Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1984-04-01 The Impact of the Mormon Migration on the Community of Kirtland, Ohio, 1830-1839 Mark R. Grandstaff Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the History Commons, Mormon Studies Commons, and the Sociology Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Grandstaff, Mark R., "The Impact of the Mormon Migration on the Community of Kirtland, Ohio, 1830-1839" (1984). Theses and Dissertations. 4725. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4725 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. IMPACT MORMON MIGRATION COMMUNITY KIRTLAND OHIO 1830 1839 thesis presented department history brigham young university partial fulfillment requirements degree master arts mark R grandstaff april 1984 thesis mark R grandstaff accepted present form department history brig ham young university satisfying thesis requirements degree master arts c robert C kenzer ry committee chairmchaiemchairman1 n keith perkins committee member fe 0 J date R fnieranierlanier britschjt graduate coordinator 11 acknowledgments gratitude expressed robert C kenzer patience extensive assistance careful scrutiny manuscript likewise keith perkins expended large amounts time shared important sources kirtland period me besides serving my committee I1 benefited valuable classroom instruction private conversations deepest appreciation extended milton backman jr served my employer during my years brigham young university generously shared insights research numerous professors brigham young university I1 owe my deepest gratitude I1 should especially wish thank james alienailen david prattprattt each own way contributed my understanding those knowledgeable american especially mormon history realize I1 owe great debt marvin hill providing me valuable insights thanks extended D michael quinn donald cannon read parts manuscript offered helpful advice encouragement addition david whittaker shared bibliographical compilations mormon american history provided many important references iiiiliill staff LDS historical department genealogical department especially dean jessee kip sperry provided me valuable assistance did special collections harold B library brigham young university librarians lake county historical society mentor ohio geaughgeauga county historical society burtonburtton ohio western reserve historical society commended enthusiastic help my sincerest appreciation rendered my wife tamara my children ferrin cherreracherresaCher resa camber provided me love gratitude encouragement work dedicated them ivIV TABLE CONTENTS acknowledgments iiiliilil LIST TABLES vii LIST MAPS ix LIST CHARTS x chapter introduction 1 terminology 3 I1 SOCIAL ORIGINS KIRTLAND MORMONS 4 conclusions 27 II11 IMPACT MORMON MIGRATIONimmigrationemmigrationEM KIRTLAND OHIO 1830 1839 28 western reserve early settlers kirtland 29 kirtland 181518301815 1830 0 0 1.1 32 education religion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 mormon experience 183018381830 1838 0 0 0 41 subversion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 42 politics 0 0 0 0 44 mormon poverty 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 46 religious beliefs 49 kirtland economy 0 0 50 measurement impact 0 0 0 0 53 kirtlandsKirtlands decline growth 0 0 55 conclusions 0 0 0 0 0 0 55 illIII111 MORMON EXODUS KIRTLAND AFTERMATH 70 mormon hegira 0 0 0 0 0 0 70 great apostasy 0 70 aftermath 0 0 75 kirtlandsKirt lands decline grgrowthw h 82 conclusions 0 0 0 0 0 0 83 v appendices 86 I1 use lines longitude determine distance 87 II11 social mobility non cormonsmormons 1827 183418391834 1839 88 iliIII111 kirtland township elections 1830 1838 92 IV warnings kirtland cormonsmormons 1 102 V tables 104 NOTES 129 introduction 130 chapter I1 131 chapter II11 144 chapter iliillIII111 153 bibliography 157 primary sources 158 secondary sources 165 VI LIST TABLES tables lill111.1 number moves family within new england new york areas 179818391798 1839 104 121.2 migration new york kirtland 104 131.3 age baatbaptbaptismism 105 141.4 education 105 151.5 wealth converts 106 161.6iglg converts religious affiliation religious affiliation parents 107 171.7 converts occupational status fathers occupational status 108 181.8 converts fathers religious affiliation 109 191.9lgig reasons conversion written diary autobiography convert 110 llolio1101.10 ratio seekers converts place conversion illlilliiiliiii111 illiii1111.11 seekers religious affiliation illliilil111 212.1 kirtland township population 1830 1840 112 222.2 mormon non mormon town officers kirtland township 183018391830 1839 113 232.3 wealth distribution kirtland community 183018391830 1839 114 