| Prominent leader of the church in
Missouri, 1831–1838. In charge of final stages of construction of the
Kirtland house of the Lord, keeper of the Lord's storehouse in Zion, Church
Historian. Opposed activities of the Danites and testified against Joseph.
Excommunicated 1839. Wrote an important history of the church in 1839. |
|
| Born |
|
September 17, 1794 in Barre, Worcester
county, Massachusetts |
|
|
| Died |
|
1840 in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois. |
|
Papers
Papers of Joseph Smith, Volume 1: Autobiographical and Historical Writings, edited by Dean C. Jessee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1989).
, 481 citing Adams
County, Illinois, Probate Records. No death date is given in
Papers
Papers of Joseph Smith, Volume 2: Journal, 1832-1842, edited by Dean C. Jessee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1992).
, 536. |
| Mormon missionaries |
|
In the fall of 1830, Oliver
Cowdery,
Parley P. Pratt, Zebedee
Coltrin, and Jacob Whitmer reach Harpersfield, Ashtabula County
where John lives. He reads a few
pages of the Book of Mormon, decides the book had been "published
for speculation," and concludes the missionaries are impostors. |
|
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
,
1.
Harrisfield: 1830 census at ¶ Ancestry.com
indicates two boys (one under 5, one 10 –15) and two girls (one
5–10, one 10–15) living with John and his wife (Margaret),
both between thirty and forty. |
| Tries to save Sidney
from Mormons |
|
November 1830 hoping to dissuade
Sidney from joining the Mormons, John plans a preaching tour with Sidney,
but before John arrives, Sidney is baptized. |
|
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
,
8–9. |
| Attends meetings |
|
Continues to Kirtland and attends
several meetings: |
|
|
| Sacrament, Holy Ghost,
prophecy, tongues |
|
one of which was [for] the laying
on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, which, I thought, would give
me a good opportunity to detect their hypocrisy. The meeting lasted all
night, and such a meeting I never attended before. They administered the
sacrament, and laid on hands, after which I heard them prophecy and speak
in tongues unknown to me. |
|
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
,
9.
Source |
| Baptized |
|
January 10, 1831 baptized. |
|
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
, 17. |
| Elder |
|
January [13–14], 1831 ordained an elder. |
|
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
, 17. |
| The Law |
|
February 9, 1831 likely attends conference of
twelve elders where "the Law" is revealed. |
|
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
, 17. |
| New London church |
|
February [after the 9th] mission to New London,
Huron county, Ohio, with Solomon Hancock. They "built up a church of thirty-six
members in about three weeks time." |
|
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
, 17. |
| Mission |
|
May 9, 1831 called on mission with Joseph
Wakefield and Parley P. Pratt (h)
to strengthen the churches. |
|
¶ D&C
50:37 |
| High Priesthood, bishop's counselor |
|
June [4], 1831 ordained to the High Priesthood and assistant to Bishop Edward
Partridge by Lyman Wight. "This was the first time that I knew or even thought that there was to be a bishop in the Church, but on reflection I knew that there were bishops in old times, and I said nothing against it." |
|
¶ Minutes
of June [4], 1831
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
,
4. Source |
| |
|
June 6, 1831 called to travel with Lyman Wight to Independence. |
|
¶ D&C 52:7 |
| Michigan |
|
June 14, 1831 John, Lyman Wight, Hyrum Smith, and John Murdock accompany Lucy Mack Smith and her sister-in-law Amira Mack to Fairport, where they board the steamer William Penn for Detroit (Mack home). Lyman and John Corrill labor in Oakland County before leaving for Missouri, Hyrum and John Murdock travel south through Elkhart. |
|
Murdock autobiography
John Murdock autobiography (July 1792-November 1844). Church Archives, MS 8215. Probably written in late 1844 (page 22 cites1844 Doctrine and Covenants) or after. Includes early years not in journal and expanded account of conversion and baptism. Daily entries begin June14, 1830 and end in May 1836, then a few sporadic entries to November 1844.
, 23. |
| |
|
Summer 1831 while Lyman proselytes, Harriet moves to Jackson County, Missouri with their three children, ages seven, five, and three. They join the Big Blue settlement three miles west of Independence. |
|
Orange Wight
Orange L. Wight, Reminiscences (1903), typescript. BYU Special Collections, MSS 1025.
, 1. |
| Illinois |
|
August 10, 1831 baptizes Sanford Porter near Plainfield, Cook [Will],
Illinois. |
|
Joseph Grant Stevenson, The Porter Family 1:86 citing Porterville
Ward records. |
| Baptize and ordain |
|
[Morris Phelps:] They held a meeting at my house again, and we went to the place prepared,
and the ordinance was performed for myself, my wife, and eldest daughter
[Malinda]—and I was ordained an Elder, and set apart to labor [90] as a missionary in and around the vicinity where we lived. The elders then
went to the home of Nathan Sumner, about 6 miles from our place, whom they
also baptized and ordained an Elder and set him apart also to labor with
me as a missionary in adjoining towns. |
|
Morris Phelps letter, 19. |
| |
¶ |
We then went about sixty miles north where we converted Morris Phelps,
Baldwin Clark, and John Cooper, who were some of our old neighbors, as
were also the Sumners, who afterwards became relatives-in-law. Shortly
after our return, two elders passed through Tazewell County on their way
from Jackson County, Missouri to Kirtland, Ohio, informing the Saints that
Independence, Missouri had been designated as the gathering place … Shortly
after this, I offered my property for sale, and prepared to go, and instructed
the Saints over whom I was called to preside to do likewise. So on December
1st in the company with James Emmett, Morris Phelps, William Alldredge,
John Alldredge, and a Mr. Berry—all with our families—set out for Independence,
Missouri. |
|
Morris Phelps sees two men
passing through field on foot; at the same time, man on horse (James Emmett);
he asks if he has seen Book of Mormon; no, only by letter; takes book
from pocket, says those two are Mormon preachers; 20 meet that night;
in the morning they baptize Emmett and ordain him an elder. Then the missionaries go south and baptize Porter. Charles C. Rich
joins next year. Porter goes south with Sumner to preach to Clarks.
