Footnotes

1. [1]

   JS, Sidney Rigdon, and Thomas B. Marsh began their trip to Canada on 27 July but were detained in Painesville, Ohio, by several lawsuits involving JS in the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas. They started again the evening of 28 July and arrived in Buffalo by 30 July. JS’s history records that he spent most of August in Canada and returned to Kirtland “about the last of August.” (JS History, vol. B-1, 767, 770, addenda, 6.)

2. [2]

   By transferring or selling stock, individuals could discontinue their membership in and financial support of the Safety Society. The 8 June transaction appears to be the earliest instance of Oliver Granger acting in the capacity of an agent for JS. Granger was given a financial power of attorney for JS and Sidney Rigdon in September 1837. He was made an official agent of the church in May 1839. (Power of Attorney to Oliver Granger, 27 Sept. 1837; JS Authorization for Oliver Granger, 6 May 1839, CHL; JS and Others, Commerce, IL, Letter of Recommendation for Oliver Granger, 13 May 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 45–46.)

3. [3]

   In a July 1837 editorial, Warren A. Cowdery suggested that JS’s and Sidney Rigdon’s resignations occurred around the same time as the transfer of their stock. According to the society’s stock ledger, JS transferred his stock on 8 June, but there is no record of Rigdon transferring his stock. JS’s history recounts that he resigned as an officer of the society before 7 July 1837. It is likely that the officers stepped down soon after they sold their stock, but they may have had to wait until the directors could meet and elect new officers before they could remove themselves from their positions. (“Argument to Argument Where I Find It,” Elders’ Journal, Aug. 1838, 55–60; Warren A. Cowdery, Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, July 1837, 3:535–541; Kirtland Safety Society, Stock Ledger, 1–2, 273; JS History, vol. B-1, 764.)

   Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Kirtland, OH, Oct.–Nov. 1837; Far West, MO, July–Aug. 1838.

   Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

4. [4]

   An editorial in the August 1838 Elders’ Journal mentions that Williams and Parrish were elected to replace JS and Rigdon but does not indicate when this election took place. (“Argument to Argument Where I Find It,” Elders’ Journal, Aug. 1838, 58.)

   Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Kirtland, OH, Oct.–Nov. 1837; Far West, MO, July–Aug. 1838.

5. [5]

   “Look Out,” Daily Herald and Gazette (Cleveland, OH), 8 July 1837, [3].

   Daily Herald and Gazette. Cleveland. 1837–1839.

6. [6]

   On 20 May John Johnson and his daughter Emily Johnson withdrew the money they had paid the society for their shares of stock; Wilford Woodruff, William F. Cahoon, and Sabra Granger followed suit on 22 May 1837. JS, eight members of his family, and nineteen other stockholders sold their stock to Oliver Granger and Jared Carter between 8 and 20 June 1837. (Kirtland Safety Society, Stock Ledger, 13–16, 23–24, 45, 47–50, 53–55, 61–64, 87–88, 107–108, 115–120, 149–151, 177–178, 181–182, 187–188, 193–196, 201–202, 207–208, 219, 227, 237–238, 261–262, 265–266, 273–274; see also Introduction to Part 6: 20 Apr.–14 Sept. 1837.)

7. [7]

   See Introduction to Part 5: 5 Oct. 1836–10 Apr. 1837; and Introduction to Part 6: 20 Apr.–14 Sept. 1837.

8. [8]

   The Record of the Seventy does not name the individual responsible for the suggestion. Nathan Tanner’s reminiscent account of the meeting attributes the idea to John Gould. Tanner also suggests that Gould’s idea included disfellowshipping those who continued to circulate the notes. Tanner claimed that when a vote was called he was the sole opposing vote and that his opposition led Joseph Young to dismiss the resolution. In contrast, the Record of the Seventy indicates that the resolution was accepted and forwarded to the First Presidency. (Tanner, Address, [21]–[23]; Record of Seventies, bk. A, 31–33.)

   Tanner, Nathan. Address, no date. CHL. MS 2815.

   Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “Book of Records,” 1837–1843. Bk. A. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 1, fd. 1.

9. [9]

   Record of Seventies, bk. A, 32.

   Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “Book of Records,” 1837–1843. Bk. A. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 1, fd. 1.

10. [10]

    Record of Seventies, bk. A, 33.

    Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “Book of Records,” 1837–1843. Bk. A. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 1, fd. 1.

11. [11]

    Nathan Tanner recounted that he and other church members traded their goods for the devalued currency in order to remove it from circulation and thereby relieve JS and Rigdon of the burden of redeeming the notes of the Kirtland Safety Society. Entries in the society’s stock ledger also suggest church members who were not stockholders were helping to buy up “Kirtland Funds.” (Tanner, Address, [24]; Kirtland Safety Society, Stock Ledger, 130, 180.)

    Tanner, Nathan. Address, no date. CHL. MS 2815.