendant of the counterfeiter against whom Smith, Sr. testified on April 1, that Smith, Sr. was an accomplice in that case who avoided conviction by turning state's evidence
. See (noting the evidence is weak, but arguing that it favors the involvement of Smith, Sr. given that court records verify there was an unnamed accomplice who testified against Downer). But see (discounting the evidence; Brooke notes that Brodie does not mention the court records showing there was an unnamed accomplice witness).
1807 : Smith family moves from Sharon
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
.
15 October 1807 : Smith, Jr., his brother Jesse, and other Tunbridge residents petition the Vermont legislature for an exemption from providing their own military equipment as members of the Vermont militia. .
13 March 1808 : Smith's brother Samuel is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
1808-1810 : Smith family moves from Tunbridge
to Royalton, Vermont
.
1808-1810 : Smith possibly attends school on Dewey Hill, taught by Deacon John Rinney, although he may have been too young. .
. .
24 March 1810 : Ephraim Smith dies. .
winter of 1810-11 : A Christian revival occurs in the towns around Royalton, Vermont
. . Smith, Sr. becomes "much excited upon the subject of religion" and "contended" for a restoration of primitive Christianity. .
spring 1811 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack, after being ill all winter in Sharon, Vermont
, and after searching the scriptures and praying, sees a vision and later hears a voice. . He is converted to evangelical Calvinism
and denounces Universalism
. .
13 March 1811 : Smith's brother William is born in Royalton, Vermont
.
April 1811 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
tells his family about his first vision. He sees a field representing the barrenness of true religion upon the earth, and he sees a log containing a box. His spirit guide tells him that if he eats the contents of the box, he will be filled with "wisdom and understanding". He raises the lid of the box, but is unable to eat its contents because "all manner of beasts, horned cattle, and roaring animals, rose up on every side in the most threatening manner possible". Based on the vision, Smith, Sr. concludes, more than ever, that there is no true religion on the earth. He would have six other visions between 1811 and 1819.
1811 (after May 11): After selling his property in Sharon, Vermont
and moving to live with Smith's uncle Daniel in Royalton
, Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack self-publishes a booklet describing his heavenly visions and voices of the previous winter: .
1812 (after May) : Smith family moves from Royalton, Vermont
to Lebanon, New Hampshire
.
1812 (after May) : Joseph Smith, Sr.
has his second vision, in which he saw a barren field representing the desolate world, a "narrow path", a stream with a rope running along its bank leading to a beautiful tree bearing a fruit whiter than snow that was "delicious beyond description. While eating, he thought "I cannot eat this alone, I must bring my wife and children, that they may partake with me." Thus, he brought his family to eat the fruit. However, there was a "spacious building" across the valley where the tree was, filed with finely-dressed people looking down and mocking Smith's family. Smith's spirit guide said that the fruit represented "the pure love of Christ". The guide said that the spacious building represented "Babylon, and it must fall". .
winter of 1812–1813 : Smith and his siblings contract typhoid fever
, and Smith acquires osteomyelitis
in his leg. He has surgery to remove infected bone, causing him to hobble on crutches at least until 1816. .
about 1813 : Smith stays with his uncle Jesse Smith in Salem, Massachusetts
while recovering from his leg operation.
8 July 1813 : Smith's sister Katherine is born in Lebanon, New Hampshire
. .
by May 1815: Smith family moves to Norwich, Vermont
, and their first year of crops fails. They survive by selling fruit. .
15 March 1816 : The Smith family is "warned out of town
" in Norwich, Vermont
. .
1816 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
relates to his family his third vision, in which he was lame, but his spirit guide sent him through a garden amidst 12 wooden images of giants. After each of the wooden giants sequentially bowed toward him in obeisance, he was healed. .
25 March 1816 : Smith's brother Don Carlos is born. .
summer 1816 : New England
and other areas experience a climate abnormality known as the Year Without a Summer
.
1816 - 1817 : Palmyra experiences a large Christian revival
.
fall 1816 : Smith, Sr. moves to the village of Palmyra, New York
. dates this as the summer of 1816.
January 1817 : Lucy Mack Smith and the remainder of the family move to Palmyra
, where they live in a small house on Main Street. .
abt. 1817 : Smith, Sr. opens a "cake and beer shop" in Palmyra, selling "gingerbread, pies, boiled eggs, root-beer, and other like notions of traffic", and peddles these on the street from a handcart during Independence Day
celebrations and military training days". . A journalist who visited the area in 1831 wrote in his notes that Smith, Sr. "was a vender—made gingerbread and buttermints &c&c". He said, "In this article [gingerbread? ginger?] he was a considerable speculator, having on hand during a fall of price no less than two baskets full.... What their dividends were I could not learn, but they used considerable molasses
, and were against the duty
on that article". .
abt. 1817 : Influenced by the Christian revivals of 1816-17 , Smith later recalls, "At about the age of twelve years my mind become [sic] seriously imprest with regard to the all importent [sic] concerns for the wellfare [sic] of my immortal Soul which led me to searching the scriptures believeing [sic] as I was taught, that they contained the word of God thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations led me to marvel excedingly [sic] for I discovered that they did notadorn instead of adorning their profession by a holy walk and Godly conversation agreeable to what I found contained in that sacred depository." .
1817-19 : In Palmyra, Smith, Sr. and his oldest sons take occasional day jobs, such as gardening, harvesting, and well-digging, to supplement their income. . Lucy Mack Smith
sets up a business selling painted oil-cloth coverings .
April 1817 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
is listed on the local road list as living in Palmyra village
, on Road District 26. .
1817-21 : During some period between these years, Smith visits the office of the Palmyra Register weekly and buys a news paper for his father. .
December 1817 : A "Joseph Smith" (Sr.?) joins the Masonic
lodge in nearby Canandaigua, New York
. .
April 1818 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
family is living in Palmyra village
. .
May 1818: Joseph Smith, Sr.
relates to his family his sixth vision. Smith, Sr. rushes toward a meetinghouse where multitudes of other people are entering, but just as he arrives there, the door shuts before him. The porter tells him that he must be barred entry to satisfy justice. After praying for forgiveness of sins, the mercy of Jesus
satisfied the needs of justice and he was allowed entrance. .
April 1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
family is listed on tax records as still living in Palmyra village
. .
1819 : The Smith family builds a log home in the town of Palmyra
, away from the village and adjacent to the border of Manchester
. said they moved into the log home two years after arriving in Palmyra. remembers the Smiths occupying this log home in the winter of 1819-20. dates the move to the log home to 1818, said that the Smiths occupied the land as squatters
, and described the log home as "divided into two rooms, on the ground-floor, and had a low garret, in two apartments. A bedroom wing, built of sawed slabs, was afterward added". They may have begun clearing trees and farming nearby land they did not yet own, or they may have been renting the land.
1819-1820s : While on their new property, the Smiths engage in "chopping and retailing of cord-wood, the raising and bartering of small crops of agricultural products and garden vegetables, the manufacture and sale of black-ash baskets and birch brooms, the making of maple sugar and molasses in the season for that work, and in the continued business of peddling cake and beer in the village on days of public doings". They also engage in hunting and fishing, trapping muskrat
s, and digging out groundhog
s from their holes, and spending time at Palmyra
shops. .
1819-1820s : Smith, Jr. works as a clerk for the peddling of cake and beer on public occasions, and sometimes is duped into accepting counterfeit coins from other youth. . See also ("I believe his son, Joe Junior, was at times a partner in the concern.").
1819 : Alvin Smith
leaves home to raise money for the family .
1819 : An unknown shooter hides under a wagon, and when Smith approaches his home, the shooter fires across the path, missing Smith but lodging a bullet in a cow. .
1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
tells his family about his seventh and last vision, telling him that he lacked one thing in order to secure his salvation. His spirit guide wrote what that one thing was on a piece of paper, but Smith, Sr. awoke before he could read it. .
September 1819 : According to , Smith discovers a seer stone, which is white and opaque, and resembles a child's foot. Tucker's account apparently conflates the story of finding this stone with the better-documented story of Smith finding his brown seer stone in 1822. argues that this 1819 date cannot be relied upon, and that it is not established that Smith began using a seer stone for treasure digging until 1822.
resident William Stafford and makes the sacrifice within a circle at the cite of the dig. After three hours of digging, one of the party accidentally breaks the enchantment by breaking silence and causes the excavation to fail.
about 1820 : According to , Smith is paid 75 cents to locate a stolen roll of cloth with his seer stone. He sends the owner on a three mile trip to look for the cloth, but it is never found.
about 1820 : During this period are the earliest reports of the Smiths conducting treasure quests in the Palmyra/Manchester area. date this earliest digging to 1820. See also (dating the first digs to 1820 and suggesting the first digs occurred on their Manchester land). In , James Gordon Bennett
says, without giving a definite year, that "the Smith's and their associates commenced digging, in the numerous hills which diversify the face of the country in the town of Manchester. The sensible country people paid slight attention to them at first.... They Would occasionally conceal their purposes, and at other times reveal them by such snatches as might excite curiosity. They dug these holes by day, and at night talked and dreamed over the counties' riches they should enjoy, if they could only hit upon an iron chest full of dollars. In excavating the grounds, they began taking up the green sod in the form of a circle of six feed diameter—then would continue to dig to the depth of ten, twenty, and sometimes thirty feet.")
April : Smith family is listed on local records as living at the end of Stafford Road in Palmyra Township
(i.e., their log home at the border adjacent to Manchester
). Alvin Smith
is listed as living in Palmyra village
. .
spring : According to , Smith uses his seer stone to locate buried treasure near the Smiths' property, and gathers contributions from Palmyra residence for an excavation, which is conducted "at the dead hour of night". After "preparatory mystic ceremonies", digging begins in absolute silence in order not to break the "enchantment". When the chest of money is nearly within reach, one of the party accidentally speaks, thus causing the treasure to vanish. dates this treasure quest to after 1822, arguing that Smith did not obtain his first stone until that year.
spring : According to Smith's later accounts, he has his First Vision
. Depending on the account, it is either a visit by one or more angels, or a theophany
. In the vision, a heavenly messenger tells him his sins are forgiven and that all the churches on the Earth at that time were false.
in what was then Farmington
. (In 1821, this would become the town of Manchester
.) They had already been working this land, either squatting or renting from the owner. said that Smith made a small payment "to bind the bargain".
18 July : Smith's youngest sister Lucy is born. .
1822 : Alvin begins construction on a frame house for the Smiths.
February–August : Smith takes an interest in Methodism
. says that Smith "catch[es] a spark of Methodism
in the camp meeting
, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road", and is known there as "a very passable exhorter" at evening Methodist meetings. says that Smith "joined the probationary class of the Methodist church in Palmyra, and made some active demonstrations of engagedness". According to Turner, this date must be after Smith's participation in the debating club (i.e., after Jan. 25, 1822). Date must also be after 7 July 1821, when the Methodists acquired their property in the woods off Vienna Road The Methodists did not begin building their meetinghouse on Vienna Road until 19 June 1822 , but may have held camp meetings there while waiting for the building. It also must be on or before the summer of 1822, when Turner left the Palmyra area . dates this to the revivals of 1824-25, but does not acknowledge that Turner said he left the Palmyra area in the summer of 1822.
February–August : Smith withdraws from his Methodist probationary class. says that Smith "arose and announced that his mission was to restore the true priesthood. He appointed a number of meetings, but no one seemed inclined to follow him as the leader of a new religion." says that Smith's "assumed convictions were insufficiently grounded or abiding to carry him along to the saving point of conversion, and he soon withdrew from the class. The final conclusion announced by him was, that all sectarianism was fallicious, all the churches on a false foundation, and the Bible a fable."
1822 : Smith finds the black seer stone from a neighbor and locates his own seer stone in a well, at a depth of 22 feet. The digging occurred on the property of Clark Chase, whose son Willard disputed Smith's ownership of the stone. This would be the stone he used for later money digging and translation of the Book of Mormon
.
1822-23? : The Smiths seek the expertise of a reputed treasure seer
living many miles away. Several sources identify this seer as Luman Walter
. In , reprinting an 1831 article by James Gordon Bennett
, Bennett describes this great seer as having "a particular felicity in finding out the spots of ground where money is hid and riches obtained. [Some anonymous member of the treasure quest party] related long stories how this person had been along shore in the east—how he had much experience in money digging—how he dreamt of the very spots where it could be found". He said that the Smiths worked for a time "to scrape together a little 'change' sufficient to fetch on the money dreamer." Bennett believed this distant magician was Sidney Rigdon
, based on discussion with Palmyra
residents who thought Rigdon was the author
of the Book of Mormon
. However, the story parallels a story told by Abner Cole
in the Palmyra Reflector on 12 June 1830 (see below), which says the distant magician was Luman Walter
, an occultist from Sodus, New York
who had been educated in Europe.
1822-23 : Smith, Sr. participates in treasure digging under the direction of scryer
Luman Walter
, with at least one dig on the property of Palmyra journalist Abner Cole
, according to . states that Cole's property was "Manchester lot 2". Cole lost this property some time after 19 August 1824, after which Benjamin Tabor owned it. Enoch Saunders rented from at least Tabor, and was renting at the time this excavation occurred.
about 1822-24? : Luman Walter
assists or conducts digs on the hill Cumorah
. According to one Palmyra resident, Walter conducts three digs on the hill Cumorah
, after having no success, he suggests that Smith, Jr. might be the only one that could find treasure there. . relates a story reported by James Gordon Bennett
that "About the time that this person [the scryer from far away, which Bennett identifies as Sidney Rigdon
but could be Walter] appeared among them, a splendid excavation was begun in a long narrow hill, between Manchester and Palmyra. This hill has been called by some, the Golden Bible Hill.... In the face of this hill, the money diggers renewed their work with fresh ardour, [the scryer/Rigdon] partly uniting with them in their operations." Bennett dates this story to about the time of the Palmyra's large religious revival of 1824-25. . says that on the summit of Cumorah is a "yet partially visible pit where the money speculators had previously dug for another kind of treasure".
congregationalist
minister in Poultney, Vermont
(and pastor of Oliver Cowdery
's family), publishes View of the Hebrews from the press of the Poultney Gazette. The book concludes, based on reports of a parchment book, metal artifacts, and plates found in Indian burial mounds, that the American Indian peoples were the Ten Lost Tribes
. . See (contains an internal date of July 1823).
21–22 September : Late at night, Smith says he had three visions, and one again in the morning, of an angel, who showed him the location of a buried golden book
engraved with a history of the Indians.
22 September : Smith tells his father about his visions of the angel, and visits the hill Cumorah
where the angel said the plates were buried. He returns empty-handed, claiming that he had failed to strictly follow the angel's commandments. He says the angel required him to return in exactly one year with his brother Alvin
.
23 September : Smith tells the rest of his family about the visions and his visit to Cumorah .
September–November : Every night, the Smith family gathers to hear Smith tell stories of the "ancient inhabitants of this continent, [including] their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship" .
23 October : The Wayne Sentinel, to which the Smith family subscribed , recounts a vision of Asa Wild, who said that "every denomination of professing christians had become exceedingly corrupt", including the Presbyterians and Methodists, of which he had been a member. Therefore, prior to the Millennium
, which would arrive in seven years (i.e., 1830), there would be a restoration of primitive Christianity. God was in the process of "raising up" a class of people "signified by the Angel mentioned by the Revelator, XIV. 6, 7, which flew in the midst of heaven" who would preach the true gospel. These people "are of an inferior class, and small learning", and "they will be rejected by every denomination as a body; but soon, God will open their way, by miracles, judgments, &c." See .
15 November : Alvin contracts "bilious cholic", and a physician administers a toxic amount of calomel
. Five physicians are unable to get him to expel the poison .
19 November: Alvin dies. On his death bed, he encourages Smith to "do everything that lies in your power" to obtain the golden plates
. .
20 November : Smith pays a $3.00 fee at the Palmyra drug store. .
17 May : A new land agent, John Greenwood, receives power of attorney over the Smith property. .
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
and returns empty handed because he was unable to bring Alvin (or possibly one of Alvin's body parts). . The angel requires him to return in exactly one year with the "right person"; Smith was to know that person by looking in his seer stone.
25 Sept. : The Smith family hears rumors that Alvin's grave had been exhumed and dissected (possibly by the young Joseph Smith). To prove this was untrue, Joseph Smith, Sr.
has Alvin's body exhumed in the presence of witnesses.
29 Sept. : Joseph Smith, Sr.
runs an add in the Wayne Sentinel for six weeks, announcing that he had exhumed Alvin's body, and that it was undisturbed. It also runs 6, 13, 20, 27 October and 3 November.
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : The Palmyra area experiences a large Christian revival
of Baptists and Presbyterians, and Lucy, Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel become Presbyterians. . Smith discourages them from attending, preferring solitary study of the Bible
. .
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : According to James Gordon Bennett
, during the Palmyra revivals, Smith first began "turning their digging concern into a religious plot." Subscribing to the Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
, Bennett states that the idea for this shift was Sidney Rigdon
's. .
22 September : Smith visits Cumorah
and returns empty handed. Prior to this date, Smith had selected Samuel T. Lawrence as the "right person", and either Smith changed his mind and visited Cumorah alone, or brought Lawrence to the hill but the angel failed to appear. .
11 October : A speech by M. M. Noah, a Jewish rabbi and editor of the New York Enquirer is reprinted in The Wayne Sentinel
of Palmyra, summarizing the many parallels found in other literature between the American Indians and the Jews. .
October–November : The frame house begun by Alvin in 1822 is finally completed and the family moves in. . says this house is partly enclosed, and never completed, and that the Smiths used the original log home as a barn.
October : Smith is approached by Josiah Stowell, from South Bainbridge, New York
, who had been searching for a lost Spanish mine near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
(now Oakland
), and needed a treasure seer .
October : Smith and his father travel to Harmony
hoping to raise money to pay off their Manchester farm.
1 November : Smith, Sr, Smith, Jr., and seven others sign a contract for a money digging company in Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
. .
November : The money digging company stays at the home of Isaac Hale, father of Smith's future wife Emma Hale
. .
17 November : The money digging company disbands.
November 1825 to March 1826 : Although the money digging company has disbanded, Smith continues to work for Josiah Stowell, and attends school. . Smith uses two stones to search for treasure and prays for help in the endeavor. .
December : Because the Smiths are delinquent on their mortgage, land agent John Greenwood sells the Smith farm to a group of three men. The new owners give the Smiths until 15 December for Hyrum to raise $1,000. .
20 December : A local Quaker named Lemuel Durfee Sr. buys the farm and allows the Smiths to rent the property until spring 1828, in exchange for labor by Samuel. .
before Justice Albert Neely. He is charged with being a "disorderly person
", because he was a "glass looker". According to witnesses, he was either convicted but allowed to escape, or discharged for lack of evidence . Smith states that by looking at the stone he can discover hidden treasures, gold mines, coined money, and lost property. .
11 August : Joseph Smith, Sr.
is listed among delinquent subscribers of The Wayne Sentinel
published by E. B. Grandin. .
14 August : William Morgan
, a disaffected Freemason
from Batavia, New York, registers a copyright for an exposé of Masonic rituals. (See December 1826 entry, regarding publication.)
11 September : William Morgan
, who was working to publish Illustrations of Masonry, an exposé revealing secret Masonic ceremonies, is seized in Batavia, New York by several parties and later taken to Fort Niagara
, after which he mysteriously disappears. This "Morgan affair" stokes the fires of an anti-Masonic
movement, and soon leads to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party
, especially active in Western New York
.
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
without the "right person". The angel tells him that the next annual visit on 22 September 1827 is his last chance to obtain the golden plates
. The angel tells Smith that he must be married in order to obtain the plates. .
fall : Smith looks into his seer stone and determines that Emma Hale
, whom he had met previously, is the "right person" with whom he must go to Cumorah
in 1827 to successfully obtain the golden plates
. .
2 November : Smith's brother Hyrum
marries Jerusha Barden. .
November : Josiah Stowell can no longer afford to continue searching for buried treasure, and Smith travels to Colesville, New York
for a few months to work for Joseph Knight, Sr.
. . Smith directs further excavations on Knight's property and at other locations around Colesville .
December: William Morgan
's exposé of Masonic rituals is published in Batavia, New York: . (See 11 September 1826.)
in South Bainbridge, New York
and they are married by judge "Squire Tarbill" (Zachariah Tarbell). .
January : Josiah Stowell moves Smith and his bride to Manchester
. .
10 March : Smith receives a receipt for credit of $4.00 on the account of Abraham Fish, who is known to have financed some of Smith's treasure expeditions. .
23 March : The Wayne Sentinel
, the Palmyra
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin, quotes the Rochester Daily Advertizer in arguing: "The excitement respecting Morgan
, instead of decreasing, spreads its influence and aquires [sic] new vigour daily....The Freemason...[is] proscribed, as unworthy of 'any office in town, county, state, or United States!' and the institution of masonry,...is held up as DANGEROUS and detrimental to the interests of the country!".
16 April : Smith's brother Samuel begins a seven-month term of work for Lemuel Durfee, owner of the Smith Family Farm
, in exchange for tenancy.. .
1 June : The Wayne Sentinel
runs a story of a German scholar working in the Vatican Library
who said he had found evidence that the Mexicans and Egyptians were in communication in ancient times, and that there were examples in Mexico of biblical texts written in two different Egyptian dialects.
June : Smith, Sr. tells fellow treasure seeker Willard Chase that several years ago, a spirit had appeared to Smith and told him about a golden book. .
June - June 1828 : Hyrum Smith
is listed during this term as a member of the Palmyra
Mount Moriah Masonic Lodge No. 112. .
Summer : According to , a "mysterious stranger" appears at the Smith residence and meets privately with Smith, Jr., possibly multiple times.
August : Smith and his wife Emma visit Harmony
to retrieve Emma's possessions. . Peter Ingersoll moves Emma's furniture from Harmony to Manchester. Smith tells his father-in-law Isaac Hale that he will give up glass-looking. .
August : Smith works two days mowing for landlord Lemuel Durfee, Sr. .
fall : states that stories that Smith was about to recover the golden plates
were given "wide circulation". Tucker dates the stories of the First Vision
and Smith's subsequent angel Moroni visions to this time period, arguing they are retrospective inventions (pp. 28, 33).
about fall : According to , Smith approaches Willard Chase, a carpenter, and asks him to make him a strong chest to hold the golden plates
. In lieu of payment, Smith offers to give Chase a share in the profits generated by the plates.
20 September : Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight Sr. arrive in Manchester
in anticipation of Smith obtaining the golden plates. .
22 September : After the stoke of midnight, Smith takes a wagon to visit Cumorah
with his wife Emma
, and retrieves the golden plates
while she prays. . Smith says he hid the plates in a fallen tree top at Cumorah. With the plates, he says he found a sword, a breastplate, and a set of spectacles
, telling Joseph Knight that with them, "I can see anything". .
late September : Smith travels to nearby Macedon, New York
to work for Mrs. Wells. .
September–October : Alone, Smith visits Cumorah and returns with something heavy wrapped in a frock, which he places in a chest. Willard Chase claims that Smith admits that if it had not been for the brown stone found on the Chase property years earlier, he would not have found the plates. . Chase believes that because the stone is his, Chase has at least part ownership of the plates.
September–October : After the original chest said to hold the plates is smashed by members of Smith's former money digging company, Smith obtains a "glass box" (a wooden box used to hold pieces of glass) and says that the plates are kept inside.
October : The family of Martin Harris, a wealthy Palmyra
resident, hears about the golden plates from Lucy Mack Smith
. Martin's wife and daughter visit the Smith home to investigate, and Harris conducts his own investigation, asking Smith how the book was found. Smith says that he had located the plates via his brown seer stone, and that an angel appeared to him and told him that it was God's work, and that Smith must quit the money-digging company, translate the plates, and publish the translation. Harris offers, "If the Lord will show me that it is his work, you can have all the money you want." .
fall : According to , Smith tells Palmyra
residents that when he first saw the golden plates
, he saw a "display of celestial pyrotechnics", as the angel appeared as his "guide and protector", while "ten thousand devils gathered there, with their menacing sulphureous [sic] flame and smoke, to deter him from his purpose!"
fall : Harris is said to have mused around the village of Palmyra
about "what wonderful discoveries Jo Smith had made, and of his finding plates in a hill in the town of Manchester (three miles south of Palmyra), —also found with the plates a large pair of "spectacles
," by putting which on his nose and looking at the plates, the spectacles turned the hieroglyphics into good English." .
fall : According to , Palmyra residents were not generally aware at this time of the spectacles
Smith said were found with the plates.
fall: According to , "notorious wags" William T. Hussey and Azel Vandruver visit the Smith home and say they are willing to view the golden plates
, taking upon themselves the risk that they would be being struck dead if they saw them. They observe something "concealed under a piece of thick canvas". After Hussey removes the canvas and sees a tile brick, Smith claims to have pulled a joke on the men, and "with the customary whiskey hospitalities, the affair ended in good-nature".
November–December : Harris gives Smith $50, which allows him to get out of debt and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
. Emma's brother Alva comes from Harmony to pick up the couple.
December : Smith and his wife leave Manchester
and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
(now Oakland
, where they live with Emma's parents. . During transit, the glass box said to contain the plates is hidden in a barrel of beans. .
30 December : Smith's sister Sophronia marries Calvin Stoddard in Palmyra
. Smith is apparently absent. .
and her brother Reuben Hale. Smith also attempts to translate some of the characters.
February : Hyrum Smith
and Martin Harris travel to Harmony to see Smith. .
February - March : Martin Harris takes a transcript of characters
and some of their translations to several scholars in New York
. . According to , these scholars include "Hon. Luther Bradish
, Dr. Mitchell, Professor Anthon
, and others". James Gordon Bennett
later reported that Harris told a potential financer
in 1830 that he first approached "one of the Professors of Columbia College" (Anthon), who told Harris that he "could not decypher them", but referred him to Samuel L. Mitchill, who "looked at his engravings—made a learned dissertation on them—compared them with the hieroglyphics discovered by Champollion
in Egypt—and set them down as the language of a people formerly in existence in the East, but now no more". . Harris said that after speaking with Mitchill, he returned to Anthon, "who put some questions to him and got angry with Harris". . According to , Harris returns to Palmyra after his meetings in New York
and tells residents that Smith is a "little smarter than Professor Anthon
." According to , Harris declared "in a boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an unlearned man as he was, to 'confound worldly wisdom'".
February : An anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
6 March : A second anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
, attended by representatives from the counties of Wayne
(Palmyra) and Ontario
(Manchester). .
12 April : Harris begins acting as Smith's scribe while Smith begins dictating a translation of the golden plates, which Smith calls the Book of Lehi. ).
14 June : Harris persuades Smith to allow him to take the original, uncopied 116 manuscript pages to Palmyra to show his skeptical wife and family. .
15 June : Smith and his wife have their first child, named Alvin, who dies soon after birth. Emma nearly dies, and hovers near death for days. .
June–July : According to , Lucy Harris
took the 116 manuscript pages from Martin Haris while he was sleeping, and burned them. Tucker said that she kept this "a profound secret to herself, even until after the book was published".
4 July : Anti-Masons
hold a third convention in Le Roy, New York
. .
abt. 7 July : Smith visits Manchester to find out what happened to Harris, and learns that Harris has lost the 116 manuscript pages. Smith says the plates and the Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
are taken away.
July : Smith returns to Harmony
.
July : In Harmony, Smith dictates his first known written revelation , chastising him for losing the manuscript translation, and noting that "this is the reason that thou has lost thy privilages for a season, for thou hast suffered the counsel of thy director to be trampled upon from the beginning." and describe this as Smith's first known written revelation. The identity of the speaker is unknown, because this revelation, unlike most later ones, refers to God
and Jesus
in the third person, although a hint to his identity may perhaps be found in his reference to "my people, the Nephites". refers to the speaker as a "messenger". The revelation indicates that the "very purpose" of the golden plates
is to ensure the Lamanite
s know about the Nephite
s, and "come to the knowledge of their fathers, and...that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ".
4 August : Anti-Masons
hold a fourth convention in Le Roy, New York
. Dissatisfied with both parties, they form the Anti-Masonic Party
. .
September : Lucy
, Hyrum
, and Samuel Smith stop attending the Presbyterian church in Palmyra
. .
7 September : Anti-Masons
hold a fifth convention in Le Roy, New York
. They nominate Solomon Southwick as their candidate for Governor of New York
. .
22 September : On this, the anniversary of Smith's Cumorah visits, Smith begins translating again, using his seer stone. Smith begins translating where he left off, know known as the Book of Mosiah
.
September 1828 to March 1829 : Samuel, Emma
, and her brother Reuben Hale serve as Smith's scribes. Translation is sporadic because Smith has to work to support his family, and very little gets translated until April 1829.
October : Cowdery takes a job teaching school in Manchester. He boards with the Smiths in Manchester.
aft. 22 September 1828 : Smith, Sr. and Lucy visit Smith, Jr. and Emma at Harmony and meet the Hales.
3–5 November : In the New York gubernatorial election
, Anti-Masonic Party
candidate Solomon Southwick obtains 33,335 votes, compared to 136,783 votes for Martin Van Buren
and 106,415 for Smith Thompson
. .
travel to Harmony. ). Smith dictates a revelation calling the elder Smith to take part in a "marvelous work". The revelation refers to God in the third person.
March : Martin Harris becomes skeptical about the golden plates
, and asks Smith to let him see them. Smith dictates a revelation for Harris . Unlike prior revelations, this one refers to God in the first person. It also says that Smith had "entered into a covenant" with God not to show the plates to anyone unless God commands otherwise. It says that Smith "has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift". While future generations would have access to the plates, in the present generation, the words of the book would go out with the testimony of the Three Witnesses
who would have "power, that they may behold and view [the plates] as they are, and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation." For the first time, a Smith revelation specifically refers to the restoration of a church: "[I]f the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old." The revelation says that Harris could be one of the three witnesses if he humbles himself. However, if he sees the plates, Harris is commanded to say nothing more than "I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God". Because of a conspiracy to destroy Smith, he is commanded to translate a few more pages, and then "stop for a season, even until I command thee again".
March : Harris returns to Palmyra. .
5 April : Oliver Cowdery
, a school teacher and dowser
, arrives in Harmony with Samuel
.
7 April : Cowdery begins acting as Smith's scribe while translating the golden plates.
April : Smith dictates a revelation calling Cowdery to assist with a "marvelous work", and referring to the "cause of Zion
". The revelation refers to Cowdery's "gift" (dowsing
) and instructs Cowdery to "exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries." He is only to reveal his gift to "those which are of thy faith". The revelation refers to "records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people." Cowdery is to use his "gift" to assist in bringing these records to light. Both Cowdery and Smith are given the "keys" to this gift, so that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established".
April : Smith dictates what is characterized as a translation of a parchment written by John the Apostle
and "hid up by himself". The revelation says that John will "tarry" on the earth until the Second Coming
. .
April : Smith dictates a revelation referring to Cowdery's two "gifts". The first gift is Cowdery's ability to "receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient". The second gift is "working with the rod" (dowsing
). The revelation says "there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands, for it is the work of God". Cowdery is commanded to "[a]sk that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records, which have been hid up...."
April : Cowdery begins to translate (perhaps by dowsing
), then returns to acting as Smith's scribe. Smith dictates a revelation indicating that God took away his gift to translate for the time being because he was not persistent, and misunderstood the nature of translation, which requires the translator to "study it out in your mind". After the golden plates
were translated, the revelation says, Cowdery could assist with translating "other records".
abt. April : Smith dictates a portion of the golden plates telling a story of Alma the Elder, who baptized his followers by immersion, "having authority from the Almighty God", and called his community of believers the "church of God, or the church of Christ". (Mosiah 18:13-17). The book described the clergy in Alma's church as consisting of priests, who were unpaid and were to "preach nothing save it were repentance and faith in the Lord". (Mosiah 18:20). Alma later established many churches, which were considered "one church" because "there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God." (Mosiah 25:22). In addition to priests, the clergy of these churches included teachers (Mosiah 25:21) and elders. (Alma 4:7).
about May : Smith dictates part of his translation (Third Nephi
chapter 11) describing the exact mode of baptism by immersion, including the exact words to use. According to Oliver Cowdery
's later reminiscence, "after writing the account given of the Savior's ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent, it was easily to be seen . . .that . . . none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel." Oliver Cowdery, Letter 1, Messenger and Advocate 1 (October 1834): 15.
15 May : Smith and Cowdery baptize each other. Years later, details gradually emerged concerning a vision prior to this baptism: In 1832, Smith's unpublished history indicated that the priesthood had been received by the "ministering of angels". . In an 1834 publication, Cowdery first told the story of receiving the Aaronic priesthood on this date via a vision of John the Baptist
, and then of Smith and Cowdery baptizing each other. Smith essentially agreed with Cowdery's account of the vision.
May : As the translation proceeds, Smith dictates a revelation claiming that the lost 116 manuscript pages still exist, and that the people who possess them have altered them and are waiting for Smith to re-translate the same material. Then, these people plan to argue that Smith cannot translate the same material twice, and thus Smith has only "pretended to translate". Thus, the revelation directs Smith not to re-translate the Book of Lehi. The revelation indicates that the originally-translated Book of Lehi had indicated that it was just an "abridgment" of the "plates of Nephi". Thus, Smith is directed to translate the "plates of Nephi", containing a "more particular account" of the material Smith had already translated. Smith is only to translate the "first part" of these "plates of Nephi", however, continuing down to the reign of King Benjamin
, which Smith had already translated from the abridgment. The revelation also speaks of "establishing my gospel that there may not be so much contention". It defined the church of Christ as follows: "whoso repenteth, and cometh unto me, the same is my church: whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me: therefore, he is not of my church".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling his brother Hyrum
to assist in a "marvelous work", but he is not yet called to preach, but he is to be patient, meanwhile praying that he can assist in "the translation of my work". The revelation says that Hyrum "hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift", and refers to "that which you [Hyrum] are translating".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling Joseph Knight to assist in a "marvelous work".
1 June : Smith moves to Fayette, New York
and continues translation at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr.
.
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling David Whitmer
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer is told that if he asks with faith he "may stand as a witness of the things of which [he] shall both hear and see".
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling John Whitmer
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer becomes one of Smith's scribes. .
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling Peter Whitmer, Sr.
to assist with the "marvelous work".
early June : Smith and Cowdery begin baptizing new converts in Seneca Lake, including Hyrum Smith
, David Whitmer
, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. .
early June : Years later, after 1839, Smith recalls that he and others gathered in the "chamber of Mr. Whitmer's
house", where they heard a voice commanding them to ordain elders, but they refrained from doing so until the organization of the church. .
between June 1 and 14: Smith dictates a revelation directed to Oliver Cowdery
and David Whitmer
, referring to Smith's previous baptism of Cowdery (presumably on May 15) and instructing Cowdery to "build up my church". Both Cowdery and Whitmer are called to "cry repentance unto this people" and to "search out" the identities of the twelve disciples whom God had called and given power to baptize and to ordain priests and teachers. Cowdery and Whitmer will know the identities of these twelve "by their desires and their works".
11 June : Using a title page that Smith says was written by Moroni, Smith obtains a copyright for the Book of Mormon
(the name of his translation of the golden plates
). .
first half of June : Smith sends Martin Harris with a copy of the Book of Mormon
title page and a few pages of translation to Palmyra
to see if E. B. Grandin, owner of The Wayne Sentinel
, will agree to publish it. Harris meets with Grandin twice, and the second time threatens that if Grandin does not publish it, they will publish it in Rochester, New York
. Grandin provides an approximate estimate of costs, but declines to publish the book. .
about June? : Smith directly or indirectly approaches Thurlow Weed
, a well-known anti-Masonic
publisher and activist in Rochester, New York
about printing the Book of Mormon
. Weed refuses.
about June? : Smith attempts unsuccessfully to secure the financial assistance for publishing the Book of Mormon
from several family acquaintances including George Crane (a Quaker). .
June : Smith begins dictating a replacement section for the Book of Lehi, beginning with the First Book of Nephi
.
14 June : Oliver Cowdery
sends a letter to Hyrum Smith
referencing language from the "twelve disciples" revelation. (Joseph Smith letterbook (22 November 1835 to 4 August 1835) 5-6. Commentators generally agree that this letter references the revelation. See, e.g., Larry C. Porter (June 1979), Dating the Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, Ensign, p. 5.)
abt. June or later : Oliver Cowdery
receives a revelation called the Articles of the Church of Christ
, about "how he should build up his church & the manner thereof". it discusses the ordination of priest and teachers, and calls members to meet regularly to partake of bread and wine. Cowdery is described as "an Apostle of Christ". The revelation contains language found in the "twelve disciples" and "three witnesses" revelations.
June : Smith dictated the following text from the Second Book of Nephi
(found at ): "Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book, and the things therein. And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will of God..." According to information added in 1852 to the History of the Church (but absent in the 1842 Times and Seasons publication of the same material), this passage initiated the idea of showing the plates to three witnesses. There is a similar passage in the Book of Ether
, and that passage might have been the spark (as proposed by several later editions of History of the Church). It is not known whether the Book of Ether was translated before or after the Second Book of Nephi.
second half of June : Smith dictates a revelation to Oliver Cowdery
, David Whitmer
, and Martin Harris that if they have faith, they may be the Three Witnesses
to the Book of Mormon
, as well as the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim
, and the Liahona. .
second half of June : Oliver Cowdery
, David Whitmer
, and Martin Harris become the first Three Witnesses
, other than Smith, of the golden plates
by seeing them in a vision in Fayette.
second half of June : Eight additional witnesses "see" the golden plates
. It is uncertain whether they see them in a vision or with their natural eyes.
26 June : The title page of the Book of Mormon
is published in The Wayne Sentinel
, the weekly Palmyra
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin. . Grandin announces that he intends to publish the book "as soon as the translation is complete". Grandin had received a copy of the title page from Smith earlier in June.
end of June : Smith completes translation of the Book of Mormon
.
11 August : The anti-Masonic
Palmyra Freeman calls the Book of Mormon
"the greatest piece of superstition that has come to our knowledge." The article gives an account of how the plates were found by Joseph Smith, referring to three visits by "the spirit of the Almighty", "a huge pair of spectacles", golden plates
of dimensions eight by eight by six inches, Harris' visit to Samuel Mitchill. The article reproduces the title page of the Book of Mormon. No known copies survive, but the article was reprinted in other newspapers such as the Niagara Courier (27 August 1829).
25 August : A contract is drawn up with E.B. Grandin to print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon for $3,000. Martin Harris agrees to mortgage his farm to pay for the printing. .
August–March 1830 : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
copies manuscript pages from the originals, gives them to Hyrum
, who takes them to E. B. Grandin's printing press. The manuscript is typset by John Gilbert. .
2 September : Abner Cole
begins publishing the weekly Palmyra Reflector, using E. B. Grandin's printing press. Cole announces, "The Golden Bible, by Joseph Smith Junior, author and proprietor, is now in press and will shortly appear. Priestcraft is short lived!"
16 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "The Book of Mormon is expected to be ready for delivery in the course of one year — Great and marvellous things will "come to pass" about those days."
23 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "We understand that the Anti-Masons have declared war against the Gold Bible—O! how impious! / The number of Gold Bible Apostles is said to be complete. Jo Smith, Jr. is about to assign to each, a mission to the heathen. We understand that Abraham Chaddock intends to build the first house in Harris' New-Jerusalem.... / Some few evenings since, a man in the town of Mendon, had a loud call to go and preach the doctrines contained in the Gold Bible, under heavy denunciations." (May refer to Calvin Stoddard, who had a "loud call" according to .)
30 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he accuses the editor of the anti-Masonic
Palmyra Freeman of plagiarizing the Book of Mormon
by using the phrase "Beware of SECRET ASSOCIATIONS". Cole notes that "The 'Gold Bible' is fast gaining credit; the rapid spread of Islamism was no touch to it!"
4–22 October : Smith arrives in Harmony and writes a letter to Oliver Cowdery
(still in Manchester) that he has bought a horse from Josiah Stowell, and wants someone to come pick it up. .
7 October : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he refers mockingly to an article in the Palmyra Freeman (now lost) about Mormonism
, and how "the building of the TEMPLE OF NEPHI is to be commenced about the beginning of the first year of the Millennium", and how Mormons were claiming that the Book of Mormon
would "astonish the natives".
8 October : Smith and Oliver Cowdery
purchase a copy of the Authorized Version of the Bible, Old Testament
Apocrypha
included, at the E. B. Grandin bookstore, for $3.75. They would later use the book for the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
. Note that gives this date as 8 October 1828, a year earlier.
6 November : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
replies to Smith's letter, and says that Martin Harris will travel to Harmony and pick up the horse in two or three weeks. .
9 December : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, which used E. B. Grandin's printing press and therefore had access to the Book of Mormon
manuscripts, Cole announces that "at the solicitation of many of our readers we have concluded to commence publishing extracts from it on or before the commencement of the second series".
28 December : Cowdery writes to Smith in Harmony, stating that "it may look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer". .
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints the first part of Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
from the Book of Mormon
.
13 January : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he continues to print Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
from the Book of Mormon
.
January : Palmyra residents organize a boycott of the Book of Mormon
.
January : E. B. Grandin suspends printing the Book of Mormon
.
16 January : Smith, Sr.
and Martin Harris sign an agreement on selling copies of the Book of Mormon
. It is witnessed by Oliver Cowdery
. .
January : Based on assurances from Harris, E. B. Grandin resumes printing the Book of Mormon
.
22 January : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints an extract from the Book of Alma
, chapter 20, from the Book of Mormon
.
January : Threatened with legal action by Hyrum Smith
, Abner Cole
stops printing extracts of the Book of Mormon
.
February : An anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
early 1830 : Martin Harris visits lawyer-philanthropist Charles Butler
and asks for a $1300 loan to finance publication of the Book of Mormon
, but Butler declines. Harris promises that once the book is printed, Butler will receive a copy, and that once he reads it, he will be converted. Butler later receives a copy. . During the Harris describes to Butler his story of taking a transcript of characters
to Charles Anthon
and Samuel L. Mitchill in New York
. .
March : Smith travels from Harmony to Manchester with Joseph Knight, Sr., and learns that Martin Harris has been waffling on his commitment to paying his share of the debt for publication of the Book of Mormon.
March : Smith dictates a revelation for Martin Harris , explaining a "mystery": Smith reveals that "eternal damnation" or "endless punishment" does not mean punishment forever; rather, it just means "God's punishment". Nevertheless, Harris would suffer that exquisite punishment unless he repented, sold part of his farm, and used the cash to pay off the debt to E.B. Grandin for publication of the Book of Mormon
.
about March : Martin Harris is present at the E. B. Grandin printing press when "The Testimony of Three Witnesses
" at the end of the Book of Mormon
is being typeset. The typesetter later said that he asked, "'Martin, did you see those plates with your naked eyes?' Martin looked down for an instant, raised his eyes up, and said, 'No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.'" .
19 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
"will be ready for sale in the course of next week".
26 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
"is now for sale, wholesale and retail, at the Palmyra Bookstore".
This is a chronology of Mormonism. In the late 1820s, founder Joseph Smith, Jr. announced that an angel had given him a set of golden plates
engraved with a chronicle of ancient American peoples
, which he had a unique gift to translate. In 1830, he published the resulting narratives as the Book of Mormon
and founded the Church of Christ in western New York
, claiming it to be a restoration of early Christianity
.
Moving the church to Kirtland, Ohio
in 1831, Smith attracted hundreds of converts, who were called Latter Day Saints. He sent some to Jackson County, Missouri
to establish a city of Zion
. In 1833, Missouri settlers expelled the Saints from Zion, and Smith's paramilitary expedition
to recover the land was unsuccessful. Fleeing an arrest warrant in the aftermath of a Kirtland financial crisis
, Smith joined his remaining followers in Far West, Missouri
, but tensions escalated into violent conflicts with the old Missouri settlers. Believing the Saints to be in insurrection, the Missouri governor
ordered their expulsion from Missouri, and Smith was imprisoned on capital charges
.
After escaping state custody in 1839, Smith directed the conversion of a swampland into Nauvoo, Illinois
, where he became both mayor and commander of a nearly autonomous militia
. In 1843, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States
. The following year, after the Nauvoo Expositor
criticized his power and such new doctrines as plural marriage, Smith and the Nauvoo city council ordered the newspaper's destruction as a nuisance
. In a futile attempt to check public outrage, Smith first declared martial law
, then surrendered to the governor of Illinois
. He was killed by a mob
while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois
.
After Smith's death, his followers split in to several groups, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who followed Brigham Young
as Smith's successor. These Mormons followed Young to the Great Basin
, where they established a theocratic society. Eventually, after the Mormons discontinued their practice of polygamy, they entered mainstream American society and became champions of the nuclear family. A branch of Mormon fundamentalists who disagreed with that decision broke off from the LDS Church and established their own organizations. In the 20th century, the LDS Church grew dramatically, and currently has millions of members worldwide.
, she tells of a vision in which Jesus
spoke through a veil and told her to "warn the people to prepare for death" and to "declare faithfully unto them their accountability before God". .
24 January 1796 : Smith's parents Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
are married in Tunbridge, Vermont
by Seth Austin
1796 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith states in a letter that "I believe that the stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, spoken by Daniel, and has smitten the image upon his feet." .
1797 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith have an unnamed baby child, who dies. . There is disagreement on whether this was a boy or a girl.
6 December 1797 : Joseph, Sr., his father Asael, his brother Jesse, and fourteen others form a Universalist
Society. .
11 February 1798 : Smith's brother Alvin Smith
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
10 April 1799 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith writes a letter to his family, intended to be read after his death, articulating his belief in universal salvation
, warning them not to look to outward formalities of religion. . Asael Smith, however, was a pew holder of the local Congregational church
, a church known at the time for having preachers who taught Christian Universalism
and Unitarian
theology.
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
4 August 1800 – 4 May 1801 : The Smith family may not have been counted during the 1800 U.S. census. Although there are "Joseph Smith" families in both Tunbridge
and Poultney, Vermont
, neither of them match in ages and children with the family of Joseph and Lucy Smith. .
1800-02 : Smith, Sr. may have moved temporarily to or visited Poultney, Vermont
, 50 miles from Tunbridge, according to residents who said he lived there "at the time of the Wood movement
here". .
spring or early summer 1800 : A counterfeiter named (Justus?) Winchell organizes a dowsing
company to dig for money in Middletown
and Rutland, Vermont
. Winchell associates with Nathaniel Wood
, who had founded the New Israelites
some years earlier, whose religious elements included temple building, divination, polygamy, and the idea that they were literal descendants of the Israelites. . Among the company is Warren Cowdery, Jr., the father of Oliver Cowdery
, the dowser
who became Smith's scribe in 1829. . According to interviews conducted by a local historian, Joseph Smith, Sr.
was also part of the New Israelites, and was one of its "leading rods-men" . There is no historical consensus linking Smith, Sr. to the New Israelites; however, he said that his money digging career began during this decade or earlier. .