This time Morris and Laura Phelps and John and Rhoda Cooper. Morris Phelps letter, 19. |
| |
|
August 18, 1831 baptizes Morris Phelps in Tazwell County, Illinois. |
|
|
| Move to Liberty |
|
John and other leaders, including
Edward Partridge, W. W. Phelps, Isaac Morley, and John Whitmer move to or
near Liberty.
|
|
|
| Kirtland endowment
|
|
June 23, 1834 fifteen high priests
in Missouri, including John, are called to receive their endowments "with
power from on high" in Kirtland.
|
|
¶
Minutes of June 23, 1834 |
| Complaint against
Lyman Wight |
|
August 21, 1834 complains to the
high council in Clay county that Lyman Wight teaches all disease is of the devil,
medicine is of the devil, members ought to live by faith. |
|
¶
Minutes of August 21, 1834 |
| Acting bishop |
|
August 15, 1835 acting bishop at
solemn assembly that approves first edition of the D&C. |
|
|
| House of the Lord |
|
January 15, 1836 appointed to "take charge
of the house of the Lord in Kirtland." |
|
Joseph's Ohio Journal in
Papers
Papers of Joseph Smith, Volume 2: Journal, 1832-1842, edited by Dean C. Jessee (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1992).
2:143. |
| Founds Far West |
|
1836 becomes one of the founders
of Far West, Caldwell county. |
|
|
| One of the wise men
to sell lots |
|
April 7, 1837 "wise men"
W. W. Phelps, John
Whitmer, Edward
Partridge, Isaac Morley, and John Corrill
are authorized to set the price and sell the lots of Far West. |
|
Minutes
of April 7, 1837 |
| Sell town lots |
|
May 1837 assigned to furnish bread
and wine for the sacrament each Sunday. John, John Whitmer, William W. Phelps,
Edward Partridge, and Isaac Morley are authorized "to sell the town
plott and manage the affair of the same." |
|
Minutes
of May 1837 |
| Church agent, keep
storehouse |
|
May 22, 1837
appointed "agent to the Church and Keeper of the Lord's Store House"
by the high council and congregation. |
|
Minutes
of May 22, 1837 |
| Released from bishopric |
|
August 1, 1837 released as counselor
to Bishop Partridge. |
|
Minutes
of August 1, 1837 |
| Committee to start
stakes |
|
[October 1837 high council called by Joseph] votes that other Stakes
be appointed in the regions round about. Therefore, a committee was appointed
to locate the same, consisting of Oliver Cowdery, David
Whitmer, John Corrill, and Lyman
Wight,
who started on their mission before we left. |
|
Elders Journal
1, no. 2 (Nov. 1837): 28. |
| Lord's storehouse
|
|
November 7, 1837 appointed "Keeper
of the Lord's Storehouse" at a Far West conference. |
|
Minutes
of November 7, 1837 |
| Quasi-support for
stake presidency |
|
February 5, 1838 refuses to vote
against the stake presidency of Zion David
Whitmer, John Whitmer, W. W. Phelps) at their trial by the high council, insisting they could
be tried only by a bishop and twelve high priests (a "common council").
However, "he did not uphold them in their iniquity." |
|
Minutes
of February 5–9, 1838 |
| Motto of the church |
|
March [16–18], 1838 signs "Motto
of the Church" with Joseph, Thomas B. Marsh (h),
David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Samuel
H. Smith, and George M. Hinkle. |
|
|
| Church historian |
|
April 6, 1838 appointed Church Historian
with Elias Higbee. |
|
Minutes
of April 6, 1838 |
| "Traitor" |
|
October 1838 one of the men who meets
with Colonel Lucas prior to the "betrayal" of Joseph at Far West,
the others being George M. Hinkle, Reed Peck, W. W. Phelps, and John Cleminson. |
|
|
| History |
|
February 11, 1839 submits title page of A
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly called
Mormons,) including an account of their doctrine and discipline, with the
reasons of the author for leaving the Church. By John Corrill, a member
of the Legislature of Missouri" to the clerk of the Missouri District
for copyright. |
|
Corrill history
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons), John Corrill (St. Louis: author, 1839) on Dale Broadhurst website, http://olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1830s/1839Corl.htm. Also on New Mormon Studies CD-ROM.
,
4. Source |
| Excommunicated |
|
March 17, 1839 excommunicated with
George M. Hinkle, Sampson Avard, W. W. Phelps, Frederick
G. Williams, and Thomas B. Marsh. |
|
|
|
| Family |
| Wife |
|
Margaret |
|
|
|
|
Four children by 1830.
|
|
1830 census at Ancestry.com |
| Wife |
|
Elizabeth Penewell, md.
1839
|
|
|
|
|
Biographies
Home
|