- 19th century (Mormonism)
__NOTOC__
1820s
1820
*Spring:
Joseph Smith, Jr. sees Jesus Christ and God the Father near his home in upstate New York (also known as theFirst Vision ).
*August:Joseph Smith, Sr. contracts to buy land in Farmington.1821
*Fall: The log cabin on the Farmington land is built and the Smith family moves in.
1823
*September 21: Joseph Smith, Jr. receives a visit from an angel named Moroni in the upstairs room of the cabin in which he lived. During this visit Joseph receives instructions on where to find the gold plates. The following day he receives another visit after which he goes to the Hill Cumorah to locate the plates. He is not however allowed to remove the plates until
September 22 1827 .
*November 19: Alvin Smith, Joseph Smith, Jr.'s older brother, dies from poor treatment by a doctor after feeling ill.1825
*In both 1824 and 1825, major religious revivals continue to take place in the Palmyra region.
*Spring: Four members of Joseph Smith, Jr.'s family join the Presbyterian Church, includingHyrum Smith and his mother, Lucy Mack.1827
*January 18: Joseph Smith, Jr. elopes with his wife, Emma Hale.
*September 22 : Joseph Smith, Jr. acquires theGolden Plates on whichThe Book of Mormon is inscribed.
*December: Joseph Smith Jr. and his new wife, Emma, move to Harmony, Pennsylvania.
*December: Joseph Smith Jr. begins translation of the gold plates.1828
*July: The first 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript translated by Joseph Smith Jr. and transcribed by
Martin Harris are stolen or lost.1829
*The translation of the Book of Mormon is completed.
*The gold plates are retrieved by the angel Moroni.
*Peter, James, and John, three of the apostles of Jesus Christ during his ministry in Jerusalem, appear to Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery and confer upon them theMelchizedek Priesthood .
*February: Martin Harris visits Dr.Charles Anthon , a professor atColumbia University , to verify the authenticity of the characters Joseph Smith Jr. was translating.
*May:John the Baptist appears to Joseph Smith, Jr. andOliver Cowdery and confers upon them theAaronic Priesthood .
*July: The translation of the Book of Mormon is completed. Oliver Cowdery copies the manuscript so two versions exist in case the original is lost.
*Augusts 25: A contract is drawn up withE.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.1830s
1830
*March – The
Book of Mormon goes on sale.
*March 26 – The Wayne Sentinel announces the Book of Mormon has been published.
*April –Joseph Smith, Jr. produces section 20 of theDoctrine and Covenants (D&C), which serves as the constitution of the soon to be formed church.
*April 6 – Joseph Smith Jr. and five others, in front of 56 people in attendance, formally organizes The Church of Jesus Christ inFayette, New York . [http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/m/300406.phtml minutes] Joseph Smith Jr. is ordained an elder, as isOliver Cowdery . Joseph Smith Jr. is appointed as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator for the entire church.
*April –Oliver Cowdery is called to preach for the religion. (D&C 23, 24)
*April 11 – Oliver Cowdery preaches publicly for the first time as an official representative of the newly formed church. In Seneca Lake he baptizesHiram Page , Catherine Whitmer Page,Christian Whitmer , Anne Schott Whitmer (Christian's wife),Jacob Whitmer , Elizabeth Ann Schott Whitmer (Jacob's wife), and Mary Page.
*June – Joseph Smith Jr. begins translating sections the New Testament, claiming to receive information through revelation.
*June 9 – A church conference is held. [http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/m/300609.phtml minutes] Membership is 27. The current church elders areJoseph Smith, Jr. ,Oliver Cowdery ,Peter Whitmer ,David Whitmer ,John Whitmer andZiba Peterson .Joseph Smith, Sr. ,Hyrum Smith , andMartin Harris are ordained priests, andHiram Page andChristian Whitmer are ordained teachers.
*August – Joseph Smith Jr. becomes aware of Hiram Page and his use of a seerstone. However, he waits until the scheduled church conference in September to bring up the issue.
*September – Joseph Smith Jr. reports a revelation concerningHiram Page , who claims to have a stone that allowed him to receive revelation for the church. Joseph's revelation asserts that only he was allowed to receive revelation for the church, and that Hiram Page was deceived by the devil (D&C 28).