14 January 1802 : The New Israelites
, having prophesied this day as the end of the world, are confronted by local militia. This is known as the "Wood Scrape". The militia fires their weapons to disperse the "Fraternity of Rodsmen". .
about spring 1802 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith rent out their farm in Tunbridge, Vermont
and move to the more urban Randolph, Vermont
to set up a merchant shop. They operate with $1,800 in goods on credit from merchants in Boston
. .
1802 : Soon after moving to Randolph, Smith, Sr. speculates on a shipment of ginseng
, which he sends from the port in New York City
to China
.
about fall or winter 1802 : Six months after moving to Randolph, Lucy contracts tuberculosis
. .
1802-03 : While deathly ill, Lucy has a religious conversion
after she believes she hears the voice of God. . She said that she perceived her "mind at one time raising gradually, borne away to Heaven above all hight [sic] then reverting back again to my babes and my Companion at my side", after which she promised God that if she would live, she would try to find religion, and then heard a voice saying "Seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you let your heart be comforted ye believe in God believe [sic] also in me". . Lucy tries to find a religious home, but is unhappy with several ministers; therefore, she concludes that "there is not on Earth the religion which I seek I must again turn to my bible taking Jesus and his deciples [sic] for an ensample". .
1803 : A large Christian revival sweeps across Vermont
and Connecticut
. .
about 1803 : After the ship returns from China with the proceeds from the sale of Smith Sr.'s ginseng (a round trip that might have taken about a year), the earnings are stolen by a Royalton
merchant who flees to Canada
. .
1803 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith move from Royalton
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
1803 : The Smiths must sell their farm in Tunbridge to cover their debts to Boston
merchants, and they thereafter become poor tenants. .
17 May 1803 : Smith's sister Sophronia is born in Tunbridge
. .
1803-04 : Lucy attends meetings at a Methodist
church, and Smith, Sr. "went a few times to gratify [Lucy] for he had so little faith in the doctrines taught by them that my feelings were the only inducement for him to go"..
1803-04 : Hearing that Joseph, Sr. is attending Methodist meetings, Smith's Universalist
grandfather Asael Smith appears at his door, throws Thomas Paine
's Age of Reason
, into the house, and angrily demands that Smith, Sr. read it until he had believes it. He also suggests that Smith, Sr. ought not let Lucy attend the meetings. As a result, the Smiths stop attending Methodist church meetings. .
1803-04 : Lucy Mack Smith
visits a grove near Tunbridge
to pray about her husband's rejection of organized religion. When she returns home and goes to sleep that night, she has a vision that Smith, Sr. would eventually accept the "pure and undefiled Gospel of the Son of God" .
about 1804 : The Smiths move from Tunbridge
to Royalton, Vermont
, where they "resided a few months". .
27 August 1804 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack purchases property in Sharon, Vermont
. .
1804-05 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy move to Sharon, Vermont
, where they rent the farm of Lucy's father while Joseph, Sr. cultivates crops in the summer and teaches school in the winter. . Solomon Mack likely lives with them. .
23 December 1805 : Smith is born in Sharon, Vermont
to Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
. . Vermont residents recall that Smith, Sr. told them the young Joseph was born with a caul
(a sign of good luck), and that Smith, Sr. "intended to procure a stone for [him] to see all over the world with". .
3 May 1806 : Smith, Sr. witnesses a land transaction between his in-laws Solomon Mack and Daniel G. Mack in Sharon, Vermont
. .
1 April 1807 : In the court of Windsor County, Vermont, a person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
16 April 1807 : A second person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
1807 : Sharon
resident George Downer is convicted of passing two counterfeit bills the previous spring. There is some tenuous evidence, based in part on a descendant of the counterfeiter against whom Smith, Sr. testified on April 1, that Smith, Sr. was an accomplice in that case who avoided conviction by turning state's evidence
. See (noting the evidence is weak, but arguing that it favors the involvement of Smith, Sr. given that court records verify there was an unnamed accomplice who testified against Downer). But see (discounting the evidence; Brooke notes that Brodie does not mention the court records showing there was an unnamed accomplice witness).
1807 : Smith family moves from Sharon
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
.
15 October 1807 : Smith, Jr., his brother Jesse, and other Tunbridge residents petition the Vermont legislature for an exemption from providing their own military equipment as members of the Vermont militia. .
13 March 1808 : Smith's brother Samuel is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
. .
1808-1810 : Smith family moves from Tunbridge
to Royalton, Vermont
.
1808-1810 : Smith possibly attends school on Dewey Hill, taught by Deacon John Rinney, although he may have been too young. .
. .
24 March 1810 : Ephraim Smith dies. .
winter of 1810-11 : A Christian revival occurs in the towns around Royalton, Vermont
. . Smith, Sr. becomes "much excited upon the subject of religion" and "contended" for a restoration of primitive Christianity. .
spring 1811 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack, after being ill all winter in Sharon, Vermont
, and after searching the scriptures and praying, sees a vision and later hears a voice. . He is converted to evangelical Calvinism
and denounces Universalism
. .
13 March 1811 : Smith's brother William is born in Royalton, Vermont
.
April 1811 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
tells his family about his first vision. He sees a field representing the barrenness of true religion upon the earth, and he sees a log containing a box. His spirit guide tells him that if he eats the contents of the box, he will be filled with "wisdom and understanding". He raises the lid of the box, but is unable to eat its contents because "all manner of beasts, horned cattle, and roaring animals, rose up on every side in the most threatening manner possible". Based on the vision, Smith, Sr. concludes, more than ever, that there is no true religion on the earth. He would have six other visions between 1811 and 1819.
1811 (after May 11): After selling his property in Sharon, Vermont
and moving to live with Smith's uncle Daniel in Royalton
, Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack self-publishes a booklet describing his heavenly visions and voices of the previous winter: .
1812 (after May) : Smith family moves from Royalton, Vermont
to Lebanon, New Hampshire
.
1812 (after May) : Joseph Smith, Sr.
has his second vision, in which he saw a barren field representing the desolate world, a "narrow path", a stream with a rope running along its bank leading to a beautiful tree bearing a fruit whiter than snow that was "delicious beyond description. While eating, he thought "I cannot eat this alone, I must bring my wife and children, that they may partake with me." Thus, he brought his family to eat the fruit. However, there was a "spacious building" across the valley where the tree was, filed with finely-dressed people looking down and mocking Smith's family. Smith's spirit guide said that the fruit represented "the pure love of Christ". The guide said that the spacious building represented "Babylon, and it must fall". .
winter of 1812–1813 : Smith and his siblings contract typhoid fever
, and Smith acquires osteomyelitis
in his leg. He has surgery to remove infected bone, causing him to hobble on crutches at least until 1816. .
about 1813 : Smith stays with his uncle Jesse Smith in Salem, Massachusetts
while recovering from his leg operation.
8 July 1813 : Smith's sister Katherine is born in Lebanon, New Hampshire
. .
by May 1815: Smith family moves to Norwich, Vermont
, and their first year of crops fails. They survive by selling fruit. .
15 March 1816 : The Smith family is "warned out of town
" in Norwich, Vermont
. .
1816 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
relates to his family his third vision, in which he was lame, but his spirit guide sent him through a garden amidst 12 wooden images of giants. After each of the wooden giants sequentially bowed toward him in obeisance, he was healed. .
25 March 1816 : Smith's brother Don Carlos is born. .
summer 1816 : New England
and other areas experience a climate abnormality known as the Year Without a Summer
.
1816 - 1817 : Palmyra experiences a large Christian revival
.
fall 1816 : Smith, Sr. moves to the village of Palmyra, New York
. dates this as the summer of 1816.
January 1817 : Lucy Mack Smith and the remainder of the family move to Palmyra
, where they live in a small house on Main Street. .
abt. 1817 : Smith, Sr. opens a "cake and beer shop" in Palmyra, selling "gingerbread, pies, boiled eggs, root-beer, and other like notions of traffic", and peddles these on the street from a handcart during Independence Day
celebrations and military training days". . A journalist who visited the area in 1831 wrote in his notes that Smith, Sr. "was a vender—made gingerbread and buttermints &c&c". He said, "In this article [gingerbread? ginger?] he was a considerable speculator, having on hand during a fall of price no less than two baskets full.... What their dividends were I could not learn, but they used considerable molasses
, and were against the duty
on that article". .
abt. 1817 : Influenced by the Christian revivals of 1816-17 , Smith later recalls, "At about the age of twelve years my mind become [sic] seriously imprest with regard to the all importent [sic] concerns for the wellfare [sic] of my immortal Soul which led me to searching the scriptures believeing [sic] as I was taught, that they contained the word of God thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations led me to marvel excedingly [sic] for I discovered that they did notadorn instead of adorning their profession by a holy walk and Godly conversation agreeable to what I found contained in that sacred depository." .
1817-19 : In Palmyra, Smith, Sr. and his oldest sons take occasional day jobs, such as gardening, harvesting, and well-digging, to supplement their income. . Lucy Mack Smith
sets up a business selling painted oil-cloth coverings .
April 1817 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
is listed on the local road list as living in Palmyra village
, on Road District 26. .
1817-21 : During some period between these years, Smith visits the office of the Palmyra Register weekly and buys a news paper for his father. .
December 1817 : A "Joseph Smith" (Sr.?) joins the Masonic
lodge in nearby Canandaigua, New York
. .
April 1818 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
family is living in Palmyra village
. .
May 1818: Joseph Smith, Sr.
relates to his family his sixth vision. Smith, Sr. rushes toward a meetinghouse where multitudes of other people are entering, but just as he arrives there, the door shuts before him. The porter tells him that he must be barred entry to satisfy justice. After praying for forgiveness of sins, the mercy of Jesus
satisfied the needs of justice and he was allowed entrance. .
April 1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
family is listed on tax records as still living in Palmyra village
. .
1819 : The Smith family builds a log home in the town of Palmyra
, away from the village and adjacent to the border of Manchester
. said they moved into the log home two years after arriving in Palmyra. remembers the Smiths occupying this log home in the winter of 1819-20. dates the move to the log home to 1818, said that the Smiths occupied the land as squatters
, and described the log home as "divided into two rooms, on the ground-floor, and had a low garret, in two apartments. A bedroom wing, built of sawed slabs, was afterward added". They may have begun clearing trees and farming nearby land they did not yet own, or they may have been renting the land.
1819-1820s : While on their new property, the Smiths engage in "chopping and retailing of cord-wood, the raising and bartering of small crops of agricultural products and garden vegetables, the manufacture and sale of black-ash baskets and birch brooms, the making of maple sugar and molasses in the season for that work, and in the continued business of peddling cake and beer in the village on days of public doings". They also engage in hunting and fishing, trapping muskrat
s, and digging out groundhog
s from their holes, and spending time at Palmyra
shops. .
1819-1820s : Smith, Jr. works as a clerk for the peddling of cake and beer on public occasions, and sometimes is duped into accepting counterfeit coins from other youth. . See also ("I believe his son, Joe Junior, was at times a partner in the concern.").
1819 : Alvin Smith
leaves home to raise money for the family .
1819 : An unknown shooter hides under a wagon, and when Smith approaches his home, the shooter fires across the path, missing Smith but lodging a bullet in a cow. .
1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
tells his family about his seventh and last vision, telling him that he lacked one thing in order to secure his salvation. His spirit guide wrote what that one thing was on a piece of paper, but Smith, Sr. awoke before he could read it. .
September 1819 : According to , Smith discovers a seer stone, which is white and opaque, and resembles a child's foot. Tucker's account apparently conflates the story of finding this stone with the better-documented story of Smith finding his brown seer stone in 1822. argues that this 1819 date cannot be relied upon, and that it is not established that Smith began using a seer stone for treasure digging until 1822.
resident William Stafford and makes the sacrifice within a circle at the cite of the dig. After three hours of digging, one of the party accidentally breaks the enchantment by breaking silence and causes the excavation to fail.
about 1820 : According to , Smith is paid 75 cents to locate a stolen roll of cloth with his seer stone. He sends the owner on a three mile trip to look for the cloth, but it is never found.
about 1820 : During this period are the earliest reports of the Smiths conducting treasure quests in the Palmyra/Manchester area. date this earliest digging to 1820. See also (dating the first digs to 1820 and suggesting the first digs occurred on their Manchester land). In , James Gordon Bennett
says, without giving a definite year, that "the Smith's and their associates commenced digging, in the numerous hills which diversify the face of the country in the town of Manchester. The sensible country people paid slight attention to them at first.... They Would occasionally conceal their purposes, and at other times reveal them by such snatches as might excite curiosity. They dug these holes by day, and at night talked and dreamed over the counties' riches they should enjoy, if they could only hit upon an iron chest full of dollars. In excavating the grounds, they began taking up the green sod in the form of a circle of six feed diameter—then would continue to dig to the depth of ten, twenty, and sometimes thirty feet.")
April : Smith family is listed on local records as living at the end of Stafford Road in Palmyra Township
(i.e., their log home at the border adjacent to Manchester
). Alvin Smith
is listed as living in Palmyra village
. .
spring : According to , Smith uses his seer stone to locate buried treasure near the Smiths' property, and gathers contributions from Palmyra residence for an excavation, which is conducted "at the dead hour of night". After "preparatory mystic ceremonies", digging begins in absolute silence in order not to break the "enchantment". When the chest of money is nearly within reach, one of the party accidentally speaks, thus causing the treasure to vanish. dates this treasure quest to after 1822, arguing that Smith did not obtain his first stone until that year.
spring : According to Smith's later accounts, he has his First Vision
. Depending on the account, it is either a visit by one or more angels, or a theophany
. In the vision, a heavenly messenger tells him his sins are forgiven and that all the churches on the Earth at that time were false.
in what was then Farmington
. (In 1821, this would become the town of Manchester
.) They had already been working this land, either squatting or renting from the owner. said that Smith made a small payment "to bind the bargain".
18 July : Smith's youngest sister Lucy is born. .
1822 : Alvin begins construction on a frame house for the Smiths.
February–August : Smith takes an interest in Methodism
. says that Smith "catch[es] a spark of Methodism
in the camp meeting
, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road", and is known there as "a very passable exhorter" at evening Methodist meetings. says that Smith "joined the probationary class of the Methodist church in Palmyra, and made some active demonstrations of engagedness". According to Turner, this date must be after Smith's participation in the debating club (i.e., after Jan. 25, 1822). Date must also be after 7 July 1821, when the Methodists acquired their property in the woods off Vienna Road The Methodists did not begin building their meetinghouse on Vienna Road until 19 June 1822 , but may have held camp meetings there while waiting for the building. It also must be on or before the summer of 1822, when Turner left the Palmyra area . dates this to the revivals of 1824-25, but does not acknowledge that Turner said he left the Palmyra area in the summer of 1822.
February–August : Smith withdraws from his Methodist probationary class. says that Smith "arose and announced that his mission was to restore the true priesthood. He appointed a number of meetings, but no one seemed inclined to follow him as the leader of a new religion." says that Smith's "assumed convictions were insufficiently grounded or abiding to carry him along to the saving point of conversion, and he soon withdrew from the class. The final conclusion announced by him was, that all sectarianism was fallicious, all the churches on a false foundation, and the Bible a fable."
1822 : Smith finds the black seer stone from a neighbor and locates his own seer stone in a well, at a depth of 22 feet. The digging occurred on the property of Clark Chase, whose son Willard disputed Smith's ownership of the stone. This would be the stone he used for later money digging and translation of the Book of Mormon
.
1822-23? : The Smiths seek the expertise of a reputed treasure seer
living many miles away. Several sources identify this seer as Luman Walter
. In , reprinting an 1831 article by James Gordon Bennett
, Bennett describes this great seer as having "a particular felicity in finding out the spots of ground where money is hid and riches obtained. [Some anonymous member of the treasure quest party] related long stories how this person had been along shore in the east—how he had much experience in money digging—how he dreamt of the very spots where it could be found". He said that the Smiths worked for a time "to scrape together a little 'change' sufficient to fetch on the money dreamer." Bennett believed this distant magician was Sidney Rigdon
, based on discussion with Palmyra
residents who thought Rigdon was the author
of the Book of Mormon
. However, the story parallels a story told by Abner Cole
in the Palmyra Reflector on 12 June 1830 (see below), which says the distant magician was Luman Walter
, an occultist from Sodus, New York
who had been educated in Europe.
1822-23 : Smith, Sr. participates in treasure digging under the direction of scryer
Luman Walter
, with at least one dig on the property of Palmyra journalist Abner Cole
, according to . states that Cole's property was "Manchester lot 2". Cole lost this property some time after 19 August 1824, after which Benjamin Tabor owned it. Enoch Saunders rented from at least Tabor, and was renting at the time this excavation occurred.
about 1822-24? : Luman Walter
assists or conducts digs on the hill Cumorah
. According to one Palmyra resident, Walter conducts three digs on the hill Cumorah
, after having no success, he suggests that Smith, Jr. might be the only one that could find treasure there. . relates a story reported by James Gordon Bennett
that "About the time that this person [the scryer from far away, which Bennett identifies as Sidney Rigdon
but could be Walter] appeared among them, a splendid excavation was begun in a long narrow hill, between Manchester and Palmyra. This hill has been called by some, the Golden Bible Hill.... In the face of this hill, the money diggers renewed their work with fresh ardour, [the scryer/Rigdon] partly uniting with them in their operations." Bennett dates this story to about the time of the Palmyra's large religious revival of 1824-25. . says that on the summit of Cumorah is a "yet partially visible pit where the money speculators had previously dug for another kind of treasure".
congregationalist
minister in Poultney, Vermont
(and pastor of Oliver Cowdery
's family), publishes View of the Hebrews from the press of the Poultney Gazette. The book concludes, based on reports of a parchment book, metal artifacts, and plates found in Indian burial mounds, that the American Indian peoples were the Ten Lost Tribes
. . See (contains an internal date of July 1823).
21–22 September : Late at night, Smith says he had three visions, and one again in the morning, of an angel, who showed him the location of a buried golden book
engraved with a history of the Indians.
22 September : Smith tells his father about his visions of the angel, and visits the hill Cumorah
where the angel said the plates were buried. He returns empty-handed, claiming that he had failed to strictly follow the angel's commandments. He says the angel required him to return in exactly one year with his brother Alvin
.
23 September : Smith tells the rest of his family about the visions and his visit to Cumorah .
September–November : Every night, the Smith family gathers to hear Smith tell stories of the "ancient inhabitants of this continent, [including] their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship" .
23 October : The Wayne Sentinel, to which the Smith family subscribed , recounts a vision of Asa Wild, who said that "every denomination of professing christians had become exceedingly corrupt", including the Presbyterians and Methodists, of which he had been a member. Therefore, prior to the Millennium
, which would arrive in seven years (i.e., 1830), there would be a restoration of primitive Christianity. God was in the process of "raising up" a class of people "signified by the Angel mentioned by the Revelator, XIV. 6, 7, which flew in the midst of heaven" who would preach the true gospel. These people "are of an inferior class, and small learning", and "they will be rejected by every denomination as a body; but soon, God will open their way, by miracles, judgments, &c." See .
15 November : Alvin contracts "bilious cholic", and a physician administers a toxic amount of calomel
. Five physicians are unable to get him to expel the poison .
19 November: Alvin dies. On his death bed, he encourages Smith to "do everything that lies in your power" to obtain the golden plates
. .
20 November : Smith pays a $3.00 fee at the Palmyra drug store. .
17 May : A new land agent, John Greenwood, receives power of attorney over the Smith property. .
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
and returns empty handed because he was unable to bring Alvin (or possibly one of Alvin's body parts). . The angel requires him to return in exactly one year with the "right person"; Smith was to know that person by looking in his seer stone.
25 Sept. : The Smith family hears rumors that Alvin's grave had been exhumed and dissected (possibly by the young Joseph Smith). To prove this was untrue, Joseph Smith, Sr.
has Alvin's body exhumed in the presence of witnesses.
29 Sept. : Joseph Smith, Sr.
runs an add in the Wayne Sentinel for six weeks, announcing that he had exhumed Alvin's body, and that it was undisturbed. It also runs 6, 13, 20, 27 October and 3 November.
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : The Palmyra area experiences a large Christian revival
of Baptists and Presbyterians, and Lucy, Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel become Presbyterians. . Smith discourages them from attending, preferring solitary study of the Bible
. .
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : According to James Gordon Bennett
, during the Palmyra revivals, Smith first began "turning their digging concern into a religious plot." Subscribing to the Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
, Bennett states that the idea for this shift was Sidney Rigdon
's. .
22 September : Smith visits Cumorah
and returns empty handed. Prior to this date, Smith had selected Samuel T. Lawrence as the "right person", and either Smith changed his mind and visited Cumorah alone, or brought Lawrence to the hill but the angel failed to appear. .
11 October : A speech by M. M. Noah, a Jewish rabbi and editor of the New York Enquirer is reprinted in The Wayne Sentinel
of Palmyra, summarizing the many parallels found in other literature between the American Indians and the Jews. .
October–November : The frame house begun by Alvin in 1822 is finally completed and the family moves in. . says this house is partly enclosed, and never completed, and that the Smiths used the original log home as a barn.
October : Smith is approached by Josiah Stowell, from South Bainbridge, New York
, who had been searching for a lost Spanish mine near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
(now Oakland
), and needed a treasure seer .
October : Smith and his father travel to Harmony
hoping to raise money to pay off their Manchester farm.
1 November : Smith, Sr, Smith, Jr., and seven others sign a contract for a money digging company in Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
. .
November : The money digging company stays at the home of Isaac Hale, father of Smith's future wife Emma Hale
. .
17 November : The money digging company disbands.
November 1825 to March 1826 : Although the money digging company has disbanded, Smith continues to work for Josiah Stowell, and attends school. . Smith uses two stones to search for treasure and prays for help in the endeavor. .
December : Because the Smiths are delinquent on their mortgage, land agent John Greenwood sells the Smith farm to a group of three men. The new owners give the Smiths until 15 December for Hyrum to raise $1,000. .
20 December : A local Quaker named Lemuel Durfee Sr. buys the farm and allows the Smiths to rent the property until spring 1828, in exchange for labor by Samuel. .
before Justice Albert Neely. He is charged with being a "disorderly person
", because he was a "glass looker". According to witnesses, he was either convicted but allowed to escape, or discharged for lack of evidence . Smith states that by looking at the stone he can discover hidden treasures, gold mines, coined money, and lost property. .
11 August : Joseph Smith, Sr.
is listed among delinquent subscribers of The Wayne Sentinel
published by E. B. Grandin. .
14 August : William Morgan
, a disaffected Freemason
from Batavia, New York, registers a copyright for an exposé of Masonic rituals. (See December 1826 entry, regarding publication.)
11 September : William Morgan
, who was working to publish Illustrations of Masonry, an exposé revealing secret Masonic ceremonies, is seized in Batavia, New York by several parties and later taken to Fort Niagara
, after which he mysteriously disappears. This "Morgan affair" stokes the fires of an anti-Masonic
movement, and soon leads to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party
, especially active in Western New York
.
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
without the "right person". The angel tells him that the next annual visit on 22 September 1827 is his last chance to obtain the golden plates
. The angel tells Smith that he must be married in order to obtain the plates. .
fall : Smith looks into his seer stone and determines that Emma Hale
, whom he had met previously, is the "right person" with whom he must go to Cumorah
in 1827 to successfully obtain the golden plates
. .
2 November : Smith's brother Hyrum
marries Jerusha Barden. .
November : Josiah Stowell can no longer afford to continue searching for buried treasure, and Smith travels to Colesville, New York
for a few months to work for Joseph Knight, Sr.
. . Smith directs further excavations on Knight's property and at other locations around Colesville .
December: William Morgan
's exposé of Masonic rituals is published in Batavia, New York: . (See 11 September 1826.)
in South Bainbridge, New York
and they are married by judge "Squire Tarbill" (Zachariah Tarbell). .
January : Josiah Stowell moves Smith and his bride to Manchester
. .
10 March : Smith receives a receipt for credit of $4.00 on the account of Abraham Fish, who is known to have financed some of Smith's treasure expeditions. .
23 March : The Wayne Sentinel
, the Palmyra
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin, quotes the Rochester Daily Advertizer in arguing: "The excitement respecting Morgan
, instead of decreasing, spreads its influence and aquires [sic] new vigour daily....The Freemason...[is] proscribed, as unworthy of 'any office in town, county, state, or United States!' and the institution of masonry,...is held up as DANGEROUS and detrimental to the interests of the country!".
16 April : Smith's brother Samuel begins a seven-month term of work for Lemuel Durfee, owner of the Smith Family Farm
, in exchange for tenancy.. .
1 June : The Wayne Sentinel
runs a story of a German scholar working in the Vatican Library
who said he had found evidence that the Mexicans and Egyptians were in communication in ancient times, and that there were examples in Mexico of biblical texts written in two different Egyptian dialects.
June : Smith, Sr. tells fellow treasure seeker Willard Chase that several years ago, a spirit had appeared to Smith and told him about a golden book. .
June - June 1828 : Hyrum Smith
is listed during this term as a member of the Palmyra
Mount Moriah Masonic Lodge No. 112. .
Summer : According to , a "mysterious stranger" appears at the Smith residence and meets privately with Smith, Jr., possibly multiple times.
August : Smith and his wife Emma visit Harmony
to retrieve Emma's possessions. . Peter Ingersoll moves Emma's furniture from Harmony to Manchester. Smith tells his father-in-law Isaac Hale that he will give up glass-looking. .
August : Smith works two days mowing for landlord Lemuel Durfee, Sr. .
fall : states that stories that Smith was about to recover the golden plates
were given "wide circulation". Tucker dates the stories of the First Vision
and Smith's subsequent angel Moroni visions to this time period, arguing they are retrospective inventions (pp. 28, 33).
about fall : According to , Smith approaches Willard Chase, a carpenter, and asks him to make him a strong chest to hold the golden plates
. In lieu of payment, Smith offers to give Chase a share in the profits generated by the plates.
20 September : Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight Sr. arrive in Manchester
in anticipation of Smith obtaining the golden plates. .
22 September : After the stoke of midnight, Smith takes a wagon to visit Cumorah
with his wife Emma
, and retrieves the golden plates
while she prays. . Smith says he hid the plates in a fallen tree top at Cumorah. With the plates, he says he found a sword, a breastplate, and a set of spectacles
, telling Joseph Knight that with them, "I can see anything". .
late September : Smith travels to nearby Macedon, New York
to work for Mrs. Wells. .
September–October : Alone, Smith visits Cumorah and returns with something heavy wrapped in a frock, which he places in a chest. Willard Chase claims that Smith admits that if it had not been for the brown stone found on the Chase property years earlier, he would not have found the plates. . Chase believes that because the stone is his, Chase has at least part ownership of the plates.
September–October : After the original chest said to hold the plates is smashed by members of Smith's former money digging company, Smith obtains a "glass box" (a wooden box used to hold pieces of glass) and says that the plates are kept inside.
October : The family of Martin Harris, a wealthy Palmyra
resident, hears about the golden plates from Lucy Mack Smith
. Martin's wife and daughter visit the Smith home to investigate, and Harris conducts his own investigation, asking Smith how the book was found. Smith says that he had located the plates via his brown seer stone, and that an angel appeared to him and told him that it was God's work, and that Smith must quit the money-digging company, translate the plates, and publish the translation. Harris offers, "If the Lord will show me that it is his work, you can have all the money you want." .
fall : According to , Smith tells Palmyra
residents that when he first saw the golden plates
, he saw a "display of celestial pyrotechnics", as the angel appeared as his "guide and protector", while "ten thousand devils gathered there, with their menacing sulphureous [sic] flame and smoke, to deter him from his purpose!"
fall : Harris is said to have mused around the village of Palmyra
about "what wonderful discoveries Jo Smith had made, and of his finding plates in a hill in the town of Manchester (three miles south of Palmyra), —also found with the plates a large pair of "spectacles
," by putting which on his nose and looking at the plates, the spectacles turned the hieroglyphics into good English." .
fall : According to , Palmyra residents were not generally aware at this time of the spectacles
Smith said were found with the plates.
fall: According to , "notorious wags" William T. Hussey and Azel Vandruver visit the Smith home and say they are willing to view the golden plates
, taking upon themselves the risk that they would be being struck dead if they saw them. They observe something "concealed under a piece of thick canvas". After Hussey removes the canvas and sees a tile brick, Smith claims to have pulled a joke on the men, and "with the customary whiskey hospitalities, the affair ended in good-nature".
November–December : Harris gives Smith $50, which allows him to get out of debt and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
. Emma's brother Alva comes from Harmony to pick up the couple.
December : Smith and his wife leave Manchester
and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
(now Oakland
, where they live with Emma's parents. . During transit, the glass box said to contain the plates is hidden in a barrel of beans. .
30 December : Smith's sister Sophronia marries Calvin Stoddard in Palmyra
. Smith is apparently absent. .
and her brother Reuben Hale. Smith also attempts to translate some of the characters.
February : Hyrum Smith
and Martin Harris travel to Harmony to see Smith. .
February - March : Martin Harris takes a transcript of characters
and some of their translations to several scholars in New York
. . According to , these scholars include "Hon. Luther Bradish
, Dr. Mitchell, Professor Anthon
, and others". James Gordon Bennett
later reported that Harris told a potential financer
in 1830 that he first approached "one of the Professors of Columbia College" (Anthon), who told Harris that he "could not decypher them", but referred him to Samuel L. Mitchill, who "looked at his engravings—made a learned dissertation on them—compared them with the hieroglyphics discovered by Champollion
in Egypt—and set them down as the language of a people formerly in existence in the East, but now no more". . Harris said that after speaking with Mitchill, he returned to Anthon, "who put some questions to him and got angry with Harris". . According to , Harris returns to Palmyra after his meetings in New York
and tells residents that Smith is a "little smarter than Professor Anthon
." According to , Harris declared "in a boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an unlearned man as he was, to 'confound worldly wisdom'".
February : An anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
6 March : A second anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
, attended by representatives from the counties of Wayne
(Palmyra) and Ontario
(Manchester). .
12 April : Harris begins acting as Smith's scribe while Smith begins dictating a translation of the golden plates, which Smith calls the Book of Lehi. ).
14 June : Harris persuades Smith to allow him to take the original, uncopied 116 manuscript pages to Palmyra to show his skeptical wife and family. .
15 June : Smith and his wife have their first child, named Alvin, who dies soon after birth. Emma nearly dies, and hovers near death for days. .
June–July : According to , Lucy Harris
took the 116 manuscript pages from Martin Haris while he was sleeping, and burned them. Tucker said that she kept this "a profound secret to herself, even until after the book was published".
4 July : Anti-Masons
hold a third convention in Le Roy, New York
. .
abt. 7 July : Smith visits Manchester to find out what happened to Harris, and learns that Harris has lost the 116 manuscript pages. Smith says the plates and the Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
are taken away.
July : Smith returns to Harmony
.
July : In Harmony, Smith dictates his first known written revelation , chastising him for losing the manuscript translation, and noting that "this is the reason that thou has lost thy privilages for a season, for thou hast suffered the counsel of thy director to be trampled upon from the beginning." and describe this as Smith's first known written revelation. The identity of the speaker is unknown, because this revelation, unlike most later ones, refers to God
and Jesus
in the third person, although a hint to his identity may perhaps be found in his reference to "my people, the Nephites". refers to the speaker as a "messenger". The revelation indicates that the "very purpose" of the golden plates
is to ensure the Lamanite
s know about the Nephite
s, and "come to the knowledge of their fathers, and...that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ".
4 August : Anti-Masons
hold a fourth convention in Le Roy, New York
. Dissatisfied with both parties, they form the Anti-Masonic Party
. .
September : Lucy
, Hyrum
, and Samuel Smith stop attending the Presbyterian church in Palmyra
. .
7 September : Anti-Masons
hold a fifth convention in Le Roy, New York
. They nominate Solomon Southwick as their candidate for Governor of New York
. .
22 September : On this, the anniversary of Smith's Cumorah visits, Smith begins translating again, using his seer stone. Smith begins translating where he left off, know known as the Book of Mosiah
.
September 1828 to March 1829 : Samuel, Emma
, and her brother Reuben Hale serve as Smith's scribes. Translation is sporadic because Smith has to work to support his family, and very little gets translated until April 1829.
October : Cowdery takes a job teaching school in Manchester. He boards with the Smiths in Manchester.
aft. 22 September 1828 : Smith, Sr. and Lucy visit Smith, Jr. and Emma at Harmony and meet the Hales.
3–5 November : In the New York gubernatorial election
, Anti-Masonic Party
candidate Solomon Southwick obtains 33,335 votes, compared to 136,783 votes for Martin Van Buren
and 106,415 for Smith Thompson
. .
travel to Harmony. ). Smith dictates a revelation calling the elder Smith to take part in a "marvelous work". The revelation refers to God in the third person.
March : Martin Harris becomes skeptical about the golden plates
, and asks Smith to let him see them. Smith dictates a revelation for Harris . Unlike prior revelations, this one refers to God in the first person. It also says that Smith had "entered into a covenant" with God not to show the plates to anyone unless God commands otherwise. It says that Smith "has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift". While future generations would have access to the plates, in the present generation, the words of the book would go out with the testimony of the Three Witnesses
who would have "power, that they may behold and view [the plates] as they are, and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation." For the first time, a Smith revelation specifically refers to the restoration of a church: "[I]f the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old." The revelation says that Harris could be one of the three witnesses if he humbles himself. However, if he sees the plates, Harris is commanded to say nothing more than "I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God". Because of a conspiracy to destroy Smith, he is commanded to translate a few more pages, and then "stop for a season, even until I command thee again".
March : Harris returns to Palmyra. .
5 April : Oliver Cowdery
, a school teacher and dowser
, arrives in Harmony with Samuel
.
7 April : Cowdery begins acting as Smith's scribe while translating the golden plates.
April : Smith dictates a revelation calling Cowdery to assist with a "marvelous work", and referring to the "cause of Zion
". The revelation refers to Cowdery's "gift" (dowsing
) and instructs Cowdery to "exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries." He is only to reveal his gift to "those which are of thy faith". The revelation refers to "records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people." Cowdery is to use his "gift" to assist in bringing these records to light. Both Cowdery and Smith are given the "keys" to this gift, so that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established".
April : Smith dictates what is characterized as a translation of a parchment written by John the Apostle
and "hid up by himself". The revelation says that John will "tarry" on the earth until the Second Coming
. .
April : Smith dictates a revelation referring to Cowdery's two "gifts". The first gift is Cowdery's ability to "receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient". The second gift is "working with the rod" (dowsing
). The revelation says "there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands, for it is the work of God". Cowdery is commanded to "[a]sk that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records, which have been hid up...."
April : Cowdery begins to translate (perhaps by dowsing
), then returns to acting as Smith's scribe. Smith dictates a revelation indicating that God took away his gift to translate for the time being because he was not persistent, and misunderstood the nature of translation, which requires the translator to "study it out in your mind". After the golden plates
were translated, the revelation says, Cowdery could assist with translating "other records".
abt. April : Smith dictates a portion of the golden plates telling a story of Alma the Elder, who baptized his followers by immersion, "having authority from the Almighty God", and called his community of believers the "church of God, or the church of Christ". (Mosiah 18:13-17). The book described the clergy in Alma's church as consisting of priests, who were unpaid and were to "preach nothing save it were repentance and faith in the Lord". (Mosiah 18:20). Alma later established many churches, which were considered "one church" because "there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God." (Mosiah 25:22). In addition to priests, the clergy of these churches included teachers (Mosiah 25:21) and elders. (Alma 4:7).
about May : Smith dictates part of his translation (Third Nephi
chapter 11) describing the exact mode of baptism by immersion, including the exact words to use. According to Oliver Cowdery
's later reminiscence, "after writing the account given of the Savior's ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent, it was easily to be seen . . .that . . . none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel." Oliver Cowdery, Letter 1, Messenger and Advocate 1 (October 1834): 15.
15 May : Smith and Cowdery baptize each other. Years later, details gradually emerged concerning a vision prior to this baptism: In 1832, Smith's unpublished history indicated that the priesthood had been received by the "ministering of angels". . In an 1834 publication, Cowdery first told the story of receiving the Aaronic priesthood on this date via a vision of John the Baptist
, and then of Smith and Cowdery baptizing each other. Smith essentially agreed with Cowdery's account of the vision.
May : As the translation proceeds, Smith dictates a revelation claiming that the lost 116 manuscript pages still exist, and that the people who possess them have altered them and are waiting for Smith to re-translate the same material. Then, these people plan to argue that Smith cannot translate the same material twice, and thus Smith has only "pretended to translate". Thus, the revelation directs Smith not to re-translate the Book of Lehi. The revelation indicates that the originally-translated Book of Lehi had indicated that it was just an "abridgment" of the "plates of Nephi". Thus, Smith is directed to translate the "plates of Nephi", containing a "more particular account" of the material Smith had already translated. Smith is only to translate the "first part" of these "plates of Nephi", however, continuing down to the reign of King Benjamin
, which Smith had already translated from the abridgment. The revelation also speaks of "establishing my gospel that there may not be so much contention". It defined the church of Christ as follows: "whoso repenteth, and cometh unto me, the same is my church: whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me: therefore, he is not of my church".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling his brother Hyrum
to assist in a "marvelous work", but he is not yet called to preach, but he is to be patient, meanwhile praying that he can assist in "the translation of my work". The revelation says that Hyrum "hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift", and refers to "that which you [Hyrum] are translating".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling Joseph Knight to assist in a "marvelous work".
1 June : Smith moves to Fayette, New York
and continues translation at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr.
.
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling David Whitmer
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer is told that if he asks with faith he "may stand as a witness of the things of which [he] shall both hear and see".
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling John Whitmer
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer becomes one of Smith's scribes. .
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling Peter Whitmer, Sr.
to assist with the "marvelous work".
early June : Smith and Cowdery begin baptizing new converts in Seneca Lake, including Hyrum Smith
, David Whitmer
, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. .
early June : Years later, after 1839, Smith recalls that he and others gathered in the "chamber of Mr. Whitmer's
house", where they heard a voice commanding them to ordain elders, but they refrained from doing so until the organization of the church. .
between June 1 and 14: Smith dictates a revelation directed to Oliver Cowdery
and David Whitmer
, referring to Smith's previous baptism of Cowdery (presumably on May 15) and instructing Cowdery to "build up my church". Both Cowdery and Whitmer are called to "cry repentance unto this people" and to "search out" the identities of the twelve disciples whom God had called and given power to baptize and to ordain priests and teachers. Cowdery and Whitmer will know the identities of these twelve "by their desires and their works".
11 June : Using a title page that Smith says was written by Moroni, Smith obtains a copyright for the Book of Mormon
(the name of his translation of the golden plates
). .
first half of June : Smith sends Martin Harris with a copy of the Book of Mormon
title page and a few pages of translation to Palmyra
to see if E. B. Grandin, owner of The Wayne Sentinel
, will agree to publish it. Harris meets with Grandin twice, and the second time threatens that if Grandin does not publish it, they will publish it in Rochester, New York
. Grandin provides an approximate estimate of costs, but declines to publish the book. .
about June? : Smith directly or indirectly approaches Thurlow Weed
, a well-known anti-Masonic
publisher and activist in Rochester, New York
about printing the Book of Mormon
. Weed refuses.
about June? : Smith attempts unsuccessfully to secure the financial assistance for publishing the Book of Mormon
from several family acquaintances including George Crane (a Quaker). .
June : Smith begins dictating a replacement section for the Book of Lehi, beginning with the First Book of Nephi
.
14 June : Oliver Cowdery
sends a letter to Hyrum Smith
referencing language from the "twelve disciples" revelation. (Joseph Smith letterbook (22 November 1835 to 4 August 1835) 5-6. Commentators generally agree that this letter references the revelation. See, e.g., Larry C. Porter (June 1979), Dating the Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, Ensign, p. 5.)
abt. June or later : Oliver Cowdery
receives a revelation called the Articles of the Church of Christ
, about "how he should build up his church & the manner thereof". it discusses the ordination of priest and teachers, and calls members to meet regularly to partake of bread and wine. Cowdery is described as "an Apostle of Christ". The revelation contains language found in the "twelve disciples" and "three witnesses" revelations.
June : Smith dictated the following text from the Second Book of Nephi
(found at ): "Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book, and the things therein. And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will of God..." According to information added in 1852 to the History of the Church (but absent in the 1842 Times and Seasons publication of the same material), this passage initiated the idea of showing the plates to three witnesses. There is a similar passage in the Book of Ether
, and that passage might have been the spark (as proposed by several later editions of History of the Church). It is not known whether the Book of Ether was translated before or after the Second Book of Nephi.
second half of June : Smith dictates a revelation to Oliver Cowdery
, David Whitmer
, and Martin Harris that if they have faith, they may be the Three Witnesses
to the Book of Mormon
, as well as the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim
, and the Liahona. .
second half of June : Oliver Cowdery
, David Whitmer
, and Martin Harris become the first Three Witnesses
, other than Smith, of the golden plates
by seeing them in a vision in Fayette.
second half of June : Eight additional witnesses "see" the golden plates
. It is uncertain whether they see them in a vision or with their natural eyes.
26 June : The title page of the Book of Mormon
is published in The Wayne Sentinel
, the weekly Palmyra
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin. . Grandin announces that he intends to publish the book "as soon as the translation is complete". Grandin had received a copy of the title page from Smith earlier in June.
end of June : Smith completes translation of the Book of Mormon
.
11 August : The anti-Masonic
Palmyra Freeman calls the Book of Mormon
"the greatest piece of superstition that has come to our knowledge." The article gives an account of how the plates were found by Joseph Smith, referring to three visits by "the spirit of the Almighty", "a huge pair of spectacles", golden plates
of dimensions eight by eight by six inches, Harris' visit to Samuel Mitchill. The article reproduces the title page of the Book of Mormon. No known copies survive, but the article was reprinted in other newspapers such as the Niagara Courier (27 August 1829).
25 August : A contract is drawn up with E.B. Grandin to print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon for $3,000. Martin Harris agrees to mortgage his farm to pay for the printing. .
August–March 1830 : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
copies manuscript pages from the originals, gives them to Hyrum
, who takes them to E. B. Grandin's printing press. The manuscript is typset by John Gilbert. .
2 September : Abner Cole
begins publishing the weekly Palmyra Reflector, using E. B. Grandin's printing press. Cole announces, "The Golden Bible, by Joseph Smith Junior, author and proprietor, is now in press and will shortly appear. Priestcraft is short lived!"
16 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "The Book of Mormon is expected to be ready for delivery in the course of one year — Great and marvellous things will "come to pass" about those days."
23 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "We understand that the Anti-Masons have declared war against the Gold Bible—O! how impious! / The number of Gold Bible Apostles is said to be complete. Jo Smith, Jr. is about to assign to each, a mission to the heathen. We understand that Abraham Chaddock intends to build the first house in Harris' New-Jerusalem.... / Some few evenings since, a man in the town of Mendon, had a loud call to go and preach the doctrines contained in the Gold Bible, under heavy denunciations." (May refer to Calvin Stoddard, who had a "loud call" according to .)
30 September : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he accuses the editor of the anti-Masonic
Palmyra Freeman of plagiarizing the Book of Mormon
by using the phrase "Beware of SECRET ASSOCIATIONS". Cole notes that "The 'Gold Bible' is fast gaining credit; the rapid spread of Islamism was no touch to it!"
4–22 October : Smith arrives in Harmony and writes a letter to Oliver Cowdery
(still in Manchester) that he has bought a horse from Josiah Stowell, and wants someone to come pick it up. .
7 October : In Abner Cole
's Palmyra Reflector, he refers mockingly to an article in the Palmyra Freeman (now lost) about Mormonism
, and how "the building of the TEMPLE OF NEPHI is to be commenced about the beginning of the first year of the Millennium", and how Mormons were claiming that the Book of Mormon
would "astonish the natives".
8 October : Smith and Oliver Cowdery
purchase a copy of the Authorized Version of the Bible, Old Testament
Apocrypha
included, at the E. B. Grandin bookstore, for $3.75. They would later use the book for the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
. Note that gives this date as 8 October 1828, a year earlier.
6 November : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
replies to Smith's letter, and says that Martin Harris will travel to Harmony and pick up the horse in two or three weeks. .
9 December : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, which used E. B. Grandin's printing press and therefore had access to the Book of Mormon
manuscripts, Cole announces that "at the solicitation of many of our readers we have concluded to commence publishing extracts from it on or before the commencement of the second series".
28 December : Cowdery writes to Smith in Harmony, stating that "it may look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer". .
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints the first part of Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
from the Book of Mormon
.
13 January : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he continues to print Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
from the Book of Mormon
.
January : Palmyra residents organize a boycott of the Book of Mormon
.
January : E. B. Grandin suspends printing the Book of Mormon
.
16 January : Smith, Sr.
and Martin Harris sign an agreement on selling copies of the Book of Mormon
. It is witnessed by Oliver Cowdery
. .
January : Based on assurances from Harris, E. B. Grandin resumes printing the Book of Mormon
.
22 January : In Abner Cole
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints an extract from the Book of Alma
, chapter 20, from the Book of Mormon
.
January : Threatened with legal action by Hyrum Smith
, Abner Cole
stops printing extracts of the Book of Mormon
.
February : An anti-Masonic
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
early 1830 : Martin Harris visits lawyer-philanthropist Charles Butler
and asks for a $1300 loan to finance publication of the Book of Mormon
, but Butler declines. Harris promises that once the book is printed, Butler will receive a copy, and that once he reads it, he will be converted. Butler later receives a copy. . During the Harris describes to Butler his story of taking a transcript of characters
to Charles Anthon
and Samuel L. Mitchill in New York
. .
March : Smith travels from Harmony to Manchester with Joseph Knight, Sr., and learns that Martin Harris has been waffling on his commitment to paying his share of the debt for publication of the Book of Mormon.
March : Smith dictates a revelation for Martin Harris , explaining a "mystery": Smith reveals that "eternal damnation" or "endless punishment" does not mean punishment forever; rather, it just means "God's punishment". Nevertheless, Harris would suffer that exquisite punishment unless he repented, sold part of his farm, and used the cash to pay off the debt to E.B. Grandin for publication of the Book of Mormon
.
about March : Martin Harris is present at the E. B. Grandin printing press when "The Testimony of Three Witnesses
" at the end of the Book of Mormon
is being typeset. The typesetter later said that he asked, "'Martin, did you see those plates with your naked eyes?' Martin looked down for an instant, raised his eyes up, and said, 'No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.'" .
