| Prominent leader of the church in
Missouri, 1831–1838. In charge of final stages of construction of the
Kirtland house of the Lord, keeper of the Lord's storehouse in Zion, Church
Historian. Opposed activities of the Danites and testified against Joseph.
Excommunicated 1839. Wrote an important history of the church in 1839. |
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| Born |
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September 17, 1794 in Barre, Worcester
county, Massachusetts |
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| Died |
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1840 in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois. |
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Papers, 481 citing Adams
County, Illinois, Probate Records. No death date is given in
Papers, 536. |
| Mormon missionaries |
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In the fall of 1830, Oliver
Cowdery,
Parley P. Pratt, Zebedee
Coltrin, and Jacob Whitmer reach Harpersfield, Ashtabula County
where John lives. He reads a few
pages of the Book of Mormon, decides the book had been "published
for speculation," and concludes the missionaries are impostors. |
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Corrill history,
1.
Harrisfield: 1830 census at ¶ Ancestry.com (subscribers)
indicates two boys (one under 5, one 10 –15) and two girls (one
5–10, one 10–15) living with John and his wife (Margaret),
both between thirty and forty. |
| Tries to save Sidney
from Mormons |
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November 1830 hoping to dissuade
Sidney from joining the Mormons, John plans a preaching tour with Sidney,
but before John arrives, Sidney is baptized. |
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Corrill history,
8–9. |
| Attends meetings |
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Continues to Kirtland and attends
several meetings: |
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| Sacrament, Holy Ghost,
prophecy, tongues |
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one of which was [for] the laying
on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, which, I thought, would give
me a good opportunity to detect their hypocrisy. The meeting lasted all
night, and such a meeting I never attended before. They administered the
sacrament, and laid on hands, after which I heard them prophecy and speak
in tongues unknown to me. |
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Corrill history,
9.
Source |
| Baptized |
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January 10, 1831 baptized. |
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Corrill history, 17. |
| Elder |
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January [13–14], 1831 ordained an elder. |
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Corrill history, 17. |
| The Law |
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February 9, 1831 likely attends conference of
twelve elders where "the Law" is revealed. |
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Corrill history, 17. |
| New London church |
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February [after the 9th] mission to New London,
Huron county, Ohio, with Solomon Hancock. They "built up a church of thirty-six
members in about three weeks time." |
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Corrill history, 17. |
| Mission |
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May 9, 1831 called on mission with Joseph
Wakefield and Parley P. Pratt (h)
to strengthen the churches. |
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¶ D&C
50:37 |
| High Priesthood, bishop's counselor |
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June [3] 1831 ordained to the High Priesthood and assistant to Bishop Edward
Partridge by Lyman Wight (h) (swh). |
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¶ Minutes
of June [3–6], 1831 |
| Confession pleases Joseph |
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[March 21, 1833 Joseph:] Say to Brother Corrill
that his confession gave me great satisfaction, and all things are now settled
on my part. |
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Joseph to the "Brethren in Zion,"
Mar. 21, 1833, TS 5, no. 24 (Jan. 1, 1844):
754. |
| Third bishop in Zion |
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July 2, 1833 Joseph writes W.
W. Phelps and others in Zion recommending Isaac
Morley be ordained second bishop in Zion, John
Corrill third. Parley
P. Pratt (h) and Titus Billings replace
them as Bishop Partridge's counselors. John Corrill chooses Daniel Stanton
and Hezekiah Peck. |
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TS 6, no. 3 (Feb.
15, 1845): 800. |
| Independence branch |
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September 11, 1833 named to preside over the
fourth of ten branches organized in Independence. |
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Minutes of September 11, 1833 |
| Petition governor
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December 6, 1833 W. W. Phelps, John
Whitmer, Edward Partridge, Isaac
Morley, John Corrill, and A. S. Gilbert
petition the governor for assistance from the state militia in recovering
their lands and homes; also that Mormons be organized in companies of Jackson
Guards, and be furnished with arms by the state.