*September 26 – A church conference is held. [ [http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/m/300926.phtml Minutes of September 26, 1830 ] ] Notable events include:
**The discussion of the Hiram Page seerstone and its refutation by unanimous vote.
**35 new members are added, bringing the total number to 62.
**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).
*December –Sidney Rigdon is called to be a scribe in Joseph Smith Jr.'s revision of the Bible (D&C 35). Joseph Smith Jr. is commanded to cease revising until the church is gathered inOhio (D&C 37).1831
*January – Joseph Smith, Jr. moves to
Kirtland, Ohio .
*February 4 – additional revelation is given, namingEdward Partridge the first bishop (D&C 42).
*February 9 – 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 inIndependence, Missouri was presented. Many of Smith's followers still living in New York move to Kirtland.
*April 4 –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.
*June 4 – Nineteen men are ordained High Priests, includingJoseph Smith, Jr. ,Lyman Wight , andEdward Partridge .Isaac Morley andJohn Corrill are ordained assistants to Bishop Partridge.
*June 7 – The new bishop and several others are called to settleJackson County, Missouri to build the city of Zion. A small group travels to Independence, Missouri.
*August 28 –Sidney Rigdon ordainsOliver Cowdery a High Priest.
*November 11 – Revelation is received directing the church to organize presidencies over each quorum in the priesthood (D&C 107:60-92, 99-100).
*December 4 –Newel K. Whitney is called as a bishop overKirtland, Ohio (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 appointingJesse Gause andSidney 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 ofSouth Carolina to secede from the United States onNovember 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.
*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.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 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 bySidney Rigdon , seconded byNewel K. Whitney and passed by the church.
*June – Zion's camp is disbanded.
*July 7 – Twelve High Priests inClay County, Missouri is organized into a High Council.David Whitmer is ordained president of the council, andJohn Whitmer andWilliam 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. ordainsOliver Cowdery as an Assistant President of the Church, with the understanding that Cowdery should act in Smith's absence.
*December 6 – Joseph ordainsHyrum Smith andJoseph Smith, Sr. as Assistant Presidents of the Church.1835
*February 14 – After a special conference,
Oliver Cowdery ,David Whitmer , andMartin Harris choose the individuals who areto be in theQuorum 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 , andLyman E. Johnson .Brigham Young ,Heber C. Kimball , andLyman E. Johnson are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .
*February 15 –David W. Patten ,Orson Hyde ,William E. M'Lellin ,Luke S. Johnson , William Smith, andJohn F. Boynton are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .
*February 21 –Parley P. Pratt is ordained an apostle and member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .
*February 28 – TheQuorum 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 andOrson Pratt are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles . Elder Marsh, erroneously thought to be the eldest, is ordained the president of the quorum.
*March 28 – TheQuorum 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 receivesDoctrine 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 unanimously adopts D&C 134 concerning the relationship between church, government, and individuals. Among the assertions the church makes are 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.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 Temple , 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).
*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 ofAlexander W. Doniphan , it is agreed that a new county should be formed for the Mormons called Caldwell County, in what is nowClay County, Missouri . Mormons begin leaving Ray and Clay County to settle the proposed area. Plans for and work on the community ofFar West, Missouri begin. Far West, Missouri is the proposed county seat for the new county.
*August 8 – The township ofFar 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 – TheKirtland Safety Society , also known as "The Kirtland Bank", is formed for use by church members in financial affairs.
*December 23,December 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.1837
*September 3 – Apostle
Luke S. Johnson is disfellowshipped from the church inKirtland, Ohio . ApostleJohn F. Boynton is excommunicated.
*Notable problems begin in theKirtland 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 flee 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 apostlesThomas B. Marsh andDavid W. Patten , reject the presidency ofDavid Whitmer ,John Whitmer , andWilliam Wines Phelps , the stake presidency of Far West.
*March 10 –John Whitmer andWilliam Wines Phelps are excommunicated by the High Council in Far West.
*April 12 – The High Council and bishopric in Far West vote to excommunicateLyman E. Johnson ,David Whitmer , andOliver Cowdery .
*April 13 – ApostleLuke S. Johnson is excommunicated from the church after being disfellowhipped and returning for a short period.
*April 26 – While inFar 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.
*May 2 – Joseph Smith writesJoseph Smith – History .
*May 11 – ApostleWilliam E. McLellin is excommunicated. He joins forces with some of theanti-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 asAdam-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, withReynolds Cahoon andLyman 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 , andWillard Richards are called to theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles to fill vacancies caused by the excommunications ofJohn F. Boynton ,Luke S. Johnson , andLyman Johnson , andWilliam E. McLellin (see D&C 118). The twelve are also called to missionary work in England and were to leave onApril 26 ,1839 .