19 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
"will be ready for sale in the course of next week".
26 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
"is now for sale, wholesale and retail, at the Palmyra Bookstore". ; ).
about 1 April : Smith gives Oliver Cowdery
the brown seer stone he had used to translate the Book of Mormon
and for earlier treasure hunting. .
6 April : The Church of Christ is organized in either Fayette
or Manchester, New York
. . A later document from June claims that the church is "regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country" , but no articles of incorporation are found in the relevant New York agencies.
6 April : Smith dictates five revelations, respectively, to Oliver Cowdery
, Hyrum Smith
, Samuel Harrison Smith
, Joseph Smith, Sr.
, and Joseph Knight, Sr.
(who had not yet decided to join the Church of Christ), describing their duties in the church. .
6 April : Smith dictates a revelation directing that the church keep a record, in which Smith would "be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, and apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church...." It says that Smith has been "inspired to move the cause of Zion in imighty power for good." It says that Smith is to be ordained by Oliver Cowdery
, so that Cowdery would be "an elder under [Smith's] hand, he being first unto [Cowdery]". Cowdery is also to be the "first preacher of this church". .
April : Smith dictates a revelation stating that people who had already been baptized
within some other faith would need to be re-baptized prior to becoming a member of the Church of Christ
. The revelation refers to the faith as "a new and an everlasting covenant". .
April 11 : Oliver Cowdery preaches publicly for the first time as an official representative of the newly formed church. In Seneca Lake he baptizes Hiram Page
, Catherine Whitmer Page, Christian Whitmer
, Anne Schott Whitmer (Christian's wife), Jacob Whitmer
, Elizabeth Ann Schott Whitmer (Jacob's wife), and Mary Page.
19 April : A letter to the editor of the Palmyra Reflector chastises "Hyrum Smith
, and some of his ill-bred associates", for losing their cool during proselytizing. The letter refers to these men as "Apostles".
May : Smith conceives of first proselytizing mission, involving Oliver Cowdery
, directed to the Native Americans
. .
1 June : An article in the Palmyra Reflector notes that the "apostle to the NEPHITES" Oliver Cowdery
has boarded a boat with copies of the Book of Mormon
and headed east on the Erie Canal
.
June : Smith begins translating sections the New Testament, claiming to receive information through revelation.
between 1 June and 9 June : In Fayette, New York
, Smith drafts the "Articles and Covenants of the church of Christ". Both Smith and Oliver Cowdery
are described as "an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of this church". In the earliest possible reference to Smith's First Vision
, it says that "after that it truly was manifested unto this first elder, that he had received a remission of his sins, he was entangled again in the vanities of the world; [b]ut after truly repenting, God ministered unto him by an holy angel...." The document refers to the new office of deacon. ; ; ; ; . This document is considered to be the church's "constitution".
9 June : Smith presides over the church's first general conference. The current church elders are Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery
, Peter Whitmer, David Whitmer
, John Whitmer
and Ziba Peterson
. Joseph Smith, Sr.
, Hyrum Smith
, and Martin Harris are ordained priests, and Hiram Page
and Christian Whitmer
are ordained teachers.
9 June : Smith performs the first Latter Day Saint miracle, the exorcism
of Newel Knight
. .
June : Smith has a vision in which Michael
the archangel
exposes the true identity of Satan, who appears to Smith as "an angel of light". Smith begins dictation of the "vision of Moses
" which describes Satan appearing as an angel of light. .
12 June : The Palmyra Reflector prints a satire of the Book of Mormon
entitled "The Book of Pukei". It refers to "Walters the Magician" (Luman Walter
). The "idle and slothful" send for "Walters", who "has strange books, and deals with familiar spirits", in the hope that he would lead them to Nephite
treasure. "Walters" led them to a dark grove in Manchester
, where he drew a magic circle with a rusty sword, sacrificed a chicken, and allowed his party to commence digging over several nights. However, their excavation was unsuccessful. When the party tires and suspects deception, "Walters" flees with his book, rusty sword, and stuffed Toad back to Great Sodus Bay
(near Luman Walter's home), "where he holds communion with the Devil, even to this day." However, "his mantle fell upon the prophet Jo. Smith Jun.", who "made a league with the spirit, who afterwards turned out to be an angel."
30 June : The Palmyra Reflector sarcastically proclaims that "[t]he age of miracle has again arived", noting that Martin Harris is telling the Palmyra neighborhood about how Smith has cast out a devil "of uncommon size from a miserable man in the neighborhood of the 'great bend' of the Susquehannah."
30 June to 1 July : Smith stands trial in Colesville, New York
for scrying
and for performing an exorcism, but is acquitted. .
abt. 6 July : Smith and Oliver Cowdery
flee a mob in Colesville toward Harmony Township, Pennsylvania
. In the mid-1830s, Smith said that in circumstances that match this flight, Smith and Cowdery saw a vision of Peter
, James, and John
, who gave them "keys" of apostleship. .
7 July : The Palmyra Reflector continues with Chapter 2 of its satirical "Book of Pukei". The account describes the angel Moroni as "a little old man...clad, as I supposed, in Egyptian raiment, except his Indian blanket, and moccasins—his beard of silver white, hung far below his knees. On his head was an old fashioned military half cocked hat, such as was worn in the days of the patriarch Moses—his speech was sweeter than molasses, and his words were the reformed Egyptian."
July : In Harmony, Smith dictates a revelation chastising Smith for his "transgressions". It recalls to Smith that he has "been delivered from all thine enemies, and thou hast been delivered from the powers of Satan, and from darkness!" Smith is to sow his fields, and then go to the church in "Colesville, Fayette, and Manchester, and they shall support thee" while Cowdery works full time for "in Zion", but "in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling". Smith is authorized to perform "casting out devils; healing the sick; and against poisonous serpents; and against deadly poisons", but only when commanded by God. If someone does not receive him he is to shake the dust from his feet
. He is to travel "without purse or scrip". .
August : Joseph Smith Jr. becomes aware of Hiram Page and his use of a seer stone. Page had predicted the location of the New Jerusalem
, and most members of the church believed him.
1830 : Martin Harris claims to be a prophet, and tells Palmyra residents that "'Jackson
would be the last president that we would have; and that all persons who did not embrace Mormonism
in two years' time would be stricken off the face of the earth.' He said that Palmyra was to be the New Jerusalem, and that her streets were to be paved with gold." .
September : Smith receives a revelation that only he can receive revelations for the church. .
September : Smith receives a revelation that gives him authority to issue commandments to the church on any subject, because "all things unto [God] are spiritual". .
September 26 : A church conference is held. Notable events include: (1) The discussion of the Hiram Page seerstone and its refutation by unanimous vote. (2) 35 new members are added, bringing the total number to 62. (3) Peter Whitmer, Jr.
is called to preach with Oliver Cowdery to the Native Americans
. John Whitmer
is also called to preach (D&C 30).
September : Immediately following the conference, Thomas B. Marsh
is called to preach (D&C 31).
October : Parley P. Pratt
and Ziba Peterson
are called to preach to the Indians (D&C 32). Ezra Thayre
and Northrop Sweet are also called (D&C 32, 33).
October : Sidney Rigdon's Kirtland congregation is converted to Mormonism.
November : Orson Pratt
is called to preach (D&C 34).
4 Nov. : Smith dictates a revelation to Orson Pratt
using his white seer stone. .
Dec. : Smith dictates a revelation instructing the church to assemble in Ohio. .
December : Smith meets Sidney Rigdon
, who becomes his scribe in further revision of the Bible (D&C 35). Joseph Smith Jr. is commanded to cease revising until the church is gathered in Ohio
(D&C 37).
.
4 February : additional revelation is given, naming Edward Partridge
the first bishop (D&C 42).
9 February : Section 42 is received, laying out the law of the church, including naming specific sins and the punishments thereof.
Spring : Revelation that Zion is located in Independence, Missouri
was presented. Many of Smith's followers still living in New York move to Kirtland.
4 April : Edward Partridge
is called to be the first bishop in the church. Sidney Rigdon
anoints him an elder and sets him apart as a bishop.
4 June : Nineteen men are ordained High Priests, including Joseph Smith, Jr., Lyman Wight
, and Edward Partridge
. Isaac Morley
and John Corrill
are ordained assistants to Bishop Partridge.
7 June : The new bishop and several others are called to settle Jackson County, Missouri
to build the city of Zion. A small group travels to Independence, Missouri.
15 August : A non-Mormon journalist who visited the Manchester
/Palmyra
area writes, "On the sides & in the slopes of several of these hills, these excavations [by Smith and his associates in search of chests of money] are still to be seen". in .
August 28 : Sidney Rigdon
ordains Oliver Cowdery
a High Priest.
11 November : Revelation is received directing the church to organize presidencies over each quorum in the priesthood (D&C 107:60-92, 99-100).
4 December : Newel K. Whitney
is called as a bishop over Kirtland, Ohio
(D&C 72:2).
January 26 : Joseph Smith is confirmed president of the High Priesthood by a church-wide sustaining vote.
March : In an unpublished revelation, Joseph Smith is confirmed as having the authority to direct all the affairs of the church and also to appoint counselors in his presidency.
March 8 : Joseph Smith Jr. organizes his presidency by appointing Jesse Gause
and Sidney Rigdon
as counselors.
March 24 : Joseph Smith Jr. is tarred and feathered by a mob outside the John Johnson farmhouse.
March 29 : Joseph Smith Jr. and Emma's adopted son, Joseph Murdock Smith, dies from a cold, thought to have been caught during the night of the mobbing.
December : Joseph prophesies about a Civil War (D&C 87). This follows the threat of South Carolina
to secede from the United States on November 24 of that same year.
October : As a result of the hostility in Jackson County, Missouri, Mormons who had settled there move to Clay County.
1833 : Joseph Smith's first 65 revelations are printed in a book titled "Book of Commandments
".
December 16 : Revelation is received appointing the formation of Stakes of Zion to gather the saints. (D&C 101:21)
December 18 : Joseph Smith, Jr. ordains his father, Joseph Smith, Sr.
as Presiding Patriarch and assistant to the President of the High Priesthood.
April : Zion's Camp
is assembled as an effort to help the beleaguered Mormons in Missouri. The "Camp" is really a motley collection of Mormons who followed Joseph Smith to Missouri with the manifest aim of defending the Mormons in Missouri. Shortly after arriving in Missouri, the force is disbanded.
May 3 : The name of the church is changed from The Church of Jesus Christ to The Church of the Latter Day Saints upon a proposal by Sidney Rigdon
, seconded by Newel K. Whitney
and passed by the church.
June : Zion's camp is disbanded.
July 7 : Twelve High Priests in Clay County, Missouri is organized into a High Council. David Whitmer
is ordained president of the council, and John Whitmer
and William Wines Phelps are ordained as counselors. Joseph Smith, while ordaining David Whitmer, also appoints him as "Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator" and mentions that he (Whitmer) should succeed him if Joseph "did not live to see God himself."
December 5 : Joseph Smith, Jr. ordains Oliver Cowdery
as an Assistant President of the Church, with the understanding that Cowdery should act in Smith's absence.
December 6 : Joseph ordains Hyrum Smith
and Joseph Smith, Sr.
as Assistant Presidents of the Church.
, David Whitmer
, and Martin Harris choose the individuals who areto be in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
: Thomas B. Marsh
, David W. Patten
, Brigham Young
, Heber C. Kimball
, Orson Hyde
, William E. M'Lellin, Parley P. Pratt
, Luke S. Johnson
, William Smith
, Orson Pratt
, John F. Boynton
, and Lyman E. Johnson
. Brigham Young
, Heber C. Kimball
, and Lyman E. Johnson
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
February 15 : David W. Patten
, Orson Hyde
, William E. M'Lellin, Luke S. Johnson
, William Smith
, and John F. Boynton
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
February 17 : The committee in charge of compiling Latter Day Saint revelations, comprising Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery
, Sidney Rigdon
, and Frederick G. Williams
, issue a letter that later becomes the preface to the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants
. The preface describes the Lectures on Faith
as "embracing the important doctrine of salvation", and describes the remaining section as containing "items of principles for the regulation of the church, as taken from the revelations which have been given since its organization, as well as from former ones." In the process of compilation, many of these earlier revelations were extensively revised by the committee.
February 21 : Parley P. Pratt
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
February 28 : The Quorum of the Seventy is organized. Joseph Young
, Hazen Aldrich
, Levi W. Hancock
, Leonard Rich, Zebedee Coltrin
, Lyman Sherman, and Sylvester Smith are called as the seven presidents.
April 26 : Thomas B. Marsh
and Orson Pratt
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
. Elder Marsh, erroneously thought to be the eldest, is ordained the president of the quorum.
March 28 : The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
meet together and confessed their shortcomings and weaknesses to one another before separating on their missions. At this meeting, Joseph Smith receives Doctrine and Covenants
section 107, regarding the priesthood. It clarifies the order and administration of the various offices of the priesthood, appointing the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and First Quorum of the Seventy as equals in the church. The decisions of these quorums must be made unanimously. The standing high councils of the several stakes also form a body equal in authority.
August 17 : The church holds its general conference, though Joseph Smith, Jr. and Frederick G. Williams
are absent. The church body unanimously adopts and canonizes the Doctrine and Covenants
as compiled by the committee of Smith, Williams, Oliver Cowdery
, and Sidney Rigdon
. Among the new revelations is D&C 134, concerning the relationship between church, government, and individuals, asserting that governments are instituted by God for the benefit of man; that government should protect the freedom of men to worship as they please; that all men should uphold their government and laws; that churches should not exercise civil powers; and that individuals are justified in defending themselves and their property. Another section 101 was included that condemns the practice of polygamy
.
, now nearing completion.
January 21 : Joseph Smith states that he had received a vision in which he saw that salvation is possible for those who die without a knowledge of the gospel (D&C 137).
January 26-March 26 : "Furthermore, he and others had studied Hebrew in Kirtland, Ohio, with Professor Joshua Seixas for two hours a day from January 26 through March 26, 1836."
March 3 : All the presidencies of the church meet in the Kirtland Temple according to their order.
March 27 : The first dedication of the Kirtland Temple is held.
March 30 : At a solemn assembly in the Kirtland Temple, Joseph Smith comments that he has completed the organization of the priesthood.
April 3 : Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery later state that, on this date, Jesus Christ appeared to them and declared the temple acceptable. Moses, Elijah, and Elias are also reported to have appeared in order to confer the keys of the priesthood upon Joseph Smith (D&C 110).
June 29 : Clay County residents resolve to ask that the Mormons leave their county. Up to this time, Mormons in the county had not voted on local affairs nor been accused of any crimes. Residents assert that the differences between themselves and Mormon would not allow them to peaceably reside together. The resolution encourages the Mormons to settle in Wisconsin.
Summer : Under the direction of Alexander W. Doniphan, it is agreed that a new county should be formed for the Mormons called Caldwell County, in what is now Clay County, Missouri. Mormons begin leaving Ray and Clay County to settle the proposed area. Plans for and work on the community of Far West, Missouri
begin. Far West, Missouri is the proposed county seat for the new county.
August 8 : The township of Far West, Missouri
in Clay County is entered by the Mormons. It would serve as the county seat of the soon-to-be-formed Caldwell County.
November 2 : The Kirtland Safety Society
, also known as The Kirtland Bank, is formed for use by church members in financial affairs.
December 23–27 : To ease tensions among Clay and Jackson
County residents and provide a county for Mormon settlers, Caldwell County
is created by legislation, passing the House on the 23rd and the Senate on the 27th. Daviess County is also created, although disputations about its purpose arise later. Missouri natives feel that the Mormons agreed not to settle it, although no such agreement existed or was acknowledged by the Mormons.
is disfellowshipped from the church in Kirtland, Ohio
. Apostle John F. Boynton
is excommunicated.
1837: Notable problems begin in the Kirtland Safety Society
.
December : Many people are excommunicated from the church for various reasons.
December 10 : Joseph returns to Kirtland from Missouri.
December 27 : Brigham Young flees Kirtland, Ohio. His life was threatened for vigorously defending Joseph Smith.
January 26 : The Far West High Council, meeting with apostles Thomas B. Marsh
and David W. Patten
, reject the presidency of David Whitmer
, John Whitmer
, and William Wines Phelps, the stake presidency of Far West.
March 10 : John Whitmer
and William Wines Phelps are excommunicated by the High Council in Far West.
9 April : Smith and Sidney Rigdon
write to John Whitmer
and ask him to return the manuscript history of the church that Whitmer had started in 1832. They say that if Whitmer does not return the manuscript, they will start their own history from other materials.
April 12 : The High Council and bishopric in Far West vote to excommunicate Lyman E. Johnson
, David Whitmer
, and Oliver Cowdery
.
April 13 : Apostle Luke S. Johnson
is excommunicated from the church after being disfellowhipped and returning for a short period.
April 26 : While in Far West, Missouri
, Joseph Smith presents section 115 of the Doctrine of Covenants, naming the church "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". Also in this revelation, the Lord commands the church to build a temple in Far West. Work begins almost immediately.
27 April : Smith and Sidney Rigdon
begin preparing a church history, with George W. Robinson as scribe. This history describes the most well-known accounts of his First Vision
and the visits of the angel Moroni. Though the original manuscript history is not known to exist, it was later copied into the 1839 Manuscript History of the Church, Book A-1. . Contrary to earlier and later writing, the history indicates that the angel who appeared to Smith was named "Nephi" (rather than "Moroni", as Smith and Oliver Cowdery
had separately said in 1835 publications). Some scholars consider this to be a clerical error, though it was never corrected by Smith in later publications. Other scholars believe that Smith saw both Nephi
and the angel Moroni. .
30 April : Sidney Rigdon
gives Smith a set of "grammer [sic] lessons" and then they continue preparing the early church history. .
1 May : Smith and Rigdon continue preparing the early church history. .
2 May : After another grammar lesson by Sidney Rigdon
, Smith and Rigdon continue preparing the early church history. . By this day, they have completed the history up to at least 1827. .
8 May : Smith spends the afternoon "answering the questions proposed in the Elders Journal", one of which was "How, and where did you obtain the book of Mormon?" The answer, published in July 1838, states, "Moroni, the person who deposited the plates from whence the book or Mormon was translated, in a hill in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, being dead, and raised again therefrom, appeared to me, and told me where they were..."
May 11 : Apostle William E. McLellin
is excommunicated. He joins forces with some of the anti-Mormon
groups to persecute the Mormons.
June 17 : Sidney Rigdon delivers the "Salt Sermon
" which generated much excitement in the church and among detractors.
June 25 : A Mormon settlement is established in a church conference above Wight's ferry on Spring Hill in Daviess County. The site is named as Adam-ondi-Ahman
.
June 28 : Adam-ondi-Ahman is formed into a stake
and thus a gathering place for members of the church. It is the third stake established in the church. John Smith
is named president of the stake, with Reynolds Cahoon
and Lyman Wight
counselors. Vinson Knight
is acting bishop. President John Smith then organizes the High Council: John Lemon, Daniel Stanton, Mayhew Hillman, Daniel Carter, Isaac Perry, Harrison Sagers, Alanson Brown, Thomas Gordon, Lorenzo Barnes, George A. Smith
, Harvey Olmstead, Ezra Thayer.
July 4 : The cornerstone is laid for the new temple to be constructed at Far West. Sidney Rigdon
declares a "war of extermination" on those who intend to remove the saints from their land and deprive them of their liberties.
July 6 : The "Kirtland Camp", 515 members under the direction of the Seventy, leave Kirtland, Ohio for Far West, Missouri.
July 8 : John Taylor
, John E. Page
, Wilford Woodruff
, and Willard Richards
are called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
to fill vacancies caused by the excommunications of John F. Boynton
, Luke S. Johnson
, and Lyman E. Johnson
, and William E. McLellin
(see D&C 118). The twelve are also called to missionary work in England and were to leave on April 26, 1839.
Summer : Settlement in Adam-ondi-Ahman
surpasses that of the county seat Gallatin
, causing the balance of power to shift towards the Mormons settling in Daviess County.
Summer-Autumn : The 1838 Mormon War begins in Missouri.
September 4 : John N. Sapp, who declared himself a member of a secret Mormon group known as the Danite
s, swears in an affidavit before the Carroll County clerk concerning the size of the Danite army. He states that they were about 800 – 1,000 well-equipped and ready men.
August 6 : The first battle of the Mormon War occurs as Mormons in Daviess County are prevented from voting in the Gallatin Election. The brawl leaves no one dead, but reports are exaggerated.
August 7 : Upon hearing the exaggerated reports of the previous day's battle, Joseph Smith rallies 150 men and marches to Adam-ondi-Ahman to protect the settlement there.
August 8 : Judge Adam Black of Daviess County pledges support of the constitutional rights of everyone in Daviess County, regardless of religion.
October 1-October 11 : Carroll County residents besieges the town of De Witt, which was inhabited by Mormons. Negotiations led to the abandonment of the settlement without violence.
October 2 : The "Kirtland Camp" arrives in Far West, after traveling 3 months through difficult conditions.
October 14 : Under the direction of the state militia, Mormons organize as an official state militia and march to disband the forming mobs in Daviess County. Allegations of property destruction and theft are made against the Mormons. No lives are lost.
October 19 : Apostle Thomas B. Marsh
, angry with Joseph Smith, leaves the church.
October 23 : Under the pretense that the Mormon militia looted and burned property in Daviess County to disperse the mobs, General Atchison authorizes local groups to patrol the border of Ray County and Caldwell County.
October 24 : Apostles Thomas B. Marsh
and Orson Hyde
, also disaffected from the church, sign an affidavit claiming that Joseph Smith was trying to take over the world and was using the Danites to murder people. They submit the affidavit to authorities in Richmond, Missouri
.
October 25 : The Battle of Crooked River
occurs as a unit of Mormon Militia fight against Missouri State Militia. Sixteen are wounded, and 4 die from their wounds, including Apostle David W. Patten
.
October 27 : Governor Boggs issues Missouri Executive Order 44, also known as the "Extermination Order", revoked in 1976 by then Missouri Governor Christopher S. Bond.
October 30 : A renegade militia group from Livingston County attacks a Mormon settlement in the bloodiest conflict of the Mormon War, and 17 are killed. The event is known as Haun's Mill Massacre
.
November 1 : Mormon leaders are taken into custody and declared responsible for the violence and destruction of the conflict.
November 2 : After a short trial, General Lucas orders the leaders of the church to be executed. General Doniphan refuses, recognizing the charges were inaccurate and that little solid information about the events of the conflict was known. Far West is plundered, and several other leaders are captured. After being allowed a brief good-bye, the leaders are led away to Independence for imprisonment and trial.
November 3 : Joseph prophesies that none of the prisoners are going to die.
November 4 : Fifty-six more prisoners are taken from Far West. The imprisoned leaders arrive in Independence.
November 6 : General Lucas addresses the citizens of Far West. Far West prisoners leave for Richmond.
November 8 : General Wilson surroundes Adam-ondi-Ahman. Joseph and some of the other prisoners in Independence leave for Richmond. Their guards become drunk, but no escape is attempted.
November 10 : All citizens of Adam-ondi-Ahman are acquitted, but they are ordered to move to Caldwell County to prepare to leave Missouri.
November 13 : November 25 : Preliminary hearings on the fate of the leaders of the church begin under Judge King. Witnesses testify at the point of a bayonet. Numerous violations of judicial process are recorded. Twenty-three of the imprisoned men are released, leaving thirty in custody. During the hearings, excommunicated members rob the homes of several members in Far West.
November 28 : Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb Baldwin, and Alexander McRae are ordered to the jail in Liberty, Clay County; Parley P. Pratt, Morris Phelps, Luman Gibbs, Darwin Chase, and Norman Shearer are retained in the Richmond jail. The remaining 19 are released or allowed release on bail.
December 5 : Governor Boggs defends his Extermination Order in the state legislature.
December 10 : A committee of Edward Partridge, Heber C. Kimball, John Taylor, Theodore Turley, Brigham Young, Isaac Morley, George W. Harris, John Murdock, and John M. Burk draft a petition to the state legislature detailing the Mormon side of the conflict.
December 17 : The petition is delivered to the state legislature by David H. Redfield, who also meet with General Atchison, Governor Boggs, and others.
December 19 : John Taylor and John E. Page
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
is excommunicated from the church in absentia in Quincy, Illinois
.
April 26 : Wilford Woodruff
and George A. Smith
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
May 4 : The church votes to remove both William Smith
and Orson Hyde
from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
May 9 : Joseph Smith moves to Nauvoo, Illinois
.
June 27 : Orson Hyde
returns to the church to explain his actions and rejoin the church.
October 6–8 : The fall conference is held. Among the notable events that occurred, Orson Hyde
and William Smith
are restored to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
is ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
Autumn : Work on the Nauvoo Temple begins.
April 6 : Cornerstones of the Nauvoo Temple are laid.
April 8 : Lyman Wight
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
in his home, hitting him four times. The gunman is not found, but his revolver was left at the scene. Rumor and speculation points to Porter Rockwell
, Joseph Smith's personal bodyguard, as the would-be assassin. Rockwell denies this, remarking that if it was him, Boggs would not have recovered.
March 17 : Female Relief Society
of Nauvoo organized.
May 28 : An anonymous contributor to The Wasp
, a pro-Mormon newspaper in Nauvoo, writes that, "Boggs is undoubtedly killed according to report; but who did the noble deed remains to be found out."
August 20 " Elder Orson Pratt
is excommunicated for refusing to accept the doctrine of plural marriage.
September 1 & September 6 " Joseph Smith writes two letters to the church regarding baptism for the dead, clarifying the doctrine and practice. (D&C 127, 128)
1842 : The Illinois legislature considers revoking Nauvoo's charter, but fails to act. Joseph Smith petitions the federal congress to make Nauvoo a territory. His petition is denied.
September 28 : Joseph Smith and his wive, Emma, becomes the first couple to receive their Second Anointing
in a meeting of the Anointed Quorum
.
November 3 : Knowleton F. Hanks becomes the first Mormon missionary
to be buried at sea.
.
June 7 : The only issue of the Nauvoo Expositor
is published by men angry with Joseph Smith and the Church. It is highly critical of Smith and his doctrines and practices.
June 10 : After being declared a public nuisance by the Nauvoo City Council, the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor is destroyed.
June 12 : Charles A. Foster, a co-publisher of the Nauvoo Expositor, reports that the destruction of the Expositor printing press two days earlier was carried out by several hundred people and the building the machine was housed in was damaged. The city marshal contradicts him, claiming that the destruction was carried out in an orderly fashion. The building stands for at least ten more years.
June 18 : Amid threats of violence concerning the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor, Joseph Smith, Jr., as mayor, declares martial law
in Nauvoo and activates the Nauvoo Legion
, a private militia of about 5,000 men.
June ?? : Joseph Smith, Jr. submits to arrest and agrees to trial in Carthage, Illinois
, the county seat. Before he arrives, he prophesies, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men. If they take my life I shall die an innocent man, and my blood shall cry from the ground for vengeance, and it shall be said of me 'He was murdered in cold blood!'" He is held in Carthage Jail.
June 27 : Joseph Smith, Jr. is killed in Carthage Jail
by a mob of about 200 armed men. His brother Hyrum
is also killed. John Taylor
is wounded, but recovers; the fourth cellmate, Willard Richards, is not harmed. The succession crisis
begins when news of Smith's death spreads.
August 8 : A conference is held in Nauvoo, Illinois
to determine Smith's successor. A majority decides to follow Brigham Young
.
October : The first General Conference
of the church under Brigham Young
's direction is held.
Planning for the Mormon Exodus to the west begins.
rebaptizes Luke S. Johnson
, a former member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
May 1 : The Nauvoo Temple is completed and dedicated, despite the majority having already left Nauvoo.
Under the direction of Brigham Young
, the largest numbers of saints begin migrating West to settle; they eventually arrive at the Salt Lake Valley
.
June 27 : Elder John E. Page
is excommunicated from the LDS church for encouraging members to follow James Strang
.
July : The Mormon Battalion
is formed. Brigham Young
prophesies that the recruits won't see battle and will perform a great service for their country. Many people join up despite the difficulties of the time. They send as much money to their families and the church as possible.
July 16 : Ezra T. Benson
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
January : The Mormon Battalion
completes the longest march in U.S. Army history, arriving in California.
July 24 : The first settlers arrive in the Salt Lake Basin. This is later memorialized at This Is The Place Heritage Park
in Emigration Canyon
.
July 28 : Traveling with a group of leaders, Brigham Young
puts his cane in the ground and marks the location of the future Salt Lake Temple
.
August : Arriving settlers form the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
.
December 27 : Brigham Young
reorganizes the First Presidency
, with himself as president, Heber C. Kimball
as first counselor, and Willard Richards
as second counselor. This is done in the Kanesville Tabernacle in Council Bluffs, Iowa
. The tabernacle is constructed in just two weeks and housed over 1,000 people for the ceremony.http://lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1809-1-1-1,00.html
is signed, which will grant the territory that the Mormons are settling to the United States.
March 10 : The U.S. Senate ratifies the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
, making the treaty official and thus officially making the area part of the United States.
June 9 : The Miracle of the Gulls
occurs. It is attributed to saving the crops of the first settlers in Utah.
The Nauvoo Temple is burnt down. The remnants are destroyed by a tornado.
Mormon Battalion
members who stay behind in California to raise money discover gold in Sutter's Mill
. News of the find spreads, starting the 1849 California gold rush
.
December : Apostle Lyman Wight
is excommunicated from the church for not following Brigham Young.
, Lorenzo Snow
, Erastus Snow
, and Franklin D. Richards are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
. This is done to replace those serving in the First Presidency
and to replace the vacancy caused by the excommunication of Lyman Wight
.
creates the Utah territory, designating Fillmore, Utah
, as its capitol. The Utah Territory is to be neutral towards slavery, deciding its own fate once it achieves statehood.
is dedicated.
April 6 : The groundbreaking ceremony is held for the Salt Lake Temple
.
, second counselor in the First Presidency, passes away in Salt Lake City, Utah
.
April : Jedediah M. Grant
is called an apostle and into the First Presidency as second counselor.
, Second Counselor to President Brigham Young
, is sent to preach in the Reformation
of 1856.
Salt Lake City, Utah
, replaces Fillmore, Utah
, as the capitol of the Utah territory.
December 1 : Jedediah M. Grant
dies.
.
May 13 : Apostle Parley P. Pratt
is murdered by Hector McLean and two others near Van Buren, Arkansas
. Pratt had married McLean's former wife in plural marriage. Pratt was acquitted on charges of interfering in McLean's marriage a few days earlier.
September 11 : The Mountain Meadows massacre
occurs as travellers passing through Utah from Missouri
are murdered near Mountain Meadows, Utah
.
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
is linked to Salt Lake City, Utah
. Brigham Young
and Abraham Lincoln
are among the first to send messages with the new link.
signs the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
which not only bans plural marriage but limits church and non-profit ownership in the territories to $50,000. The measure has no funds allocated for enforcement, and President Lincoln's opinion is to leave the Mormons alone if they leave him alone.
Patrick E. Connor
arrives in Utah with California recruits to represent the federal government as they had been pulled out of Utah due to the American Civil War
. He establishes Fort Douglas
and encourages his men to find valuable ores so that miners are enticed to settle in Utah to offset the Mormon population.
, sparking a rush of new, non-Mormon immigrants to Utah.
February 4 : Brigham Young, Jr.
is ordained an apostle by President Brigham Young
. It is not until four years later that he becomes a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
, son of Hyrum Smith
, is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
, already an ordained apostle, is adopted into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
is completed at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake
. The railroad brings increasing numbers of non-Mormons into the state, and several influential non-Mormon businessmen would make fortunes in the territory.
organizes to oppose The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The People's Party
organizes to support the church and oppose the Liberal Party shortly afterwards. Until this point, politics was run by the church almost exclusively, since the vast majority of citizens were members in the church.
Women's Suffrage
is rewarded with another victory, as the Utah Territory follows the Wyoming Territory's lead in giving the right to vote to women. It remains in effect until 1887, when it is banned by federal legislation. This was pushed by the People's Party because there were only a few non-Mormon women in the state. This gave the People's Party an overwhelming advantage at the polls.
is indicted for adultery due to his plural marriages.
November 9 : The St. George Utah Temple
is announced. Simultaneously, the dedication and groundbreaking ceremonies are held by Brigham Young
.
gain control of the county government, beginning the first government run by non-Mormons in Utah. They whimsically rename the county "The Republic of Tooele". The federally appointed governor and courts uphold the election, refusing to examine charges by the Mormon People's Party that many voters had voted illegally without satisfying voter requirements.
holds the private dedication of the St. George Utah Temple, making it the first operating temple in Utah and the third completed temple.
April 6 – April 8 : Daniel H. Wells
holds the public dedication of the St. George Utah Temple.
August 29 : President Brigham Young
passes away, after leading the church for 33 years. John Taylor
assumes control of the church as President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.
banning plural marriage in Reynolds v. United States
. George Q. Cannon
, representative of the territory, states concerning this decision:
After six months of delay tactics and formalities, the Mormon-run People's Party regains control of Tooele County, after 5 years of rule by the non-Mormon Liberal Party. The county is left with $16,000 in debt."
's passing. John Taylor
is named president.
October 10: General Conference
.
October 27 : Francis M. Lyman
and John Henry Smith
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
(who won a decisive victory) and Liberal Party
candidate Allen G. Campbell over who was allowed to represent Utah territory in the House of Representatives, both are denied the position. George Q. Cannon's practice of polygamy was the deciding issue and re-sparks national controversy on the topic.
March 23 : The Edmunds Act
declares polygamy a felony. The act not only reinforces the 1862 Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
but also revokes the right of polygamists to vote, disallows them from holding political office, and also makes them ineligible to serve on the jury, regardless of whether they are practicing or merely believe in it. All elected offices in the Utah Territory
were vacated, an election board was formed to issue certificates to those who denied polygamy and did not practice it, and new elections were held territory-wide. Practicing polygamists would have their civil rights taken away without a trial or due process. Adulterers and fornicators had no such penalties applied and did not lose their rights.
August 23 : Rudger Clawson
is tried for polygamy by a jury composed of 12 non-Mormons. Even though the polygamous marriage was performed before the 1862 Morrill act, he is tried ex-post facto, in clear violation of the Constitution of the United States. He is imprisoned and fined for his marriage.
October 16 : George Teasdale
and Heber J. Grant
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
abolishes women's suffrage, and seizes control of the church and its assets.
July 25: John Taylor
passes away, leavingWilford Woodruff
to assume control of the church.
July 30 : The attorney general of the United State files suit and seizes all assets of the church and the Perpetual Emigration Fund
.
The Liberal Party
is elected to run Ogden, Utah
.
October 7 : Marriner W. Merrill
, Anthon H. Lund
, and Abraham H. Cannon
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
inThe Late Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. United States
September 24: President Woodruff records the 1890 Manifesto
.
September 25: President Wilford Woodruff
issues the 1890 Manifesto
ending the official practice of polygamy.
October 6: At a General Conference
, President Lorenzo Snow
submits the manifesto for a vote; many members abstain from voting.
The Liberal Party
wins the Salt Lake City, Utah
elections, taking control of that city in addition to Ogden, Utah
.
disbands and members of the church join one of the two national parties as the effort continues to achieve statehood. With three effective parties in the territory, the Deseret News calls the Liberal Party
the "bastard party" even though it is able to take a third of the seats in the state legislature.
is dedicated, exactly 40 years after construction began.
All polygamists are given executive pardon in preparation for statehood. This restores their right to vote.
The Liberal Party (Utah)
disbands as members join the national parties in anticipation of statehood.
is recognized by the federal government and achieves statehood as the 45th state. Polygamy
is explicitly banned in the state constitution. Women's suffrage
is continued.
assumes leadership of the church.
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
engraved with a chronicle of ancient American peoples
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, which he had a unique gift to translate. In 1830, he published the resulting narratives as the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and founded the Church of Christ in western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, claiming it to be a restoration of early Christianity
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
.
Moving the church to Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
in 1831, Smith attracted hundreds of converts, who were called Latter Day Saints. He sent some to Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
to establish a city of Zion
Zion (Latter Day Saints)
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...
. In 1833, Missouri settlers expelled the Saints from Zion, and Smith's paramilitary expedition
Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp was a paramilitary expedition of Latter Day Saints, led by Joseph Smith, Jr., from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri during May and June 1834 in an unsuccessful attempt to regain land from which the Saints had been expelled by non-Mormon settlers...
to recover the land was unsuccessful. Fleeing an arrest warrant in the aftermath of a Kirtland financial crisis
Kirtland Safety Society
The Kirtland Safety Society was a quasi-bank organized in 1836 by leaders and followers of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. According to KSS's 1837 "Articles of Agreement", it was intended to serve the banking needs of the growing Mormon community in Kirtland, Ohio...
, Smith joined his remaining followers in Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri.-Foundation and early history:The town was founded by Missouri Mormon leaders, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer in August 1836 shortly before the county's creation. The town was platted originally as a square area,...
, but tensions escalated into violent conflicts with the old Missouri settlers. Believing the Saints to be in insurrection, the Missouri governor
Lilburn Boggs
Lilburn Williams Boggs was the sixth Governor of Missouri from 1836 to 1840. He is now most widely remembered for his interactions with Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell, and Missouri Executive Order 44, known by Mormons as the "Extermination Order", issued in response to the ongoing conflict...
ordered their expulsion from Missouri, and Smith was imprisoned on capital charges
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
After escaping state custody in 1839, Smith directed the conversion of a swampland into Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, where he became both mayor and commander of a nearly autonomous militia
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a militia originally organized by the Latter Day Saints to defend the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, . To curry political favor with the ambiguously-political Saints, the Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion extraordinary...
. In 1843, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. The following year, after the Nauvoo Expositor
Nauvoo Expositor
The Nauvoo Expositor was a newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois that published only one issue, which was dated June 7, 1844. Its publication set off a chain of events that led to the death of Latter Day Saint movement founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
criticized his power and such new doctrines as plural marriage, Smith and the Nauvoo city council ordered the newspaper's destruction as a nuisance
Nuisance
Nuisance is a common law tort. It means that which causes offence, annoyance, trouble or injury. A nuisance can be either public or private. A public nuisance was defined by English scholar Sir J. F...
. In a futile attempt to check public outrage, Smith first declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
, then surrendered to the governor of Illinois
Thomas Ford (politician)
Thomas Ford was the eighth Governor of Illinois, and served in this capacity from 1842 to 1846. A Democrat, he is remembered largely for his involvement in the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., and the subsequent Illinois Mormon War...
. He was killed by a mob
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
.
After Smith's death, his followers split in to several groups, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who followed Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
as Smith's successor. These Mormons followed Young to the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
, where they established a theocratic society. Eventually, after the Mormons discontinued their practice of polygamy, they entered mainstream American society and became champions of the nuclear family. A branch of Mormon fundamentalists who disagreed with that decision broke off from the LDS Church and established their own organizations. In the 20th century, the LDS Church grew dramatically, and currently has millions of members worldwide.
1790s
1791 : Smith's aunt Lovisa Mack Tuttle, after a two-year illness, is miraculously healed. . Returning from a near death experienceNear death experience
A near-death experience refers to a broad range of personal experiences associated with impending death, encompassing multiple possible sensations including detachment from the body; feelings of levitation; extreme fear; total serenity, security, or warmth; the experience of absolute dissolution;...
, she tells of a vision in which Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
spoke through a veil and told her to "warn the people to prepare for death" and to "declare faithfully unto them their accountability before God". .
24 January 1796 : Smith's parents Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
are married in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
by Seth Austin
1796 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith states in a letter that "I believe that the stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, spoken by Daniel, and has smitten the image upon his feet." .
1797 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith have an unnamed baby child, who dies. . There is disagreement on whether this was a boy or a girl.
6 December 1797 : Joseph, Sr., his father Asael, his brother Jesse, and fourteen others form a Universalist
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
Society. .
11 February 1798 : Smith's brother Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
10 April 1799 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith writes a letter to his family, intended to be read after his death, articulating his belief in universal salvation
Universal reconciliation
In Christian theology, universal reconciliation is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls—because of divine love and mercy—will ultimately be reconciled to God.Universal salvation may be related to the perception of a problem of Hell, standing opposed to ideas...
, warning them not to look to outward formalities of religion. . Asael Smith, however, was a pew holder of the local Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, a church known at the time for having preachers who taught Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
and Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
theology.
19th century
9 February 1800 : Smith's brother Hyrum SmithHyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
4 August 1800 – 4 May 1801 : The Smith family may not have been counted during the 1800 U.S. census. Although there are "Joseph Smith" families in both Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
and Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
, neither of them match in ages and children with the family of Joseph and Lucy Smith. .
1800-02 : Smith, Sr. may have moved temporarily to or visited Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
, 50 miles from Tunbridge, according to residents who said he lived there "at the time of the Wood movement
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
here". .
spring or early summer 1800 : A counterfeiter named (Justus?) Winchell organizes a dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
company to dig for money in Middletown
Middletown Springs, Vermont
Middletown Springs is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 745 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.9 square miles , all land....
and Rutland, Vermont
Rutland (town), Vermont
Rutland is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,054 at the 2010 census. Rutland completely surrounds the city of Rutland, which is incorporated separately from the town of Rutland.-History:...
. Winchell associates with Nathaniel Wood
Nathaniel Wood
Nathaniel Wood, Sr., was the leader of a sect called the New Israelites, which was formed in Middletown, Rutland County, Vermont at the end of the 1790s. Wood emigrated from Newent Parish in Norwich, Connecticut to Bennington, Vermont. From Bennington he moved to Rutland County in 1761...
, who had founded the New Israelites
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
some years earlier, whose religious elements included temple building, divination, polygamy, and the idea that they were literal descendants of the Israelites. . Among the company is Warren Cowdery, Jr., the father of Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, the dowser
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
who became Smith's scribe in 1829. . According to interviews conducted by a local historian, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
was also part of the New Israelites, and was one of its "leading rods-men" . There is no historical consensus linking Smith, Sr. to the New Israelites; however, he said that his money digging career began during this decade or earlier. .
14 January 1802 : The New Israelites
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
, having prophesied this day as the end of the world, are confronted by local militia. This is known as the "Wood Scrape". The militia fires their weapons to disperse the "Fraternity of Rodsmen". .
about spring 1802 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith rent out their farm in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
and move to the more urban Randolph, Vermont
Randolph, Vermont
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....
to set up a merchant shop. They operate with $1,800 in goods on credit from merchants in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. .
1802 : Soon after moving to Randolph, Smith, Sr. speculates on a shipment of ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
, which he sends from the port in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
about fall or winter 1802 : Six months after moving to Randolph, Lucy contracts tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. .
1802-03 : While deathly ill, Lucy has a religious conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
after she believes she hears the voice of God. . She said that she perceived her "mind at one time raising gradually, borne away to Heaven above all hight [sic] then reverting back again to my babes and my Companion at my side", after which she promised God that if she would live, she would try to find religion, and then heard a voice saying "Seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you let your heart be comforted ye believe in God believe [sic] also in me". . Lucy tries to find a religious home, but is unhappy with several ministers; therefore, she concludes that "there is not on Earth the religion which I seek I must again turn to my bible taking Jesus and his deciples [sic] for an ensample". .
1803 : A large Christian revival sweeps across Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. .
about 1803 : After the ship returns from China with the proceeds from the sale of Smith Sr.'s ginseng (a round trip that might have taken about a year), the earnings are stolen by a Royalton
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
merchant who flees to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. .
1803 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith move from Royalton
Randolph, Vermont
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1803 : The Smiths must sell their farm in Tunbridge to cover their debts to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
merchants, and they thereafter become poor tenants. .
17 May 1803 : Smith's sister Sophronia is born in Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1803-04 : Lucy attends meetings at a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church, and Smith, Sr. "went a few times to gratify [Lucy] for he had so little faith in the doctrines taught by them that my feelings were the only inducement for him to go"..
1803-04 : Hearing that Joseph, Sr. is attending Methodist meetings, Smith's Universalist
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
grandfather Asael Smith appears at his door, throws Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
's Age of Reason
Age of reason
Age of reason may refer to:* 17th-century philosophy, as a successor of the Renaissance and a predecessor to the Age of Enlightenment* Age of Enlightenment in its long form of 1600-1800* The Age of Reason, a book by Thomas Paine...
, into the house, and angrily demands that Smith, Sr. read it until he had believes it. He also suggests that Smith, Sr. ought not let Lucy attend the meetings. As a result, the Smiths stop attending Methodist church meetings. .
1803-04 : Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
visits a grove near Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to pray about her husband's rejection of organized religion. When she returns home and goes to sleep that night, she has a vision that Smith, Sr. would eventually accept the "pure and undefiled Gospel of the Son of God" .
about 1804 : The Smiths move from Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
, where they "resided a few months". .
27 August 1804 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack purchases property in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
. .
1804-05 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy move to Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
, where they rent the farm of Lucy's father while Joseph, Sr. cultivates crops in the summer and teaches school in the winter. . Solomon Mack likely lives with them. .
23 December 1805 : Smith is born in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
to Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
. . Vermont residents recall that Smith, Sr. told them the young Joseph was born with a caul
Caul
A caul is a thin, filmy membrane, the amnion, that can cover a newborn's head and face immediately after birth.-Obstetrics:A child "born with the caul" has a portion of the amniotic sac or membrane remaining on the head. There are two types of cauls. The most common caul is adhered to the head...
(a sign of good luck), and that Smith, Sr. "intended to procure a stone for [him] to see all over the world with". .
3 May 1806 : Smith, Sr. witnesses a land transaction between his in-laws Solomon Mack and Daniel G. Mack in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
. .
1 April 1807 : In the court of Windsor County, Vermont, a person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
16 April 1807 : A second person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
1807 : Sharon
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
resident George Downer is convicted of passing two counterfeit bills the previous spring. There is some tenuous evidence, based in part on a descendant of the counterfeiter against whom Smith, Sr. testified on April 1, that Smith, Sr. was an accomplice in that case who avoided conviction by turning state's evidence
Turn state's evidence
To turn state's evidence is when an accused or convicted criminal testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices. Turning state's evidence is occasionally a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt, but more often is done in response to a generous offer from the...
. See (noting the evidence is weak, but arguing that it favors the involvement of Smith, Sr. given that court records verify there was an unnamed accomplice who testified against Downer). But see (discounting the evidence; Brooke notes that Brodie does not mention the court records showing there was an unnamed accomplice witness).
1807 : Smith family moves from Sharon
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
.
15 October 1807 : Smith, Jr., his brother Jesse, and other Tunbridge residents petition the Vermont legislature for an exemption from providing their own military equipment as members of the Vermont militia. .
