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Minutes, 28 December 1834

Source Note

Minutes, , Geauga Co., OH, 28 Dec. 1834. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 81–82; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.

Historical Introduction

On 28 December 1834, the , Ohio, convened in the church’s to consider a case that involved and George Hartley of , Randolph County, Indiana. The difficulty between Walker and Hartley was long–standing, having first arisen in 1831. Walker, who had purchased land in by March 1819, was a resident of Winchester in 1831 when missionaries and arrived in the town. In July and August 1831, Hancock and Coltrin established “a larg[e] branch” of the church in Winchester, perhaps baptizing Walker and Hartley at that time.
In late November 1831, , , , and some others traveling to arrived in Winchester and held several conferences with the local church members. Around this time, and Hartley had a disagreement over an unspecified financial transaction that they then brought before a conference held on 6–7 December. Cowdery and the other conference attendees requested that Walker and Hartley resolve their disagreement privately. When they failed to do so, Marsh and Whitmer, acting as mediators, instructed Walker to pay Hartley “his just Due.” According to the minutes of that meeting, after “much cavilling on the part of Walker to stand or hold fast to his agreement,” Walker agreed to pay the amount. He “truly humbled himself & they came together as brothers and disciples & all matters were settled & buried.”
It is not clear what revived the and Hartley case in December 1834, but it may have been related to Walker’s standing in the church. Though not mentioned in the 1831 minutes, Walker may have had a church-issued taken from him at that time or sometime before the December 1834 meeting. Next to Walker’s name in the minutes of a 29 November 1831 meeting is a parenthetical note: “license taken.” It is unclear when it was written in the minutes.
It is also possible that brought the case up again as a result of a visit from a few months prior to the 28 December 1834 council meeting. In fall 1834, Hancock, who had traveled to with the , and , a church member who had been baptized in , Missouri, in July 1833, traveled from , Missouri, toward . In early October, the two men stopped in “at the House of Oliver Walker” and held a series of meetings. Hancock, who had likely not communicated with Walker since the branch of the church was organized in Winchester in summer 1831, may have encouraged Walker to visit Kirtland and meet with the high council to determine his standing in the church or resolve any lingering matters. Whatever the reason, when Walker met with the high council, they affirmed his good standing.
Near the close of this high council meeting, JS and spoke “relative to the order of offices and titles in the church.” Their comments may have been related to the rebuke that they and other members of the received on 5 December 1834. According to ’s record of that meeting, “the voice of the Spirit” told the leaders of the church to reform their “manners, habits and customs, and salutations” and to give “unto every man the respect due the office, calling, and priesthood.”
is listed as a clerk of the council, but since he was one of the speakers involved in the case, it is more likely that kept most of the minutes of this meeting. Cowdery may have added to those minutes, which later copied into Minute Book 1.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Minute Book 2, 6–7 Dec. 1831.

  2. [2]

    Tucker, History of Randolph County, Indiana, 390. Hancock and Coltrin traveled together and proselytized in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois in summer 1831. (Hancock, Autobiography, 95–110; see also Revelation, 6 June 1831 [D&C 52:29].)

    Tucker, E. History of Randolph County, Indiana, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Chicago: A. L. Kingman, 1882.

    Hancock, Levi Ward. Autobiography, 1803–1836. New Mormon Studies CD-ROM: A Comprehensive Resource Library, 2009. CHL.

  3. [3]

    Hancock, Autobiography, 101.

    Hancock, Levi Ward. Autobiography, 1803–1836. New Mormon Studies CD-ROM: A Comprehensive Resource Library, 2009. CHL.

  4. [4]

    Cowdery was appointed moderator at the 6–7 December 1831 conference.

  5. [5]

    Minute Book 2, 29 Nov.–1 Dec. and 6–7 Dec. 1831.

  6. [6]

    Minute Book 2, 29 Nov.–1 Dec. 1831. The parenthetical notation was likely not part of the original minutes but was later added by John Whitmer when he was compiling these minutes into a book. The notation could also have been made by Ebenezer Robinson, who copied Whitmer’s records into Minute Book 2. (See Source Note for Minute Book 2.)

  7. [7]

    Nathan West, Report, ca. Jan. 1835, Missionary Reports, 1831–1900, CHL.

    Missionary Reports, 1831–1900. CHL. MS 6104.

  8. [8]

    Account of Meetings, Revelation, and Blessing, 5–6 Dec. 1834.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Minutes, 28 December 1834 Minute Book 1

Page 82

Many excellent remarks were made relative to the order of offices and titles in the by J. Smith Junr. & when a vote was called to know whether all present were satisfied with those remarks, which was also unanimous, there being no dissenting voice.
Closed by prayer of
) Clerks of
)
The next council will be arranged as follows:
[p. 82]
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Source Note

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Page 82

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes, 28 December 1834
ID #
7859
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D4:208–211
Handwriting on This Page
  • Warren A. Cowdery

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