*Summer – Settlement inAdam-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 – The1838 Mormon War begins in Missouri.
*September 4 – John N. Sapp, who declared himself a member of a secret Mormon group known as theDanite 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 – ApostleThomas 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 – ApostlesThomas B. Marsh andOrson Hyde , also disaffected from the church, sign an affidavit claiming that Joseph Smith was trying to take over the world and was using theDanites to murder people. They submit the affidavit to authorities inRichmond, Missouri .
*October 25 – TheBattle 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 ApostleDavid W. Patten .
*October 27 – Governor Boggs issues an executive order known as the "Extermination Order ", revoked in 1976 by then Missouri GovernorChristopher 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 asHaun'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.
*Devember 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 andJohn E. Page are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1839
*March 17 –
Thomas B. Marsh is excommunicated from the church in absentia inQuincy, Illinois .
*April 26 –Wilford Woodruff andGeorge A. Smith are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .
*May 4 – The church votes to remove both William Smith andOrson Hyde from theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .
*May 9 – Joseph Smith moves toNauvoo, Illinois .
*June 27 –Orson Hyde returns to the church to explain his actions and rejoin the church.
*October 6 – October 8 – The fall conference is held. Among the notable events that occurred,Orson Hyde and William Smith are restored to theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles . [ Brown, Lisle (1995; 1997 rev.); [http://webpages.marshall.edu/~brown/chu-org.html Organizational Chronology of The Church of Christ, and The Church of the Latter-day Saints, 1829 – 1836] . ] [Kenney, Scott G.; [http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/c/1830.phtml Saints Without Halos: 1830 Chronology] ]1840s
1840
*
April 14 –Willard Richards is ordained a member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .
* 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 is ordained an apostle and member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1842
*
May 6 – A gunman shoots Governor Boggs in his home, hitting him four times. The gunman is not found, but his revolver was left at the scene. Rumor and speculation points toPorter 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 – ElderOrson Pratt is excommunicated for refusing to accept the doctrine of plural marriage.
*September 1 & 6 – Joseph Smith writes two letters to the church regarding baptism for the dead, clarifying the doctrine and practice. (D&C 127, 128)* 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 theirSecond Anointing in a meeting of theAnointed Quorum .*
November 3 – Knowleton F. Hanks becomes the firstMormon missionary to be buried at sea.1844
* February – Joseph Smith announces his candidacy for
President of the United States .*
June 7 – The first and 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, declaresmartial law in Nauvoo and activates theNauvoo 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!'" [ [http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/martyr.htm Was Joseph Smith Really a Martyr? ] ] He is held in Carthage Jail.*
June 27 –Joseph Smith, Jr. is killed inCarthage 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 inNauvoo, Illinois to determine Smith's successor. A majority decides to followBrigham Young .* October – The first General Conference of the church under
Brigham Young '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 theMormon Exodus to the west begins.1846
*
March 8 – ApostleOrson Hyde rebaptizesLuke S. Johnson , a former member of theQuorum 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 theSalt Lake Valley .
*June 27 – ElderJohn E. Page is excommunicated from the LDS church for encouraging members to followJames Strang .
* July – TheMormon 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 theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .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 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 atThis Is The Place Heritage Park inEmigration Canyon .
*July 28 – Traveling with a group of leaders,Brigham Young puts his cane in the ground and marks the location of the futureSalt Lake Temple .
* August – Arriving settlers form theMormon Tabernacle Choir .
*December 27 –Brigham Young reorganizes theFirst Presidency , with himself as president,Heber C. Kimball as first counselor, andWillard Richards as second counselor. This is done in the Kanesville Tabernacle inCouncil 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]1848
*
February 2 – TheTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed, which will grant the territory that the Mormons are settling to the United States.
*March 10 – The U.S. Senate ratifies theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , making the treaty official and thus officially making the area part of the United States.
*June 9 – TheMiracle 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 inSutter's Mill . News of the find spreads, starting the 1849 Californiagold rush .
* December – ApostleLyman Wight is excommunicated from the church for not following Brigham Young.1849
*
February 12 –Charles C. Rich ,Lorenzo Snow ,Erastus Snow , andFranklin D. Richards are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles . This is done to replace those serving in theFirst Presidency and to replace the vacancy caused by the excommunication ofLyman Wight .1850s
1850
* The
Compromise of 1850 creates the Utah territory, designatingFillmore, Utah , 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 theSalt Lake Temple is dedicated.