13 March 1808 : Smith's brother Samuel is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1808-1810 : Smith family moves from Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
.
1808-1810 : Smith possibly attends school on Dewey Hill, taught by Deacon John Rinney, although he may have been too young. .
1810s
13 March 1810 : Smith's brother Ephraim is born in Royalton, VermontRoyalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
. .
24 March 1810 : Ephraim Smith dies. .
winter of 1810-11 : A Christian revival occurs in the towns around Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
. . Smith, Sr. becomes "much excited upon the subject of religion" and "contended" for a restoration of primitive Christianity. .
spring 1811 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack, after being ill all winter in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
, and after searching the scriptures and praying, sees a vision and later hears a voice. . He is converted to evangelical Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
and denounces Universalism
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
. .
13 March 1811 : Smith's brother William is born in Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
.
April 1811 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
tells his family about his first vision. He sees a field representing the barrenness of true religion upon the earth, and he sees a log containing a box. His spirit guide tells him that if he eats the contents of the box, he will be filled with "wisdom and understanding". He raises the lid of the box, but is unable to eat its contents because "all manner of beasts, horned cattle, and roaring animals, rose up on every side in the most threatening manner possible". Based on the vision, Smith, Sr. concludes, more than ever, that there is no true religion on the earth. He would have six other visions between 1811 and 1819.
1811 (after May 11): After selling his property in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
and moving to live with Smith's uncle Daniel in Royalton
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
, Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack self-publishes a booklet describing his heavenly visions and voices of the previous winter: .
1812 (after May) : Smith family moves from Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
to Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
.
1812 (after May) : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
has his second vision, in which he saw a barren field representing the desolate world, a "narrow path", a stream with a rope running along its bank leading to a beautiful tree bearing a fruit whiter than snow that was "delicious beyond description. While eating, he thought "I cannot eat this alone, I must bring my wife and children, that they may partake with me." Thus, he brought his family to eat the fruit. However, there was a "spacious building" across the valley where the tree was, filed with finely-dressed people looking down and mocking Smith's family. Smith's spirit guide said that the fruit represented "the pure love of Christ". The guide said that the spacious building represented "Babylon, and it must fall". .
winter of 1812–1813 : Smith and his siblings contract typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
, and Smith acquires osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis simply means an infection of the bone or bone marrow...
in his leg. He has surgery to remove infected bone, causing him to hobble on crutches at least until 1816. .
about 1813 : Smith stays with his uncle Jesse Smith in Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
while recovering from his leg operation.
8 July 1813 : Smith's sister Katherine is born in Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
. .
by May 1815: Smith family moves to Norwich, Vermont
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
, and their first year of crops fails. They survive by selling fruit. .
15 March 1816 : The Smith family is "warned out of town
Warning out of town
Warning out of town was a widespread method in the United States for established New England communities to pressure or coerce "outsiders" to settle elsewhere . It consisted of a notice ordered by the Board of Selectmen of a town, and served by the constable upon any newcomer who might become a...
" in Norwich, Vermont
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
. .
1816 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
relates to his family his third vision, in which he was lame, but his spirit guide sent him through a garden amidst 12 wooden images of giants. After each of the wooden giants sequentially bowed toward him in obeisance, he was healed. .
25 March 1816 : Smith's brother Don Carlos is born. .
summer 1816 : New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and other areas experience a climate abnormality known as the Year Without a Summer
Year Without a Summer
The Year Without a Summer was 1816, in which severe summer climate abnormalities caused average global temperatures to decrease by about 0.4–0.7 °C , resulting in major food shortages across the Northern Hemisphere...
.
1816 - 1817 : Palmyra experiences a large Christian revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
.
fall 1816 : Smith, Sr. moves to the village of Palmyra, New York
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. dates this as the summer of 1816.
January 1817 : Lucy Mack Smith and the remainder of the family move to Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
, where they live in a small house on Main Street. .
abt. 1817 : Smith, Sr. opens a "cake and beer shop" in Palmyra, selling "gingerbread, pies, boiled eggs, root-beer, and other like notions of traffic", and peddles these on the street from a handcart during Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebrations and military training days". . A journalist who visited the area in 1831 wrote in his notes that Smith, Sr. "was a vender—made gingerbread and buttermints &c&c". He said, "In this article [gingerbread? ginger?] he was a considerable speculator, having on hand during a fall of price no less than two baskets full.... What their dividends were I could not learn, but they used considerable molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
, and were against the duty
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
on that article". .
abt. 1817 : Influenced by the Christian revivals of 1816-17 , Smith later recalls, "At about the age of twelve years my mind become [sic] seriously imprest with regard to the all importent [sic] concerns for the wellfare [sic] of my immortal Soul which led me to searching the scriptures believeing [sic] as I was taught, that they contained the word of God thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations led me to marvel excedingly [sic] for I discovered that they did not
1817-19 : In Palmyra, Smith, Sr. and his oldest sons take occasional day jobs, such as gardening, harvesting, and well-digging, to supplement their income. . Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
sets up a business selling painted oil-cloth coverings .
April 1817 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
is listed on the local road list as living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
, on Road District 26. .
1817-21 : During some period between these years, Smith visits the office of the Palmyra Register weekly and buys a news paper for his father. .
December 1817 : A "Joseph Smith" (Sr.?) joins the Masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
lodge in nearby Canandaigua, New York
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
. .
April 1818 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
family is living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
May 1818: Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
relates to his family his sixth vision. Smith, Sr. rushes toward a meetinghouse where multitudes of other people are entering, but just as he arrives there, the door shuts before him. The porter tells him that he must be barred entry to satisfy justice. After praying for forgiveness of sins, the mercy of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
satisfied the needs of justice and he was allowed entrance. .
April 1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
family is listed on tax records as still living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
1819 : The Smith family builds a log home in the town of Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
, away from the village and adjacent to the border of Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
. said they moved into the log home two years after arriving in Palmyra. remembers the Smiths occupying this log home in the winter of 1819-20. dates the move to the log home to 1818, said that the Smiths occupied the land as squatters
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
, and described the log home as "divided into two rooms, on the ground-floor, and had a low garret, in two apartments. A bedroom wing, built of sawed slabs, was afterward added". They may have begun clearing trees and farming nearby land they did not yet own, or they may have been renting the land.
1819-1820s : While on their new property, the Smiths engage in "chopping and retailing of cord-wood, the raising and bartering of small crops of agricultural products and garden vegetables, the manufacture and sale of black-ash baskets and birch brooms, the making of maple sugar and molasses in the season for that work, and in the continued business of peddling cake and beer in the village on days of public doings". They also engage in hunting and fishing, trapping muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
s, and digging out groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s from their holes, and spending time at Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
shops. .
1819-1820s : Smith, Jr. works as a clerk for the peddling of cake and beer on public occasions, and sometimes is duped into accepting counterfeit coins from other youth. . See also ("I believe his son, Joe Junior, was at times a partner in the concern.").
1819 : Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
leaves home to raise money for the family .
1819 : An unknown shooter hides under a wagon, and when Smith approaches his home, the shooter fires across the path, missing Smith but lodging a bullet in a cow. .
1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
tells his family about his seventh and last vision, telling him that he lacked one thing in order to secure his salvation. His spirit guide wrote what that one thing was on a piece of paper, but Smith, Sr. awoke before he could read it. .
September 1819 : According to , Smith discovers a seer stone, which is white and opaque, and resembles a child's foot. Tucker's account apparently conflates the story of finding this stone with the better-documented story of Smith finding his brown seer stone in 1822. argues that this 1819 date cannot be relied upon, and that it is not established that Smith began using a seer stone for treasure digging until 1822.
1820s
between 1820 and 1827 : According to , Smith sees the location of a buried chest of money, but says that a black sheep must be sacrificed in order to break the spell on it. He obtains the sheep from ManchesterManchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
resident William Stafford and makes the sacrifice within a circle at the cite of the dig. After three hours of digging, one of the party accidentally breaks the enchantment by breaking silence and causes the excavation to fail.
1820
about 1820 : According to one account, Smith finds his first stone by borrowing the stone of another treasure seer. .about 1820 : According to , Smith is paid 75 cents to locate a stolen roll of cloth with his seer stone. He sends the owner on a three mile trip to look for the cloth, but it is never found.
about 1820 : During this period are the earliest reports of the Smiths conducting treasure quests in the Palmyra/Manchester area. date this earliest digging to 1820. See also (dating the first digs to 1820 and suggesting the first digs occurred on their Manchester land). In , James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
says, without giving a definite year, that "the Smith's and their associates commenced digging, in the numerous hills which diversify the face of the country in the town of Manchester. The sensible country people paid slight attention to them at first.... They Would occasionally conceal their purposes, and at other times reveal them by such snatches as might excite curiosity. They dug these holes by day, and at night talked and dreamed over the counties' riches they should enjoy, if they could only hit upon an iron chest full of dollars. In excavating the grounds, they began taking up the green sod in the form of a circle of six feed diameter—then would continue to dig to the depth of ten, twenty, and sometimes thirty feet.")
April : Smith family is listed on local records as living at the end of Stafford Road in Palmyra Township
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
(i.e., their log home at the border adjacent to Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
). Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
is listed as living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
spring : According to , Smith uses his seer stone to locate buried treasure near the Smiths' property, and gathers contributions from Palmyra residence for an excavation, which is conducted "at the dead hour of night". After "preparatory mystic ceremonies", digging begins in absolute silence in order not to break the "enchantment". When the chest of money is nearly within reach, one of the party accidentally speaks, thus causing the treasure to vanish. dates this treasure quest to after 1822, arguing that Smith did not obtain his first stone until that year.
spring : According to Smith's later accounts, he has his First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
. Depending on the account, it is either a visit by one or more angels, or a theophany
Theophany
Theophany, from the Ancient Greek , meaning "appearance of God"), refers to the appearance of a deity to a human or other being, or to a divine disclosure....
. In the vision, a heavenly messenger tells him his sins are forgiven and that all the churches on the Earth at that time were false.
1821
July: The Smith family obtains a mortgage on a 100 acre (0.404686 km²) farm adjacent to their log home, just outside of PalmyraPalmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
in what was then Farmington
Farmington, New York
Farmington is a town located in the northern part of Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 10,585 at the 2000 census. Farmington is about twenty-five miles southeast of Rochester, New York...
. (In 1821, this would become the town of Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
.) They had already been working this land, either squatting or renting from the owner. said that Smith made a small payment "to bind the bargain".
18 July : Smith's youngest sister Lucy is born. .
1822
abt. Jan. 25 : Smith begins participating in a Palmyra "juvenile debating club" at "the old red school house on Durfee street". .1822 : Alvin begins construction on a frame house for the Smiths.
February–August : Smith takes an interest in Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. says that Smith "catch[es] a spark of Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
in the camp meeting
Camp meeting
The camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian religious service originating in Britain and once common in some parts of the United States, wherein people would travel from a large area to a particular site to camp out, listen to itinerant preachers, and pray...
, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road", and is known there as "a very passable exhorter" at evening Methodist meetings. says that Smith "joined the probationary class of the Methodist church in Palmyra, and made some active demonstrations of engagedness". According to Turner, this date must be after Smith's participation in the debating club (i.e., after Jan. 25, 1822). Date must also be after 7 July 1821, when the Methodists acquired their property in the woods off Vienna Road The Methodists did not begin building their meetinghouse on Vienna Road until 19 June 1822 , but may have held camp meetings there while waiting for the building. It also must be on or before the summer of 1822, when Turner left the Palmyra area . dates this to the revivals of 1824-25, but does not acknowledge that Turner said he left the Palmyra area in the summer of 1822.
February–August : Smith withdraws from his Methodist probationary class. says that Smith "arose and announced that his mission was to restore the true priesthood. He appointed a number of meetings, but no one seemed inclined to follow him as the leader of a new religion." says that Smith's "assumed convictions were insufficiently grounded or abiding to carry him along to the saving point of conversion, and he soon withdrew from the class. The final conclusion announced by him was, that all sectarianism was fallicious, all the churches on a false foundation, and the Bible a fable."
1822 : Smith finds the black seer stone from a neighbor and locates his own seer stone in a well, at a depth of 22 feet. The digging occurred on the property of Clark Chase, whose son Willard disputed Smith's ownership of the stone. This would be the stone he used for later money digging and translation of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
1822-23? : The Smiths seek the expertise of a reputed treasure seer
Scrying
Scrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
living many miles away. Several sources identify this seer as Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
. In , reprinting an 1831 article by James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
, Bennett describes this great seer as having "a particular felicity in finding out the spots of ground where money is hid and riches obtained. [Some anonymous member of the treasure quest party] related long stories how this person had been along shore in the east—how he had much experience in money digging—how he dreamt of the very spots where it could be found". He said that the Smiths worked for a time "to scrape together a little 'change' sufficient to fetch on the money dreamer." Bennett believed this distant magician was Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, based on discussion with Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
residents who thought Rigdon was the author
Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the theory that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. This theory first appeared in print in the book Mormonism Unvailed, published in 1834 by E.D. Howe...
of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. However, the story parallels a story told by Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
in the Palmyra Reflector on 12 June 1830 (see below), which says the distant magician was Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
, an occultist from Sodus, New York
Sodus (town), New York
Sodus is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 8,949 at the 2000 census. The town takes its name from a native word for the bay in the eastern part of the town: "Assorodus," meaning "silvery water."...
who had been educated in Europe.
1822-23 : Smith, Sr. participates in treasure digging under the direction of scryer
Scrying
Scrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
, with at least one dig on the property of Palmyra journalist Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
, according to . states that Cole's property was "Manchester lot 2". Cole lost this property some time after 19 August 1824, after which Benjamin Tabor owned it. Enoch Saunders rented from at least Tabor, and was renting at the time this excavation occurred.
about 1822-24? : Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
assists or conducts digs on the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
. According to one Palmyra resident, Walter conducts three digs on the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
, after having no success, he suggests that Smith, Jr. might be the only one that could find treasure there. . relates a story reported by James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
that "About the time that this person [the scryer from far away, which Bennett identifies as Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
but could be Walter] appeared among them, a splendid excavation was begun in a long narrow hill, between Manchester and Palmyra. This hill has been called by some, the Golden Bible Hill.... In the face of this hill, the money diggers renewed their work with fresh ardour, [the scryer/Rigdon] partly uniting with them in their operations." Bennett dates this story to about the time of the Palmyra's large religious revival of 1824-25. . says that on the summit of Cumorah is a "yet partially visible pit where the money speculators had previously dug for another kind of treasure".
1823
July–December : Ethan Smith, an anti-MasonicAnti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister in Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
(and pastor of Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
's family), publishes View of the Hebrews from the press of the Poultney Gazette. The book concludes, based on reports of a parchment book, metal artifacts, and plates found in Indian burial mounds, that the American Indian peoples were the Ten Lost Tribes
Ten Lost Tribes
The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to those tribes of ancient Israel that formed the Kingdom of Israel and which disappeared from Biblical and all other historical accounts after the kingdom was destroyed in about 720 BC by ancient Assyria...
. . See (contains an internal date of July 1823).
21–22 September : Late at night, Smith says he had three visions, and one again in the morning, of an angel, who showed him the location of a buried golden book
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
engraved with a history of the Indians.
22 September : Smith tells his father about his visions of the angel, and visits the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
where the angel said the plates were buried. He returns empty-handed, claiming that he had failed to strictly follow the angel's commandments. He says the angel required him to return in exactly one year with his brother Alvin
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
.
23 September : Smith tells the rest of his family about the visions and his visit to Cumorah .
September–November : Every night, the Smith family gathers to hear Smith tell stories of the "ancient inhabitants of this continent, [including] their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship" .
23 October : The Wayne Sentinel, to which the Smith family subscribed , recounts a vision of Asa Wild, who said that "every denomination of professing christians had become exceedingly corrupt", including the Presbyterians and Methodists, of which he had been a member. Therefore, prior to the Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
, which would arrive in seven years (i.e., 1830), there would be a restoration of primitive Christianity. God was in the process of "raising up" a class of people "signified by the Angel mentioned by the Revelator, XIV. 6, 7, which flew in the midst of heaven" who would preach the true gospel. These people "are of an inferior class, and small learning", and "they will be rejected by every denomination as a body; but soon, God will open their way, by miracles, judgments, &c." See .
15 November : Alvin contracts "bilious cholic", and a physician administers a toxic amount of calomel
Mercury(I) chloride
Mercury chloride is the chemical compound with the formula Hg2Cl2. Also known as calomel or mercurous chloride, this dense white or yellowish-white, odorless solid is the principal example of a mercury compound...
. Five physicians are unable to get him to expel the poison .
19 November: Alvin dies. On his death bed, he encourages Smith to "do everything that lies in your power" to obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. .
20 November : Smith pays a $3.00 fee at the Palmyra drug store. .
1824
12 May : Local interest in fortune telling is sufficiently high that a Palmyra newspaper advertises two occult handbooks: The Complete Fortune Teller, and The Book of Fate .17 May : A new land agent, John Greenwood, receives power of attorney over the Smith property. .
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
and returns empty handed because he was unable to bring Alvin (or possibly one of Alvin's body parts). . The angel requires him to return in exactly one year with the "right person"; Smith was to know that person by looking in his seer stone.
25 Sept. : The Smith family hears rumors that Alvin's grave had been exhumed and dissected (possibly by the young Joseph Smith). To prove this was untrue, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
has Alvin's body exhumed in the presence of witnesses.
29 Sept. : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
runs an add in the Wayne Sentinel for six weeks, announcing that he had exhumed Alvin's body, and that it was undisturbed. It also runs 6, 13, 20, 27 October and 3 November.
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : The Palmyra area experiences a large Christian revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
of Baptists and Presbyterians, and Lucy, Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel become Presbyterians. . Smith discourages them from attending, preferring solitary study of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. .
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : According to James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
, during the Palmyra revivals, Smith first began "turning their digging concern into a religious plot." Subscribing to the Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the theory that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. This theory first appeared in print in the book Mormonism Unvailed, published in 1834 by E.D. Howe...
, Bennett states that the idea for this shift was Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
's. .
1825
1825 : The Smiths are unable to raise money for their final mortgage payment, and their creditor forecloses on the property. However, the family is able to persuade a local Quaker, Lemuel Durfee, to buy the farm and rent the Smiths the property.22 September : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
and returns empty handed. Prior to this date, Smith had selected Samuel T. Lawrence as the "right person", and either Smith changed his mind and visited Cumorah alone, or brought Lawrence to the hill but the angel failed to appear. .
11 October : A speech by M. M. Noah, a Jewish rabbi and editor of the New York Enquirer is reprinted in The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
of Palmyra, summarizing the many parallels found in other literature between the American Indians and the Jews. .
October–November : The frame house begun by Alvin in 1822 is finally completed and the family moves in. . says this house is partly enclosed, and never completed, and that the Smiths used the original log home as a barn.
October : Smith is approached by Josiah Stowell, from South Bainbridge, New York
Bainbridge (town), New York
Bainbridge is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The population was 3,401 at the 2000 census.The Town of Bainbridge has a village of Bainbridge located within it...
, who had been searching for a lost Spanish mine near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
(now Oakland
Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population of Oakland borough was 622 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakland is located at Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. (Not to be confused with Oakland Township, Susquehanna...
), and needed a treasure seer .
October : Smith and his father travel to Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
hoping to raise money to pay off their Manchester farm.
1 November : Smith, Sr, Smith, Jr., and seven others sign a contract for a money digging company in Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
. .
November : The money digging company stays at the home of Isaac Hale, father of Smith's future wife Emma Hale
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
. .
17 November : The money digging company disbands.
November 1825 to March 1826 : Although the money digging company has disbanded, Smith continues to work for Josiah Stowell, and attends school. . Smith uses two stones to search for treasure and prays for help in the endeavor. .
December : Because the Smiths are delinquent on their mortgage, land agent John Greenwood sells the Smith farm to a group of three men. The new owners give the Smiths until 15 December for Hyrum to raise $1,000. .
20 December : A local Quaker named Lemuel Durfee Sr. buys the farm and allows the Smiths to rent the property until spring 1828, in exchange for labor by Samuel. .
1826
20 March : Smith is the subject of judicial proceedings in South Bainbridge, New YorkAfton (village), New York
Afton is a village in Chenango County, New York, USA. The population was 836 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a location in Scotland.The Village of Afton is located in the Town of Afton and is northeast of Binghamton, New York....
before Justice Albert Neely. He is charged with being a "disorderly person
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
", because he was a "glass looker". According to witnesses, he was either convicted but allowed to escape, or discharged for lack of evidence . Smith states that by looking at the stone he can discover hidden treasures, gold mines, coined money, and lost property. .
11 August : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
is listed among delinquent subscribers of The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
published by E. B. Grandin. .
14 August : William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, a disaffected Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
from Batavia, New York, registers a copyright for an exposé of Masonic rituals. (See December 1826 entry, regarding publication.)
11 September : William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, who was working to publish Illustrations of Masonry, an exposé revealing secret Masonic ceremonies, is seized in Batavia, New York by several parties and later taken to Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
, after which he mysteriously disappears. This "Morgan affair" stokes the fires of an anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
movement, and soon leads to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
, especially active in Western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
without the "right person". The angel tells him that the next annual visit on 22 September 1827 is his last chance to obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. The angel tells Smith that he must be married in order to obtain the plates. .
fall : Smith looks into his seer stone and determines that Emma Hale
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, whom he had met previously, is the "right person" with whom he must go to Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
in 1827 to successfully obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. .
2 November : Smith's brother Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
marries Jerusha Barden. .
November : Josiah Stowell can no longer afford to continue searching for buried treasure, and Smith travels to Colesville, New York
Colesville, New York
Colesville is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,441 at the 2000 census.The Town of Colesville is in the northeast part of the county and is northeast of Binghamton.- History :...
for a few months to work for Joseph Knight, Sr.
Joseph Knight, Sr.
Joseph Knight, Sr. was a close associate of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and provided significant material support to Smith's translation and publication of the Book of Mormon....
. . Smith directs further excavations on Knight's property and at other locations around Colesville .
December: William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
's exposé of Masonic rituals is published in Batavia, New York: . (See 11 September 1826.)
1827
18 January : Smith elopes with Emma HaleEmma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
in South Bainbridge, New York
Afton (village), New York
Afton is a village in Chenango County, New York, USA. The population was 836 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a location in Scotland.The Village of Afton is located in the Town of Afton and is northeast of Binghamton, New York....
and they are married by judge "Squire Tarbill" (Zachariah Tarbell). .
January : Josiah Stowell moves Smith and his bride to Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
. .
10 March : Smith receives a receipt for credit of $4.00 on the account of Abraham Fish, who is known to have financed some of Smith's treasure expeditions. .
23 March : The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, the Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin, quotes the Rochester Daily Advertizer in arguing: "The excitement respecting Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, instead of decreasing, spreads its influence and aquires [sic] new vigour daily....The Freemason...[is] proscribed, as unworthy of 'any office in town, county, state, or United States!' and the institution of masonry,...is held up as DANGEROUS and detrimental to the interests of the country!".
16 April : Smith's brother Samuel begins a seven-month term of work for Lemuel Durfee, owner of the Smith Family Farm
Smith Family Farm
The Smith Family Farm was the boyhood home of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.The farm—located in the townships of Palmyra, Wayne County and Manchester, Ontario County, New York—includes the Sacred Grove, the Smiths' restored frame home and a reconstructed log home...
, in exchange for tenancy.. .
1 June : The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
runs a story of a German scholar working in the Vatican Library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
who said he had found evidence that the Mexicans and Egyptians were in communication in ancient times, and that there were examples in Mexico of biblical texts written in two different Egyptian dialects.
June : Smith, Sr. tells fellow treasure seeker Willard Chase that several years ago, a spirit had appeared to Smith and told him about a golden book. .
June - June 1828 : Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
is listed during this term as a member of the Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
Mount Moriah Masonic Lodge No. 112. .
Summer : According to , a "mysterious stranger" appears at the Smith residence and meets privately with Smith, Jr., possibly multiple times.
August : Smith and his wife Emma visit Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
to retrieve Emma's possessions. . Peter Ingersoll moves Emma's furniture from Harmony to Manchester. Smith tells his father-in-law Isaac Hale that he will give up glass-looking. .
August : Smith works two days mowing for landlord Lemuel Durfee, Sr. .
fall : states that stories that Smith was about to recover the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
were given "wide circulation". Tucker dates the stories of the First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
and Smith's subsequent angel Moroni visions to this time period, arguing they are retrospective inventions (pp. 28, 33).
about fall : According to , Smith approaches Willard Chase, a carpenter, and asks him to make him a strong chest to hold the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. In lieu of payment, Smith offers to give Chase a share in the profits generated by the plates.
20 September : Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight Sr. arrive in Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
in anticipation of Smith obtaining the golden plates. .
22 September : After the stoke of midnight, Smith takes a wagon to visit Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
with his wife Emma
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, and retrieves the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
while she prays. . Smith says he hid the plates in a fallen tree top at Cumorah. With the plates, he says he found a sword, a breastplate, and a set of spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
, telling Joseph Knight that with them, "I can see anything". .
late September : Smith travels to nearby Macedon, New York
Macedon (town), New York
Macedon is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 9,148 at the 2010 census. The town is named after the ancient Macedonian Kingdom of Macedon, the birthplace of Alexander the Great....
to work for Mrs. Wells. .
September–October : Alone, Smith visits Cumorah and returns with something heavy wrapped in a frock, which he places in a chest. Willard Chase claims that Smith admits that if it had not been for the brown stone found on the Chase property years earlier, he would not have found the plates. . Chase believes that because the stone is his, Chase has at least part ownership of the plates.
September–October : After the original chest said to hold the plates is smashed by members of Smith's former money digging company, Smith obtains a "glass box" (a wooden box used to hold pieces of glass) and says that the plates are kept inside.
October : The family of Martin Harris, a wealthy Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
resident, hears about the golden plates from Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
. Martin's wife and daughter visit the Smith home to investigate, and Harris conducts his own investigation, asking Smith how the book was found. Smith says that he had located the plates via his brown seer stone, and that an angel appeared to him and told him that it was God's work, and that Smith must quit the money-digging company, translate the plates, and publish the translation. Harris offers, "If the Lord will show me that it is his work, you can have all the money you want." .
fall : According to , Smith tells Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
residents that when he first saw the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, he saw a "display of celestial pyrotechnics", as the angel appeared as his "guide and protector", while "ten thousand devils gathered there, with their menacing sulphureous [sic] flame and smoke, to deter him from his purpose!"
fall : Harris is said to have mused around the village of Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
about "what wonderful discoveries Jo Smith had made, and of his finding plates in a hill in the town of Manchester (three miles south of Palmyra), —also found with the plates a large pair of "spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
," by putting which on his nose and looking at the plates, the spectacles turned the hieroglyphics into good English." .
fall : According to , Palmyra residents were not generally aware at this time of the spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
Smith said were found with the plates.
fall: According to , "notorious wags" William T. Hussey and Azel Vandruver visit the Smith home and say they are willing to view the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, taking upon themselves the risk that they would be being struck dead if they saw them. They observe something "concealed under a piece of thick canvas". After Hussey removes the canvas and sees a tile brick, Smith claims to have pulled a joke on the men, and "with the customary whiskey hospitalities, the affair ended in good-nature".
November–December : Harris gives Smith $50, which allows him to get out of debt and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
. Emma's brother Alva comes from Harmony to pick up the couple.
December : Smith and his wife leave Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
(now Oakland
Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population of Oakland borough was 622 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakland is located at Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. (Not to be confused with Oakland Township, Susquehanna...
, where they live with Emma's parents. . During transit, the glass box said to contain the plates is hidden in a barrel of beans. .
30 December : Smith's sister Sophronia marries Calvin Stoddard in Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. Smith is apparently absent. .
1828
December 1827-February 1828: Working behind a curtain, Smith transcribes some of the characters he says are engraved on the golden plates, and hands them across the curtain to EmmaEmma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
and her brother Reuben Hale. Smith also attempts to translate some of the characters.
February : Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
and Martin Harris travel to Harmony to see Smith. .
February - March : Martin Harris takes a transcript of characters
Anthon Transcript
The Anthon Transcript is a small piece of paper on which Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote several lines of characters. According to Smith, these characters were from the Golden Plates and represent the Reformed Egyptian writing that was on the plates...
and some of their translations to several scholars in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. . According to , these scholars include "Hon. Luther Bradish
Luther Bradish
Luther Bradish was an American lawyer and politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1839 to 1842.-Life:...
, Dr. Mitchell, Professor Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
, and others". James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
later reported that Harris told a potential financer
Charles Butler (NYU)
Charles Butler was an American lawyer and philanthropist. He was born at Kinderhook Landing, Columbia Co., N.Y.; studied law in the office of Martin Van Buren at Albany, N. Y.; and was admitted to the bar in 1824. He became wealthy by accumulating land at the site of Chicago, Illinois and...
in 1830 that he first approached "one of the Professors of Columbia College" (Anthon), who told Harris that he "could not decypher them", but referred him to Samuel L. Mitchill, who "looked at his engravings—made a learned dissertation on them—compared them with the hieroglyphics discovered by Champollion
Jean-François Champollion
Jean-François Champollion was a French classical scholar, philologist and orientalist, decipherer of the Egyptian hieroglyphs....
in Egypt—and set them down as the language of a people formerly in existence in the East, but now no more". . Harris said that after speaking with Mitchill, he returned to Anthon, "who put some questions to him and got angry with Harris". . According to , Harris returns to Palmyra after his meetings in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and tells residents that Smith is a "little smarter than Professor Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
." According to , Harris declared "in a boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an unlearned man as he was, to 'confound worldly wisdom'".
February : An anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
6 March : A second anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
, attended by representatives from the counties of Wayne
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
(Palmyra) and Ontario
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
(Manchester). .
12 April : Harris begins acting as Smith's scribe while Smith begins dictating a translation of the golden plates, which Smith calls the Book of Lehi. ).
14 June : Harris persuades Smith to allow him to take the original, uncopied 116 manuscript pages to Palmyra to show his skeptical wife and family. .
15 June : Smith and his wife have their first child, named Alvin, who dies soon after birth. Emma nearly dies, and hovers near death for days. .
June–July : According to , Lucy Harris
Lucy Harris
Lucy Harris was the wife of Martin Harris, one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Life:Lucy and Martin were first cousins...
took the 116 manuscript pages from Martin Haris while he was sleeping, and burned them. Tucker said that she kept this "a profound secret to herself, even until after the book was published".
4 July : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a third convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. .
abt. 7 July : Smith visits Manchester to find out what happened to Harris, and learns that Harris has lost the 116 manuscript pages. Smith says the plates and the Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
are taken away.
July : Smith returns to Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
.
July : In Harmony, Smith dictates his first known written revelation , chastising him for losing the manuscript translation, and noting that "this is the reason that thou has lost thy privilages for a season, for thou hast suffered the counsel of thy director to be trampled upon from the beginning." and describe this as Smith's first known written revelation. The identity of the speaker is unknown, because this revelation, unlike most later ones, refers to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in the third person, although a hint to his identity may perhaps be found in his reference to "my people, the Nephites". refers to the speaker as a "messenger". The revelation indicates that the "very purpose" of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
is to ensure the Lamanite
Lamanite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Lamanite is a member of a dark-skinned nation of indigenous Americans that battled with the light-skinned Nephite nation...
s know about the Nephite
Nephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
s, and "come to the knowledge of their fathers, and...that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ".
4 August : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a fourth convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. Dissatisfied with both parties, they form the Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
. .
September : Lucy
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
, Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, and Samuel Smith stop attending the Presbyterian church in Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
. .
7 September : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a fifth convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. They nominate Solomon Southwick as their candidate for Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
. .
22 September : On this, the anniversary of Smith's Cumorah visits, Smith begins translating again, using his seer stone. Smith begins translating where he left off, know known as the Book of Mosiah
Book of Mosiah
The Book of Mosiah is one of the books which make up the Book of Mormon. The title refers to Mosiah II, a king of the Nephites at Zarahemla. The book covers the time period between ca 130 BC and 91 BC, except for when the book has a flashback into the Record of Zeniff, which starts at ca 200 BC,...
.
September 1828 to March 1829 : Samuel, Emma
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, and her brother Reuben Hale serve as Smith's scribes. Translation is sporadic because Smith has to work to support his family, and very little gets translated until April 1829.
October : Cowdery takes a job teaching school in Manchester. He boards with the Smiths in Manchester.
aft. 22 September 1828 : Smith, Sr. and Lucy visit Smith, Jr. and Emma at Harmony and meet the Hales.
3–5 November : In the New York gubernatorial election
New York gubernatorial election, 1828
The 1828 New York gubernatorial election was held from November 3 to 5, 1828, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York.-Results:...
, Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
candidate Solomon Southwick obtains 33,335 votes, compared to 136,783 votes for Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
and 106,415 for Smith Thompson
Smith Thompson
Smith Thompson was a United States Secretary of the Navy from 1818 to 1823, and a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice from 1823 until his death in 1843....
. .
1829
February : Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack SmithLucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
travel to Harmony. ). Smith dictates a revelation calling the elder Smith to take part in a "marvelous work". The revelation refers to God in the third person.
March : Martin Harris becomes skeptical about the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, and asks Smith to let him see them. Smith dictates a revelation for Harris . Unlike prior revelations, this one refers to God in the first person. It also says that Smith had "entered into a covenant" with God not to show the plates to anyone unless God commands otherwise. It says that Smith "has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift". While future generations would have access to the plates, in the present generation, the words of the book would go out with the testimony of the Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
who would have "power, that they may behold and view [the plates] as they are, and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation." For the first time, a Smith revelation specifically refers to the restoration of a church: "[I]f the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old." The revelation says that Harris could be one of the three witnesses if he humbles himself. However, if he sees the plates, Harris is commanded to say nothing more than "I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God". Because of a conspiracy to destroy Smith, he is commanded to translate a few more pages, and then "stop for a season, even until I command thee again".
March : Harris returns to Palmyra. .
5 April : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, a school teacher and dowser
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
, arrives in Harmony with Samuel
Samuel Harrison Smith
Samuel Harrison Smith was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Samuel was a leader in his own right and a successful missionary. Smith is commonly regarded as the first Latter Day Saint missionary following the organization of the Church of...
.
7 April : Cowdery begins acting as Smith's scribe while translating the golden plates.
April : Smith dictates a revelation calling Cowdery to assist with a "marvelous work", and referring to the "cause of Zion
Zion (Latter Day Saints)
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...
". The revelation refers to Cowdery's "gift" (dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
) and instructs Cowdery to "exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries." He is only to reveal his gift to "those which are of thy faith". The revelation refers to "records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people." Cowdery is to use his "gift" to assist in bringing these records to light. Both Cowdery and Smith are given the "keys" to this gift, so that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established".
April : Smith dictates what is characterized as a translation of a parchment written by John the Apostle
John the Apostle
John the Apostle, John the Apostle, John the Apostle, (Aramaic Yoħanna, (c. 6 - c. 100) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles...
and "hid up by himself". The revelation says that John will "tarry" on the earth until the Second Coming
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
. .
April : Smith dictates a revelation referring to Cowdery's two "gifts". The first gift is Cowdery's ability to "receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient". The second gift is "working with the rod" (dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
). The revelation says "there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands, for it is the work of God". Cowdery is commanded to "[a]sk that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records, which have been hid up...."
April : Cowdery begins to translate (perhaps by dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
), then returns to acting as Smith's scribe. Smith dictates a revelation indicating that God took away his gift to translate for the time being because he was not persistent, and misunderstood the nature of translation, which requires the translator to "study it out in your mind". After the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
were translated, the revelation says, Cowdery could assist with translating "other records".
abt. April : Smith dictates a portion of the golden plates telling a story of Alma the Elder, who baptized his followers by immersion, "having authority from the Almighty God", and called his community of believers the "church of God, or the church of Christ". (Mosiah 18:13-17). The book described the clergy in Alma's church as consisting of priests, who were unpaid and were to "preach nothing save it were repentance and faith in the Lord". (Mosiah 18:20). Alma later established many churches, which were considered "one church" because "there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God." (Mosiah 25:22). In addition to priests, the clergy of these churches included teachers (Mosiah 25:21) and elders. (Alma 4:7).
about May : Smith dictates part of his translation (Third Nephi
Third Nephi
Third Nephi is one of fifteen books that make up the Book of Mormon. It contains an account of the visit of Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of ancient America...
chapter 11) describing the exact mode of baptism by immersion, including the exact words to use. According to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
's later reminiscence, "after writing the account given of the Savior's ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent, it was easily to be seen . . .that . . . none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel." Oliver Cowdery, Letter 1, Messenger and Advocate 1 (October 1834): 15.
15 May : Smith and Cowdery baptize each other. Years later, details gradually emerged concerning a vision prior to this baptism: In 1832, Smith's unpublished history indicated that the priesthood had been received by the "ministering of angels". . In an 1834 publication, Cowdery first told the story of receiving the Aaronic priesthood on this date via a vision of John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
, and then of Smith and Cowdery baptizing each other. Smith essentially agreed with Cowdery's account of the vision.
May : As the translation proceeds, Smith dictates a revelation claiming that the lost 116 manuscript pages still exist, and that the people who possess them have altered them and are waiting for Smith to re-translate the same material. Then, these people plan to argue that Smith cannot translate the same material twice, and thus Smith has only "pretended to translate". Thus, the revelation directs Smith not to re-translate the Book of Lehi. The revelation indicates that the originally-translated Book of Lehi had indicated that it was just an "abridgment" of the "plates of Nephi". Thus, Smith is directed to translate the "plates of Nephi", containing a "more particular account" of the material Smith had already translated. Smith is only to translate the "first part" of these "plates of Nephi", however, continuing down to the reign of King Benjamin
King Benjamin
According to the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin, son of King Mosiah the first, was the second Nephite king to rule over Zarahemla. An account of his life and teachings are recorded in both the Words of Mormon and the Book of Mosiah...
, which Smith had already translated from the abridgment. The revelation also speaks of "establishing my gospel that there may not be so much contention". It defined the church of Christ as follows: "whoso repenteth, and cometh unto me, the same is my church: whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me: therefore, he is not of my church".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling his brother Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
to assist in a "marvelous work", but he is not yet called to preach, but he is to be patient, meanwhile praying that he can assist in "the translation of my work". The revelation says that Hyrum "hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift", and refers to "that which you [Hyrum] are translating".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling Joseph Knight to assist in a "marvelous work".
1 June : Smith moves to Fayette, New York
Fayette, New York
Fayette is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 3,643 at the 2000 census.The Town of Fayette is on the western border of the county and is southeast of Geneva, New York.- History :...
and continues translation at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
.
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer is told that if he asks with faith he "may stand as a witness of the things of which [he] shall both hear and see".
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer becomes one of Smith's scribes. .
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
to assist with the "marvelous work".
early June : Smith and Cowdery begin baptizing new converts in Seneca Lake, including Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. .
early June : Years later, after 1839, Smith recalls that he and others gathered in the "chamber of Mr. Whitmer's
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
house", where they heard a voice commanding them to ordain elders, but they refrained from doing so until the organization of the church. .
between June 1 and 14: Smith dictates a revelation directed to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
and David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, referring to Smith's previous baptism of Cowdery (presumably on May 15) and instructing Cowdery to "build up my church". Both Cowdery and Whitmer are called to "cry repentance unto this people" and to "search out" the identities of the twelve disciples whom God had called and given power to baptize and to ordain priests and teachers. Cowdery and Whitmer will know the identities of these twelve "by their desires and their works".
11 June : Using a title page that Smith says was written by Moroni, Smith obtains a copyright for the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
(the name of his translation of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
). .
first half of June : Smith sends Martin Harris with a copy of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
title page and a few pages of translation to Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
to see if E. B. Grandin, owner of The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, will agree to publish it. Harris meets with Grandin twice, and the second time threatens that if Grandin does not publish it, they will publish it in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Grandin provides an approximate estimate of costs, but declines to publish the book. .
about June? : Smith directly or indirectly approaches Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed was a New York newspaper publisher, politician, and party boss. He was the principal political advisor to the prominent New York politician William H...
, a well-known anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
publisher and activist in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
about printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. Weed refuses.
about June? : Smith attempts unsuccessfully to secure the financial assistance for publishing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
from several family acquaintances including George Crane (a Quaker). .
June : Smith begins dictating a replacement section for the Book of Lehi, beginning with the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
.
14 June : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
sends a letter to Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
referencing language from the "twelve disciples" revelation. (Joseph Smith letterbook (22 November 1835 to 4 August 1835) 5-6. Commentators generally agree that this letter references the revelation. See, e.g., Larry C. Porter (June 1979), Dating the Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, Ensign, p. 5.)
abt. June or later : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
receives a revelation called the Articles of the Church of Christ
Articles of the Church of Christ
The "Articles of the Church of Christ" was an 1829 revelation purportedly given by God to Oliver Cowdery in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. The original Articles were never included in the Mormon canon; however, the language of much of the Articles found its way into various...
, about "how he should build up his church & the manner thereof". it discusses the ordination of priest and teachers, and calls members to meet regularly to partake of bread and wine. Cowdery is described as "an Apostle of Christ". The revelation contains language found in the "twelve disciples" and "three witnesses" revelations.
June : Smith dictated the following text from the Second Book of Nephi
Second Book of Nephi
The Second Book of Nephi is the second book of the Book of Mormon. The book is usually referred to as Second Nephi, and is abbreviated "2 Ne." According to the book, it was written by the ancient prophet Nephi, who lived around 600 BC....
(found at ): "Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book, and the things therein. And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will of God..." According to information added in 1852 to the History of the Church (but absent in the 1842 Times and Seasons publication of the same material), this passage initiated the idea of showing the plates to three witnesses. There is a similar passage in the Book of Ether
Book of Ether
The Book of Ether is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The Book of Ether tells of an ancient people , descendants of Jared and his companions who were led by God to the Americas shortly after the confusion of tongues and the destruction of the Tower of Babel...
, and that passage might have been the spark (as proposed by several later editions of History of the Church). It is not known whether the Book of Ether was translated before or after the Second Book of Nephi.
second half of June : Smith dictates a revelation to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Martin Harris that if they have faith, they may be the Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
to the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, as well as the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
, and the Liahona. .
second half of June : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Martin Harris become the first Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
, other than Smith, of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
by seeing them in a vision in Fayette.
second half of June : Eight additional witnesses "see" the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. It is uncertain whether they see them in a vision or with their natural eyes.
26 June : The title page of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
is published in The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, the weekly Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin. . Grandin announces that he intends to publish the book "as soon as the translation is complete". Grandin had received a copy of the title page from Smith earlier in June.
end of June : Smith completes translation of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
11 August : The anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
Palmyra Freeman calls the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"the greatest piece of superstition that has come to our knowledge." The article gives an account of how the plates were found by Joseph Smith, referring to three visits by "the spirit of the Almighty", "a huge pair of spectacles", golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
of dimensions eight by eight by six inches, Harris' visit to Samuel Mitchill. The article reproduces the title page of the Book of Mormon. No known copies survive, but the article was reprinted in other newspapers such as the Niagara Courier (27 August 1829).
25 August : A contract is drawn up with E.B. Grandin to print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon for $3,000. Martin Harris agrees to mortgage his farm to pay for the printing. .
August–March 1830 : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
copies manuscript pages from the originals, gives them to Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, who takes them to E. B. Grandin's printing press. The manuscript is typset by John Gilbert. .
2 September : Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
begins publishing the weekly Palmyra Reflector, using E. B. Grandin's printing press. Cole announces, "The Golden Bible, by Joseph Smith Junior, author and proprietor, is now in press and will shortly appear. Priestcraft is short lived!"
16 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "The Book of Mormon is expected to be ready for delivery in the course of one year — Great and marvellous things will "come to pass" about those days."
23 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "We understand that the Anti-Masons have declared war against the Gold Bible—O! how impious! / The number of Gold Bible Apostles is said to be complete. Jo Smith, Jr. is about to assign to each, a mission to the heathen. We understand that Abraham Chaddock intends to build the first house in Harris' New-Jerusalem.... / Some few evenings since, a man in the town of Mendon, had a loud call to go and preach the doctrines contained in the Gold Bible, under heavy denunciations." (May refer to Calvin Stoddard, who had a "loud call" according to .)
30 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he accuses the editor of the anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
Palmyra Freeman of plagiarizing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
by using the phrase "Beware of SECRET ASSOCIATIONS". Cole notes that "The 'Gold Bible' is fast gaining credit; the rapid spread of Islamism was no touch to it!"
4–22 October : Smith arrives in Harmony and writes a letter to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
(still in Manchester) that he has bought a horse from Josiah Stowell, and wants someone to come pick it up. .
7 October : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he refers mockingly to an article in the Palmyra Freeman (now lost) about Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
, and how "the building of the TEMPLE OF NEPHI is to be commenced about the beginning of the first year of the Millennium", and how Mormons were claiming that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
would "astonish the natives".
8 October : Smith and Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
purchase a copy of the Authorized Version of the Bible, Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
Apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
included, at the E. B. Grandin bookstore, for $3.75. They would later use the book for the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
The Joseph Smith Translation , also called the Inspired Version , was a revision of the Bible by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Smith considered this work to be "a branch of his calling" as a prophet. Smith was murdered before he ever deemed it complete, though most of...
. Note that gives this date as 8 October 1828, a year earlier.
6 November : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
replies to Smith's letter, and says that Martin Harris will travel to Harmony and pick up the horse in two or three weeks. .
9 December : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, which used E. B. Grandin's printing press and therefore had access to the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
manuscripts, Cole announces that "at the solicitation of many of our readers we have concluded to commence publishing extracts from it on or before the commencement of the second series".
28 December : Cowdery writes to Smith in Harmony, stating that "it may look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer". .
1830
2 January : In Abner ColeAbner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints the first part of Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
13 January : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he continues to print Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : Palmyra residents organize a boycott of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : E. B. Grandin suspends printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
16 January : Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Martin Harris sign an agreement on selling copies of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. It is witnessed by Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
. .
January : Based on assurances from Harris, E. B. Grandin resumes printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
22 January : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints an extract from the Book of Alma
Book of Alma
The Book of Alma is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The full title is The Book of Alma: The Son of Alma. The title refers to Alma the Younger, a prophet and "chief judge" of the Nephites.-Historical Outline:...
, chapter 20, from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : Threatened with legal action by Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
stops printing extracts of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
February : An anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
early 1830 : Martin Harris visits lawyer-philanthropist Charles Butler
Charles Butler (NYU)
Charles Butler was an American lawyer and philanthropist. He was born at Kinderhook Landing, Columbia Co., N.Y.; studied law in the office of Martin Van Buren at Albany, N. Y.; and was admitted to the bar in 1824. He became wealthy by accumulating land at the site of Chicago, Illinois and...
and asks for a $1300 loan to finance publication of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, but Butler declines. Harris promises that once the book is printed, Butler will receive a copy, and that once he reads it, he will be converted. Butler later receives a copy. . During the Harris describes to Butler his story of taking a transcript of characters
Anthon Transcript
The Anthon Transcript is a small piece of paper on which Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote several lines of characters. According to Smith, these characters were from the Golden Plates and represent the Reformed Egyptian writing that was on the plates...
to Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
and Samuel L. Mitchill in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. .