242.4 non mormon wealth concentration 1827 183018391830 1839 115 252.5 mormon wealth concentration 183518391835 1839 116 262.6 non mormon wealth concentration acres land 1827 183018391830 1839 117 VII 272.7 mormon wealth concentration acres land 183518391835 1839 41 118 282.8 average size farm kirtland 183018391830 1839 119 292.9 land distribution kirtland mormon community 183518381835 1838 I1 120 2102.10 growth rate non mormon mormon kirtland 183018391830 1839 121 2112.11 kirtland land prices current dollars 183018391830 1839 I1 122 2122.12 non mormon persistence 182718391827 1839 123 2132.13 non mormon turnover ratio 1832 1839 124 2142.14 non mormon social mobility 1827 183418391834 1839 125 2152.15 non mormon non persistersPer sisters wealth distribution 1827 1830 1839 126 2162.16 non mormon newcomers wealth distribution 183518381835 1838 127 313.1 post migration patterns kirtlandkirfcland saints 183718381837 1838 128 viii LIST MAPS maps iiil111.1 early branches mormon church 6 121.2 settlement patterns wiwithinthin new york 176018501760 1850 8 212.1 western reserve ohio 1833 30 222.2 kirtland township ohiohlohio0 1830 37 232.3 kirtland village 1837 38 242.4 church moves kirtlandartlandkirtland 0hiohloohio 1831 43 252.5 joseph smiths 1836 plplanpian kirkirfclandtlandaland ohio 0 52 262.6 land values kirtland township ohio 1830 57 272.7 land values kirtland township ohio 1832 58 282.8 land values kirtland township ohio 1833 0 59 292.9 land values kirtland township ohio 1834 0 60 2102.10 land values kirtland township ohio 1835 0 0 61 2112.11 land values kirtland township ohio 1836 0 62 2122.12 land values kirtland township ohio 1837 63 2132.132013 land values kirtland township ohio 1838 0 0 64 2142.14 land values kirtlandkirfcland township ohio 1839 65 2152.15 mormon non mormon property kirtland ohio 1832 0 0 0 0 0 66 2162.16 mormon non mormon property kirtland ohio 1834 0 0 0 0 0 67 2172.17 mormon non mormon property kirtland ohio 1836 0 0 0 68 2182.18 mormon non mormon property kirtland ohio 1838 0 69 ix LIST CHARTS charts 212.1 1820 population pyramid kirtland township 33 313.1 post migration patterns members kirtland branch 183718381837 1838 73 323.2 growth rate kirtland compared western reserve geaughgeauga county lake county 84 x introduction introduction mormonism kirtland area topic numerous scholarly studies eva L pancoastsPan coasts cormonsmormons kirtland 1929 milton V backmansbackmannBack mans heavens resound 1983 cormonsMormormonsmons stay kirtland during 1830s examined light mormon doctrinal economic social development 1 examination first quantitative community study impact mormon immigration non mormon township 2 answers questions involving kirtland cormonsmormons how did migration affecttheaffect township kirtland what happened both kirtland cormonsmormons kirtland township mormon exodus 1838 chapter through use diaries journals autobiographies reconstructs mormon social backgrounds provides portrait those saints moved kirtland challenges those scholars postulated mormonism attracted those psychologically dislocated due frequent migrations however does substantiate current thinking mormon movement anti pluralistic counterrevolutioncounter revolution attempting re establish order redefinere define what antebellum life should like based 1 2 upon reason revelation millenarian movement advocated return primitive christian principles inaugurated number experiments designed accomplish societyssocietys restoration many joined movement those seeking stability few migrated often yet many poor occupations primarily subsistence farmer small home manufacturer threatened increasing speculation urbanization commercial agriculture large scale manufacturing study finds Morcormonsmormonsmons part those seeking divine intervention straightening affairs irrational society chapter two through use land records deeds personal real property tax records measures results constant influx mormon families non mormon kirtland community many sociopoliticalsocio political economic factors lead anti mormon sentiments discussed quantified ZI1 study finds besides numerous social factors increasing mormon growth rate combination rising land prices affected communitys perception cormonsMormormonsmons non cormonsmormons saw mormon growth rate economic opportunity sold them land others felt threatened high land food prices left afraid cormonsmormons reducing township poverty few economic political leaders realizing cormonsmormons 3 beginning dominate township initiated economic restraints against them chapter three analyzes kirtland community mormon exodus provides analysis what happened kirtland cormonsmormons migrationimmigrationemmigrationem specifies