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A Cultural History of the Influence of Nineteenth-Century American Print on the Trajectory of The

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A Cultural History of the Influence of Nineteenth-Century American Print on the Trajectory of The CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by The University of Utah: J. Willard Marriott Digital Library THE IMPRINT OF THE PRESS: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE INFLUENCE OF NINETEENTH-CENTURY AMERICAN PRINT ON MORMONISM IN KIRTLAND, OHIO, 1831-1837 by Jeremy John Chatelain A dissertation submitted to the faculty of The University of Utah in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Communication The University of Utah May 2018 Copyright © Jeremy John Chatelain 2018 All Rights Reserved The University of Utah Graduate School STATEMENT OF DISSERTATION APPROVAL The dissertation of Jeremy John Chatelain has been approved by the following supervisory committee members: David J. Vergobbi , Co-chair 02/26/2018 Date Approved Kimberley Mangun , Co-chair 02/26/2018 Date Approved Glen Feighery , Member 02/26/2018 Date Approved W. Paul Reeve , Member 02/27/2018 Date Approved J. B. Haws , Member 02/22/2018 Date Approved and by Danielle Endres , Chair/Dean of the Department/College/School of Communication and by David B. Kieda, Dean of The Graduate School. ABSTRACT This cultural history of Mormonism in Kirtland, Ohio, from 1831 to 1837 uses Agenda Setting and Vilification Theories to analyze 1,617 articles from 325 newspapers published during those years. This unprecedented number of sources enabled the researcher to identify how nineteenth-century print culture and texts about and by the Mormons created, shaped, changed, and directed the trajectory of Mormonism in its formative years. The qualitative examination exposed the most recurring topics on Mormonism in papers across the country, including the phenomenon of editors’ specific efforts to create a cultural enemy of Joseph Smith; the editorial tone used while writing about such news; the number of times identical or similar texts were reprinted in the newspaper exchange; and the dispersion and geographical reach of readers throughout the United States. It was discovered that American editors regularly employed six agendas when printing about the Mormons: dishonesty; criminality; fanaticism; credulity and gullibility; power; and vilification. Mormon reactions in their newspapers demonstrated a hypersensitivity to what was printed about them and revealed efforts to sway public perception with four of their own agendas: to dispel, correct, or offset incorrect perceptions; relay church doctrines and structure; unify scattered members; and portray a persecuted people. The focus on early years of the American entity that would become known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fills gaps in existing studies in American, religious, print, Mormon, and communication/journalism histories. Mormonism was a consistent topic in the American press during the seven years of this study. Newspapers in each state and territory addressed it on average every 1.5 days. Antebellum editors were unhindered by current First Amendment free press precedents and their viewpoints, opinions, and agenda-setting rhetoric were perpetuated in the minds of a voracious reading public as attitudes and understandings about Mormons were published, copied, and republished. The uniqueness and value of the research is the discovery and analysis of what was portrayed as truth about an American religion in thousands of printed pages and the reactions the texts evoked. Evidence of present-day agenda setting also is discussed in relation to the Mormons. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................vii Chapters 1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................1 Introduction..............................................................................................................1 Purpose and Research Questions..............................................................................5 Significance............................................................................................................12 Conclusion .............................................................................................................24 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE.................................................................................26 Introduction............................................................................................................26 U. S. History...........................................................................................................27 U. S. Religious History...........................................................................................31 U. S. Print History and the First Amendment Freedom of Speech and of the Press......................................................................................34 U. S. Religious Print History..................................................................................40 Mormon History.....................................................................................................44 Mormon Print History............................................................................................48 Conclusion .............................................................................................................56 3 METHOD AND THEORIES.................................................................................57 Introduction............................................................................................................57 Cultural History......................................................................................................57 The Historical Method............................................................................................60 Theory....................................................................................................................81 Conclusion .............................................................................................................90 4 MORMONISM ON THE AMERICAN SCENE...................................................92 Introduction............................................................................................................92 Setting the Stage.....................................................................................................95 Joseph Smith Jr., Founder of Mormonism..............................................................99 The Book of Mormon...........................................................................................109 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................111 5 THE PRESS AND AGENDA SETTING DURING THE MORMONS’ KIRTLAND, OHIO, YEARS, 1831-1832...........................................................113 Introduction..........................................................................................................113 The Ohio...............................................................................................................120 Setting the Agenda About the Mormons as They Moved to Kirtland, Ohio, 1831.............................................................................................125 1831 Closes..........................................................................................................148 Lackluster 1832....................................................................................................149 Conclusion...........................................................................................................156 6 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORMON VILIFICATION IN NON-MORMON AGENDA SETTING, 1833-1835…………………………...164 Introduction..........................................................................................................164 The Pungent Press of 1833...................................................................................165 1834: Mormonism More Complicated.................................................................178 The Continual Assaults of 1835............................................................................190 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................206 7 THE ROLE OF VILIFYING AGENDAS IN THE DOWNFALL OF MORMONISM IN KIRTLAND, OHIO, 1836-1837...........................................218 Introduction..........................................................................................................218 The 1836 Wane ....................................................................................................220 1837: The Collapse of Kirtland.............................................................................234 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................264 8 CONCLUSION....................................................................................................270 Introduction..........................................................................................................270 Research Findings, Questions, and Cultural History............................................272 Research Questions..............................................................................................273 Cultural History....................................................................................................293
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