March : Smith travels from Harmony to Manchester with Joseph Knight, Sr., and learns that Martin Harris has been waffling on his commitment to paying his share of the debt for publication of the Book of Mormon.
March : Smith dictates a revelation for Martin Harris , explaining a "mystery": Smith reveals that "eternal damnation" or "endless punishment" does not mean punishment forever; rather, it just means "God's punishment". Nevertheless, Harris would suffer that exquisite punishment unless he repented, sold part of his farm, and used the cash to pay off the debt to E.B. Grandin for publication of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
about March : Martin Harris is present at the E. B. Grandin printing press when "The Testimony of Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
" at the end of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
is being typeset. The typesetter later said that he asked, "'Martin, did you see those plates with your naked eyes?' Martin looked down for an instant, raised his eyes up, and said, 'No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.'" .
19 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"will be ready for sale in the course of next week".
26 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"is now for sale, wholesale and retail, at the Palmyra Bookstore".
This is a chronology of Mormonism. In the late 1820s, founder Joseph Smith, Jr. announced that an angel had given him a set of golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
engraved with a chronicle of ancient American peoples
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, which he had a unique gift to translate. In 1830, he published the resulting narratives as the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and founded the Church of Christ in western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, claiming it to be a restoration of early Christianity
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
.
Moving the church to Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
in 1831, Smith attracted hundreds of converts, who were called Latter Day Saints. He sent some to Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
to establish a city of Zion
Zion (Latter Day Saints)
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...
. In 1833, Missouri settlers expelled the Saints from Zion, and Smith's paramilitary expedition
Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp was a paramilitary expedition of Latter Day Saints, led by Joseph Smith, Jr., from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri during May and June 1834 in an unsuccessful attempt to regain land from which the Saints had been expelled by non-Mormon settlers...
to recover the land was unsuccessful. Fleeing an arrest warrant in the aftermath of a Kirtland financial crisis
Kirtland Safety Society
The Kirtland Safety Society was a quasi-bank organized in 1836 by leaders and followers of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. According to KSS's 1837 "Articles of Agreement", it was intended to serve the banking needs of the growing Mormon community in Kirtland, Ohio...
, Smith joined his remaining followers in Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri.-Foundation and early history:The town was founded by Missouri Mormon leaders, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer in August 1836 shortly before the county's creation. The town was platted originally as a square area,...
, but tensions escalated into violent conflicts with the old Missouri settlers. Believing the Saints to be in insurrection, the Missouri governor
Lilburn Boggs
Lilburn Williams Boggs was the sixth Governor of Missouri from 1836 to 1840. He is now most widely remembered for his interactions with Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell, and Missouri Executive Order 44, known by Mormons as the "Extermination Order", issued in response to the ongoing conflict...
ordered their expulsion from Missouri, and Smith was imprisoned on capital charges
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
After escaping state custody in 1839, Smith directed the conversion of a swampland into Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, where he became both mayor and commander of a nearly autonomous militia
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a militia originally organized by the Latter Day Saints to defend the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, . To curry political favor with the ambiguously-political Saints, the Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion extraordinary...
. In 1843, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. The following year, after the Nauvoo Expositor
Nauvoo Expositor
The Nauvoo Expositor was a newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois that published only one issue, which was dated June 7, 1844. Its publication set off a chain of events that led to the death of Latter Day Saint movement founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
criticized his power and such new doctrines as plural marriage, Smith and the Nauvoo city council ordered the newspaper's destruction as a nuisance
Nuisance
Nuisance is a common law tort. It means that which causes offence, annoyance, trouble or injury. A nuisance can be either public or private. A public nuisance was defined by English scholar Sir J. F...
. In a futile attempt to check public outrage, Smith first declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
, then surrendered to the governor of Illinois
Thomas Ford (politician)
Thomas Ford was the eighth Governor of Illinois, and served in this capacity from 1842 to 1846. A Democrat, he is remembered largely for his involvement in the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., and the subsequent Illinois Mormon War...
. He was killed by a mob
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
.
After Smith's death, his followers split in to several groups, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who followed Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
as Smith's successor. These Mormons followed Young to the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
, where they established a theocratic society. Eventually, after the Mormons discontinued their practice of polygamy, they entered mainstream American society and became champions of the nuclear family. A branch of Mormon fundamentalists who disagreed with that decision broke off from the LDS Church and established their own organizations. In the 20th century, the LDS Church grew dramatically, and currently has millions of members worldwide.
1790s
1791 : Smith's aunt Lovisa Mack Tuttle, after a two-year illness, is miraculously healed. . Returning from a near death experienceNear death experience
A near-death experience refers to a broad range of personal experiences associated with impending death, encompassing multiple possible sensations including detachment from the body; feelings of levitation; extreme fear; total serenity, security, or warmth; the experience of absolute dissolution;...
, she tells of a vision in which Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
spoke through a veil and told her to "warn the people to prepare for death" and to "declare faithfully unto them their accountability before God". .
24 January 1796 : Smith's parents Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
are married in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
by Seth Austin
1796 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith states in a letter that "I believe that the stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, spoken by Daniel, and has smitten the image upon his feet." .
1797 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith have an unnamed baby child, who dies. . There is disagreement on whether this was a boy or a girl.
6 December 1797 : Joseph, Sr., his father Asael, his brother Jesse, and fourteen others form a Universalist
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
Society. .
11 February 1798 : Smith's brother Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
10 April 1799 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith writes a letter to his family, intended to be read after his death, articulating his belief in universal salvation
Universal reconciliation
In Christian theology, universal reconciliation is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls—because of divine love and mercy—will ultimately be reconciled to God.Universal salvation may be related to the perception of a problem of Hell, standing opposed to ideas...
, warning them not to look to outward formalities of religion. . Asael Smith, however, was a pew holder of the local Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, a church known at the time for having preachers who taught Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
and Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
theology.
19th century
9 February 1800 : Smith's brother Hyrum SmithHyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
4 August 1800 – 4 May 1801 : The Smith family may not have been counted during the 1800 U.S. census. Although there are "Joseph Smith" families in both Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
and Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
, neither of them match in ages and children with the family of Joseph and Lucy Smith. .
1800-02 : Smith, Sr. may have moved temporarily to or visited Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
, 50 miles from Tunbridge, according to residents who said he lived there "at the time of the Wood movement
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
here". .
spring or early summer 1800 : A counterfeiter named (Justus?) Winchell organizes a dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
company to dig for money in Middletown
Middletown Springs, Vermont
Middletown Springs is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 745 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.9 square miles , all land....
and Rutland, Vermont
Rutland (town), Vermont
Rutland is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,054 at the 2010 census. Rutland completely surrounds the city of Rutland, which is incorporated separately from the town of Rutland.-History:...
. Winchell associates with Nathaniel Wood
Nathaniel Wood
Nathaniel Wood, Sr., was the leader of a sect called the New Israelites, which was formed in Middletown, Rutland County, Vermont at the end of the 1790s. Wood emigrated from Newent Parish in Norwich, Connecticut to Bennington, Vermont. From Bennington he moved to Rutland County in 1761...
, who had founded the New Israelites
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
some years earlier, whose religious elements included temple building, divination, polygamy, and the idea that they were literal descendants of the Israelites. . Among the company is Warren Cowdery, Jr., the father of Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, the dowser
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
who became Smith's scribe in 1829. . According to interviews conducted by a local historian, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
was also part of the New Israelites, and was one of its "leading rods-men" . There is no historical consensus linking Smith, Sr. to the New Israelites; however, he said that his money digging career began during this decade or earlier. .
14 January 1802 : The New Israelites
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
, having prophesied this day as the end of the world, are confronted by local militia. This is known as the "Wood Scrape". The militia fires their weapons to disperse the "Fraternity of Rodsmen". .
about spring 1802 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith rent out their farm in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
and move to the more urban Randolph, Vermont
Randolph, Vermont
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....
to set up a merchant shop. They operate with $1,800 in goods on credit from merchants in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. .
1802 : Soon after moving to Randolph, Smith, Sr. speculates on a shipment of ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
, which he sends from the port in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
about fall or winter 1802 : Six months after moving to Randolph, Lucy contracts tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. .
1802-03 : While deathly ill, Lucy has a religious conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
after she believes she hears the voice of God. . She said that she perceived her "mind at one time raising gradually, borne away to Heaven above all hight [sic] then reverting back again to my babes and my Companion at my side", after which she promised God that if she would live, she would try to find religion, and then heard a voice saying "Seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you let your heart be comforted ye believe in God believe [sic] also in me". . Lucy tries to find a religious home, but is unhappy with several ministers; therefore, she concludes that "there is not on Earth the religion which I seek I must again turn to my bible taking Jesus and his deciples [sic] for an ensample". .
1803 : A large Christian revival sweeps across Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. .
about 1803 : After the ship returns from China with the proceeds from the sale of Smith Sr.'s ginseng (a round trip that might have taken about a year), the earnings are stolen by a Royalton
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
merchant who flees to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. .
1803 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith move from Royalton
Randolph, Vermont
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1803 : The Smiths must sell their farm in Tunbridge to cover their debts to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
merchants, and they thereafter become poor tenants. .
17 May 1803 : Smith's sister Sophronia is born in Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1803-04 : Lucy attends meetings at a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church, and Smith, Sr. "went a few times to gratify [Lucy] for he had so little faith in the doctrines taught by them that my feelings were the only inducement for him to go"..
1803-04 : Hearing that Joseph, Sr. is attending Methodist meetings, Smith's Universalist
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
grandfather Asael Smith appears at his door, throws Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
's Age of Reason
Age of reason
Age of reason may refer to:* 17th-century philosophy, as a successor of the Renaissance and a predecessor to the Age of Enlightenment* Age of Enlightenment in its long form of 1600-1800* The Age of Reason, a book by Thomas Paine...
, into the house, and angrily demands that Smith, Sr. read it until he had believes it. He also suggests that Smith, Sr. ought not let Lucy attend the meetings. As a result, the Smiths stop attending Methodist church meetings. .
1803-04 : Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
visits a grove near Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to pray about her husband's rejection of organized religion. When she returns home and goes to sleep that night, she has a vision that Smith, Sr. would eventually accept the "pure and undefiled Gospel of the Son of God" .
about 1804 : The Smiths move from Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
, where they "resided a few months". .
27 August 1804 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack purchases property in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
. .
1804-05 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy move to Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
, where they rent the farm of Lucy's father while Joseph, Sr. cultivates crops in the summer and teaches school in the winter. . Solomon Mack likely lives with them. .
23 December 1805 : Smith is born in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
to Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
. . Vermont residents recall that Smith, Sr. told them the young Joseph was born with a caul
Caul
A caul is a thin, filmy membrane, the amnion, that can cover a newborn's head and face immediately after birth.-Obstetrics:A child "born with the caul" has a portion of the amniotic sac or membrane remaining on the head. There are two types of cauls. The most common caul is adhered to the head...
(a sign of good luck), and that Smith, Sr. "intended to procure a stone for [him] to see all over the world with". .
3 May 1806 : Smith, Sr. witnesses a land transaction between his in-laws Solomon Mack and Daniel G. Mack in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
. .
1 April 1807 : In the court of Windsor County, Vermont, a person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
16 April 1807 : A second person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
1807 : Sharon
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
resident George Downer is convicted of passing two counterfeit bills the previous spring. There is some tenuous evidence, based in part on a descendant of the counterfeiter against whom Smith, Sr. testified on April 1, that Smith, Sr. was an accomplice in that case who avoided conviction by turning state's evidence
Turn state's evidence
To turn state's evidence is when an accused or convicted criminal testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices. Turning state's evidence is occasionally a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt, but more often is done in response to a generous offer from the...
. See (noting the evidence is weak, but arguing that it favors the involvement of Smith, Sr. given that court records verify there was an unnamed accomplice who testified against Downer). But see (discounting the evidence; Brooke notes that Brodie does not mention the court records showing there was an unnamed accomplice witness).
1807 : Smith family moves from Sharon
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
.
15 October 1807 : Smith, Jr., his brother Jesse, and other Tunbridge residents petition the Vermont legislature for an exemption from providing their own military equipment as members of the Vermont militia. .
13 March 1808 : Smith's brother Samuel is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1808-1810 : Smith family moves from Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
.
1808-1810 : Smith possibly attends school on Dewey Hill, taught by Deacon John Rinney, although he may have been too young. .
1810s
13 March 1810 : Smith's brother Ephraim is born in Royalton, VermontRoyalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
. .
24 March 1810 : Ephraim Smith dies. .
winter of 1810-11 : A Christian revival occurs in the towns around Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
. . Smith, Sr. becomes "much excited upon the subject of religion" and "contended" for a restoration of primitive Christianity. .
spring 1811 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack, after being ill all winter in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
, and after searching the scriptures and praying, sees a vision and later hears a voice. . He is converted to evangelical Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
and denounces Universalism
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
. .
13 March 1811 : Smith's brother William is born in Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
.
April 1811 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
tells his family about his first vision. He sees a field representing the barrenness of true religion upon the earth, and he sees a log containing a box. His spirit guide tells him that if he eats the contents of the box, he will be filled with "wisdom and understanding". He raises the lid of the box, but is unable to eat its contents because "all manner of beasts, horned cattle, and roaring animals, rose up on every side in the most threatening manner possible". Based on the vision, Smith, Sr. concludes, more than ever, that there is no true religion on the earth. He would have six other visions between 1811 and 1819.
1811 (after May 11): After selling his property in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
and moving to live with Smith's uncle Daniel in Royalton
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
, Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack self-publishes a booklet describing his heavenly visions and voices of the previous winter: .
1812 (after May) : Smith family moves from Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
to Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
.
1812 (after May) : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
has his second vision, in which he saw a barren field representing the desolate world, a "narrow path", a stream with a rope running along its bank leading to a beautiful tree bearing a fruit whiter than snow that was "delicious beyond description. While eating, he thought "I cannot eat this alone, I must bring my wife and children, that they may partake with me." Thus, he brought his family to eat the fruit. However, there was a "spacious building" across the valley where the tree was, filed with finely-dressed people looking down and mocking Smith's family. Smith's spirit guide said that the fruit represented "the pure love of Christ". The guide said that the spacious building represented "Babylon, and it must fall". .
winter of 1812–1813 : Smith and his siblings contract typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
, and Smith acquires osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis simply means an infection of the bone or bone marrow...
in his leg. He has surgery to remove infected bone, causing him to hobble on crutches at least until 1816. .
about 1813 : Smith stays with his uncle Jesse Smith in Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
while recovering from his leg operation.
8 July 1813 : Smith's sister Katherine is born in Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
. .
by May 1815: Smith family moves to Norwich, Vermont
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
, and their first year of crops fails. They survive by selling fruit. .
15 March 1816 : The Smith family is "warned out of town
Warning out of town
Warning out of town was a widespread method in the United States for established New England communities to pressure or coerce "outsiders" to settle elsewhere . It consisted of a notice ordered by the Board of Selectmen of a town, and served by the constable upon any newcomer who might become a...
" in Norwich, Vermont
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
. .
1816 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
relates to his family his third vision, in which he was lame, but his spirit guide sent him through a garden amidst 12 wooden images of giants. After each of the wooden giants sequentially bowed toward him in obeisance, he was healed. .
25 March 1816 : Smith's brother Don Carlos is born. .
summer 1816 : New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and other areas experience a climate abnormality known as the Year Without a Summer
Year Without a Summer
The Year Without a Summer was 1816, in which severe summer climate abnormalities caused average global temperatures to decrease by about 0.4–0.7 °C , resulting in major food shortages across the Northern Hemisphere...
.
1816 - 1817 : Palmyra experiences a large Christian revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
.
fall 1816 : Smith, Sr. moves to the village of Palmyra, New York
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. dates this as the summer of 1816.
January 1817 : Lucy Mack Smith and the remainder of the family move to Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
, where they live in a small house on Main Street. .
abt. 1817 : Smith, Sr. opens a "cake and beer shop" in Palmyra, selling "gingerbread, pies, boiled eggs, root-beer, and other like notions of traffic", and peddles these on the street from a handcart during Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebrations and military training days". . A journalist who visited the area in 1831 wrote in his notes that Smith, Sr. "was a vender—made gingerbread and buttermints &c&c". He said, "In this article [gingerbread? ginger?] he was a considerable speculator, having on hand during a fall of price no less than two baskets full.... What their dividends were I could not learn, but they used considerable molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
, and were against the duty
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
on that article". .
abt. 1817 : Influenced by the Christian revivals of 1816-17 , Smith later recalls, "At about the age of twelve years my mind become [sic] seriously imprest with regard to the all importent [sic] concerns for the wellfare [sic] of my immortal Soul which led me to searching the scriptures believeing [sic] as I was taught, that they contained the word of God thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations led me to marvel excedingly [sic] for I discovered that they did not
1817-19 : In Palmyra, Smith, Sr. and his oldest sons take occasional day jobs, such as gardening, harvesting, and well-digging, to supplement their income. . Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
sets up a business selling painted oil-cloth coverings .
April 1817 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
is listed on the local road list as living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
, on Road District 26. .
1817-21 : During some period between these years, Smith visits the office of the Palmyra Register weekly and buys a news paper for his father. .
December 1817 : A "Joseph Smith" (Sr.?) joins the Masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
lodge in nearby Canandaigua, New York
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
. .
April 1818 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
family is living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
May 1818: Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
relates to his family his sixth vision. Smith, Sr. rushes toward a meetinghouse where multitudes of other people are entering, but just as he arrives there, the door shuts before him. The porter tells him that he must be barred entry to satisfy justice. After praying for forgiveness of sins, the mercy of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
satisfied the needs of justice and he was allowed entrance. .
April 1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
family is listed on tax records as still living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
1819 : The Smith family builds a log home in the town of Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
, away from the village and adjacent to the border of Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
. said they moved into the log home two years after arriving in Palmyra. remembers the Smiths occupying this log home in the winter of 1819-20. dates the move to the log home to 1818, said that the Smiths occupied the land as squatters
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
, and described the log home as "divided into two rooms, on the ground-floor, and had a low garret, in two apartments. A bedroom wing, built of sawed slabs, was afterward added". They may have begun clearing trees and farming nearby land they did not yet own, or they may have been renting the land.
1819-1820s : While on their new property, the Smiths engage in "chopping and retailing of cord-wood, the raising and bartering of small crops of agricultural products and garden vegetables, the manufacture and sale of black-ash baskets and birch brooms, the making of maple sugar and molasses in the season for that work, and in the continued business of peddling cake and beer in the village on days of public doings". They also engage in hunting and fishing, trapping muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
s, and digging out groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s from their holes, and spending time at Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
shops. .
1819-1820s : Smith, Jr. works as a clerk for the peddling of cake and beer on public occasions, and sometimes is duped into accepting counterfeit coins from other youth. . See also ("I believe his son, Joe Junior, was at times a partner in the concern.").
1819 : Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
leaves home to raise money for the family .
1819 : An unknown shooter hides under a wagon, and when Smith approaches his home, the shooter fires across the path, missing Smith but lodging a bullet in a cow. .
1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
tells his family about his seventh and last vision, telling him that he lacked one thing in order to secure his salvation. His spirit guide wrote what that one thing was on a piece of paper, but Smith, Sr. awoke before he could read it. .
September 1819 : According to , Smith discovers a seer stone, which is white and opaque, and resembles a child's foot. Tucker's account apparently conflates the story of finding this stone with the better-documented story of Smith finding his brown seer stone in 1822. argues that this 1819 date cannot be relied upon, and that it is not established that Smith began using a seer stone for treasure digging until 1822.
1820s
between 1820 and 1827 : According to , Smith sees the location of a buried chest of money, but says that a black sheep must be sacrificed in order to break the spell on it. He obtains the sheep from ManchesterManchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
resident William Stafford and makes the sacrifice within a circle at the cite of the dig. After three hours of digging, one of the party accidentally breaks the enchantment by breaking silence and causes the excavation to fail.
1820
about 1820 : According to one account, Smith finds his first stone by borrowing the stone of another treasure seer. .about 1820 : According to , Smith is paid 75 cents to locate a stolen roll of cloth with his seer stone. He sends the owner on a three mile trip to look for the cloth, but it is never found.
about 1820 : During this period are the earliest reports of the Smiths conducting treasure quests in the Palmyra/Manchester area. date this earliest digging to 1820. See also (dating the first digs to 1820 and suggesting the first digs occurred on their Manchester land). In , James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
says, without giving a definite year, that "the Smith's and their associates commenced digging, in the numerous hills which diversify the face of the country in the town of Manchester. The sensible country people paid slight attention to them at first.... They Would occasionally conceal their purposes, and at other times reveal them by such snatches as might excite curiosity. They dug these holes by day, and at night talked and dreamed over the counties' riches they should enjoy, if they could only hit upon an iron chest full of dollars. In excavating the grounds, they began taking up the green sod in the form of a circle of six feed diameter—then would continue to dig to the depth of ten, twenty, and sometimes thirty feet.")
April : Smith family is listed on local records as living at the end of Stafford Road in Palmyra Township
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
(i.e., their log home at the border adjacent to Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
). Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
is listed as living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
spring : According to , Smith uses his seer stone to locate buried treasure near the Smiths' property, and gathers contributions from Palmyra residence for an excavation, which is conducted "at the dead hour of night". After "preparatory mystic ceremonies", digging begins in absolute silence in order not to break the "enchantment". When the chest of money is nearly within reach, one of the party accidentally speaks, thus causing the treasure to vanish. dates this treasure quest to after 1822, arguing that Smith did not obtain his first stone until that year.
spring : According to Smith's later accounts, he has his First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
. Depending on the account, it is either a visit by one or more angels, or a theophany
Theophany
Theophany, from the Ancient Greek , meaning "appearance of God"), refers to the appearance of a deity to a human or other being, or to a divine disclosure....
. In the vision, a heavenly messenger tells him his sins are forgiven and that all the churches on the Earth at that time were false.
1821
July: The Smith family obtains a mortgage on a 100 acre (0.404686 km²) farm adjacent to their log home, just outside of PalmyraPalmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
in what was then Farmington
Farmington, New York
Farmington is a town located in the northern part of Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 10,585 at the 2000 census. Farmington is about twenty-five miles southeast of Rochester, New York...
. (In 1821, this would become the town of Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
.) They had already been working this land, either squatting or renting from the owner. said that Smith made a small payment "to bind the bargain".
18 July : Smith's youngest sister Lucy is born. .
1822
abt. Jan. 25 : Smith begins participating in a Palmyra "juvenile debating club" at "the old red school house on Durfee street". .1822 : Alvin begins construction on a frame house for the Smiths.
February–August : Smith takes an interest in Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. says that Smith "catch[es] a spark of Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
in the camp meeting
Camp meeting
The camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian religious service originating in Britain and once common in some parts of the United States, wherein people would travel from a large area to a particular site to camp out, listen to itinerant preachers, and pray...
, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road", and is known there as "a very passable exhorter" at evening Methodist meetings. says that Smith "joined the probationary class of the Methodist church in Palmyra, and made some active demonstrations of engagedness". According to Turner, this date must be after Smith's participation in the debating club (i.e., after Jan. 25, 1822). Date must also be after 7 July 1821, when the Methodists acquired their property in the woods off Vienna Road The Methodists did not begin building their meetinghouse on Vienna Road until 19 June 1822 , but may have held camp meetings there while waiting for the building. It also must be on or before the summer of 1822, when Turner left the Palmyra area . dates this to the revivals of 1824-25, but does not acknowledge that Turner said he left the Palmyra area in the summer of 1822.
February–August : Smith withdraws from his Methodist probationary class. says that Smith "arose and announced that his mission was to restore the true priesthood. He appointed a number of meetings, but no one seemed inclined to follow him as the leader of a new religion." says that Smith's "assumed convictions were insufficiently grounded or abiding to carry him along to the saving point of conversion, and he soon withdrew from the class. The final conclusion announced by him was, that all sectarianism was fallicious, all the churches on a false foundation, and the Bible a fable."
1822 : Smith finds the black seer stone from a neighbor and locates his own seer stone in a well, at a depth of 22 feet. The digging occurred on the property of Clark Chase, whose son Willard disputed Smith's ownership of the stone. This would be the stone he used for later money digging and translation of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
1822-23? : The Smiths seek the expertise of a reputed treasure seer
Scrying
Scrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
living many miles away. Several sources identify this seer as Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
. In , reprinting an 1831 article by James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
, Bennett describes this great seer as having "a particular felicity in finding out the spots of ground where money is hid and riches obtained. [Some anonymous member of the treasure quest party] related long stories how this person had been along shore in the east—how he had much experience in money digging—how he dreamt of the very spots where it could be found". He said that the Smiths worked for a time "to scrape together a little 'change' sufficient to fetch on the money dreamer." Bennett believed this distant magician was Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, based on discussion with Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
residents who thought Rigdon was the author
Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the theory that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. This theory first appeared in print in the book Mormonism Unvailed, published in 1834 by E.D. Howe...
of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. However, the story parallels a story told by Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
in the Palmyra Reflector on 12 June 1830 (see below), which says the distant magician was Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
, an occultist from Sodus, New York
Sodus (town), New York
Sodus is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 8,949 at the 2000 census. The town takes its name from a native word for the bay in the eastern part of the town: "Assorodus," meaning "silvery water."...
who had been educated in Europe.
1822-23 : Smith, Sr. participates in treasure digging under the direction of scryer
Scrying
Scrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
, with at least one dig on the property of Palmyra journalist Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
, according to . states that Cole's property was "Manchester lot 2". Cole lost this property some time after 19 August 1824, after which Benjamin Tabor owned it. Enoch Saunders rented from at least Tabor, and was renting at the time this excavation occurred.
about 1822-24? : Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
assists or conducts digs on the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
. According to one Palmyra resident, Walter conducts three digs on the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
, after having no success, he suggests that Smith, Jr. might be the only one that could find treasure there. . relates a story reported by James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
that "About the time that this person [the scryer from far away, which Bennett identifies as Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
but could be Walter] appeared among them, a splendid excavation was begun in a long narrow hill, between Manchester and Palmyra. This hill has been called by some, the Golden Bible Hill.... In the face of this hill, the money diggers renewed their work with fresh ardour, [the scryer/Rigdon] partly uniting with them in their operations." Bennett dates this story to about the time of the Palmyra's large religious revival of 1824-25. . says that on the summit of Cumorah is a "yet partially visible pit where the money speculators had previously dug for another kind of treasure".
1823
July–December : Ethan Smith, an anti-MasonicAnti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister in Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
(and pastor of Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
's family), publishes View of the Hebrews from the press of the Poultney Gazette. The book concludes, based on reports of a parchment book, metal artifacts, and plates found in Indian burial mounds, that the American Indian peoples were the Ten Lost Tribes
Ten Lost Tribes
The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to those tribes of ancient Israel that formed the Kingdom of Israel and which disappeared from Biblical and all other historical accounts after the kingdom was destroyed in about 720 BC by ancient Assyria...
. . See (contains an internal date of July 1823).
21–22 September : Late at night, Smith says he had three visions, and one again in the morning, of an angel, who showed him the location of a buried golden book
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
engraved with a history of the Indians.
22 September : Smith tells his father about his visions of the angel, and visits the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
where the angel said the plates were buried. He returns empty-handed, claiming that he had failed to strictly follow the angel's commandments. He says the angel required him to return in exactly one year with his brother Alvin
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
.
23 September : Smith tells the rest of his family about the visions and his visit to Cumorah .
September–November : Every night, the Smith family gathers to hear Smith tell stories of the "ancient inhabitants of this continent, [including] their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship" .
23 October : The Wayne Sentinel, to which the Smith family subscribed , recounts a vision of Asa Wild, who said that "every denomination of professing christians had become exceedingly corrupt", including the Presbyterians and Methodists, of which he had been a member. Therefore, prior to the Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
, which would arrive in seven years (i.e., 1830), there would be a restoration of primitive Christianity. God was in the process of "raising up" a class of people "signified by the Angel mentioned by the Revelator, XIV. 6, 7, which flew in the midst of heaven" who would preach the true gospel. These people "are of an inferior class, and small learning", and "they will be rejected by every denomination as a body; but soon, God will open their way, by miracles, judgments, &c." See .
15 November : Alvin contracts "bilious cholic", and a physician administers a toxic amount of calomel
Mercury(I) chloride
Mercury chloride is the chemical compound with the formula Hg2Cl2. Also known as calomel or mercurous chloride, this dense white or yellowish-white, odorless solid is the principal example of a mercury compound...
. Five physicians are unable to get him to expel the poison .
19 November: Alvin dies. On his death bed, he encourages Smith to "do everything that lies in your power" to obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. .
20 November : Smith pays a $3.00 fee at the Palmyra drug store. .
1824
12 May : Local interest in fortune telling is sufficiently high that a Palmyra newspaper advertises two occult handbooks: The Complete Fortune Teller, and The Book of Fate .17 May : A new land agent, John Greenwood, receives power of attorney over the Smith property. .
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
and returns empty handed because he was unable to bring Alvin (or possibly one of Alvin's body parts). . The angel requires him to return in exactly one year with the "right person"; Smith was to know that person by looking in his seer stone.
25 Sept. : The Smith family hears rumors that Alvin's grave had been exhumed and dissected (possibly by the young Joseph Smith). To prove this was untrue, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
has Alvin's body exhumed in the presence of witnesses.
29 Sept. : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
runs an add in the Wayne Sentinel for six weeks, announcing that he had exhumed Alvin's body, and that it was undisturbed. It also runs 6, 13, 20, 27 October and 3 November.
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : The Palmyra area experiences a large Christian revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
of Baptists and Presbyterians, and Lucy, Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel become Presbyterians. . Smith discourages them from attending, preferring solitary study of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. .
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : According to James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
, during the Palmyra revivals, Smith first began "turning their digging concern into a religious plot." Subscribing to the Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the theory that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. This theory first appeared in print in the book Mormonism Unvailed, published in 1834 by E.D. Howe...
, Bennett states that the idea for this shift was Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
's. .
1825
1825 : The Smiths are unable to raise money for their final mortgage payment, and their creditor forecloses on the property. However, the family is able to persuade a local Quaker, Lemuel Durfee, to buy the farm and rent the Smiths the property.22 September : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
and returns empty handed. Prior to this date, Smith had selected Samuel T. Lawrence as the "right person", and either Smith changed his mind and visited Cumorah alone, or brought Lawrence to the hill but the angel failed to appear. .
11 October : A speech by M. M. Noah, a Jewish rabbi and editor of the New York Enquirer is reprinted in The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
of Palmyra, summarizing the many parallels found in other literature between the American Indians and the Jews. .
October–November : The frame house begun by Alvin in 1822 is finally completed and the family moves in. . says this house is partly enclosed, and never completed, and that the Smiths used the original log home as a barn.
October : Smith is approached by Josiah Stowell, from South Bainbridge, New York
Bainbridge (town), New York
Bainbridge is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The population was 3,401 at the 2000 census.The Town of Bainbridge has a village of Bainbridge located within it...
, who had been searching for a lost Spanish mine near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
(now Oakland
Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population of Oakland borough was 622 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakland is located at Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. (Not to be confused with Oakland Township, Susquehanna...
), and needed a treasure seer .
October : Smith and his father travel to Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
hoping to raise money to pay off their Manchester farm.
1 November : Smith, Sr, Smith, Jr., and seven others sign a contract for a money digging company in Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
. .
November : The money digging company stays at the home of Isaac Hale, father of Smith's future wife Emma Hale
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
. .
17 November : The money digging company disbands.
November 1825 to March 1826 : Although the money digging company has disbanded, Smith continues to work for Josiah Stowell, and attends school. . Smith uses two stones to search for treasure and prays for help in the endeavor. .
December : Because the Smiths are delinquent on their mortgage, land agent John Greenwood sells the Smith farm to a group of three men. The new owners give the Smiths until 15 December for Hyrum to raise $1,000. .
20 December : A local Quaker named Lemuel Durfee Sr. buys the farm and allows the Smiths to rent the property until spring 1828, in exchange for labor by Samuel. .
1826
20 March : Smith is the subject of judicial proceedings in South Bainbridge, New YorkAfton (village), New York
Afton is a village in Chenango County, New York, USA. The population was 836 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a location in Scotland.The Village of Afton is located in the Town of Afton and is northeast of Binghamton, New York....
before Justice Albert Neely. He is charged with being a "disorderly person
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
", because he was a "glass looker". According to witnesses, he was either convicted but allowed to escape, or discharged for lack of evidence . Smith states that by looking at the stone he can discover hidden treasures, gold mines, coined money, and lost property. .
11 August : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
is listed among delinquent subscribers of The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
published by E. B. Grandin. .
14 August : William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, a disaffected Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
from Batavia, New York, registers a copyright for an exposé of Masonic rituals. (See December 1826 entry, regarding publication.)
11 September : William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, who was working to publish Illustrations of Masonry, an exposé revealing secret Masonic ceremonies, is seized in Batavia, New York by several parties and later taken to Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
, after which he mysteriously disappears. This "Morgan affair" stokes the fires of an anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
movement, and soon leads to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
, especially active in Western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
without the "right person". The angel tells him that the next annual visit on 22 September 1827 is his last chance to obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. The angel tells Smith that he must be married in order to obtain the plates. .
fall : Smith looks into his seer stone and determines that Emma Hale
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, whom he had met previously, is the "right person" with whom he must go to Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
in 1827 to successfully obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. .
2 November : Smith's brother Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
marries Jerusha Barden. .
November : Josiah Stowell can no longer afford to continue searching for buried treasure, and Smith travels to Colesville, New York
Colesville, New York
Colesville is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,441 at the 2000 census.The Town of Colesville is in the northeast part of the county and is northeast of Binghamton.- History :...
for a few months to work for Joseph Knight, Sr.
Joseph Knight, Sr.
Joseph Knight, Sr. was a close associate of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and provided significant material support to Smith's translation and publication of the Book of Mormon....
. . Smith directs further excavations on Knight's property and at other locations around Colesville .
December: William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
's exposé of Masonic rituals is published in Batavia, New York: . (See 11 September 1826.)
1827
18 January : Smith elopes with Emma HaleEmma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
in South Bainbridge, New York
Afton (village), New York
Afton is a village in Chenango County, New York, USA. The population was 836 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a location in Scotland.The Village of Afton is located in the Town of Afton and is northeast of Binghamton, New York....
and they are married by judge "Squire Tarbill" (Zachariah Tarbell). .
January : Josiah Stowell moves Smith and his bride to Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
. .
10 March : Smith receives a receipt for credit of $4.00 on the account of Abraham Fish, who is known to have financed some of Smith's treasure expeditions. .
23 March : The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, the Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin, quotes the Rochester Daily Advertizer in arguing: "The excitement respecting Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, instead of decreasing, spreads its influence and aquires [sic] new vigour daily....The Freemason...[is] proscribed, as unworthy of 'any office in town, county, state, or United States!' and the institution of masonry,...is held up as DANGEROUS and detrimental to the interests of the country!".
16 April : Smith's brother Samuel begins a seven-month term of work for Lemuel Durfee, owner of the Smith Family Farm
Smith Family Farm
The Smith Family Farm was the boyhood home of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.The farm—located in the townships of Palmyra, Wayne County and Manchester, Ontario County, New York—includes the Sacred Grove, the Smiths' restored frame home and a reconstructed log home...
, in exchange for tenancy.. .
1 June : The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
runs a story of a German scholar working in the Vatican Library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
who said he had found evidence that the Mexicans and Egyptians were in communication in ancient times, and that there were examples in Mexico of biblical texts written in two different Egyptian dialects.
June : Smith, Sr. tells fellow treasure seeker Willard Chase that several years ago, a spirit had appeared to Smith and told him about a golden book. .
June - June 1828 : Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
is listed during this term as a member of the Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
Mount Moriah Masonic Lodge No. 112. .
Summer : According to , a "mysterious stranger" appears at the Smith residence and meets privately with Smith, Jr., possibly multiple times.
August : Smith and his wife Emma visit Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
to retrieve Emma's possessions. . Peter Ingersoll moves Emma's furniture from Harmony to Manchester. Smith tells his father-in-law Isaac Hale that he will give up glass-looking. .
August : Smith works two days mowing for landlord Lemuel Durfee, Sr. .
fall : states that stories that Smith was about to recover the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
were given "wide circulation". Tucker dates the stories of the First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
and Smith's subsequent angel Moroni visions to this time period, arguing they are retrospective inventions (pp. 28, 33).
about fall : According to , Smith approaches Willard Chase, a carpenter, and asks him to make him a strong chest to hold the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. In lieu of payment, Smith offers to give Chase a share in the profits generated by the plates.
20 September : Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight Sr. arrive in Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
in anticipation of Smith obtaining the golden plates. .
22 September : After the stoke of midnight, Smith takes a wagon to visit Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
with his wife Emma
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, and retrieves the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
while she prays. . Smith says he hid the plates in a fallen tree top at Cumorah. With the plates, he says he found a sword, a breastplate, and a set of spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
, telling Joseph Knight that with them, "I can see anything". .
late September : Smith travels to nearby Macedon, New York
Macedon (town), New York
Macedon is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 9,148 at the 2010 census. The town is named after the ancient Macedonian Kingdom of Macedon, the birthplace of Alexander the Great....
to work for Mrs. Wells. .
September–October : Alone, Smith visits Cumorah and returns with something heavy wrapped in a frock, which he places in a chest. Willard Chase claims that Smith admits that if it had not been for the brown stone found on the Chase property years earlier, he would not have found the plates. . Chase believes that because the stone is his, Chase has at least part ownership of the plates.
September–October : After the original chest said to hold the plates is smashed by members of Smith's former money digging company, Smith obtains a "glass box" (a wooden box used to hold pieces of glass) and says that the plates are kept inside.
October : The family of Martin Harris, a wealthy Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
resident, hears about the golden plates from Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
. Martin's wife and daughter visit the Smith home to investigate, and Harris conducts his own investigation, asking Smith how the book was found. Smith says that he had located the plates via his brown seer stone, and that an angel appeared to him and told him that it was God's work, and that Smith must quit the money-digging company, translate the plates, and publish the translation. Harris offers, "If the Lord will show me that it is his work, you can have all the money you want." .
fall : According to , Smith tells Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
residents that when he first saw the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, he saw a "display of celestial pyrotechnics", as the angel appeared as his "guide and protector", while "ten thousand devils gathered there, with their menacing sulphureous [sic] flame and smoke, to deter him from his purpose!"
fall : Harris is said to have mused around the village of Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
about "what wonderful discoveries Jo Smith had made, and of his finding plates in a hill in the town of Manchester (three miles south of Palmyra), —also found with the plates a large pair of "spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
," by putting which on his nose and looking at the plates, the spectacles turned the hieroglyphics into good English." .
fall : According to , Palmyra residents were not generally aware at this time of the spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
Smith said were found with the plates.
fall: According to , "notorious wags" William T. Hussey and Azel Vandruver visit the Smith home and say they are willing to view the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, taking upon themselves the risk that they would be being struck dead if they saw them. They observe something "concealed under a piece of thick canvas". After Hussey removes the canvas and sees a tile brick, Smith claims to have pulled a joke on the men, and "with the customary whiskey hospitalities, the affair ended in good-nature".
November–December : Harris gives Smith $50, which allows him to get out of debt and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
. Emma's brother Alva comes from Harmony to pick up the couple.
December : Smith and his wife leave Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
(now Oakland
Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population of Oakland borough was 622 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakland is located at Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. (Not to be confused with Oakland Township, Susquehanna...
, where they live with Emma's parents. . During transit, the glass box said to contain the plates is hidden in a barrel of beans. .
30 December : Smith's sister Sophronia marries Calvin Stoddard in Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. Smith is apparently absent. .
1828
December 1827-February 1828: Working behind a curtain, Smith transcribes some of the characters he says are engraved on the golden plates, and hands them across the curtain to EmmaEmma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
and her brother Reuben Hale. Smith also attempts to translate some of the characters.
February : Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
and Martin Harris travel to Harmony to see Smith. .
February - March : Martin Harris takes a transcript of characters
Anthon Transcript
The Anthon Transcript is a small piece of paper on which Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote several lines of characters. According to Smith, these characters were from the Golden Plates and represent the Reformed Egyptian writing that was on the plates...
and some of their translations to several scholars in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. . According to , these scholars include "Hon. Luther Bradish
Luther Bradish
Luther Bradish was an American lawyer and politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1839 to 1842.-Life:...
, Dr. Mitchell, Professor Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
, and others". James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
later reported that Harris told a potential financer
Charles Butler (NYU)
Charles Butler was an American lawyer and philanthropist. He was born at Kinderhook Landing, Columbia Co., N.Y.; studied law in the office of Martin Van Buren at Albany, N. Y.; and was admitted to the bar in 1824. He became wealthy by accumulating land at the site of Chicago, Illinois and...
in 1830 that he first approached "one of the Professors of Columbia College" (Anthon), who told Harris that he "could not decypher them", but referred him to Samuel L. Mitchill, who "looked at his engravings—made a learned dissertation on them—compared them with the hieroglyphics discovered by Champollion
Jean-François Champollion
Jean-François Champollion was a French classical scholar, philologist and orientalist, decipherer of the Egyptian hieroglyphs....
in Egypt—and set them down as the language of a people formerly in existence in the East, but now no more". . Harris said that after speaking with Mitchill, he returned to Anthon, "who put some questions to him and got angry with Harris". . According to , Harris returns to Palmyra after his meetings in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and tells residents that Smith is a "little smarter than Professor Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
." According to , Harris declared "in a boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an unlearned man as he was, to 'confound worldly wisdom'".
February : An anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
6 March : A second anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
, attended by representatives from the counties of Wayne
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
(Palmyra) and Ontario
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
(Manchester). .
12 April : Harris begins acting as Smith's scribe while Smith begins dictating a translation of the golden plates, which Smith calls the Book of Lehi. ).
14 June : Harris persuades Smith to allow him to take the original, uncopied 116 manuscript pages to Palmyra to show his skeptical wife and family. .
15 June : Smith and his wife have their first child, named Alvin, who dies soon after birth. Emma nearly dies, and hovers near death for days. .
June–July : According to , Lucy Harris
Lucy Harris
Lucy Harris was the wife of Martin Harris, one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Life:Lucy and Martin were first cousins...
took the 116 manuscript pages from Martin Haris while he was sleeping, and burned them. Tucker said that she kept this "a profound secret to herself, even until after the book was published".
4 July : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a third convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. .
abt. 7 July : Smith visits Manchester to find out what happened to Harris, and learns that Harris has lost the 116 manuscript pages. Smith says the plates and the Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
are taken away.
July : Smith returns to Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
.
July : In Harmony, Smith dictates his first known written revelation , chastising him for losing the manuscript translation, and noting that "this is the reason that thou has lost thy privilages for a season, for thou hast suffered the counsel of thy director to be trampled upon from the beginning." and describe this as Smith's first known written revelation. The identity of the speaker is unknown, because this revelation, unlike most later ones, refers to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in the third person, although a hint to his identity may perhaps be found in his reference to "my people, the Nephites". refers to the speaker as a "messenger". The revelation indicates that the "very purpose" of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
is to ensure the Lamanite
Lamanite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Lamanite is a member of a dark-skinned nation of indigenous Americans that battled with the light-skinned Nephite nation...
s know about the Nephite
Nephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
s, and "come to the knowledge of their fathers, and...that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ".
4 August : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a fourth convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. Dissatisfied with both parties, they form the Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
. .
September : Lucy
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
, Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, and Samuel Smith stop attending the Presbyterian church in Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
. .
7 September : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a fifth convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. They nominate Solomon Southwick as their candidate for Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
. .
22 September : On this, the anniversary of Smith's Cumorah visits, Smith begins translating again, using his seer stone. Smith begins translating where he left off, know known as the Book of Mosiah
Book of Mosiah
The Book of Mosiah is one of the books which make up the Book of Mormon. The title refers to Mosiah II, a king of the Nephites at Zarahemla. The book covers the time period between ca 130 BC and 91 BC, except for when the book has a flashback into the Record of Zeniff, which starts at ca 200 BC,...
.
September 1828 to March 1829 : Samuel, Emma
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, and her brother Reuben Hale serve as Smith's scribes. Translation is sporadic because Smith has to work to support his family, and very little gets translated until April 1829.
October : Cowdery takes a job teaching school in Manchester. He boards with the Smiths in Manchester.
aft. 22 September 1828 : Smith, Sr. and Lucy visit Smith, Jr. and Emma at Harmony and meet the Hales.
3–5 November : In the New York gubernatorial election
New York gubernatorial election, 1828
The 1828 New York gubernatorial election was held from November 3 to 5, 1828, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York.-Results:...
, Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
candidate Solomon Southwick obtains 33,335 votes, compared to 136,783 votes for Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
and 106,415 for Smith Thompson
Smith Thompson
Smith Thompson was a United States Secretary of the Navy from 1818 to 1823, and a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice from 1823 until his death in 1843....
. .
1829
February : Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack SmithLucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
travel to Harmony. ). Smith dictates a revelation calling the elder Smith to take part in a "marvelous work". The revelation refers to God in the third person.
March : Martin Harris becomes skeptical about the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, and asks Smith to let him see them. Smith dictates a revelation for Harris . Unlike prior revelations, this one refers to God in the first person. It also says that Smith had "entered into a covenant" with God not to show the plates to anyone unless God commands otherwise. It says that Smith "has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift". While future generations would have access to the plates, in the present generation, the words of the book would go out with the testimony of the Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
who would have "power, that they may behold and view [the plates] as they are, and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation." For the first time, a Smith revelation specifically refers to the restoration of a church: "[I]f the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old." The revelation says that Harris could be one of the three witnesses if he humbles himself. However, if he sees the plates, Harris is commanded to say nothing more than "I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God". Because of a conspiracy to destroy Smith, he is commanded to translate a few more pages, and then "stop for a season, even until I command thee again".
March : Harris returns to Palmyra. .
5 April : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, a school teacher and dowser
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
, arrives in Harmony with Samuel
Samuel Harrison Smith
Samuel Harrison Smith was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Samuel was a leader in his own right and a successful missionary. Smith is commonly regarded as the first Latter Day Saint missionary following the organization of the Church of...
.
7 April : Cowdery begins acting as Smith's scribe while translating the golden plates.
April : Smith dictates a revelation calling Cowdery to assist with a "marvelous work", and referring to the "cause of Zion
Zion (Latter Day Saints)
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...