*April 6 – The groundbreaking ceremony is held for theSalt Lake Temple .1854
*
March 11 – PresidentWillard Richards , second counselor in the First Presidency, passes away inSalt Lake City, Utah .
* April –Jedediah M. Grant is called an apostle and into the First Presidency as second counselor.1856
*
Jedediah M. Grant , Second Counselor to PresidentBrigham Young , is sent to preach in the Reformation of 1856.
*Salt Lake City, Utah , replacesFillmore, Utah , as the capitol of the Utah territory.
*December 1 ,1856 –Jedediah M. Grant 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 War .
*May 13 – ApostleParley P. Pratt is murdered by Hector McLean and two others nearVan 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 – TheMountain Meadows massacre occurs as travellers passing through Utah fromMissouri are murdered nearMountain Meadows, Utah .1860s
1860
*
August 26 –George Q. Cannon is ordained an apostle and member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1861
* October – The Transcontinental Telegraph is linked to
Salt Lake City, Utah .Brigham Young andAbraham Lincoln are among the first to send messages with the new link.1862
*
July 8 – PresidentAbraham Lincoln signs theMorrill 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 theAmerican 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.1864
* Valuable ores are discovered in
Tooele County, Utah , sparking a rush of new, non-Mormon immigrants to Utah.
*February 4 –Brigham Young, Jr. is ordained an apostle by PresidentBrigham Young . It is not until four years later that he becomes a member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .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. Smith , son ofHyrum Smith , is ordained an apostle and member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1868
* October –
Brigham Young, Jr. , already an ordained apostle, is adopted into theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1869
*
May 10 , – TheFirst Transcontinental Railroad is completed atPromontory Summit , north of theGreat 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.1870s
1870
* The Liberal Party 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.1871
* September – President
Brigham Young is indicted for adultery due to his plural marriages.
*November 9 – TheSt. George Utah Temple is announced. Simultaneously, the dedication and groundbreaking ceremonies are held byBrigham Young .1874
* June – Non-Mormon Liberal Party members in
Tooele County, Utah 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 Snow 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 : PresidentBrigham 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.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 1862Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act banning plural marriage in "Reynolds v. United States ".George Q. Cannon , 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."1880s
1880
*The First Presidency is reorganized three years after President
Brigham Young 's passing. John Taylor is named president.*
October 10 : General Conference.
** The Pearl of Great Price is canonized.
**Francis M. Lyman andJohn Henry Smith are called to theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .
*October 27 –Francis M. Lyman andJohn Henry Smith are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1882
*
February 25 – After a bitter dispute betweenGeorge Q. Cannon (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 – TheEdmunds Act declares polygamy a felony. The act not only reinforces the 1862Morrill 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 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 triedex-post facto , in clear violation of the Constitution of the United States. He is imprisoned and fined for his marriage.*
October 16 –George Teasdale andHeber J. Grant are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1884
*
John W. Taylor is ordained an apostle and member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1885
*
February 1 – President John Taylor goes underground to avoid being arrested and tried for plural marriage.1887
*The
Edmunds-Tucker Act 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 thePerpetual Emigration Fund .1889
*Two years after the death of John Taylor, the First Presidency is reorganized with Wilford Woodruff as president.
* The Liberal Party is elected to runOgden, Utah .
*October 7 –Marriner W. Merrill ,Anthon H. Lund , andAbraham H. Cannon are ordained apostles and members of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles .1890s
1890
*
May 19 : The Supreme Court upholds theEdmunds-Tucker Act in "The Late Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. United States "
*September 24 : President Woodruff records the1890 Manifesto .
*September 25 : PresidentWilford Woodruff issues the1890 Manifesto ending the official practice of polygamy.
*October 6 : At a General Conference, PresidentLorenzo Snow submits the manifesto for a vote; it is approved unanimously.
* The Liberal Party wins theSalt Lake City, Utah elections, taking control of that city in addition toOgden, Utah .1891
* June – The People's Party 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.
1893
*
April 6 – TheSalt Lake Temple is dedicated, exactly 40 years after construction began.
* All polygamists are given executive pardon in preparation for statehood. This restores their right to vote.
* TheLiberal Party (Utah) disbands as members join the national parties in anticipation of statehood.1896
*
January 4 –Utah is recognized by the federal government and achieves statehood as the 45th state.Polygamy is explicitly banned in the state constitution. Women'ssuffrage is continued.1898
*
September 2 : Wilford Woodruff passes away.Lorenzo Snow assumes leadership of the church.ee also
*
20th century (Mormonism)
*21st century (Mormonism) References
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