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| Clay county stable |
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Winter 1833–1834 moves family into old log
cabin with Edward Partridge and his family in Clay county. It had been used
as stable. |
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I remember, 16. |
| Burning of Mormon
homes complete |
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June 14, 1834 writes to the Star
that Jackson county mob had burned remaining Mormon homes and were agitating
citizens, but some leaders leaving the county. |
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To
the Star, June 14, 1834 |
| Move to Liberty |
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John and other leaders, including
Edward Partridge, W. W. Phelps, Isaac Morley, and John Whitmer move to or
near Liberty.
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| Kirtland endowment
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June 23, 1834 fifteen high priests
in Missouri, including John, are called to receive their endowments "with
power from on high" in Kirtland.
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¶
Minutes of June 23, 1834 |
| Complaint against
Lyman Wight |
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August 21, 1834 complains to the
high council in Clay county that Lyman Wight (h)
(swh) teaches all disease is of the devil,
medicine is of the devil, members ought to live by faith. |
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¶
Minutes of August 21, 1834 |
| Acting bishop |
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August 15, 1835 acting bishop at
solemn assembly that approves first edition of the D&C. |
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| House of the Lord |
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January 15, 1836 appointed to "take charge
of the house of the Lord in Kirtland." |
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Joseph's Ohio Journal in Papers
2:143. |
| Founds Far West |
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1836 becomes one of the founders
of Far West, Caldwell county. |
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| One of the wise men
to sell lots |
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April 7, 1837 "wise men"
W. W. Phelps, John
Whitmer, Edward
Partridge, Isaac Morley, and John Corrill
are authorized to set the price and sell the lots of Far West. |
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Minutes
of April 7, 1837 |
| Sell town lots |
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May 1837 assigned to furnish bread
and wine for the sacrament each Sunday. John, John Whitmer, William W. Phelps,
Edward Partridge, and Isaac Morley are authorized "to sell the town
plott and manage the affair of the same." |
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Minutes
of May 1837 |
| Church agent, keep
storehouse |
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May 22, 1837
appointed "agent to the Church and Keeper of the Lord's Store House"
by the high council and congregation. |
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Minutes
of May 22, 1837 |
| Released from bishopric |
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August 1, 1837 released as counselor
to Bishop Partridge. |
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Minutes
of August 1, 1837 |
| Committee to start
stakes |
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[October 1837 high council called by Joseph] votes that other Stakes
be appointed in the regions round about. Therefore, a committee was appointed
to locate the same, consisting of Oliver Cowdery, David
Whitmer, John Corrill, and Lyman
Wight (h) (swh),
who started on their mission before we left. |
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Elders Journal
1, no. 2 (Nov. 1837): 28. |
| Lord's storehouse
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November 7, 1837 appointed "Keeper
of the Lord's Storehouse" at a Far West conference. |
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Minutes
of November 7, 1837 |
| Quasi-support for
stake presidency |
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February 5, 1838 refuses to vote
against the stake presidency of Zion (David
Whitmer, John Whitmer, W.
W. Phelps) at their trial by the high council, insisting they could
be tried only by a bishop and twelve high priests (a "common council").
However, "he did not uphold them in their iniquity." |
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Minutes
of February 5–9, 1838 |
| Motto of the church |
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March [16–18], 1838 signs "Motto
of the Church" with Joseph, Thomas B. Marsh (h),
David W. Patten (h), Brigham Young, Samuel
H. Smith, and George M. Hinkle. |
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| Church historian |
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April 6, 1838 appointed Church Historian
with Elias Higbee. |
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Minutes
of April 6, 1838 |
| "Traitor" |
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October 1838 one of the men who meets
with Colonel Lucas prior to the "betrayal" of Joseph at Far West,
the others being George M. Hinkle, Reed Peck, W. W. Phelps, and John Cleminson. |
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| History |
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February 11, 1839 submits title page of A
Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly called
Mormons,) including an account of their doctrine and discipline, with the
reasons of the author for leaving the Church. By John Corrill, a member
of the Legislature of Missouri" to the clerk of the Missouri District
for copyright. |
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Corrill history,
4. Source |
| Excommunicated |
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March 17, 1839 excommunicated with
George M. Hinkle, Sampson Avard, W. W. Phelps, Frederick
G. Williams, and Thomas B. Marsh (h). |
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| Spouses |
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Margaret |
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Four children by 1830. |
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1830 census at Ancestry.com |
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Elizabeth Penewell, md.
1839
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Biographies
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