". The revelation refers to Cowdery's "gift" (dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
) and instructs Cowdery to "exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries." He is only to reveal his gift to "those which are of thy faith". The revelation refers to "records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people." Cowdery is to use his "gift" to assist in bringing these records to light. Both Cowdery and Smith are given the "keys" to this gift, so that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established".
April : Smith dictates what is characterized as a translation of a parchment written by John the Apostle
John the Apostle
John the Apostle, John the Apostle, John the Apostle, (Aramaic Yoħanna, (c. 6 - c. 100) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles...
and "hid up by himself". The revelation says that John will "tarry" on the earth until the Second Coming
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
. .
April : Smith dictates a revelation referring to Cowdery's two "gifts". The first gift is Cowdery's ability to "receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient". The second gift is "working with the rod" (dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
). The revelation says "there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands, for it is the work of God". Cowdery is commanded to "[a]sk that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records, which have been hid up...."
April : Cowdery begins to translate (perhaps by dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
), then returns to acting as Smith's scribe. Smith dictates a revelation indicating that God took away his gift to translate for the time being because he was not persistent, and misunderstood the nature of translation, which requires the translator to "study it out in your mind". After the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
were translated, the revelation says, Cowdery could assist with translating "other records".
abt. April : Smith dictates a portion of the golden plates telling a story of Alma the Elder, who baptized his followers by immersion, "having authority from the Almighty God", and called his community of believers the "church of God, or the church of Christ". (Mosiah 18:13-17). The book described the clergy in Alma's church as consisting of priests, who were unpaid and were to "preach nothing save it were repentance and faith in the Lord". (Mosiah 18:20). Alma later established many churches, which were considered "one church" because "there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God." (Mosiah 25:22). In addition to priests, the clergy of these churches included teachers (Mosiah 25:21) and elders. (Alma 4:7).
about May : Smith dictates part of his translation (Third Nephi
Third Nephi
Third Nephi is one of fifteen books that make up the Book of Mormon. It contains an account of the visit of Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of ancient America...
chapter 11) describing the exact mode of baptism by immersion, including the exact words to use. According to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
's later reminiscence, "after writing the account given of the Savior's ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent, it was easily to be seen . . .that . . . none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel." Oliver Cowdery, Letter 1, Messenger and Advocate 1 (October 1834): 15.
15 May : Smith and Cowdery baptize each other. Years later, details gradually emerged concerning a vision prior to this baptism: In 1832, Smith's unpublished history indicated that the priesthood had been received by the "ministering of angels". . In an 1834 publication, Cowdery first told the story of receiving the Aaronic priesthood on this date via a vision of John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
, and then of Smith and Cowdery baptizing each other. Smith essentially agreed with Cowdery's account of the vision.
May : As the translation proceeds, Smith dictates a revelation claiming that the lost 116 manuscript pages still exist, and that the people who possess them have altered them and are waiting for Smith to re-translate the same material. Then, these people plan to argue that Smith cannot translate the same material twice, and thus Smith has only "pretended to translate". Thus, the revelation directs Smith not to re-translate the Book of Lehi. The revelation indicates that the originally-translated Book of Lehi had indicated that it was just an "abridgment" of the "plates of Nephi". Thus, Smith is directed to translate the "plates of Nephi", containing a "more particular account" of the material Smith had already translated. Smith is only to translate the "first part" of these "plates of Nephi", however, continuing down to the reign of King Benjamin
King Benjamin
According to the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin, son of King Mosiah the first, was the second Nephite king to rule over Zarahemla. An account of his life and teachings are recorded in both the Words of Mormon and the Book of Mosiah...
, which Smith had already translated from the abridgment. The revelation also speaks of "establishing my gospel that there may not be so much contention". It defined the church of Christ as follows: "whoso repenteth, and cometh unto me, the same is my church: whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me: therefore, he is not of my church".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling his brother Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
to assist in a "marvelous work", but he is not yet called to preach, but he is to be patient, meanwhile praying that he can assist in "the translation of my work". The revelation says that Hyrum "hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift", and refers to "that which you [Hyrum] are translating".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling Joseph Knight to assist in a "marvelous work".
1 June : Smith moves to Fayette, New York
Fayette, New York
Fayette is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 3,643 at the 2000 census.The Town of Fayette is on the western border of the county and is southeast of Geneva, New York.- History :...
and continues translation at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
.
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer is told that if he asks with faith he "may stand as a witness of the things of which [he] shall both hear and see".
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer becomes one of Smith's scribes. .
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
to assist with the "marvelous work".
early June : Smith and Cowdery begin baptizing new converts in Seneca Lake, including Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. .
early June : Years later, after 1839, Smith recalls that he and others gathered in the "chamber of Mr. Whitmer's
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
house", where they heard a voice commanding them to ordain elders, but they refrained from doing so until the organization of the church. .
between June 1 and 14: Smith dictates a revelation directed to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
and David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, referring to Smith's previous baptism of Cowdery (presumably on May 15) and instructing Cowdery to "build up my church". Both Cowdery and Whitmer are called to "cry repentance unto this people" and to "search out" the identities of the twelve disciples whom God had called and given power to baptize and to ordain priests and teachers. Cowdery and Whitmer will know the identities of these twelve "by their desires and their works".
11 June : Using a title page that Smith says was written by Moroni, Smith obtains a copyright for the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
(the name of his translation of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
). .
first half of June : Smith sends Martin Harris with a copy of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
title page and a few pages of translation to Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
to see if E. B. Grandin, owner of The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, will agree to publish it. Harris meets with Grandin twice, and the second time threatens that if Grandin does not publish it, they will publish it in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Grandin provides an approximate estimate of costs, but declines to publish the book. .
about June? : Smith directly or indirectly approaches Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed was a New York newspaper publisher, politician, and party boss. He was the principal political advisor to the prominent New York politician William H...
, a well-known anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
publisher and activist in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
about printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. Weed refuses.
about June? : Smith attempts unsuccessfully to secure the financial assistance for publishing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
from several family acquaintances including George Crane (a Quaker). .
June : Smith begins dictating a replacement section for the Book of Lehi, beginning with the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
.
14 June : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
sends a letter to Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
referencing language from the "twelve disciples" revelation. (Joseph Smith letterbook (22 November 1835 to 4 August 1835) 5-6. Commentators generally agree that this letter references the revelation. See, e.g., Larry C. Porter (June 1979), Dating the Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, Ensign, p. 5.)
abt. June or later : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
receives a revelation called the Articles of the Church of Christ
Articles of the Church of Christ
The "Articles of the Church of Christ" was an 1829 revelation purportedly given by God to Oliver Cowdery in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. The original Articles were never included in the Mormon canon; however, the language of much of the Articles found its way into various...
, about "how he should build up his church & the manner thereof". it discusses the ordination of priest and teachers, and calls members to meet regularly to partake of bread and wine. Cowdery is described as "an Apostle of Christ". The revelation contains language found in the "twelve disciples" and "three witnesses" revelations.
June : Smith dictated the following text from the Second Book of Nephi
Second Book of Nephi
The Second Book of Nephi is the second book of the Book of Mormon. The book is usually referred to as Second Nephi, and is abbreviated "2 Ne." According to the book, it was written by the ancient prophet Nephi, who lived around 600 BC....
(found at ): "Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book, and the things therein. And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will of God..." According to information added in 1852 to the History of the Church (but absent in the 1842 Times and Seasons publication of the same material), this passage initiated the idea of showing the plates to three witnesses. There is a similar passage in the Book of Ether
Book of Ether
The Book of Ether is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The Book of Ether tells of an ancient people , descendants of Jared and his companions who were led by God to the Americas shortly after the confusion of tongues and the destruction of the Tower of Babel...
, and that passage might have been the spark (as proposed by several later editions of History of the Church). It is not known whether the Book of Ether was translated before or after the Second Book of Nephi.
second half of June : Smith dictates a revelation to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Martin Harris that if they have faith, they may be the Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
to the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, as well as the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
, and the Liahona. .
second half of June : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Martin Harris become the first Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
, other than Smith, of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
by seeing them in a vision in Fayette.
second half of June : Eight additional witnesses "see" the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. It is uncertain whether they see them in a vision or with their natural eyes.
26 June : The title page of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
is published in The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, the weekly Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin. . Grandin announces that he intends to publish the book "as soon as the translation is complete". Grandin had received a copy of the title page from Smith earlier in June.
end of June : Smith completes translation of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
11 August : The anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
Palmyra Freeman calls the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"the greatest piece of superstition that has come to our knowledge." The article gives an account of how the plates were found by Joseph Smith, referring to three visits by "the spirit of the Almighty", "a huge pair of spectacles", golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
of dimensions eight by eight by six inches, Harris' visit to Samuel Mitchill. The article reproduces the title page of the Book of Mormon. No known copies survive, but the article was reprinted in other newspapers such as the Niagara Courier (27 August 1829).
25 August : A contract is drawn up with E.B. Grandin to print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon for $3,000. Martin Harris agrees to mortgage his farm to pay for the printing. .
August–March 1830 : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
copies manuscript pages from the originals, gives them to Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, who takes them to E. B. Grandin's printing press. The manuscript is typset by John Gilbert. .
2 September : Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
begins publishing the weekly Palmyra Reflector, using E. B. Grandin's printing press. Cole announces, "The Golden Bible, by Joseph Smith Junior, author and proprietor, is now in press and will shortly appear. Priestcraft is short lived!"
16 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "The Book of Mormon is expected to be ready for delivery in the course of one year — Great and marvellous things will "come to pass" about those days."
23 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "We understand that the Anti-Masons have declared war against the Gold Bible—O! how impious! / The number of Gold Bible Apostles is said to be complete. Jo Smith, Jr. is about to assign to each, a mission to the heathen. We understand that Abraham Chaddock intends to build the first house in Harris' New-Jerusalem.... / Some few evenings since, a man in the town of Mendon, had a loud call to go and preach the doctrines contained in the Gold Bible, under heavy denunciations." (May refer to Calvin Stoddard, who had a "loud call" according to .)
30 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he accuses the editor of the anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
Palmyra Freeman of plagiarizing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
by using the phrase "Beware of SECRET ASSOCIATIONS". Cole notes that "The 'Gold Bible' is fast gaining credit; the rapid spread of Islamism was no touch to it!"
4–22 October : Smith arrives in Harmony and writes a letter to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
(still in Manchester) that he has bought a horse from Josiah Stowell, and wants someone to come pick it up. .
7 October : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he refers mockingly to an article in the Palmyra Freeman (now lost) about Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
, and how "the building of the TEMPLE OF NEPHI is to be commenced about the beginning of the first year of the Millennium", and how Mormons were claiming that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
would "astonish the natives".
8 October : Smith and Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
purchase a copy of the Authorized Version of the Bible, Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
Apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
included, at the E. B. Grandin bookstore, for $3.75. They would later use the book for the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
The Joseph Smith Translation , also called the Inspired Version , was a revision of the Bible by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Smith considered this work to be "a branch of his calling" as a prophet. Smith was murdered before he ever deemed it complete, though most of...
. Note that gives this date as 8 October 1828, a year earlier.
6 November : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
replies to Smith's letter, and says that Martin Harris will travel to Harmony and pick up the horse in two or three weeks. .
9 December : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, which used E. B. Grandin's printing press and therefore had access to the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
manuscripts, Cole announces that "at the solicitation of many of our readers we have concluded to commence publishing extracts from it on or before the commencement of the second series".
28 December : Cowdery writes to Smith in Harmony, stating that "it may look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer". .
1830
2 January : In Abner ColeAbner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints the first part of Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
13 January : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he continues to print Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : Palmyra residents organize a boycott of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : E. B. Grandin suspends printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
16 January : Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Martin Harris sign an agreement on selling copies of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. It is witnessed by Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
. .
January : Based on assurances from Harris, E. B. Grandin resumes printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
22 January : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints an extract from the Book of Alma
Book of Alma
The Book of Alma is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The full title is The Book of Alma: The Son of Alma. The title refers to Alma the Younger, a prophet and "chief judge" of the Nephites.-Historical Outline:...
, chapter 20, from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : Threatened with legal action by Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
stops printing extracts of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
February : An anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
early 1830 : Martin Harris visits lawyer-philanthropist Charles Butler
Charles Butler (NYU)
Charles Butler was an American lawyer and philanthropist. He was born at Kinderhook Landing, Columbia Co., N.Y.; studied law in the office of Martin Van Buren at Albany, N. Y.; and was admitted to the bar in 1824. He became wealthy by accumulating land at the site of Chicago, Illinois and...
and asks for a $1300 loan to finance publication of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, but Butler declines. Harris promises that once the book is printed, Butler will receive a copy, and that once he reads it, he will be converted. Butler later receives a copy. . During the Harris describes to Butler his story of taking a transcript of characters
Anthon Transcript
The Anthon Transcript is a small piece of paper on which Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote several lines of characters. According to Smith, these characters were from the Golden Plates and represent the Reformed Egyptian writing that was on the plates...
to Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
and Samuel L. Mitchill in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. .
March : Smith travels from Harmony to Manchester with Joseph Knight, Sr., and learns that Martin Harris has been waffling on his commitment to paying his share of the debt for publication of the Book of Mormon.
March : Smith dictates a revelation for Martin Harris , explaining a "mystery": Smith reveals that "eternal damnation" or "endless punishment" does not mean punishment forever; rather, it just means "God's punishment". Nevertheless, Harris would suffer that exquisite punishment unless he repented, sold part of his farm, and used the cash to pay off the debt to E.B. Grandin for publication of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
about March : Martin Harris is present at the E. B. Grandin printing press when "The Testimony of Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
" at the end of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
is being typeset. The typesetter later said that he asked, "'Martin, did you see those plates with your naked eyes?' Martin looked down for an instant, raised his eyes up, and said, 'No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.'" .
19 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"will be ready for sale in the course of next week".
26 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"is now for sale, wholesale and retail, at the Palmyra Bookstore".
This is a chronology of Mormonism. In the late 1820s, founder Joseph Smith, Jr. announced that an angel had given him a set of golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
engraved with a chronicle of ancient American peoples
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, which he had a unique gift to translate. In 1830, he published the resulting narratives as the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and founded the Church of Christ in western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, claiming it to be a restoration of early Christianity
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
.
Moving the church to Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
in 1831, Smith attracted hundreds of converts, who were called Latter Day Saints. He sent some to Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
to establish a city of Zion
Zion (Latter Day Saints)
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...
. In 1833, Missouri settlers expelled the Saints from Zion, and Smith's paramilitary expedition
Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp was a paramilitary expedition of Latter Day Saints, led by Joseph Smith, Jr., from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri during May and June 1834 in an unsuccessful attempt to regain land from which the Saints had been expelled by non-Mormon settlers...
to recover the land was unsuccessful. Fleeing an arrest warrant in the aftermath of a Kirtland financial crisis
Kirtland Safety Society
The Kirtland Safety Society was a quasi-bank organized in 1836 by leaders and followers of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. According to KSS's 1837 "Articles of Agreement", it was intended to serve the banking needs of the growing Mormon community in Kirtland, Ohio...
, Smith joined his remaining followers in Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri.-Foundation and early history:The town was founded by Missouri Mormon leaders, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer in August 1836 shortly before the county's creation. The town was platted originally as a square area,...
, but tensions escalated into violent conflicts with the old Missouri settlers. Believing the Saints to be in insurrection, the Missouri governor
Lilburn Boggs
Lilburn Williams Boggs was the sixth Governor of Missouri from 1836 to 1840. He is now most widely remembered for his interactions with Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell, and Missouri Executive Order 44, known by Mormons as the "Extermination Order", issued in response to the ongoing conflict...
ordered their expulsion from Missouri, and Smith was imprisoned on capital charges
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
After escaping state custody in 1839, Smith directed the conversion of a swampland into Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, where he became both mayor and commander of a nearly autonomous militia
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a militia originally organized by the Latter Day Saints to defend the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, . To curry political favor with the ambiguously-political Saints, the Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion extraordinary...
. In 1843, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. The following year, after the Nauvoo Expositor
Nauvoo Expositor
The Nauvoo Expositor was a newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois that published only one issue, which was dated June 7, 1844. Its publication set off a chain of events that led to the death of Latter Day Saint movement founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
criticized his power and such new doctrines as plural marriage, Smith and the Nauvoo city council ordered the newspaper's destruction as a nuisance
Nuisance
Nuisance is a common law tort. It means that which causes offence, annoyance, trouble or injury. A nuisance can be either public or private. A public nuisance was defined by English scholar Sir J. F...
. In a futile attempt to check public outrage, Smith first declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
, then surrendered to the governor of Illinois
Thomas Ford (politician)
Thomas Ford was the eighth Governor of Illinois, and served in this capacity from 1842 to 1846. A Democrat, he is remembered largely for his involvement in the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., and the subsequent Illinois Mormon War...
. He was killed by a mob
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
.
After Smith's death, his followers split in to several groups, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who followed Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
as Smith's successor. These Mormons followed Young to the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
, where they established a theocratic society. Eventually, after the Mormons discontinued their practice of polygamy, they entered mainstream American society and became champions of the nuclear family. A branch of Mormon fundamentalists who disagreed with that decision broke off from the LDS Church and established their own organizations. In the 20th century, the LDS Church grew dramatically, and currently has millions of members worldwide.
1790s
1791 : Smith's aunt Lovisa Mack Tuttle, after a two-year illness, is miraculously healed. . Returning from a near death experienceNear death experience
A near-death experience refers to a broad range of personal experiences associated with impending death, encompassing multiple possible sensations including detachment from the body; feelings of levitation; extreme fear; total serenity, security, or warmth; the experience of absolute dissolution;...
, she tells of a vision in which Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
spoke through a veil and told her to "warn the people to prepare for death" and to "declare faithfully unto them their accountability before God". .
24 January 1796 : Smith's parents Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
are married in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
by Seth Austin
1796 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith states in a letter that "I believe that the stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, spoken by Daniel, and has smitten the image upon his feet." .
1797 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith have an unnamed baby child, who dies. . There is disagreement on whether this was a boy or a girl.
6 December 1797 : Joseph, Sr., his father Asael, his brother Jesse, and fourteen others form a Universalist
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
Society. .
11 February 1798 : Smith's brother Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
10 April 1799 : Smith's grandfather Asael Smith writes a letter to his family, intended to be read after his death, articulating his belief in universal salvation
Universal reconciliation
In Christian theology, universal reconciliation is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls—because of divine love and mercy—will ultimately be reconciled to God.Universal salvation may be related to the perception of a problem of Hell, standing opposed to ideas...
, warning them not to look to outward formalities of religion. . Asael Smith, however, was a pew holder of the local Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, a church known at the time for having preachers who taught Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
and Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
theology.
19th century
9 February 1800 : Smith's brother Hyrum SmithHyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
4 August 1800 – 4 May 1801 : The Smith family may not have been counted during the 1800 U.S. census. Although there are "Joseph Smith" families in both Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
and Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
, neither of them match in ages and children with the family of Joseph and Lucy Smith. .
1800-02 : Smith, Sr. may have moved temporarily to or visited Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
, 50 miles from Tunbridge, according to residents who said he lived there "at the time of the Wood movement
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
here". .
spring or early summer 1800 : A counterfeiter named (Justus?) Winchell organizes a dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
company to dig for money in Middletown
Middletown Springs, Vermont
Middletown Springs is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 745 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.9 square miles , all land....
and Rutland, Vermont
Rutland (town), Vermont
Rutland is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,054 at the 2010 census. Rutland completely surrounds the city of Rutland, which is incorporated separately from the town of Rutland.-History:...
. Winchell associates with Nathaniel Wood
Nathaniel Wood
Nathaniel Wood, Sr., was the leader of a sect called the New Israelites, which was formed in Middletown, Rutland County, Vermont at the end of the 1790s. Wood emigrated from Newent Parish in Norwich, Connecticut to Bennington, Vermont. From Bennington he moved to Rutland County in 1761...
, who had founded the New Israelites
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
some years earlier, whose religious elements included temple building, divination, polygamy, and the idea that they were literal descendants of the Israelites. . Among the company is Warren Cowdery, Jr., the father of Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, the dowser
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
who became Smith's scribe in 1829. . According to interviews conducted by a local historian, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
was also part of the New Israelites, and was one of its "leading rods-men" . There is no historical consensus linking Smith, Sr. to the New Israelites; however, he said that his money digging career began during this decade or earlier. .
14 January 1802 : The New Israelites
New Israelites
The New Israelites were a radical sect founded by Nathaniel Wood in Vermont in the 1790s. Wood declared his followers "modern Israelites," and the group practiced a strict dietary code as they understood to be instructed in the Law of Moses. Like most radical sects, the group displayed spiritual...
, having prophesied this day as the end of the world, are confronted by local militia. This is known as the "Wood Scrape". The militia fires their weapons to disperse the "Fraternity of Rodsmen". .
about spring 1802 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith rent out their farm in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
and move to the more urban Randolph, Vermont
Randolph, Vermont
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....
to set up a merchant shop. They operate with $1,800 in goods on credit from merchants in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. .
1802 : Soon after moving to Randolph, Smith, Sr. speculates on a shipment of ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
, which he sends from the port in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
about fall or winter 1802 : Six months after moving to Randolph, Lucy contracts tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. .
1802-03 : While deathly ill, Lucy has a religious conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
after she believes she hears the voice of God. . She said that she perceived her "mind at one time raising gradually, borne away to Heaven above all hight [sic] then reverting back again to my babes and my Companion at my side", after which she promised God that if she would live, she would try to find religion, and then heard a voice saying "Seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you let your heart be comforted ye believe in God believe [sic] also in me". . Lucy tries to find a religious home, but is unhappy with several ministers; therefore, she concludes that "there is not on Earth the religion which I seek I must again turn to my bible taking Jesus and his deciples [sic] for an ensample". .
1803 : A large Christian revival sweeps across Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. .
about 1803 : After the ship returns from China with the proceeds from the sale of Smith Sr.'s ginseng (a round trip that might have taken about a year), the earnings are stolen by a Royalton
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
merchant who flees to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. .
1803 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy Smith move from Royalton
Randolph, Vermont
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1803 : The Smiths must sell their farm in Tunbridge to cover their debts to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
merchants, and they thereafter become poor tenants. .
17 May 1803 : Smith's sister Sophronia is born in Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1803-04 : Lucy attends meetings at a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church, and Smith, Sr. "went a few times to gratify [Lucy] for he had so little faith in the doctrines taught by them that my feelings were the only inducement for him to go"..
1803-04 : Hearing that Joseph, Sr. is attending Methodist meetings, Smith's Universalist
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
grandfather Asael Smith appears at his door, throws Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
's Age of Reason
Age of reason
Age of reason may refer to:* 17th-century philosophy, as a successor of the Renaissance and a predecessor to the Age of Enlightenment* Age of Enlightenment in its long form of 1600-1800* The Age of Reason, a book by Thomas Paine...
, into the house, and angrily demands that Smith, Sr. read it until he had believes it. He also suggests that Smith, Sr. ought not let Lucy attend the meetings. As a result, the Smiths stop attending Methodist church meetings. .
1803-04 : Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
visits a grove near Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to pray about her husband's rejection of organized religion. When she returns home and goes to sleep that night, she has a vision that Smith, Sr. would eventually accept the "pure and undefiled Gospel of the Son of God" .
about 1804 : The Smiths move from Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
, where they "resided a few months". .
27 August 1804 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack purchases property in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
. .
1804-05 : Joseph, Sr. and Lucy move to Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
, where they rent the farm of Lucy's father while Joseph, Sr. cultivates crops in the summer and teaches school in the winter. . Solomon Mack likely lives with them. .
23 December 1805 : Smith is born in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
to Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
. . Vermont residents recall that Smith, Sr. told them the young Joseph was born with a caul
Caul
A caul is a thin, filmy membrane, the amnion, that can cover a newborn's head and face immediately after birth.-Obstetrics:A child "born with the caul" has a portion of the amniotic sac or membrane remaining on the head. There are two types of cauls. The most common caul is adhered to the head...
(a sign of good luck), and that Smith, Sr. "intended to procure a stone for [him] to see all over the world with". .
3 May 1806 : Smith, Sr. witnesses a land transaction between his in-laws Solomon Mack and Daniel G. Mack in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
. .
1 April 1807 : In the court of Windsor County, Vermont, a person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
16 April 1807 : A second person is convicted of passing counterfeit money to "Joseph Smith". .
1807 : Sharon
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
resident George Downer is convicted of passing two counterfeit bills the previous spring. There is some tenuous evidence, based in part on a descendant of the counterfeiter against whom Smith, Sr. testified on April 1, that Smith, Sr. was an accomplice in that case who avoided conviction by turning state's evidence
Turn state's evidence
To turn state's evidence is when an accused or convicted criminal testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices. Turning state's evidence is occasionally a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt, but more often is done in response to a generous offer from the...
. See (noting the evidence is weak, but arguing that it favors the involvement of Smith, Sr. given that court records verify there was an unnamed accomplice who testified against Downer). But see (discounting the evidence; Brooke notes that Brodie does not mention the court records showing there was an unnamed accomplice witness).
1807 : Smith family moves from Sharon
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
back to Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
.
15 October 1807 : Smith, Jr., his brother Jesse, and other Tunbridge residents petition the Vermont legislature for an exemption from providing their own military equipment as members of the Vermont militia. .
13 March 1808 : Smith's brother Samuel is born in Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
. .
1808-1810 : Smith family moves from Tunbridge
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
to Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
.
1808-1810 : Smith possibly attends school on Dewey Hill, taught by Deacon John Rinney, although he may have been too young. .
1810s
13 March 1810 : Smith's brother Ephraim is born in Royalton, VermontRoyalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
. .
24 March 1810 : Ephraim Smith dies. .
winter of 1810-11 : A Christian revival occurs in the towns around Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
. . Smith, Sr. becomes "much excited upon the subject of religion" and "contended" for a restoration of primitive Christianity. .
spring 1811 : Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack, after being ill all winter in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
, and after searching the scriptures and praying, sees a vision and later hears a voice. . He is converted to evangelical Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
and denounces Universalism
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
. .
13 March 1811 : Smith's brother William is born in Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
.
April 1811 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
tells his family about his first vision. He sees a field representing the barrenness of true religion upon the earth, and he sees a log containing a box. His spirit guide tells him that if he eats the contents of the box, he will be filled with "wisdom and understanding". He raises the lid of the box, but is unable to eat its contents because "all manner of beasts, horned cattle, and roaring animals, rose up on every side in the most threatening manner possible". Based on the vision, Smith, Sr. concludes, more than ever, that there is no true religion on the earth. He would have six other visions between 1811 and 1819.
1811 (after May 11): After selling his property in Sharon, Vermont
Sharon, Vermont
Sharon is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It had a population of 1,411 at the 2000 census. The town is home to The Sharon Academy.-History:...
and moving to live with Smith's uncle Daniel in Royalton
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
, Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack self-publishes a booklet describing his heavenly visions and voices of the previous winter: .
1812 (after May) : Smith family moves from Royalton, Vermont
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
to Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
.
1812 (after May) : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
has his second vision, in which he saw a barren field representing the desolate world, a "narrow path", a stream with a rope running along its bank leading to a beautiful tree bearing a fruit whiter than snow that was "delicious beyond description. While eating, he thought "I cannot eat this alone, I must bring my wife and children, that they may partake with me." Thus, he brought his family to eat the fruit. However, there was a "spacious building" across the valley where the tree was, filed with finely-dressed people looking down and mocking Smith's family. Smith's spirit guide said that the fruit represented "the pure love of Christ". The guide said that the spacious building represented "Babylon, and it must fall". .
winter of 1812–1813 : Smith and his siblings contract typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
, and Smith acquires osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis simply means an infection of the bone or bone marrow...
in his leg. He has surgery to remove infected bone, causing him to hobble on crutches at least until 1816. .
about 1813 : Smith stays with his uncle Jesse Smith in Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
while recovering from his leg operation.
8 July 1813 : Smith's sister Katherine is born in Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
. .
by May 1815: Smith family moves to Norwich, Vermont
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
, and their first year of crops fails. They survive by selling fruit. .
15 March 1816 : The Smith family is "warned out of town
Warning out of town
Warning out of town was a widespread method in the United States for established New England communities to pressure or coerce "outsiders" to settle elsewhere . It consisted of a notice ordered by the Board of Selectmen of a town, and served by the constable upon any newcomer who might become a...
" in Norwich, Vermont
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
. .
1816 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
relates to his family his third vision, in which he was lame, but his spirit guide sent him through a garden amidst 12 wooden images of giants. After each of the wooden giants sequentially bowed toward him in obeisance, he was healed. .
25 March 1816 : Smith's brother Don Carlos is born. .
summer 1816 : New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and other areas experience a climate abnormality known as the Year Without a Summer
Year Without a Summer
The Year Without a Summer was 1816, in which severe summer climate abnormalities caused average global temperatures to decrease by about 0.4–0.7 °C , resulting in major food shortages across the Northern Hemisphere...
.
1816 - 1817 : Palmyra experiences a large Christian revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
.
fall 1816 : Smith, Sr. moves to the village of Palmyra, New York
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. dates this as the summer of 1816.
January 1817 : Lucy Mack Smith and the remainder of the family move to Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
, where they live in a small house on Main Street. .
abt. 1817 : Smith, Sr. opens a "cake and beer shop" in Palmyra, selling "gingerbread, pies, boiled eggs, root-beer, and other like notions of traffic", and peddles these on the street from a handcart during Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebrations and military training days". . A journalist who visited the area in 1831 wrote in his notes that Smith, Sr. "was a vender—made gingerbread and buttermints &c&c". He said, "In this article [gingerbread? ginger?] he was a considerable speculator, having on hand during a fall of price no less than two baskets full.... What their dividends were I could not learn, but they used considerable molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
, and were against the duty
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
on that article". .
abt. 1817 : Influenced by the Christian revivals of 1816-17 , Smith later recalls, "At about the age of twelve years my mind become [sic] seriously imprest with regard to the all importent [sic] concerns for the wellfare [sic] of my immortal Soul which led me to searching the scriptures believeing [sic] as I was taught, that they contained the word of God thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations led me to marvel excedingly [sic] for I discovered that they did not
1817-19 : In Palmyra, Smith, Sr. and his oldest sons take occasional day jobs, such as gardening, harvesting, and well-digging, to supplement their income. . Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
sets up a business selling painted oil-cloth coverings .
April 1817 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
is listed on the local road list as living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
, on Road District 26. .
1817-21 : During some period between these years, Smith visits the office of the Palmyra Register weekly and buys a news paper for his father. .
December 1817 : A "Joseph Smith" (Sr.?) joins the Masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
lodge in nearby Canandaigua, New York
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
. .
April 1818 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
family is living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
May 1818: Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
relates to his family his sixth vision. Smith, Sr. rushes toward a meetinghouse where multitudes of other people are entering, but just as he arrives there, the door shuts before him. The porter tells him that he must be barred entry to satisfy justice. After praying for forgiveness of sins, the mercy of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
satisfied the needs of justice and he was allowed entrance. .
April 1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
family is listed on tax records as still living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
1819 : The Smith family builds a log home in the town of Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
, away from the village and adjacent to the border of Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
. said they moved into the log home two years after arriving in Palmyra. remembers the Smiths occupying this log home in the winter of 1819-20. dates the move to the log home to 1818, said that the Smiths occupied the land as squatters
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
, and described the log home as "divided into two rooms, on the ground-floor, and had a low garret, in two apartments. A bedroom wing, built of sawed slabs, was afterward added". They may have begun clearing trees and farming nearby land they did not yet own, or they may have been renting the land.
1819-1820s : While on their new property, the Smiths engage in "chopping and retailing of cord-wood, the raising and bartering of small crops of agricultural products and garden vegetables, the manufacture and sale of black-ash baskets and birch brooms, the making of maple sugar and molasses in the season for that work, and in the continued business of peddling cake and beer in the village on days of public doings". They also engage in hunting and fishing, trapping muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
s, and digging out groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s from their holes, and spending time at Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
shops. .
1819-1820s : Smith, Jr. works as a clerk for the peddling of cake and beer on public occasions, and sometimes is duped into accepting counterfeit coins from other youth. . See also ("I believe his son, Joe Junior, was at times a partner in the concern.").
1819 : Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
leaves home to raise money for the family .
1819 : An unknown shooter hides under a wagon, and when Smith approaches his home, the shooter fires across the path, missing Smith but lodging a bullet in a cow. .
1819 : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
tells his family about his seventh and last vision, telling him that he lacked one thing in order to secure his salvation. His spirit guide wrote what that one thing was on a piece of paper, but Smith, Sr. awoke before he could read it. .
September 1819 : According to , Smith discovers a seer stone, which is white and opaque, and resembles a child's foot. Tucker's account apparently conflates the story of finding this stone with the better-documented story of Smith finding his brown seer stone in 1822. argues that this 1819 date cannot be relied upon, and that it is not established that Smith began using a seer stone for treasure digging until 1822.
1820s
between 1820 and 1827 : According to , Smith sees the location of a buried chest of money, but says that a black sheep must be sacrificed in order to break the spell on it. He obtains the sheep from ManchesterManchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
resident William Stafford and makes the sacrifice within a circle at the cite of the dig. After three hours of digging, one of the party accidentally breaks the enchantment by breaking silence and causes the excavation to fail.
1820
about 1820 : According to one account, Smith finds his first stone by borrowing the stone of another treasure seer. .about 1820 : According to , Smith is paid 75 cents to locate a stolen roll of cloth with his seer stone. He sends the owner on a three mile trip to look for the cloth, but it is never found.
about 1820 : During this period are the earliest reports of the Smiths conducting treasure quests in the Palmyra/Manchester area. date this earliest digging to 1820. See also (dating the first digs to 1820 and suggesting the first digs occurred on their Manchester land). In , James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
says, without giving a definite year, that "the Smith's and their associates commenced digging, in the numerous hills which diversify the face of the country in the town of Manchester. The sensible country people paid slight attention to them at first.... They Would occasionally conceal their purposes, and at other times reveal them by such snatches as might excite curiosity. They dug these holes by day, and at night talked and dreamed over the counties' riches they should enjoy, if they could only hit upon an iron chest full of dollars. In excavating the grounds, they began taking up the green sod in the form of a circle of six feed diameter—then would continue to dig to the depth of ten, twenty, and sometimes thirty feet.")
April : Smith family is listed on local records as living at the end of Stafford Road in Palmyra Township
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
(i.e., their log home at the border adjacent to Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
). Alvin Smith
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
is listed as living in Palmyra village
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. .
spring : According to , Smith uses his seer stone to locate buried treasure near the Smiths' property, and gathers contributions from Palmyra residence for an excavation, which is conducted "at the dead hour of night". After "preparatory mystic ceremonies", digging begins in absolute silence in order not to break the "enchantment". When the chest of money is nearly within reach, one of the party accidentally speaks, thus causing the treasure to vanish. dates this treasure quest to after 1822, arguing that Smith did not obtain his first stone until that year.
spring : According to Smith's later accounts, he has his First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
. Depending on the account, it is either a visit by one or more angels, or a theophany
Theophany
Theophany, from the Ancient Greek , meaning "appearance of God"), refers to the appearance of a deity to a human or other being, or to a divine disclosure....
. In the vision, a heavenly messenger tells him his sins are forgiven and that all the churches on the Earth at that time were false.
1821
July: The Smith family obtains a mortgage on a 100 acre (0.404686 km²) farm adjacent to their log home, just outside of PalmyraPalmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
in what was then Farmington
Farmington, New York
Farmington is a town located in the northern part of Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 10,585 at the 2000 census. Farmington is about twenty-five miles southeast of Rochester, New York...
. (In 1821, this would become the town of Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
.) They had already been working this land, either squatting or renting from the owner. said that Smith made a small payment "to bind the bargain".
18 July : Smith's youngest sister Lucy is born. .
1822
abt. Jan. 25 : Smith begins participating in a Palmyra "juvenile debating club" at "the old red school house on Durfee street". .1822 : Alvin begins construction on a frame house for the Smiths.
February–August : Smith takes an interest in Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. says that Smith "catch[es] a spark of Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
in the camp meeting
Camp meeting
The camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian religious service originating in Britain and once common in some parts of the United States, wherein people would travel from a large area to a particular site to camp out, listen to itinerant preachers, and pray...
, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road", and is known there as "a very passable exhorter" at evening Methodist meetings. says that Smith "joined the probationary class of the Methodist church in Palmyra, and made some active demonstrations of engagedness". According to Turner, this date must be after Smith's participation in the debating club (i.e., after Jan. 25, 1822). Date must also be after 7 July 1821, when the Methodists acquired their property in the woods off Vienna Road The Methodists did not begin building their meetinghouse on Vienna Road until 19 June 1822 , but may have held camp meetings there while waiting for the building. It also must be on or before the summer of 1822, when Turner left the Palmyra area . dates this to the revivals of 1824-25, but does not acknowledge that Turner said he left the Palmyra area in the summer of 1822.
February–August : Smith withdraws from his Methodist probationary class. says that Smith "arose and announced that his mission was to restore the true priesthood. He appointed a number of meetings, but no one seemed inclined to follow him as the leader of a new religion." says that Smith's "assumed convictions were insufficiently grounded or abiding to carry him along to the saving point of conversion, and he soon withdrew from the class. The final conclusion announced by him was, that all sectarianism was fallicious, all the churches on a false foundation, and the Bible a fable."
1822 : Smith finds the black seer stone from a neighbor and locates his own seer stone in a well, at a depth of 22 feet. The digging occurred on the property of Clark Chase, whose son Willard disputed Smith's ownership of the stone. This would be the stone he used for later money digging and translation of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
1822-23? : The Smiths seek the expertise of a reputed treasure seer
Scrying
Scrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
living many miles away. Several sources identify this seer as Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
. In , reprinting an 1831 article by James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
, Bennett describes this great seer as having "a particular felicity in finding out the spots of ground where money is hid and riches obtained. [Some anonymous member of the treasure quest party] related long stories how this person had been along shore in the east—how he had much experience in money digging—how he dreamt of the very spots where it could be found". He said that the Smiths worked for a time "to scrape together a little 'change' sufficient to fetch on the money dreamer." Bennett believed this distant magician was Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, based on discussion with Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
residents who thought Rigdon was the author
Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the theory that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. This theory first appeared in print in the book Mormonism Unvailed, published in 1834 by E.D. Howe...
of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. However, the story parallels a story told by Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
in the Palmyra Reflector on 12 June 1830 (see below), which says the distant magician was Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
, an occultist from Sodus, New York
Sodus (town), New York
Sodus is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 8,949 at the 2000 census. The town takes its name from a native word for the bay in the eastern part of the town: "Assorodus," meaning "silvery water."...
who had been educated in Europe.
1822-23 : Smith, Sr. participates in treasure digging under the direction of scryer
Scrying
Scrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
, with at least one dig on the property of Palmyra journalist Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
, according to . states that Cole's property was "Manchester lot 2". Cole lost this property some time after 19 August 1824, after which Benjamin Tabor owned it. Enoch Saunders rented from at least Tabor, and was renting at the time this excavation occurred.
about 1822-24? : Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
assists or conducts digs on the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
. According to one Palmyra resident, Walter conducts three digs on the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
, after having no success, he suggests that Smith, Jr. might be the only one that could find treasure there. . relates a story reported by James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
that "About the time that this person [the scryer from far away, which Bennett identifies as Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
but could be Walter] appeared among them, a splendid excavation was begun in a long narrow hill, between Manchester and Palmyra. This hill has been called by some, the Golden Bible Hill.... In the face of this hill, the money diggers renewed their work with fresh ardour, [the scryer/Rigdon] partly uniting with them in their operations." Bennett dates this story to about the time of the Palmyra's large religious revival of 1824-25. . says that on the summit of Cumorah is a "yet partially visible pit where the money speculators had previously dug for another kind of treasure".
1823
July–December : Ethan Smith, an anti-MasonicAnti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister in Poultney, Vermont
Poultney, Vermont
Poultney is a village in Rutland County of the U.S. state of Vermont. The village is entirely within the town of Poultney. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census...
(and pastor of Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
's family), publishes View of the Hebrews from the press of the Poultney Gazette. The book concludes, based on reports of a parchment book, metal artifacts, and plates found in Indian burial mounds, that the American Indian peoples were the Ten Lost Tribes
Ten Lost Tribes
The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to those tribes of ancient Israel that formed the Kingdom of Israel and which disappeared from Biblical and all other historical accounts after the kingdom was destroyed in about 720 BC by ancient Assyria...
. . See (contains an internal date of July 1823).
21–22 September : Late at night, Smith says he had three visions, and one again in the morning, of an angel, who showed him the location of a buried golden book
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
engraved with a history of the Indians.
22 September : Smith tells his father about his visions of the angel, and visits the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
where the angel said the plates were buried. He returns empty-handed, claiming that he had failed to strictly follow the angel's commandments. He says the angel required him to return in exactly one year with his brother Alvin
Alvin Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Alvin Smith was the older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Alvin took a leading role in helping the Smith family work toward paying their debts and building their home. His death in 1823 at age 25 resulted in his younger brother Joseph taking more of a...
.
23 September : Smith tells the rest of his family about the visions and his visit to Cumorah .
September–November : Every night, the Smith family gathers to hear Smith tell stories of the "ancient inhabitants of this continent, [including] their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship" .
23 October : The Wayne Sentinel, to which the Smith family subscribed , recounts a vision of Asa Wild, who said that "every denomination of professing christians had become exceedingly corrupt", including the Presbyterians and Methodists, of which he had been a member. Therefore, prior to the Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
, which would arrive in seven years (i.e., 1830), there would be a restoration of primitive Christianity. God was in the process of "raising up" a class of people "signified by the Angel mentioned by the Revelator, XIV. 6, 7, which flew in the midst of heaven" who would preach the true gospel. These people "are of an inferior class, and small learning", and "they will be rejected by every denomination as a body; but soon, God will open their way, by miracles, judgments, &c." See .
15 November : Alvin contracts "bilious cholic", and a physician administers a toxic amount of calomel
Mercury(I) chloride
Mercury chloride is the chemical compound with the formula Hg2Cl2. Also known as calomel or mercurous chloride, this dense white or yellowish-white, odorless solid is the principal example of a mercury compound...
. Five physicians are unable to get him to expel the poison .
19 November: Alvin dies. On his death bed, he encourages Smith to "do everything that lies in your power" to obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. .
20 November : Smith pays a $3.00 fee at the Palmyra drug store. .
1824
12 May : Local interest in fortune telling is sufficiently high that a Palmyra newspaper advertises two occult handbooks: The Complete Fortune Teller, and The Book of Fate .17 May : A new land agent, John Greenwood, receives power of attorney over the Smith property. .
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
and returns empty handed because he was unable to bring Alvin (or possibly one of Alvin's body parts). . The angel requires him to return in exactly one year with the "right person"; Smith was to know that person by looking in his seer stone.
25 Sept. : The Smith family hears rumors that Alvin's grave had been exhumed and dissected (possibly by the young Joseph Smith). To prove this was untrue, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
has Alvin's body exhumed in the presence of witnesses.
29 Sept. : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
runs an add in the Wayne Sentinel for six weeks, announcing that he had exhumed Alvin's body, and that it was undisturbed. It also runs 6, 13, 20, 27 October and 3 November.
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : The Palmyra area experiences a large Christian revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
of Baptists and Presbyterians, and Lucy, Sophronia, Hyrum, and Samuel become Presbyterians. . Smith discourages them from attending, preferring solitary study of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. .
fall 1824 to spring 1825 : According to James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
, during the Palmyra revivals, Smith first began "turning their digging concern into a religious plot." Subscribing to the Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship
The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the theory that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. This theory first appeared in print in the book Mormonism Unvailed, published in 1834 by E.D. Howe...
, Bennett states that the idea for this shift was Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
's. .
1825
1825 : The Smiths are unable to raise money for their final mortgage payment, and their creditor forecloses on the property. However, the family is able to persuade a local Quaker, Lemuel Durfee, to buy the farm and rent the Smiths the property.22 September : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
and returns empty handed. Prior to this date, Smith had selected Samuel T. Lawrence as the "right person", and either Smith changed his mind and visited Cumorah alone, or brought Lawrence to the hill but the angel failed to appear. .
11 October : A speech by M. M. Noah, a Jewish rabbi and editor of the New York Enquirer is reprinted in The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
of Palmyra, summarizing the many parallels found in other literature between the American Indians and the Jews. .
October–November : The frame house begun by Alvin in 1822 is finally completed and the family moves in. . says this house is partly enclosed, and never completed, and that the Smiths used the original log home as a barn.
October : Smith is approached by Josiah Stowell, from South Bainbridge, New York
Bainbridge (town), New York
Bainbridge is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The population was 3,401 at the 2000 census.The Town of Bainbridge has a village of Bainbridge located within it...
, who had been searching for a lost Spanish mine near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
(now Oakland
Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population of Oakland borough was 622 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakland is located at Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. (Not to be confused with Oakland Township, Susquehanna...
), and needed a treasure seer .
October : Smith and his father travel to Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
hoping to raise money to pay off their Manchester farm.
1 November : Smith, Sr, Smith, Jr., and seven others sign a contract for a money digging company in Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
. .
November : The money digging company stays at the home of Isaac Hale, father of Smith's future wife Emma Hale
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
. .
17 November : The money digging company disbands.
November 1825 to March 1826 : Although the money digging company has disbanded, Smith continues to work for Josiah Stowell, and attends school. . Smith uses two stones to search for treasure and prays for help in the endeavor. .
December : Because the Smiths are delinquent on their mortgage, land agent John Greenwood sells the Smith farm to a group of three men. The new owners give the Smiths until 15 December for Hyrum to raise $1,000. .
20 December : A local Quaker named Lemuel Durfee Sr. buys the farm and allows the Smiths to rent the property until spring 1828, in exchange for labor by Samuel. .
1826
20 March : Smith is the subject of judicial proceedings in South Bainbridge, New YorkAfton (village), New York
Afton is a village in Chenango County, New York, USA. The population was 836 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a location in Scotland.The Village of Afton is located in the Town of Afton and is northeast of Binghamton, New York....
before Justice Albert Neely. He is charged with being a "disorderly person
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
", because he was a "glass looker". According to witnesses, he was either convicted but allowed to escape, or discharged for lack of evidence . Smith states that by looking at the stone he can discover hidden treasures, gold mines, coined money, and lost property. .
11 August : Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
is listed among delinquent subscribers of The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
published by E. B. Grandin. .
14 August : William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, a disaffected Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
from Batavia, New York, registers a copyright for an exposé of Masonic rituals. (See December 1826 entry, regarding publication.)
