Schoolhouse, Kirtland Township, Ohio

Two-story structure measuring thirty by thirty-eight feet, built during fall and winter of 1834. Located immediately west of temple lot on Whitney Street (now Maple Street) in Kirtland. School of the Elders met here from winter 1834–1835 to Jan. 1836. Ground floor was used as schoolroom and meetinghouse prior to completion of temple. JS frequently preached here. First members of Quorum of the Twelve were appointed and ordained on ground floor of schoolhouse, Feb. 1835. Second floor housed printing office and office for church presidency. Third-floor attic or loft was also used for meetings (sometimes called “council room”) and was site of first administration of ritual washings and anointings prior to dedication of temple. Building seized and sold at public auction, 15 Jan. 1838, in order to pay fine charged to JS and Sidney Rigdon in lawsuit encouraged by Grandison Newell. Destroyed by fire during night following auction. Disaffected members of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accused Saints of burning building, while many Saints felt that auction would not legally stand and that dissenters had burned building to prevent church from recovering it. Latter-day Saint Benjamin F. Johnson later recounted that his brother-in-law Lyman Sherman had burned building in order to prevent enemies of church from gaining access to printing press. See also “” and “.”