11 September : William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, who was working to publish Illustrations of Masonry, an exposé revealing secret Masonic ceremonies, is seized in Batavia, New York by several parties and later taken to Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
, after which he mysteriously disappears. This "Morgan affair" stokes the fires of an anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
movement, and soon leads to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
, especially active in Western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
22 Sept. : Smith visits Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
without the "right person". The angel tells him that the next annual visit on 22 September 1827 is his last chance to obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. The angel tells Smith that he must be married in order to obtain the plates. .
fall : Smith looks into his seer stone and determines that Emma Hale
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, whom he had met previously, is the "right person" with whom he must go to Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
in 1827 to successfully obtain the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. .
2 November : Smith's brother Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
marries Jerusha Barden. .
November : Josiah Stowell can no longer afford to continue searching for buried treasure, and Smith travels to Colesville, New York
Colesville, New York
Colesville is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,441 at the 2000 census.The Town of Colesville is in the northeast part of the county and is northeast of Binghamton.- History :...
for a few months to work for Joseph Knight, Sr.
Joseph Knight, Sr.
Joseph Knight, Sr. was a close associate of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and provided significant material support to Smith's translation and publication of the Book of Mormon....
. . Smith directs further excavations on Knight's property and at other locations around Colesville .
December: William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
's exposé of Masonic rituals is published in Batavia, New York: . (See 11 September 1826.)
1827
18 January : Smith elopes with Emma HaleEmma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
in South Bainbridge, New York
Afton (village), New York
Afton is a village in Chenango County, New York, USA. The population was 836 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a location in Scotland.The Village of Afton is located in the Town of Afton and is northeast of Binghamton, New York....
and they are married by judge "Squire Tarbill" (Zachariah Tarbell). .
January : Josiah Stowell moves Smith and his bride to Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
. .
10 March : Smith receives a receipt for credit of $4.00 on the account of Abraham Fish, who is known to have financed some of Smith's treasure expeditions. .
23 March : The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, the Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin, quotes the Rochester Daily Advertizer in arguing: "The excitement respecting Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, instead of decreasing, spreads its influence and aquires [sic] new vigour daily....The Freemason...[is] proscribed, as unworthy of 'any office in town, county, state, or United States!' and the institution of masonry,...is held up as DANGEROUS and detrimental to the interests of the country!".
16 April : Smith's brother Samuel begins a seven-month term of work for Lemuel Durfee, owner of the Smith Family Farm
Smith Family Farm
The Smith Family Farm was the boyhood home of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.The farm—located in the townships of Palmyra, Wayne County and Manchester, Ontario County, New York—includes the Sacred Grove, the Smiths' restored frame home and a reconstructed log home...
, in exchange for tenancy.. .
1 June : The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
runs a story of a German scholar working in the Vatican Library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
who said he had found evidence that the Mexicans and Egyptians were in communication in ancient times, and that there were examples in Mexico of biblical texts written in two different Egyptian dialects.
June : Smith, Sr. tells fellow treasure seeker Willard Chase that several years ago, a spirit had appeared to Smith and told him about a golden book. .
June - June 1828 : Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
is listed during this term as a member of the Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
Mount Moriah Masonic Lodge No. 112. .
Summer : According to , a "mysterious stranger" appears at the Smith residence and meets privately with Smith, Jr., possibly multiple times.
August : Smith and his wife Emma visit Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
to retrieve Emma's possessions. . Peter Ingersoll moves Emma's furniture from Harmony to Manchester. Smith tells his father-in-law Isaac Hale that he will give up glass-looking. .
August : Smith works two days mowing for landlord Lemuel Durfee, Sr. .
fall : states that stories that Smith was about to recover the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
were given "wide circulation". Tucker dates the stories of the First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
and Smith's subsequent angel Moroni visions to this time period, arguing they are retrospective inventions (pp. 28, 33).
about fall : According to , Smith approaches Willard Chase, a carpenter, and asks him to make him a strong chest to hold the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. In lieu of payment, Smith offers to give Chase a share in the profits generated by the plates.
20 September : Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight Sr. arrive in Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
in anticipation of Smith obtaining the golden plates. .
22 September : After the stoke of midnight, Smith takes a wagon to visit Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
with his wife Emma
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, and retrieves the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
while she prays. . Smith says he hid the plates in a fallen tree top at Cumorah. With the plates, he says he found a sword, a breastplate, and a set of spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
, telling Joseph Knight that with them, "I can see anything". .
late September : Smith travels to nearby Macedon, New York
Macedon (town), New York
Macedon is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 9,148 at the 2010 census. The town is named after the ancient Macedonian Kingdom of Macedon, the birthplace of Alexander the Great....
to work for Mrs. Wells. .
September–October : Alone, Smith visits Cumorah and returns with something heavy wrapped in a frock, which he places in a chest. Willard Chase claims that Smith admits that if it had not been for the brown stone found on the Chase property years earlier, he would not have found the plates. . Chase believes that because the stone is his, Chase has at least part ownership of the plates.
September–October : After the original chest said to hold the plates is smashed by members of Smith's former money digging company, Smith obtains a "glass box" (a wooden box used to hold pieces of glass) and says that the plates are kept inside.
October : The family of Martin Harris, a wealthy Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
resident, hears about the golden plates from Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
. Martin's wife and daughter visit the Smith home to investigate, and Harris conducts his own investigation, asking Smith how the book was found. Smith says that he had located the plates via his brown seer stone, and that an angel appeared to him and told him that it was God's work, and that Smith must quit the money-digging company, translate the plates, and publish the translation. Harris offers, "If the Lord will show me that it is his work, you can have all the money you want." .
fall : According to , Smith tells Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
residents that when he first saw the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, he saw a "display of celestial pyrotechnics", as the angel appeared as his "guide and protector", while "ten thousand devils gathered there, with their menacing sulphureous [sic] flame and smoke, to deter him from his purpose!"
fall : Harris is said to have mused around the village of Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
about "what wonderful discoveries Jo Smith had made, and of his finding plates in a hill in the town of Manchester (three miles south of Palmyra), —also found with the plates a large pair of "spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
," by putting which on his nose and looking at the plates, the spectacles turned the hieroglyphics into good English." .
fall : According to , Palmyra residents were not generally aware at this time of the spectacles
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
Smith said were found with the plates.
fall: According to , "notorious wags" William T. Hussey and Azel Vandruver visit the Smith home and say they are willing to view the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, taking upon themselves the risk that they would be being struck dead if they saw them. They observe something "concealed under a piece of thick canvas". After Hussey removes the canvas and sees a tile brick, Smith claims to have pulled a joke on the men, and "with the customary whiskey hospitalities, the affair ended in good-nature".
November–December : Harris gives Smith $50, which allows him to get out of debt and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
. Emma's brother Alva comes from Harmony to pick up the couple.
December : Smith and his wife leave Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
and move to Harmony, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
(now Oakland
Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population of Oakland borough was 622 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakland is located at Oakland is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. (Not to be confused with Oakland Township, Susquehanna...
, where they live with Emma's parents. . During transit, the glass box said to contain the plates is hidden in a barrel of beans. .
30 December : Smith's sister Sophronia marries Calvin Stoddard in Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. Smith is apparently absent. .
1828
December 1827-February 1828: Working behind a curtain, Smith transcribes some of the characters he says are engraved on the golden plates, and hands them across the curtain to EmmaEmma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
and her brother Reuben Hale. Smith also attempts to translate some of the characters.
February : Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
and Martin Harris travel to Harmony to see Smith. .
February - March : Martin Harris takes a transcript of characters
Anthon Transcript
The Anthon Transcript is a small piece of paper on which Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote several lines of characters. According to Smith, these characters were from the Golden Plates and represent the Reformed Egyptian writing that was on the plates...
and some of their translations to several scholars in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. . According to , these scholars include "Hon. Luther Bradish
Luther Bradish
Luther Bradish was an American lawyer and politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1839 to 1842.-Life:...
, Dr. Mitchell, Professor Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
, and others". James Gordon Bennett
James Gordon Bennett, Sr.
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald and a major figure in the history of American newspapers.-Biography:...
later reported that Harris told a potential financer
Charles Butler (NYU)
Charles Butler was an American lawyer and philanthropist. He was born at Kinderhook Landing, Columbia Co., N.Y.; studied law in the office of Martin Van Buren at Albany, N. Y.; and was admitted to the bar in 1824. He became wealthy by accumulating land at the site of Chicago, Illinois and...
in 1830 that he first approached "one of the Professors of Columbia College" (Anthon), who told Harris that he "could not decypher them", but referred him to Samuel L. Mitchill, who "looked at his engravings—made a learned dissertation on them—compared them with the hieroglyphics discovered by Champollion
Jean-François Champollion
Jean-François Champollion was a French classical scholar, philologist and orientalist, decipherer of the Egyptian hieroglyphs....
in Egypt—and set them down as the language of a people formerly in existence in the East, but now no more". . Harris said that after speaking with Mitchill, he returned to Anthon, "who put some questions to him and got angry with Harris". . According to , Harris returns to Palmyra after his meetings in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and tells residents that Smith is a "little smarter than Professor Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
." According to , Harris declared "in a boastful spirit that God had enabled him, an unlearned man as he was, to 'confound worldly wisdom'".
February : An anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
6 March : A second anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
, attended by representatives from the counties of Wayne
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
(Palmyra) and Ontario
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
(Manchester). .
12 April : Harris begins acting as Smith's scribe while Smith begins dictating a translation of the golden plates, which Smith calls the Book of Lehi. ).
14 June : Harris persuades Smith to allow him to take the original, uncopied 116 manuscript pages to Palmyra to show his skeptical wife and family. .
15 June : Smith and his wife have their first child, named Alvin, who dies soon after birth. Emma nearly dies, and hovers near death for days. .
June–July : According to , Lucy Harris
Lucy Harris
Lucy Harris was the wife of Martin Harris, one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Life:Lucy and Martin were first cousins...
took the 116 manuscript pages from Martin Haris while he was sleeping, and burned them. Tucker said that she kept this "a profound secret to herself, even until after the book was published".
4 July : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a third convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. .
abt. 7 July : Smith visits Manchester to find out what happened to Harris, and learns that Harris has lost the 116 manuscript pages. Smith says the plates and the Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
are taken away.
July : Smith returns to Harmony
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
.
July : In Harmony, Smith dictates his first known written revelation , chastising him for losing the manuscript translation, and noting that "this is the reason that thou has lost thy privilages for a season, for thou hast suffered the counsel of thy director to be trampled upon from the beginning." and describe this as Smith's first known written revelation. The identity of the speaker is unknown, because this revelation, unlike most later ones, refers to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in the third person, although a hint to his identity may perhaps be found in his reference to "my people, the Nephites". refers to the speaker as a "messenger". The revelation indicates that the "very purpose" of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
is to ensure the Lamanite
Lamanite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Lamanite is a member of a dark-skinned nation of indigenous Americans that battled with the light-skinned Nephite nation...
s know about the Nephite
Nephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
s, and "come to the knowledge of their fathers, and...that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ".
4 August : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a fourth convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. Dissatisfied with both parties, they form the Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
. .
September : Lucy
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
, Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, and Samuel Smith stop attending the Presbyterian church in Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
. .
7 September : Anti-Masons
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
hold a fifth convention in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. They nominate Solomon Southwick as their candidate for Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
. .
22 September : On this, the anniversary of Smith's Cumorah visits, Smith begins translating again, using his seer stone. Smith begins translating where he left off, know known as the Book of Mosiah
Book of Mosiah
The Book of Mosiah is one of the books which make up the Book of Mormon. The title refers to Mosiah II, a king of the Nephites at Zarahemla. The book covers the time period between ca 130 BC and 91 BC, except for when the book has a flashback into the Record of Zeniff, which starts at ca 200 BC,...
.
September 1828 to March 1829 : Samuel, Emma
Emma Hale Smith
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
, and her brother Reuben Hale serve as Smith's scribes. Translation is sporadic because Smith has to work to support his family, and very little gets translated until April 1829.
October : Cowdery takes a job teaching school in Manchester. He boards with the Smiths in Manchester.
aft. 22 September 1828 : Smith, Sr. and Lucy visit Smith, Jr. and Emma at Harmony and meet the Hales.
3–5 November : In the New York gubernatorial election
New York gubernatorial election, 1828
The 1828 New York gubernatorial election was held from November 3 to 5, 1828, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York.-Results:...
, Anti-Masonic Party
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
candidate Solomon Southwick obtains 33,335 votes, compared to 136,783 votes for Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
and 106,415 for Smith Thompson
Smith Thompson
Smith Thompson was a United States Secretary of the Navy from 1818 to 1823, and a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice from 1823 until his death in 1843....
. .
1829
February : Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack SmithLucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
travel to Harmony. ). Smith dictates a revelation calling the elder Smith to take part in a "marvelous work". The revelation refers to God in the third person.
March : Martin Harris becomes skeptical about the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, and asks Smith to let him see them. Smith dictates a revelation for Harris . Unlike prior revelations, this one refers to God in the first person. It also says that Smith had "entered into a covenant" with God not to show the plates to anyone unless God commands otherwise. It says that Smith "has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift". While future generations would have access to the plates, in the present generation, the words of the book would go out with the testimony of the Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
who would have "power, that they may behold and view [the plates] as they are, and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation." For the first time, a Smith revelation specifically refers to the restoration of a church: "[I]f the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of old." The revelation says that Harris could be one of the three witnesses if he humbles himself. However, if he sees the plates, Harris is commanded to say nothing more than "I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God". Because of a conspiracy to destroy Smith, he is commanded to translate a few more pages, and then "stop for a season, even until I command thee again".
March : Harris returns to Palmyra. .
5 April : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, a school teacher and dowser
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
, arrives in Harmony with Samuel
Samuel Harrison Smith
Samuel Harrison Smith was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Samuel was a leader in his own right and a successful missionary. Smith is commonly regarded as the first Latter Day Saint missionary following the organization of the Church of...
.
7 April : Cowdery begins acting as Smith's scribe while translating the golden plates.
April : Smith dictates a revelation calling Cowdery to assist with a "marvelous work", and referring to the "cause of Zion
Zion (Latter Day Saints)
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...
". The revelation refers to Cowdery's "gift" (dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
) and instructs Cowdery to "exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries." He is only to reveal his gift to "those which are of thy faith". The revelation refers to "records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people." Cowdery is to use his "gift" to assist in bringing these records to light. Both Cowdery and Smith are given the "keys" to this gift, so that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established".
April : Smith dictates what is characterized as a translation of a parchment written by John the Apostle
John the Apostle
John the Apostle, John the Apostle, John the Apostle, (Aramaic Yoħanna, (c. 6 - c. 100) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles...
and "hid up by himself". The revelation says that John will "tarry" on the earth until the Second Coming
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
. .
April : Smith dictates a revelation referring to Cowdery's two "gifts". The first gift is Cowdery's ability to "receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient". The second gift is "working with the rod" (dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
). The revelation says "there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands, for it is the work of God". Cowdery is commanded to "[a]sk that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records, which have been hid up...."
April : Cowdery begins to translate (perhaps by dowsing
Dowsing
Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation , without the use of scientific apparatus...
), then returns to acting as Smith's scribe. Smith dictates a revelation indicating that God took away his gift to translate for the time being because he was not persistent, and misunderstood the nature of translation, which requires the translator to "study it out in your mind". After the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
were translated, the revelation says, Cowdery could assist with translating "other records".
abt. April : Smith dictates a portion of the golden plates telling a story of Alma the Elder, who baptized his followers by immersion, "having authority from the Almighty God", and called his community of believers the "church of God, or the church of Christ". (Mosiah 18:13-17). The book described the clergy in Alma's church as consisting of priests, who were unpaid and were to "preach nothing save it were repentance and faith in the Lord". (Mosiah 18:20). Alma later established many churches, which were considered "one church" because "there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God." (Mosiah 25:22). In addition to priests, the clergy of these churches included teachers (Mosiah 25:21) and elders. (Alma 4:7).
about May : Smith dictates part of his translation (Third Nephi
Third Nephi
Third Nephi is one of fifteen books that make up the Book of Mormon. It contains an account of the visit of Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of ancient America...
chapter 11) describing the exact mode of baptism by immersion, including the exact words to use. According to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
's later reminiscence, "after writing the account given of the Savior's ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent, it was easily to be seen . . .that . . . none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel." Oliver Cowdery, Letter 1, Messenger and Advocate 1 (October 1834): 15.
15 May : Smith and Cowdery baptize each other. Years later, details gradually emerged concerning a vision prior to this baptism: In 1832, Smith's unpublished history indicated that the priesthood had been received by the "ministering of angels". . In an 1834 publication, Cowdery first told the story of receiving the Aaronic priesthood on this date via a vision of John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
, and then of Smith and Cowdery baptizing each other. Smith essentially agreed with Cowdery's account of the vision.
May : As the translation proceeds, Smith dictates a revelation claiming that the lost 116 manuscript pages still exist, and that the people who possess them have altered them and are waiting for Smith to re-translate the same material. Then, these people plan to argue that Smith cannot translate the same material twice, and thus Smith has only "pretended to translate". Thus, the revelation directs Smith not to re-translate the Book of Lehi. The revelation indicates that the originally-translated Book of Lehi had indicated that it was just an "abridgment" of the "plates of Nephi". Thus, Smith is directed to translate the "plates of Nephi", containing a "more particular account" of the material Smith had already translated. Smith is only to translate the "first part" of these "plates of Nephi", however, continuing down to the reign of King Benjamin
King Benjamin
According to the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin, son of King Mosiah the first, was the second Nephite king to rule over Zarahemla. An account of his life and teachings are recorded in both the Words of Mormon and the Book of Mosiah...
, which Smith had already translated from the abridgment. The revelation also speaks of "establishing my gospel that there may not be so much contention". It defined the church of Christ as follows: "whoso repenteth, and cometh unto me, the same is my church: whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me: therefore, he is not of my church".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling his brother Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
to assist in a "marvelous work", but he is not yet called to preach, but he is to be patient, meanwhile praying that he can assist in "the translation of my work". The revelation says that Hyrum "hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift", and refers to "that which you [Hyrum] are translating".
May : Smith dictates a revelation calling Joseph Knight to assist in a "marvelous work".
1 June : Smith moves to Fayette, New York
Fayette, New York
Fayette is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 3,643 at the 2000 census.The Town of Fayette is on the western border of the county and is southeast of Geneva, New York.- History :...
and continues translation at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
.
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer is told that if he asks with faith he "may stand as a witness of the things of which [he] shall both hear and see".
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
to assist with the "marvelous work". Whitmer becomes one of Smith's scribes. .
early June : Smith dictates a revelation calling Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
to assist with the "marvelous work".
early June : Smith and Cowdery begin baptizing new converts in Seneca Lake, including Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. .
early June : Years later, after 1839, Smith recalls that he and others gathered in the "chamber of Mr. Whitmer's
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
house", where they heard a voice commanding them to ordain elders, but they refrained from doing so until the organization of the church. .
between June 1 and 14: Smith dictates a revelation directed to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
and David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, referring to Smith's previous baptism of Cowdery (presumably on May 15) and instructing Cowdery to "build up my church". Both Cowdery and Whitmer are called to "cry repentance unto this people" and to "search out" the identities of the twelve disciples whom God had called and given power to baptize and to ordain priests and teachers. Cowdery and Whitmer will know the identities of these twelve "by their desires and their works".
11 June : Using a title page that Smith says was written by Moroni, Smith obtains a copyright for the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
(the name of his translation of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
). .
first half of June : Smith sends Martin Harris with a copy of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
title page and a few pages of translation to Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
to see if E. B. Grandin, owner of The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, will agree to publish it. Harris meets with Grandin twice, and the second time threatens that if Grandin does not publish it, they will publish it in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Grandin provides an approximate estimate of costs, but declines to publish the book. .
about June? : Smith directly or indirectly approaches Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed was a New York newspaper publisher, politician, and party boss. He was the principal political advisor to the prominent New York politician William H...
, a well-known anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
publisher and activist in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
about printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. Weed refuses.
about June? : Smith attempts unsuccessfully to secure the financial assistance for publishing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
from several family acquaintances including George Crane (a Quaker). .
June : Smith begins dictating a replacement section for the Book of Lehi, beginning with the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
.
14 June : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
sends a letter to Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
referencing language from the "twelve disciples" revelation. (Joseph Smith letterbook (22 November 1835 to 4 August 1835) 5-6. Commentators generally agree that this letter references the revelation. See, e.g., Larry C. Porter (June 1979), Dating the Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, Ensign, p. 5.)
abt. June or later : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
receives a revelation called the Articles of the Church of Christ
Articles of the Church of Christ
The "Articles of the Church of Christ" was an 1829 revelation purportedly given by God to Oliver Cowdery in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. The original Articles were never included in the Mormon canon; however, the language of much of the Articles found its way into various...
, about "how he should build up his church & the manner thereof". it discusses the ordination of priest and teachers, and calls members to meet regularly to partake of bread and wine. Cowdery is described as "an Apostle of Christ". The revelation contains language found in the "twelve disciples" and "three witnesses" revelations.
June : Smith dictated the following text from the Second Book of Nephi
Second Book of Nephi
The Second Book of Nephi is the second book of the Book of Mormon. The book is usually referred to as Second Nephi, and is abbreviated "2 Ne." According to the book, it was written by the ancient prophet Nephi, who lived around 600 BC....
(found at ): "Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book, and the things therein. And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will of God..." According to information added in 1852 to the History of the Church (but absent in the 1842 Times and Seasons publication of the same material), this passage initiated the idea of showing the plates to three witnesses. There is a similar passage in the Book of Ether
Book of Ether
The Book of Ether is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The Book of Ether tells of an ancient people , descendants of Jared and his companions who were led by God to the Americas shortly after the confusion of tongues and the destruction of the Tower of Babel...
, and that passage might have been the spark (as proposed by several later editions of History of the Church). It is not known whether the Book of Ether was translated before or after the Second Book of Nephi.
second half of June : Smith dictates a revelation to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Martin Harris that if they have faith, they may be the Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
to the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, as well as the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim
Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Urim and Thummim were a set of seer stones bound by silver bows into a set of spectacles, that founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
, and the Liahona. .
second half of June : Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Martin Harris become the first Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
, other than Smith, of the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
by seeing them in a vision in Fayette.
second half of June : Eight additional witnesses "see" the golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
. It is uncertain whether they see them in a vision or with their natural eyes.
26 June : The title page of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
is published in The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel
The Wayne Sentinel was a weekly newspaper published in Palmyra, New York beginning in 1823, and continuing at least until 1863. In the late 1820s, the newspaper was one of the first media sources to report on the spiritual claims that were made by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint...
, the weekly Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
newspaper published by E. B. Grandin. . Grandin announces that he intends to publish the book "as soon as the translation is complete". Grandin had received a copy of the title page from Smith earlier in June.
end of June : Smith completes translation of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
11 August : The anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
Palmyra Freeman calls the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"the greatest piece of superstition that has come to our knowledge." The article gives an account of how the plates were found by Joseph Smith, referring to three visits by "the spirit of the Almighty", "a huge pair of spectacles", golden plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
of dimensions eight by eight by six inches, Harris' visit to Samuel Mitchill. The article reproduces the title page of the Book of Mormon. No known copies survive, but the article was reprinted in other newspapers such as the Niagara Courier (27 August 1829).
25 August : A contract is drawn up with E.B. Grandin to print 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon for $3,000. Martin Harris agrees to mortgage his farm to pay for the printing. .
August–March 1830 : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
copies manuscript pages from the originals, gives them to Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, who takes them to E. B. Grandin's printing press. The manuscript is typset by John Gilbert. .
2 September : Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
begins publishing the weekly Palmyra Reflector, using E. B. Grandin's printing press. Cole announces, "The Golden Bible, by Joseph Smith Junior, author and proprietor, is now in press and will shortly appear. Priestcraft is short lived!"
16 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "The Book of Mormon is expected to be ready for delivery in the course of one year — Great and marvellous things will "come to pass" about those days."
23 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he writes, "We understand that the Anti-Masons have declared war against the Gold Bible—O! how impious! / The number of Gold Bible Apostles is said to be complete. Jo Smith, Jr. is about to assign to each, a mission to the heathen. We understand that Abraham Chaddock intends to build the first house in Harris' New-Jerusalem.... / Some few evenings since, a man in the town of Mendon, had a loud call to go and preach the doctrines contained in the Gold Bible, under heavy denunciations." (May refer to Calvin Stoddard, who had a "loud call" according to .)
30 September : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he accuses the editor of the anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
Palmyra Freeman of plagiarizing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
by using the phrase "Beware of SECRET ASSOCIATIONS". Cole notes that "The 'Gold Bible' is fast gaining credit; the rapid spread of Islamism was no touch to it!"
4–22 October : Smith arrives in Harmony and writes a letter to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
(still in Manchester) that he has bought a horse from Josiah Stowell, and wants someone to come pick it up. .
7 October : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's Palmyra Reflector, he refers mockingly to an article in the Palmyra Freeman (now lost) about Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
, and how "the building of the TEMPLE OF NEPHI is to be commenced about the beginning of the first year of the Millennium", and how Mormons were claiming that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
would "astonish the natives".
8 October : Smith and Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
purchase a copy of the Authorized Version of the Bible, Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
Apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
included, at the E. B. Grandin bookstore, for $3.75. They would later use the book for the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
The Joseph Smith Translation , also called the Inspired Version , was a revision of the Bible by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Smith considered this work to be "a branch of his calling" as a prophet. Smith was murdered before he ever deemed it complete, though most of...
. Note that gives this date as 8 October 1828, a year earlier.
6 November : In Manchester, Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
replies to Smith's letter, and says that Martin Harris will travel to Harmony and pick up the horse in two or three weeks. .
9 December : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, which used E. B. Grandin's printing press and therefore had access to the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
manuscripts, Cole announces that "at the solicitation of many of our readers we have concluded to commence publishing extracts from it on or before the commencement of the second series".
28 December : Cowdery writes to Smith in Harmony, stating that "it may look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer". .
1830
2 January : In Abner ColeAbner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints the first part of Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
13 January : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he continues to print Chapter 1 of the First Book of Nephi
First Book of Nephi
The First Book of Nephi is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi...
from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : Palmyra residents organize a boycott of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : E. B. Grandin suspends printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
16 January : Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Martin Harris sign an agreement on selling copies of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. It is witnessed by Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
. .
January : Based on assurances from Harris, E. B. Grandin resumes printing the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
22 January : In Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
's weekly Palmyra Reflector, he prints an extract from the Book of Alma
Book of Alma
The Book of Alma is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The full title is The Book of Alma: The Son of Alma. The title refers to Alma the Younger, a prophet and "chief judge" of the Nephites.-Historical Outline:...
, chapter 20, from the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
January : Threatened with legal action by Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, Abner Cole
Abner Cole
Abner Cole , also known by his pen name Obadiah Dogberry, Esq., was a 19th-century American newspaper editor. He is notable as one of the earliest critics of the spiritual claims of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, having commented on the "Golden Bible" before it was...
stops printing extracts of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
February : An anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
convention is held in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (village), New York
Le Roy is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census.The Village of Le Roy lies in the center of the Town of Le Roy at the intersection of Routes 5 and 19.- History :...
. News of this conference is widely publicized in regional newspapers, and arouses anti-Masonic sentiment. .
early 1830 : Martin Harris visits lawyer-philanthropist Charles Butler
Charles Butler (NYU)
Charles Butler was an American lawyer and philanthropist. He was born at Kinderhook Landing, Columbia Co., N.Y.; studied law in the office of Martin Van Buren at Albany, N. Y.; and was admitted to the bar in 1824. He became wealthy by accumulating land at the site of Chicago, Illinois and...
and asks for a $1300 loan to finance publication of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, but Butler declines. Harris promises that once the book is printed, Butler will receive a copy, and that once he reads it, he will be converted. Butler later receives a copy. . During the Harris describes to Butler his story of taking a transcript of characters
Anthon Transcript
The Anthon Transcript is a small piece of paper on which Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote several lines of characters. According to Smith, these characters were from the Golden Plates and represent the Reformed Egyptian writing that was on the plates...
to Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar.-Life:After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
and Samuel L. Mitchill in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. .
March : Smith travels from Harmony to Manchester with Joseph Knight, Sr., and learns that Martin Harris has been waffling on his commitment to paying his share of the debt for publication of the Book of Mormon.
March : Smith dictates a revelation for Martin Harris , explaining a "mystery": Smith reveals that "eternal damnation" or "endless punishment" does not mean punishment forever; rather, it just means "God's punishment". Nevertheless, Harris would suffer that exquisite punishment unless he repented, sold part of his farm, and used the cash to pay off the debt to E.B. Grandin for publication of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
about March : Martin Harris is present at the E. B. Grandin printing press when "The Testimony of Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
" at the end of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
is being typeset. The typesetter later said that he asked, "'Martin, did you see those plates with your naked eyes?' Martin looked down for an instant, raised his eyes up, and said, 'No, I saw them with a spiritual eye.'" .
19 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"will be ready for sale in the course of next week".
26 March : The Wayne Sentinel announces that the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
"is now for sale, wholesale and retail, at the Palmyra Bookstore". ; ).
about 1 April : Smith gives Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
the brown seer stone he had used to translate the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and for earlier treasure hunting. .
6 April : The Church of Christ is organized in either Fayette
Fayette, New York
Fayette is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 3,643 at the 2000 census.The Town of Fayette is on the western border of the county and is southeast of Geneva, New York.- History :...
or Manchester, New York
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
. . A later document from June claims that the church is "regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country" , but no articles of incorporation are found in the relevant New York agencies.
6 April : Smith dictates five revelations, respectively, to Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, Samuel Harrison Smith
Samuel Harrison Smith
Samuel Harrison Smith was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Samuel was a leader in his own right and a successful missionary. Smith is commonly regarded as the first Latter Day Saint missionary following the organization of the Church of...
, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
, and Joseph Knight, Sr.
Joseph Knight, Sr.
Joseph Knight, Sr. was a close associate of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and provided significant material support to Smith's translation and publication of the Book of Mormon....
(who had not yet decided to join the Church of Christ), describing their duties in the church. .
6 April : Smith dictates a revelation directing that the church keep a record, in which Smith would "be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, and apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church...." It says that Smith has been "inspired to move the cause of Zion in imighty power for good." It says that Smith is to be ordained by Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, so that Cowdery would be "an elder under [Smith's] hand, he being first unto [Cowdery]". Cowdery is also to be the "first preacher of this church". .
April : Smith dictates a revelation stating that people who had already been baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
within some other faith would need to be re-baptized prior to becoming a member of the Church of Christ
Church of Christ
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically,...
. The revelation refers to the faith as "a new and an everlasting covenant". .
April 11 : Oliver Cowdery preaches publicly for the first time as an official representative of the newly formed church. In Seneca Lake he baptizes Hiram Page
Hiram Page
Hiram Page was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Biography:...
, Catherine Whitmer Page, Christian Whitmer
Christian Whitmer
Christian Whitmer was the eldest son of Peter Whitmer, Sr. and Mary Musselman. He is primarily remembered as one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Biography:...
, Anne Schott Whitmer (Christian's wife), Jacob Whitmer
Jacob Whitmer
Jacob Whitmer was the second born child of Peter Whitmer, Sr. and Mary Musselman. He is primarily remembered as one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Biography:...
, Elizabeth Ann Schott Whitmer (Jacob's wife), and Mary Page.
19 April : A letter to the editor of the Palmyra Reflector chastises "Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, and some of his ill-bred associates", for losing their cool during proselytizing. The letter refers to these men as "Apostles".
May : Smith conceives of first proselytizing mission, involving Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, directed to the Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
. .
1 June : An article in the Palmyra Reflector notes that the "apostle to the NEPHITES" Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
has boarded a boat with copies of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and headed east on the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
.
June : Smith begins translating sections the New Testament, claiming to receive information through revelation.
between 1 June and 9 June : In Fayette, New York
Fayette, New York
Fayette is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 3,643 at the 2000 census.The Town of Fayette is on the western border of the county and is southeast of Geneva, New York.- History :...
, Smith drafts the "Articles and Covenants of the church of Christ". Both Smith and Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
are described as "an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of this church". In the earliest possible reference to Smith's First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
, it says that "after that it truly was manifested unto this first elder, that he had received a remission of his sins, he was entangled again in the vanities of the world; [b]ut after truly repenting, God ministered unto him by an holy angel...." The document refers to the new office of deacon. ; ; ; ; . This document is considered to be the church's "constitution".
9 June : Smith presides over the church's first general conference. The current church elders are Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, Peter Whitmer, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
and Ziba Peterson
Ziba Peterson
Ziba Peterson was an early American Latter Day Saint best known as one of the four initial missionaries sent by Joseph Smith in 1830 to preach to Native Americans in Indian Territory...
. Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
, Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, and Martin Harris are ordained priests, and Hiram Page
Hiram Page
Hiram Page was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Biography:...
and Christian Whitmer
Christian Whitmer
Christian Whitmer was the eldest son of Peter Whitmer, Sr. and Mary Musselman. He is primarily remembered as one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Biography:...
are ordained teachers.
9 June : Smith performs the first Latter Day Saint miracle, the exorcism
Exorcism
Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
of Newel Knight
Newel Knight
Newel Knight was a close friend of Joseph Smith, Jr. and one of the first branch presidents in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....
. .
June : Smith has a vision in which Michael
Michael
Michael is a given name that comes from the , derived from the Hebrew question מי כמו אלוהים? meaning "Who is like God?" In English, it is sometimes shortened to Mike, Mikey, or, especially in Ireland, Mick...
the archangel
Archangel
An archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible...
exposes the true identity of Satan, who appears to Smith as "an angel of light". Smith begins dictation of the "vision of Moses
Book of Moses
The Book of Moses is part of the scriptural canon of Mormonism dictated by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. It is an amalgamation of the "Vision of Moses," which Smith dictated in June 1830, the "Book of Enoch," dictated December 1830, and material deriving from Smith's revision of the Book of Genesis in...
" which describes Satan appearing as an angel of light. .
12 June : The Palmyra Reflector prints a satire of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
entitled "The Book of Pukei". It refers to "Walters the Magician" (Luman Walter
Luman Walter
Luman Walter is known for his connection with the family of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement....
). The "idle and slothful" send for "Walters", who "has strange books, and deals with familiar spirits", in the hope that he would lead them to Nephite
Nephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
treasure. "Walters" led them to a dark grove in Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
, where he drew a magic circle with a rusty sword, sacrificed a chicken, and allowed his party to commence digging over several nights. However, their excavation was unsuccessful. When the party tires and suspects deception, "Walters" flees with his book, rusty sword, and stuffed Toad back to Great Sodus Bay
Sodus Bay
Sodus Bay is a bay on the south shore of Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. Sodus Bay is located in Wayne County, New York, USA. Most of the bay is in the Town of Huron, but the western part is in the Town of Sodus....
(near Luman Walter's home), "where he holds communion with the Devil, even to this day." However, "his mantle fell upon the prophet Jo. Smith Jun.", who "made a league with the spirit, who afterwards turned out to be an angel."
30 June : The Palmyra Reflector sarcastically proclaims that "[t]he age of miracle has again arived", noting that Martin Harris is telling the Palmyra neighborhood about how Smith has cast out a devil "of uncommon size from a miserable man in the neighborhood of the 'great bend' of the Susquehannah."
30 June to 1 July : Smith stands trial in Colesville, New York
Colesville, New York
Colesville is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,441 at the 2000 census.The Town of Colesville is in the northeast part of the county and is northeast of Binghamton.- History :...
for scrying
Scrying
Scrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
and for performing an exorcism, but is acquitted. .
abt. 6 July : Smith and Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
flee a mob in Colesville toward Harmony Township, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-History:Harmony, Pennsylvania, is...
. In the mid-1830s, Smith said that in circumstances that match this flight, Smith and Cowdery saw a vision of Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
, James, and John
John the Apostle
John the Apostle, John the Apostle, John the Apostle, (Aramaic Yoħanna, (c. 6 - c. 100) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles...
, who gave them "keys" of apostleship. .
7 July : The Palmyra Reflector continues with Chapter 2 of its satirical "Book of Pukei". The account describes the angel Moroni as "a little old man...clad, as I supposed, in Egyptian raiment, except his Indian blanket, and moccasins—his beard of silver white, hung far below his knees. On his head was an old fashioned military half cocked hat, such as was worn in the days of the patriarch Moses—his speech was sweeter than molasses, and his words were the reformed Egyptian."
July : In Harmony, Smith dictates a revelation chastising Smith for his "transgressions". It recalls to Smith that he has "been delivered from all thine enemies, and thou hast been delivered from the powers of Satan, and from darkness!" Smith is to sow his fields, and then go to the church in "Colesville, Fayette, and Manchester, and they shall support thee" while Cowdery works full time for "in Zion", but "in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling". Smith is authorized to perform "casting out devils; healing the sick; and against poisonous serpents; and against deadly poisons", but only when commanded by God. If someone does not receive him he is to shake the dust from his feet
Shaking the dust from the feet
Shaking the dust from the feet was a practice of pious Jews during New Testament times. When Jesus called his twelve disciples, he told them to perform the same act against the non-believing Jews....
. He is to travel "without purse or scrip". .
August : Joseph Smith Jr. becomes aware of Hiram Page and his use of a seer stone. Page had predicted the location of the New Jerusalem
New Jerusalem
In the book of Ezekiel, the Prophecy of New Jerusalem is Ezekiel's prophetic vision of a city to be established to the south of the Temple Mount that will be inhabited by the twelve tribes of Israel in the...
, and most members of the church believed him.
1830 : Martin Harris claims to be a prophet, and tells Palmyra residents that "'Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
would be the last president that we would have; and that all persons who did not embrace Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
in two years' time would be stricken off the face of the earth.' He said that Palmyra was to be the New Jerusalem, and that her streets were to be paved with gold." .
September : Smith receives a revelation that only he can receive revelations for the church. .
September : Smith receives a revelation that gives him authority to issue commandments to the church on any subject, because "all things unto [God] are spiritual". .
September 26 : A church conference is held. Notable events include: (1) The discussion of the Hiram Page seerstone and its refutation by unanimous vote. (2) 35 new members are added, bringing the total number to 62. (3) Peter Whitmer, Jr.
Peter Whitmer, Jr.
Peter Whitmer, Jr. was the sixth child and fifth son of Peter Whitmer, Sr. and Mary Musselman. He is primarily remembered as one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Biography:...
is called to preach with Oliver Cowdery to the Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
is also called to preach (D&C 30).
September : Immediately following the conference, Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839...
is called to preach (D&C 31).
October : Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
and Ziba Peterson
Ziba Peterson
Ziba Peterson was an early American Latter Day Saint best known as one of the four initial missionaries sent by Joseph Smith in 1830 to preach to Native Americans in Indian Territory...
are called to preach to the Indians (D&C 32). Ezra Thayre
Ezra Thayre
Ezra Thayre was an early convert and leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.-Conversion to Mormonism:...
and Northrop Sweet are also called (D&C 32, 33).
October : Sidney Rigdon's Kirtland congregation is converted to Mormonism.
November : Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
is called to preach (D&C 34).
4 Nov. : Smith dictates a revelation to Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
using his white seer stone. .
Dec. : Smith dictates a revelation instructing the church to assemble in Ohio. .
December : Smith meets Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, who becomes his scribe in further revision of the Bible (D&C 35). Joseph Smith Jr. is commanded to cease revising until the church is gathered in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(D&C 37).
1831
January : Joseph Smith, Jr. moves to Kirtland, OhioKirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
.
4 February : additional revelation is given, naming Edward Partridge
Edward Partridge
Edward Partridge was the grandson of Massachusetts Congressman Oliver Partridge, Esq., and a member of a family noted for commercial, social, political, and military leadership in Western Massachusetts. One of the first converts to the Latter Day Saint movement, he was baptized in or near Seneca...
the first bishop (D&C 42).
9 February : Section 42 is received, laying out the law of the church, including naming specific sins and the punishments thereof.
Spring : Revelation that Zion is located in Independence, Missouri
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
was presented. Many of Smith's followers still living in New York move to Kirtland.
4 April : Edward Partridge
Edward Partridge
Edward Partridge was the grandson of Massachusetts Congressman Oliver Partridge, Esq., and a member of a family noted for commercial, social, political, and military leadership in Western Massachusetts. One of the first converts to the Latter Day Saint movement, he was baptized in or near Seneca...
is called to be the first bishop in the church. Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
anoints him an elder and sets him apart as a bishop.
4 June : Nineteen men are ordained High Priests, including Joseph Smith, Jr., Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr...
, and Edward Partridge
Edward Partridge
Edward Partridge was the grandson of Massachusetts Congressman Oliver Partridge, Esq., and a member of a family noted for commercial, social, political, and military leadership in Western Massachusetts. One of the first converts to the Latter Day Saint movement, he was baptized in or near Seneca...
. Isaac Morley
Isaac Morley
Isaac Morley was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and a contemporary of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. He was one of the first converts to Smith's Church of Christ...
and John Corrill
John Corrill
John Corrill was an early member and leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and an elected representative in the Missouri State Legislature...
are ordained assistants to Bishop Partridge.
7 June : The new bishop and several others are called to settle Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
to build the city of Zion. A small group travels to Independence, Missouri.
15 August : A non-Mormon journalist who visited the Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
/Palmyra
Palmyra (town), New York
Palmyra is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra in Syria....
area writes, "On the sides & in the slopes of several of these hills, these excavations [by Smith and his associates in search of chests of money] are still to be seen". in .
August 28 : Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
ordains Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
a High Priest.
11 November : Revelation is received directing the church to organize presidencies over each quorum in the priesthood (D&C 107:60-92, 99-100).
4 December : Newel K. Whitney
Newel K. Whitney
Newel Kimball Whitney was a prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and an American businessman. He served as Bishop of Kirtland, Ohio, Far West, Missouri, and Nauvoo, Illinois. He also served as the second Presiding Bishop of the Church from 1847 until his death...
is called as a bishop over Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
(D&C 72:2).
1832
January 25 : At a church conference, Joseph Smith, Jr. is ordained President of the High Priesthood over the entire church.January 26 : Joseph Smith is confirmed president of the High Priesthood by a church-wide sustaining vote.
March : In an unpublished revelation, Joseph Smith is confirmed as having the authority to direct all the affairs of the church and also to appoint counselors in his presidency.
March 8 : Joseph Smith Jr. organizes his presidency by appointing Jesse Gause
Jesse Gause
Jesse Gause was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the First Presidency as a counselor to Church President Joseph Smith, Jr. For decades Gause was generally unknown to LDS historians, and so could be considered Mormonism's lost counselor of the First Presidency...
and Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
as counselors.
March 24 : Joseph Smith Jr. is tarred and feathered by a mob outside the John Johnson farmhouse.
March 29 : Joseph Smith Jr. and Emma's adopted son, Joseph Murdock Smith, dies from a cold, thought to have been caught during the night of the mobbing.
December : Joseph prophesies about a Civil War (D&C 87). This follows the threat of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
to secede from the United States on November 24 of that same year.
1833
Spring : The comments of the Mormons in Missouri about freed slaves are misunderstood by other Missourians, raising hostility in the area and a manifesto against the Mormons.October : As a result of the hostility in Jackson County, Missouri, Mormons who had settled there move to Clay County.
1833 : Joseph Smith's first 65 revelations are printed in a book titled "Book of Commandments
Book of Commandments
The Book of Commandments is the earliest published volume said to contain the revelations of Joseph Smith Jr. Text published in the Book of Commandments is now considered scripture by Latter-day Saints as part of the larger Doctrine and Covenants....
".
December 16 : Revelation is received appointing the formation of Stakes of Zion to gather the saints. (D&C 101:21)
December 18 : Joseph Smith, Jr. ordains his father, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
as Presiding Patriarch and assistant to the President of the High Priesthood.
1834
February 17 : A High Council in the Kirtland, Ohio area is organized. The Kirtland Stake of Zion is simultaneously organized.April : Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp was a paramilitary expedition of Latter Day Saints, led by Joseph Smith, Jr., from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri during May and June 1834 in an unsuccessful attempt to regain land from which the Saints had been expelled by non-Mormon settlers...
is assembled as an effort to help the beleaguered Mormons in Missouri. The "Camp" is really a motley collection of Mormons who followed Joseph Smith to Missouri with the manifest aim of defending the Mormons in Missouri. Shortly after arriving in Missouri, the force is disbanded.
May 3 : The name of the church is changed from The Church of Jesus Christ to The Church of the Latter Day Saints upon a proposal by Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, seconded by Newel K. Whitney
Newel K. Whitney
Newel Kimball Whitney was a prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and an American businessman. He served as Bishop of Kirtland, Ohio, Far West, Missouri, and Nauvoo, Illinois. He also served as the second Presiding Bishop of the Church from 1847 until his death...
and passed by the church.
June : Zion's camp is disbanded.
July 7 : Twelve High Priests in Clay County, Missouri is organized into a High Council. David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
is ordained president of the council, and John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
and William Wines Phelps are ordained as counselors. Joseph Smith, while ordaining David Whitmer, also appoints him as "Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator" and mentions that he (Whitmer) should succeed him if Joseph "did not live to see God himself."
December 5 : Joseph Smith, Jr. ordains Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
as an Assistant President of the Church, with the understanding that Cowdery should act in Smith's absence.
December 6 : Joseph ordains Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
and Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
as Assistant Presidents of the Church.
1835
February 14 : After a special conference, Oliver CowderyOliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Martin Harris choose the individuals who areto be in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
: Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839...
, David W. Patten
David W. Patten
David Wyman Patten was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
, Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, Heber C. Kimball
Heber C. Kimball
Heber Chase Kimball was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Latter Day Saint church, and as first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his...
, Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
, William E. M'Lellin, Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
, Luke S. Johnson
Luke S. Johnson
Luke Samuel Johnson was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson Hyde, his brother-in-law.Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in Pomfret,...
, William Smith
William Smith (Mormonism)
William Smith was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Smith was the eighth child of Joseph Smith, Sr...
, Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
, John F. Boynton
John F. Boynton
John Farnham Boynton was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an American geologist and inventor. He was one of the original members of the Latter Day Saint movement's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles....
, and Lyman E. Johnson
Lyman E. Johnson
Lyman Eugene Johnson was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He broke with Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sidney Rigdon during the 1837-38 period when schism divided the early Church...
. Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, Heber C. Kimball
Heber C. Kimball
Heber Chase Kimball was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Latter Day Saint church, and as first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his...
, and Lyman E. Johnson
Lyman E. Johnson
Lyman Eugene Johnson was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He broke with Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sidney Rigdon during the 1837-38 period when schism divided the early Church...
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
February 15 : David W. Patten
David W. Patten
David Wyman Patten was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
, Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
, William E. M'Lellin, Luke S. Johnson
Luke S. Johnson
Luke Samuel Johnson was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson Hyde, his brother-in-law.Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in Pomfret,...
, William Smith
William Smith (Mormonism)
William Smith was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Smith was the eighth child of Joseph Smith, Sr...
, and John F. Boynton
John F. Boynton
John Farnham Boynton was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an American geologist and inventor. He was one of the original members of the Latter Day Saint movement's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles....
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
February 17 : The committee in charge of compiling Latter Day Saint revelations, comprising Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, and Frederick G. Williams
Frederick G. Williams
Frederick Granger Williams was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and served in the First Presidency as Second Counselor to church president Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1833 to 1837...
, issue a letter that later becomes the preface to the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
. The preface describes the Lectures on Faith
Lectures on Faith
The document "Lectures on Faith" is a set of seven lectures on the doctrine and theology of the Latter Day Saint movement, first published as the doctrine portion of the 1835 edition of the canonical Doctrine and Covenants, but later removed from that work by both major branches of the faith. It...
as "embracing the important doctrine of salvation", and describes the remaining section as containing "items of principles for the regulation of the church, as taken from the revelations which have been given since its organization, as well as from former ones." In the process of compilation, many of these earlier revelations were extensively revised by the committee.
February 21 : Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
February 28 : The Quorum of the Seventy is organized. Joseph Young
Joseph Young
Young was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the eighth child born to John Young and Abigail Howe.In 1830, while he was a preacher for the Methodist Church in Upper Canada, Young was introduced to the Book of Mormon by his younger brother Brigham...
, Hazen Aldrich
Hazen Aldrich
Hazen Aldrich was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., Aldrich went on to lead a small denomination of Latter Day Saints known as the Brewsterites....
, Levi W. Hancock
Levi W. Hancock
Levi Ward Hancock was an early convert to Mormonism and was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for nearly fifty years. He was also one of the witnesses of the Book of Commandments....
, Leonard Rich, Zebedee Coltrin
Zebedee Coltrin
Zebedee Coltrin was a Mormon pioneer and a general authority in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1837....
, Lyman Sherman, and Sylvester Smith are called as the seven presidents.
April 26 : Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839...
and Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
. Elder Marsh, erroneously thought to be the eldest, is ordained the president of the quorum.
March 28 : The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
meet together and confessed their shortcomings and weaknesses to one another before separating on their missions. At this meeting, Joseph Smith receives Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
section 107, regarding the priesthood. It clarifies the order and administration of the various offices of the priesthood, appointing the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and First Quorum of the Seventy as equals in the church. The decisions of these quorums must be made unanimously. The standing high councils of the several stakes also form a body equal in authority.
August 17 : The church holds its general conference, though Joseph Smith, Jr. and Frederick G. Williams
Frederick G. Williams
Frederick Granger Williams was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and served in the First Presidency as Second Counselor to church president Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1833 to 1837...
are absent. The church body unanimously adopts and canonizes the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
as compiled by the committee of Smith, Williams, Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, and Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
. Among the new revelations is D&C 134, concerning the relationship between church, government, and individuals, asserting that governments are instituted by God for the benefit of man; that government should protect the freedom of men to worship as they please; that all men should uphold their government and laws; that churches should not exercise civil powers; and that individuals are justified in defending themselves and their property. Another section 101 was included that condemns the practice of polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
.
1836
January 15 : Further organizing the priesthood, presidents of each priesthood quorum are called for the Kirtland Stake of Zion, as is a president of the Kirtland TempleKirtland Temple
The Kirtland Temple is a National Historic Landmark in Kirtland, Ohio, USA, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area. Owned and operated by the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , the house of worship was the first temple to be...
, now nearing completion.
January 21 : Joseph Smith states that he had received a vision in which he saw that salvation is possible for those who die without a knowledge of the gospel (D&C 137).
January 26-March 26 : "Furthermore, he and others had studied Hebrew in Kirtland, Ohio, with Professor Joshua Seixas for two hours a day from January 26 through March 26, 1836."
March 3 : All the presidencies of the church meet in the Kirtland Temple according to their order.
March 27 : The first dedication of the Kirtland Temple is held.
March 30 : At a solemn assembly in the Kirtland Temple, Joseph Smith comments that he has completed the organization of the priesthood.
April 3 : Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery later state that, on this date, Jesus Christ appeared to them and declared the temple acceptable. Moses, Elijah, and Elias are also reported to have appeared in order to confer the keys of the priesthood upon Joseph Smith (D&C 110).
June 29 : Clay County residents resolve to ask that the Mormons leave their county. Up to this time, Mormons in the county had not voted on local affairs nor been accused of any crimes. Residents assert that the differences between themselves and Mormon would not allow them to peaceably reside together. The resolution encourages the Mormons to settle in Wisconsin.
Summer : Under the direction of Alexander W. Doniphan, it is agreed that a new county should be formed for the Mormons called Caldwell County, in what is now Clay County, Missouri. Mormons begin leaving Ray and Clay County to settle the proposed area. Plans for and work on the community of Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri.-Foundation and early history:The town was founded by Missouri Mormon leaders, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer in August 1836 shortly before the county's creation. The town was platted originally as a square area,...
begin. Far West, Missouri is the proposed county seat for the new county.
August 8 : The township of Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri.-Foundation and early history:The town was founded by Missouri Mormon leaders, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer in August 1836 shortly before the county's creation. The town was platted originally as a square area,...
in Clay County is entered by the Mormons. It would serve as the county seat of the soon-to-be-formed Caldwell County.
November 2 : The Kirtland Safety Society
Kirtland Safety Society
The Kirtland Safety Society was a quasi-bank organized in 1836 by leaders and followers of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. According to KSS's 1837 "Articles of Agreement", it was intended to serve the banking needs of the growing Mormon community in Kirtland, Ohio...
, also known as The Kirtland Bank, is formed for use by church members in financial affairs.
December 23–27 : To ease tensions among Clay and Jackson
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
County residents and provide a county for Mormon settlers, Caldwell County
Caldwell County, Missouri
Caldwell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. , the population was 8,969. Its county seat is Kingston. The county was organized in 1836 as a haven for the Mormons, who had been previously driven from Jackson County, Missouri in November of 1833 and had been refugees in...
is created by legislation, passing the House on the 23rd and the Senate on the 27th. Daviess County is also created, although disputations about its purpose arise later. Missouri natives feel that the Mormons agreed not to settle it, although no such agreement existed or was acknowledged by the Mormons.
1837
September 3 : Apostle Luke S. JohnsonLuke S. Johnson
Luke Samuel Johnson was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson Hyde, his brother-in-law.Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in Pomfret,...
is disfellowshipped from the church in Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
. Apostle John F. Boynton
John F. Boynton
John Farnham Boynton was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an American geologist and inventor. He was one of the original members of the Latter Day Saint movement's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles....
is excommunicated.
1837: Notable problems begin in the Kirtland Safety Society
Kirtland Safety Society
The Kirtland Safety Society was a quasi-bank organized in 1836 by leaders and followers of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. According to KSS's 1837 "Articles of Agreement", it was intended to serve the banking needs of the growing Mormon community in Kirtland, Ohio...
.
December : Many people are excommunicated from the church for various reasons.
December 10 : Joseph returns to Kirtland from Missouri.
December 27 : Brigham Young flees Kirtland, Ohio. His life was threatened for vigorously defending Joseph Smith.
1838
January 12 : Joseph Smith Jr. and others flee Kirtland, fearing their safety in wake of assertions dealing with the legality and financial viability of the Kirtland Safety Society.January 26 : The Far West High Council, meeting with apostles Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839...
and David W. Patten
David W. Patten
David Wyman Patten was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
, reject the presidency of David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
, and William Wines Phelps, the stake presidency of Far West.
March 10 : John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
and William Wines Phelps are excommunicated by the High Council in Far West.
9 April : Smith and Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
write to John Whitmer
John Whitmer
John Whitmer was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates...
and ask him to return the manuscript history of the church that Whitmer had started in 1832. They say that if Whitmer does not return the manuscript, they will start their own history from other materials.
April 12 : The High Council and bishopric in Far West vote to excommunicate Lyman E. Johnson
Lyman E. Johnson
Lyman Eugene Johnson was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He broke with Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sidney Rigdon during the 1837-38 period when schism divided the early Church...
, David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, and Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
.
April 13 : Apostle Luke S. Johnson
Luke S. Johnson
Luke Samuel Johnson was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson Hyde, his brother-in-law.Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in Pomfret,...
is excommunicated from the church after being disfellowhipped and returning for a short period.
April 26 : While in Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri
Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri.-Foundation and early history:The town was founded by Missouri Mormon leaders, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer in August 1836 shortly before the county's creation. The town was platted originally as a square area,...
, Joseph Smith presents section 115 of the Doctrine of Covenants, naming the church "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". Also in this revelation, the Lord commands the church to build a temple in Far West. Work begins almost immediately.
27 April : Smith and Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
begin preparing a church history, with George W. Robinson as scribe. This history describes the most well-known accounts of his First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
and the visits of the angel Moroni. Though the original manuscript history is not known to exist, it was later copied into the 1839 Manuscript History of the Church, Book A-1. . Contrary to earlier and later writing, the history indicates that the angel who appeared to Smith was named "Nephi" (rather than "Moroni", as Smith and Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
had separately said in 1835 publications). Some scholars consider this to be a clerical error, though it was never corrected by Smith in later publications. Other scholars believe that Smith saw both Nephi
Nephi
According to the Book of Mormon, Nephi was the son of Lehi, a prophet, founder of the Nephite people, and author of the first two books of the Book of Mormon, First and Second Nephi.- Early life :Nephi was the fourth of six sons of Lehi and Sariah...
and the angel Moroni. .
30 April : Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
gives Smith a set of "grammer [sic] lessons" and then they continue preparing the early church history. .
1 May : Smith and Rigdon continue preparing the early church history. .
2 May : After another grammar lesson by Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
, Smith and Rigdon continue preparing the early church history. . By this day, they have completed the history up to at least 1827. .
8 May : Smith spends the afternoon "answering the questions proposed in the Elders Journal", one of which was "How, and where did you obtain the book of Mormon?" The answer, published in July 1838, states, "Moroni, the person who deposited the plates from whence the book or Mormon was translated, in a hill in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, being dead, and raised again therefrom, appeared to me, and told me where they were..."
May 11 : Apostle William E. McLellin
William E. McLellin
William Earl M'Lellin was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. One of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, M'Lellin later broke with church founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.-Biography:M'Lellin was born in Smith County, Tennessee, a son of Charles M'Lellin...
is excommunicated. He joins forces with some of the anti-Mormon
Anti-Mormon
Anti-Mormonism is discrimination, persecution, hostility or prejudice directed at members of the Latter Day Saint movement, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
groups to persecute the Mormons.
June 17 : Sidney Rigdon delivers the "Salt Sermon
Salt Sermon
The salt sermon was an oration delivered on June 17, 1838 by Mormon leader, Sidney Rigdon, against Mormon dissenters. Rigdon was First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and often acted as spokesman for Joseph Smith, Jr....
" which generated much excitement in the church and among detractors.
June 25 : A Mormon settlement is established in a church conference above Wight's ferry on Spring Hill in Daviess County. The site is named as Adam-ondi-Ahman
Adam-ondi-Ahman
Adam-ondi-Ahman is an historic site along the east bluffs above the Grand River in Daviess County, Missouri. According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , it is the site where Adam and Eve lived after being expelled from the Garden of Eden...
.
June 28 : Adam-ondi-Ahman is formed into a stake
Stake (Mormonism)
A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. A stake is approximately comparable to a diocese in the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations...
and thus a gathering place for members of the church. It is the third stake established in the church. John Smith
John Smith (1781-1854)
John Smith , known as Uncle John, was an early leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
is named president of the stake, with Reynolds Cahoon
Reynolds Cahoon
Reynolds Cahoon was an early leader in Latter Day Saint movement and later, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was one of the inaugural members of the Council of Fifty, organized by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1844....
and Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr...
counselors. Vinson Knight
Vinson Knight
Vinson Knight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He served as a counselor in the Bishopric in Kirtland, Ohio from 1835 to 1838, then as Bishop in Adam-ondi-Ahman in Daviess County, Missouri from 1838 to 1839, and finally as Bishop of the Lower Ward in Nauvoo, Illinois, having...
is acting bishop. President John Smith then organizes the High Council: John Lemon, Daniel Stanton, Mayhew Hillman, Daniel Carter, Isaac Perry, Harrison Sagers, Alanson Brown, Thomas Gordon, Lorenzo Barnes, George A. Smith
George A. Smith
George Albert Smith was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the church's First Presidency.-Childhood:Smith was born in Potsdam, St...
, Harvey Olmstead, Ezra Thayer.
July 4 : The cornerstone is laid for the new temple to be constructed at Far West. Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
declares a "war of extermination" on those who intend to remove the saints from their land and deprive them of their liberties.
July 6 : The "Kirtland Camp", 515 members under the direction of the Seventy, leave Kirtland, Ohio for Far West, Missouri.
July 8 : John Taylor
John Taylor (1808-1887)
John Taylor was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. He is the only president of the LDS Church to have been born outside of the United States....
, John E. Page
John E. Page
John Edward Page was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.Born in 1799 in Trenton, New York, Page was the son of Ebenezer and Rachael Page. He was baptized into the Church of Christ, established by Joseph Smith, Jr., in Brownhelm, Ohio in August 1833 by missionary Emer Harris, brother...
, Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
, and Willard Richards
Willard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
are called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
to fill vacancies caused by the excommunications of John F. Boynton
John F. Boynton
John Farnham Boynton was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an American geologist and inventor. He was one of the original members of the Latter Day Saint movement's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles....
, Luke S. Johnson
Luke S. Johnson
Luke Samuel Johnson was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson Hyde, his brother-in-law.Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in Pomfret,...
, and Lyman E. Johnson
Lyman E. Johnson
Lyman Eugene Johnson was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He broke with Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sidney Rigdon during the 1837-38 period when schism divided the early Church...
, and William E. McLellin
William E. McLellin
William Earl M'Lellin was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. One of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, M'Lellin later broke with church founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.-Biography:M'Lellin was born in Smith County, Tennessee, a son of Charles M'Lellin...
(see D&C 118). The twelve are also called to missionary work in England and were to leave on April 26, 1839.
Summer : Settlement in Adam-ondi-Ahman
Adam-ondi-Ahman
Adam-ondi-Ahman is an historic site along the east bluffs above the Grand River in Daviess County, Missouri. According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , it is the site where Adam and Eve lived after being expelled from the Garden of Eden...
surpasses that of the county seat Gallatin
Gallatin, Missouri
Gallatin is a city in Daviess County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,789 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Daviess County.-History:...
, causing the balance of power to shift towards the Mormons settling in Daviess County.
Summer-Autumn : The 1838 Mormon War begins in Missouri.
September 4 : John N. Sapp, who declared himself a member of a secret Mormon group known as the Danite
Danite
The Danites were a fraternal organization founded by Latter Day Saint members in June 1838, in the town of Far West in Caldwell County, Missouri. During their period of organization in Missouri, the Danites operated as a vigilante group and took a central role in the events of the 1838 Mormon War...
s, swears in an affidavit before the Carroll County clerk concerning the size of the Danite army. He states that they were about 800 – 1,000 well-equipped and ready men.
August 6 : The first battle of the Mormon War occurs as Mormons in Daviess County are prevented from voting in the Gallatin Election. The brawl leaves no one dead, but reports are exaggerated.
August 7 : Upon hearing the exaggerated reports of the previous day's battle, Joseph Smith rallies 150 men and marches to Adam-ondi-Ahman to protect the settlement there.
August 8 : Judge Adam Black of Daviess County pledges support of the constitutional rights of everyone in Daviess County, regardless of religion.
October 1-October 11 : Carroll County residents besieges the town of De Witt, which was inhabited by Mormons. Negotiations led to the abandonment of the settlement without violence.
October 2 : The "Kirtland Camp" arrives in Far West, after traveling 3 months through difficult conditions.
October 14 : Under the direction of the state militia, Mormons organize as an official state militia and march to disband the forming mobs in Daviess County. Allegations of property destruction and theft are made against the Mormons. No lives are lost.
October 19 : Apostle Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839...
, angry with Joseph Smith, leaves the church.
October 23 : Under the pretense that the Mormon militia looted and burned property in Daviess County to disperse the mobs, General Atchison authorizes local groups to patrol the border of Ray County and Caldwell County.
October 24 : Apostles Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas B. Marsh
Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839...
and Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
, also disaffected from the church, sign an affidavit claiming that Joseph Smith was trying to take over the world and was using the Danites to murder people. They submit the affidavit to authorities in Richmond, Missouri
Richmond, Missouri
Richmond is a city in Ray County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,797 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ray County.-Geography:Richmond is located at...
.
October 25 : The Battle of Crooked River
Battle of Crooked River
The Battle of Crooked River was a skirmish between Latter Day Saint forces and Missouri state militia unit from southeast of Elmira, Missouri in Ray County under the command of Samuel Bogart...
occurs as a unit of Mormon Militia fight against Missouri State Militia. Sixteen are wounded, and 4 die from their wounds, including Apostle David W. Patten
David W. Patten
David Wyman Patten was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
.
October 27 : Governor Boggs issues Missouri Executive Order 44, also known as the "Extermination Order", revoked in 1976 by then Missouri Governor Christopher S. Bond.
October 30 : A renegade militia group from Livingston County attacks a Mormon settlement in the bloodiest conflict of the Mormon War, and 17 are killed. The event is known as Haun's Mill Massacre
Haun's Mill massacre
The Haun's Mill massacre was an event in the history of the Latter Day Saint movement. It occurred on October 30, 1838 when a mob/militia unit from Livingston County attacked a Mormon settlement in eastern Caldwell County, Missouri, United States, after the Battle of Crooked River...
.
November 1 : Mormon leaders are taken into custody and declared responsible for the violence and destruction of the conflict.
November 2 : After a short trial, General Lucas orders the leaders of the church to be executed. General Doniphan refuses, recognizing the charges were inaccurate and that little solid information about the events of the conflict was known. Far West is plundered, and several other leaders are captured. After being allowed a brief good-bye, the leaders are led away to Independence for imprisonment and trial.
November 3 : Joseph prophesies that none of the prisoners are going to die.
November 4 : Fifty-six more prisoners are taken from Far West. The imprisoned leaders arrive in Independence.
November 6 : General Lucas addresses the citizens of Far West. Far West prisoners leave for Richmond.
November 8 : General Wilson surroundes Adam-ondi-Ahman. Joseph and some of the other prisoners in Independence leave for Richmond. Their guards become drunk, but no escape is attempted.
November 10 : All citizens of Adam-ondi-Ahman are acquitted, but they are ordered to move to Caldwell County to prepare to leave Missouri.
November 13 : November 25 : Preliminary hearings on the fate of the leaders of the church begin under Judge King. Witnesses testify at the point of a bayonet. Numerous violations of judicial process are recorded. Twenty-three of the imprisoned men are released, leaving thirty in custody. During the hearings, excommunicated members rob the homes of several members in Far West.
November 28 : Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb Baldwin, and Alexander McRae are ordered to the jail in Liberty, Clay County; Parley P. Pratt, Morris Phelps, Luman Gibbs, Darwin Chase, and Norman Shearer are retained in the Richmond jail. The remaining 19 are released or allowed release on bail.
December 5 : Governor Boggs defends his Extermination Order in the state legislature.
December 10 : A committee of Edward Partridge, Heber C. Kimball, John Taylor, Theodore Turley, Brigham Young, Isaac Morley, George W. Harris, John Murdock, and John M. Burk draft a petition to the state legislature detailing the Mormon side of the conflict.
December 17 : The petition is delivered to the state legislature by David H. Redfield, who also meet with General Atchison, Governor Boggs, and others.
December 19 : John Taylor and John E. Page
John E. Page
John Edward Page was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.Born in 1799 in Trenton, New York, Page was the son of Ebenezer and Rachael Page. He was baptized into the Church of Christ, established by Joseph Smith, Jr., in Brownhelm, Ohio in August 1833 by missionary Emer Harris, brother...
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1839
March 17 : Thomas B. MarshThomas B. Marsh
Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839...
is excommunicated from the church in absentia in Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a...
.
April 26 : Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
and George A. Smith
George A. Smith
George Albert Smith was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the church's First Presidency.-Childhood:Smith was born in Potsdam, St...
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
May 4 : The church votes to remove both William Smith
William Smith (Mormonism)
William Smith was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Smith was the eighth child of Joseph Smith, Sr...
and Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
May 9 : Joseph Smith moves to Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
.
June 27 : Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
returns to the church to explain his actions and rejoin the church.
October 6–8 : The fall conference is held. Among the notable events that occurred, Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
and William Smith
William Smith (Mormonism)
William Smith was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Smith was the eighth child of Joseph Smith, Sr...
are restored to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1840
April 14 : Willard RichardsWillard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
is ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
Autumn : Work on the Nauvoo Temple begins.
1841
January 19 : A revelation is received by Joseph Smith ordering the church to build a temple in Nauvoo. Also, the order of baptism for the dead is laid out. The church is also excused from building the temple in Jackson County due to the persecution at that time. (D&C 124)April 6 : Cornerstones of the Nauvoo Temple are laid.
April 8 : Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr...
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1842
May 6 : A gunman shoots Governor BoggsLilburn Boggs
Lilburn Williams Boggs was the sixth Governor of Missouri from 1836 to 1840. He is now most widely remembered for his interactions with Joseph Smith and Porter Rockwell, and Missouri Executive Order 44, known by Mormons as the "Extermination Order", issued in response to the ongoing conflict...
in his home, hitting him four times. The gunman is not found, but his revolver was left at the scene. Rumor and speculation points to Porter Rockwell
Porter Rockwell
Orrin Porter Rockwell was a figure of the Wild West period of American History and a law man in the Utah Territory...
, Joseph Smith's personal bodyguard, as the would-be assassin. Rockwell denies this, remarking that if it was him, Boggs would not have recovered.
March 17 : Female Relief Society
Relief Society
The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
of Nauvoo organized.
May 28 : An anonymous contributor to The Wasp
The Wasp (newspaper)
The Wasp was a weekly newspaper edited and published by Latter Day Saint Apostle William Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois, United States, from April 1842 to April 1843...
, a pro-Mormon newspaper in Nauvoo, writes that, "Boggs is undoubtedly killed according to report; but who did the noble deed remains to be found out."
August 20 " Elder Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
is excommunicated for refusing to accept the doctrine of plural marriage.
September 1 & September 6 " Joseph Smith writes two letters to the church regarding baptism for the dead, clarifying the doctrine and practice. (D&C 127, 128)
1842 : The Illinois legislature considers revoking Nauvoo's charter, but fails to act. Joseph Smith petitions the federal congress to make Nauvoo a territory. His petition is denied.
1843
July 12 : Joseph Smith dictates the revelation concerning eternal marriage, or "the new and everlasting covenant", including the plurality of wive s(D&C 132). Although written down in 1842, Smith received portions of the revelation as early as 1831.September 28 : Joseph Smith and his wive, Emma, becomes the first couple to receive their Second Anointing
Second Anointing
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the second anointing, also known historically and in Latter Day Saint scripture as the fulness of the priesthood, is an obscure and relatively rare ordinance usually conducted in temples as extension of the Nauvoo Endowment ceremony. Founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
in a meeting of the Anointed Quorum
Anointed Quorum
The Anointed Quorum, also known as the Quorum of the Anointed, or the Holy Order, was a select body of men and women who Joseph Smith, Jr. initiated into Mormon temple ordinances at Nauvoo, Illinois, which gave them special standing in the early Latter Day Saint movement...
.
November 3 : Knowleton F. Hanks becomes the first Mormon missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to be buried at sea.
1844
February : Joseph Smith announces his candidacy for President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
June 7 : The only issue of the Nauvoo Expositor
Nauvoo Expositor
The Nauvoo Expositor was a newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois that published only one issue, which was dated June 7, 1844. Its publication set off a chain of events that led to the death of Latter Day Saint movement founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
is published by men angry with Joseph Smith and the Church. It is highly critical of Smith and his doctrines and practices.
June 10 : After being declared a public nuisance by the Nauvoo City Council, the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor is destroyed.
June 12 : Charles A. Foster, a co-publisher of the Nauvoo Expositor, reports that the destruction of the Expositor printing press two days earlier was carried out by several hundred people and the building the machine was housed in was damaged. The city marshal contradicts him, claiming that the destruction was carried out in an orderly fashion. The building stands for at least ten more years.
June 18 : Amid threats of violence concerning the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor, Joseph Smith, Jr., as mayor, declares martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
in Nauvoo and activates the Nauvoo Legion
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a militia originally organized by the Latter Day Saints to defend the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, . To curry political favor with the ambiguously-political Saints, the Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion extraordinary...
, a private militia of about 5,000 men.
June ?? : Joseph Smith, Jr. submits to arrest and agrees to trial in Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
, the county seat. Before he arrives, he prophesies, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men. If they take my life I shall die an innocent man, and my blood shall cry from the ground for vengeance, and it shall be said of me 'He was murdered in cold blood!'" He is held in Carthage Jail.
June 27 : Joseph Smith, Jr. is killed in Carthage Jail
Carthage Jail
Carthage Jail, located in Carthage, Illinois, was the location of the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother Hyrum by a mob of approximately 150 men. Friends John Taylor and Willard Richards were also members of the incarcerated party, but were not...
by a mob of about 200 armed men. His brother Hyrum
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
is also killed. John Taylor
John Taylor (1808-1887)
John Taylor was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. He is the only president of the LDS Church to have been born outside of the United States....
is wounded, but recovers; the fourth cellmate, Willard Richards, is not harmed. The succession crisis
Succession crisis (Mormonism)
The succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement occurred after the violent death of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., on June 27, 1844....
begins when news of Smith's death spreads.
August 8 : A conference is held in Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
to determine Smith's successor. A majority decides to follow Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
.
October : The first General Conference
General conference (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction....
of the church under Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
's direction is held.
1845
The population of Nauvoo is estimated to have reached about 12,000 inhabitants, becoming the second-largest city in Illinois. Chicago had about 15,000 inhabitants at the same time.Planning for the Mormon Exodus to the west begins.
1846
March 8 : Apostle Orson HydeOrson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
rebaptizes Luke S. Johnson
Luke S. Johnson
Luke Samuel Johnson was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson Hyde, his brother-in-law.Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in Pomfret,...
, a former member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
May 1 : The Nauvoo Temple is completed and dedicated, despite the majority having already left Nauvoo.
Under the direction of Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, the largest numbers of saints begin migrating West to settle; they eventually arrive at the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
.
June 27 : Elder John E. Page
John E. Page
John Edward Page was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.Born in 1799 in Trenton, New York, Page was the son of Ebenezer and Rachael Page. He was baptized into the Church of Christ, established by Joseph Smith, Jr., in Brownhelm, Ohio in August 1833 by missionary Emer Harris, brother...
is excommunicated from the LDS church for encouraging members to follow James Strang
James Strang
James Jesse Strang was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch who founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , a faction of the Latter Day Saint movement...
.
July : The Mormon Battalion
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, and it served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saints men led by Mormon company officers, commanded by regular...
is formed. Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
prophesies that the recruits won't see battle and will perform a great service for their country. Many people join up despite the difficulties of the time. They send as much money to their families and the church as possible.
July 16 : Ezra T. Benson
Ezra T. Benson
Ezra Taft Benson was as an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life:Benson was born in Mendon, Massachusetts, the son of John Benson and...
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1847
January 14 : Brigham Young receives D&C 136 by way of revelation, which concerns the organization of the westward movement, standards of behavior for the saints, and an explanation on why God allowed Joseph Smith to be killed.January : The Mormon Battalion
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, and it served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saints men led by Mormon company officers, commanded by regular...
completes the longest march in U.S. Army history, arriving in California.
July 24 : The first settlers arrive in the Salt Lake Basin. This is later memorialized at This Is The Place Heritage Park
This Is The Place Heritage Park
The This Is the Place Heritage Park is located on the east side of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA at the foot of the Wasatch Range and near the mouth of Emigration Canyon.-History:...
in Emigration Canyon
Emigration Canyon
Emigration Canyon is a CDP, township and canyon in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States, located east of Salt Lake City in the Wasatch Range. Beginning at the southern end of the University of Utah, the canyon itself heads east and northeast between Salt Lake City and Morgan County. The boundaries...
.
July 28 : Traveling with a group of leaders, Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
puts his cane in the ground and marks the location of the future Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
.
August : Arriving settlers form the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
.
December 27 : Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
reorganizes the First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
, with himself as president, Heber C. Kimball
Heber C. Kimball
Heber Chase Kimball was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Latter Day Saint church, and as first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his...
as first counselor, and Willard Richards
Willard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
as second counselor. This is done in the Kanesville Tabernacle in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
. The tabernacle is constructed in just two weeks and housed over 1,000 people for the ceremony.http://lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1809-1-1-1,00.html
1848
February 2 – The Treaty of Guadalupe HidalgoTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848...
is signed, which will grant the territory that the Mormons are settling to the United States.
March 10 : The U.S. Senate ratifies the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848...
, making the treaty official and thus officially making the area part of the United States.
June 9 : The Miracle of the Gulls
Miracle of the Gulls
The miracle of the gulls is often credited by Latter-day Saints for saving the Mormon pioneers' first harvest in Utah. According to Mormon folklore, seagulls miraculously saved the 1848 crops by eating thousands of insects that were devouring their fields.-Traditional story:After Brigham Young led...
occurs. It is attributed to saving the crops of the first settlers in Utah.
The Nauvoo Temple is burnt down. The remnants are destroyed by a tornado.
Mormon Battalion
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, and it served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saints men led by Mormon company officers, commanded by regular...
members who stay behind in California to raise money discover gold in Sutter's Mill
Sutter's Mill
Sutter's Mill was a sawmill owned by 19th century pioneer John Sutter in partnership with James W. Marshall. It was located in Coloma, California, at the bank of the South Fork American River...
. News of the find spreads, starting the 1849 California gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
.
December : Apostle Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr...
is excommunicated from the church for not following Brigham Young.
1849
February 12 : Charles C. RichCharles C. Rich
Charles Coulson Rich was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
, Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 to his death. Snow was the last president of the LDS Church in the nineteenth century.-Family:...
, Erastus Snow
Erastus Snow
Erastus Fairbanks Snow , born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1849 to 1888. Snow was also a leading figure in Mormon colonization of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.Snow Canyon State Park Erastus...
, and Franklin D. Richards are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
. This is done to replace those serving in the First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
and to replace the vacancy caused by the excommunication of Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
1850
The Compromise of 1850Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five bills, passed in September 1850, which defused a four-year confrontation between the slave states of the South and the free states of the North regarding the status of territories acquired during the Mexican-American War...
creates the Utah territory, designating Fillmore, Utah
Fillmore, Utah
Fillmore is a city in Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,253 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Millard County. It is named for the thirteenth US President Millard Fillmore....
, as its capitol. The Utah Territory is to be neutral towards slavery, deciding its own fate once it achieves statehood.
1853
February 4 : The temple site for the Salt Lake TempleSalt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
is dedicated.
April 6 : The groundbreaking ceremony is held for the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
.
1854
March 11 : President Willard RichardsWillard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
, second counselor in the First Presidency, passes away in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
.
April : Jedediah M. Grant
Jedediah M. Grant
Jedediah Morgan Grant was a leader and an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was member of the First Council of the Seventy from 1845 to 1854. He also served in the First Presidency under Church President Brigham Young from 1854 to 1856...
is called an apostle and into the First Presidency as second counselor.
1856
Jedediah M. GrantJedediah M. Grant
Jedediah Morgan Grant was a leader and an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was member of the First Council of the Seventy from 1845 to 1854. He also served in the First Presidency under Church President Brigham Young from 1854 to 1856...
, Second Counselor to President Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, is sent to preach in the Reformation
Mormon Reformation
The Mormon Reformation was a period of renewed emphasis on spirituality within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It took place in 1856 and 1857 and was under the direction of President of the Church Brigham Young. During the Reformation, Young sent his counselor Jedediah M...
of 1856.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, replaces Fillmore, Utah
Fillmore, Utah
Fillmore is a city in Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,253 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Millard County. It is named for the thirteenth US President Millard Fillmore....
, as the capitol of the Utah territory.
December 1 : Jedediah M. Grant
Jedediah M. Grant
Jedediah Morgan Grant was a leader and an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was member of the First Council of the Seventy from 1845 to 1854. He also served in the First Presidency under Church President Brigham Young from 1854 to 1856...
dies.
1857
The federal government sends troops to Utah known as the "Utah Expedition" to replace Brigham Young as governor. This results in the Utah WarUtah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
.
May 13 : Apostle Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
is murdered by Hector McLean and two others near Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren is the second largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstate 40 - Interstate 540 junction...
. Pratt had married McLean's former wife in plural marriage. Pratt was acquitted on charges of interfering in McLean's marriage a few days earlier.
September 11 : The Mountain Meadows massacre
Mountain Meadows massacre
The Mountain Meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the Baker–Fancher emigrant wagon train, at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. The attacks culminated on September 11, 1857 in the mass slaughter of the emigrant party by the Iron County district of the Utah Territorial Militia and some local...
occurs as travellers passing through Utah from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
are murdered near Mountain Meadows, Utah
Mountain Meadows, Utah
Mountain Meadows is an area in present-day Washington County Utah. It was a place of rest and grazing used by migrants on the Old Spanish Trail on their way overland to California.On September 11, 1857, the Mountain Meadows massacre happened here....
.
1860
August 26 : George Q. CannonGeorge Q. Cannon
George Quayle Cannon was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and served in the First Presidency under four successive presidents of the church: Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow...
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1861
October : The Transcontinental TelegraphFirst Transcontinental Telegraph
The First Transcontinental Telegraph was a milestone in electrical engineering and in the formation of the United States of America. It served as the only method of near-instantaneous communication between the east and west coasts during the 1860s....
is linked to Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
and Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
are among the first to send messages with the new link.
1862
July 8 : President Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
signs the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
The Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act was a federal enactment of the United States Congress that was signed into law on July 8, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln...
which not only bans plural marriage but limits church and non-profit ownership in the territories to $50,000. The measure has no funds allocated for enforcement, and President Lincoln's opinion is to leave the Mormons alone if they leave him alone.
Patrick E. Connor
Patrick Edward Connor
Patrick Edward Connor was a Union General during the American Civil War. He was most famous for his campaigns against Native Americans in the American Old West.-Early life and career:...
arrives in Utah with California recruits to represent the federal government as they had been pulled out of Utah due to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He establishes Fort Douglas
Fort Douglas, Utah
Camp Douglas was established in October 1862 as a small military garrison about three miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah, for the purpose of protecting the overland mail route and telegraph lines along the Central Overland Route. In 1878, the post was renamed Fort Douglas. The fort was officially...
and encourages his men to find valuable ores so that miners are enticed to settle in Utah to offset the Mormon population.
1864
Valuable ores are discovered in Tooele County, UtahTooele County, Utah
Tooele County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 40,735 and by 2005 was estimated at 51,311. Its county seat and largest city is Tooele....
, sparking a rush of new, non-Mormon immigrants to Utah.
February 4 : Brigham Young, Jr.
Brigham Young, Jr.
Brigham Young, Jr. served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1899 until his death. His tenure was interrupted for one week in 1901 when Joseph F...
is ordained an apostle by President Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
. It is not until four years later that he becomes a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1865
Utah's Black Hawk War, the deadliest conflict in the territory's history, occurs as the three armies- LDS, Indian, and Federal - fight among one another.1866
July 1 : Joseph F. SmithJoseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, son of Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1868
October : Brigham Young, Jr.Brigham Young, Jr.
Brigham Young, Jr. served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1899 until his death. His tenure was interrupted for one week in 1901 when Joseph F...
, already an ordained apostle, is adopted into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1869
May 10 : The First Transcontinental RailroadFirst Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
is completed at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake
Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere, the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world. In an average year the lake covers an area of around , but the lake's size fluctuates substantially due to its...
. The railroad brings increasing numbers of non-Mormons into the state, and several influential non-Mormon businessmen would make fortunes in the territory.
1870
The Liberal PartyLiberal Party (Utah)
The Liberal Party, like the People's Party, flourished in Utah Territory as a local political party in the latter half of the 19th century—before Democrats and Republicans established themselves in Utah in the early 1890s....
organizes to oppose The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The People's Party
People's Party (Utah)
The People's Party was a political party in Utah Territory during the late 19th century. It was backed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its newspaper, the Deseret News. It opposed Utah's Liberal Party.- Beginnings :...
organizes to support the church and oppose the Liberal Party shortly afterwards. Until this point, politics was run by the church almost exclusively, since the vast majority of citizens were members in the church.
Women's Suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
is rewarded with another victory, as the Utah Territory follows the Wyoming Territory's lead in giving the right to vote to women. It remains in effect until 1887, when it is banned by federal legislation. This was pushed by the People's Party because there were only a few non-Mormon women in the state. This gave the People's Party an overwhelming advantage at the polls.
1871
September : President Brigham YoungBrigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
is indicted for adultery due to his plural marriages.
November 9 : The St. George Utah Temple
St. George Utah Temple
The St. George Utah Temple is the first temple completed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the forced exodus of the body of the Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of its founder Joseph Smith, Jr.-Description:The building is located in the SW Utah city of St....
is announced. Simultaneously, the dedication and groundbreaking ceremonies are held by Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
.
1874
June : Non-Mormon Liberal Party members in Tooele County, UtahTooele County, Utah
Tooele County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 40,735 and by 2005 was estimated at 51,311. Its county seat and largest city is Tooele....
gain control of the county government, beginning the first government run by non-Mormons in Utah. They whimsically rename the county "The Republic of Tooele". The federally appointed governor and courts uphold the election, refusing to examine charges by the Mormon People's Party that many voters had voted illegally without satisfying voter requirements.
1876
The Mormon-controlled legislature of the Utah Territory passes laws requiring voter registration and women's suffrage in all local election. This will lead to the Liberal Party losing its majority in Tooele County.1877
January 1 : Erastus SnowErastus Snow
Erastus Fairbanks Snow , born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1849 to 1888. Snow was also a leading figure in Mormon colonization of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.Snow Canyon State Park Erastus...
holds the private dedication of the St. George Utah Temple, making it the first operating temple in Utah and the third completed temple.
April 6 – April 8 : Daniel H. Wells
Daniel H. Wells
Daniel Hanmer Wells was an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the third mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States....
holds the public dedication of the St. George Utah Temple.
August 29 : President Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
passes away, after leading the church for 33 years. John Taylor
John Taylor (1808-1887)
John Taylor was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. He is the only president of the LDS Church to have been born outside of the United States....
assumes control of the church as President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.
1878
The Liberal Party majority disappears in Tooele County. They lose the next election, although the new winners are not seated until next year.1879
January 6 : In the first case before the Supreme Court regarding the first amendment, the court upholds the 1862 Morrill Anti-Bigamy ActMorrill Anti-Bigamy Act
The Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act was a federal enactment of the United States Congress that was signed into law on July 8, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln...
banning plural marriage in Reynolds v. United States
Reynolds v. United States
Reynolds v. United States, , was a Supreme Court of the United States case that held that religious duty was not a suitable defense to a criminal indictment...
. George Q. Cannon
George Q. Cannon
George Quayle Cannon was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and served in the First Presidency under four successive presidents of the church: Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow...
, representative of the territory, states concerning this decision:
- "Our crime has been: We married women instead of seducing them; we reared children instead of destroying them; we desired to exclude from the land prostitution, bastardy and infanticide. If George Reynolds [the man who was convicted of committing bigamy] is to be punished, let the world know the facts . . . . Let it be published to the four corners of the earth that in this land of liberty, the most blessed and glorious upon which the sun shines, the law is swiftly invoked to punish religion, but justice goes limping and blindfolded in pursuit of crime."
After six months of delay tactics and formalities, the Mormon-run People's Party regains control of Tooele County, after 5 years of rule by the non-Mormon Liberal Party. The county is left with $16,000 in debt."
1880
The First Presidency is reorganized three years after President Brigham YoungBrigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
's passing. John Taylor
John Taylor (1808-1887)
John Taylor was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. He is the only president of the LDS Church to have been born outside of the United States....
is named president.
October 10: General Conference
General conference (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction....
.
-
- The Pearl of Great PricePearl of Great Price (Mormonism)The Pearl of Great Price is part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some other Latter Day Saint denominations....
is canonized. - Francis M. LymanFrancis M. LymanFrancis Marion Lyman was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was the President of the Quorum from 1903 until his death....
and John Henry SmithJohn Henry SmithJohn Henry Smith was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
are called to the Quorum of the Twelve ApostlesQuorum of the Twelve ApostlesIn The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
- The Pearl of Great Price
October 27 : Francis M. Lyman
Francis M. Lyman
Francis Marion Lyman was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was the President of the Quorum from 1903 until his death....
and John Henry Smith
John Henry Smith
John Henry Smith was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1882
February 25 : After a bitter dispute between George Q. CannonGeorge Q. Cannon
George Quayle Cannon was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and served in the First Presidency under four successive presidents of the church: Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow...
(who won a decisive victory) and Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Utah)
The Liberal Party, like the People's Party, flourished in Utah Territory as a local political party in the latter half of the 19th century—before Democrats and Republicans established themselves in Utah in the early 1890s....
candidate Allen G. Campbell over who was allowed to represent Utah territory in the House of Representatives, both are denied the position. George Q. Cannon's practice of polygamy was the deciding issue and re-sparks national controversy on the topic.
March 23 : The Edmunds Act
Edmunds Act
The Edmunds Act, also known as the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882, is a United States federal statute, signed into law on March 23, 1882, declaring polygamy a felony. The act is named for U.S. Senator George F. Edmunds of Vermont...
declares polygamy a felony. The act not only reinforces the 1862 Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
The Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act was a federal enactment of the United States Congress that was signed into law on July 8, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln...
but also revokes the right of polygamists to vote, disallows them from holding political office, and also makes them ineligible to serve on the jury, regardless of whether they are practicing or merely believe in it. All elected offices in the Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
were vacated, an election board was formed to issue certificates to those who denied polygamy and did not practice it, and new elections were held territory-wide. Practicing polygamists would have their civil rights taken away without a trial or due process. Adulterers and fornicators had no such penalties applied and did not lose their rights.
August 23 : Rudger Clawson
Rudger Clawson
Rudger Judd Clawson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 until his death in 1943...
is tried for polygamy by a jury composed of 12 non-Mormons. Even though the polygamous marriage was performed before the 1862 Morrill act, he is tried ex-post facto, in clear violation of the Constitution of the United States. He is imprisoned and fined for his marriage.
October 16 : George Teasdale
George Teasdale
George Teasdale born in London, England, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
and Heber J. Grant
Heber J. Grant
Heber Jeddy Grant was the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was ordained an apostle on October 16, 1882, on the same day as George Teasdale...
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1884
John W. TaylorJohn W. Taylor
John W. Taylor is the name of:*John W. Taylor , apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints*John W. Taylor , early nineteenth century American politician...
is ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1885
February 1 : President John Taylor goes underground to avoid being arrested and tried for plural marriage.1887
The Edmunds-Tucker ActEdmunds-Tucker Act
The Edmunds–Tucker Act of 1887 was passed in response to the dispute between the United States Congress and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding polygamy. The act is found in US Code Title 48 & 1461, full text as 24 Stat. 635, with this annotation to be interpreted as Volume...
abolishes women's suffrage, and seizes control of the church and its assets.
July 25: John Taylor
John Taylor (1808-1887)
John Taylor was the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1887. He is the only president of the LDS Church to have been born outside of the United States....
passes away, leavingWilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
to assume control of the church.
July 30 : The attorney general of the United State files suit and seizes all assets of the church and the Perpetual Emigration Fund
Perpetual Emigration Fund
The Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company, commonly referred to as the Perpetual Emigration Fund , was a corporation established by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1849...
.
1889
Two years after the death of John Taylor, the First Presidency is reorganized with Wilford Woodruff as president.The Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Utah)
The Liberal Party, like the People's Party, flourished in Utah Territory as a local political party in the latter half of the 19th century—before Democrats and Republicans established themselves in Utah in the early 1890s....
is elected to run Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
.
October 7 : Marriner W. Merrill
Marriner W. Merrill
Marriner Wood Merrill born in Sackville, New Brunswick, was a pioneering settler of Cache Valley and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
, Anthon H. Lund
Anthon H. Lund
Anthon Henrik Lund was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a prominent Utah leader.-History:...
, and Abraham H. Cannon
Abraham H. Cannon
Abraham Hoagland Cannon , born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
are ordained apostles and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
.
1890
May 19: The Supreme Court upholds the Edmunds-Tucker ActEdmunds-Tucker Act
The Edmunds–Tucker Act of 1887 was passed in response to the dispute between the United States Congress and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding polygamy. The act is found in US Code Title 48 & 1461, full text as 24 Stat. 635, with this annotation to be interpreted as Volume...
inThe Late Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. United States
The Late Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. United States
The Late Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. United States, was a Supreme Court case that upheld the Edmunds-Tucker Act on May 19, 1890...
September 24: President Woodruff records the 1890 Manifesto
1890 Manifesto
The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement which officially disavowed the continuing practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
.
September 25: President Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
issues the 1890 Manifesto
1890 Manifesto
The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement which officially disavowed the continuing practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
ending the official practice of polygamy.
October 6: At a General Conference
General conference (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction....
, President Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 to his death. Snow was the last president of the LDS Church in the nineteenth century.-Family:...
submits the manifesto for a vote; many members abstain from voting.
The Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Utah)
The Liberal Party, like the People's Party, flourished in Utah Territory as a local political party in the latter half of the 19th century—before Democrats and Republicans established themselves in Utah in the early 1890s....
wins the Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
elections, taking control of that city in addition to Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
.
1891
June : The People's PartyPeople's Party (Utah)
The People's Party was a political party in Utah Territory during the late 19th century. It was backed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its newspaper, the Deseret News. It opposed Utah's Liberal Party.- Beginnings :...
disbands and members of the church join one of the two national parties as the effort continues to achieve statehood. With three effective parties in the territory, the Deseret News calls the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Utah)
The Liberal Party, like the People's Party, flourished in Utah Territory as a local political party in the latter half of the 19th century—before Democrats and Republicans established themselves in Utah in the early 1890s....
the "bastard party" even though it is able to take a third of the seats in the state legislature.
1893
April 6 : The Salt Lake TempleSalt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
is dedicated, exactly 40 years after construction began.
All polygamists are given executive pardon in preparation for statehood. This restores their right to vote.
The Liberal Party (Utah)
Liberal Party (Utah)
The Liberal Party, like the People's Party, flourished in Utah Territory as a local political party in the latter half of the 19th century—before Democrats and Republicans established themselves in Utah in the early 1890s....
disbands as members join the national parties in anticipation of statehood.
1896
January 4 : UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
is recognized by the federal government and achieves statehood as the 45th state. Polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
is explicitly banned in the state constitution. Women's suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
is continued.
1898
September 2: Wilford Woodruff passes away. Lorenzo SnowLorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 to his death. Snow was the last president of the LDS Church in the nineteenth century.-Family:...
assumes leadership of the church.