No. 96 The Center Place for Latter Day Saint Studies Winter 2013 CALL FOR PAPERS Sacred Places and Zionic Communities: The Ideals and Realities of the Restoration 42nd Annual Meeting: Lamoni, Iowa September 25 28, 2014 Z ION, GATHERING, SIGNAL COMMU- communities were attempted during the 1870s and NITIES, REFUGE, NEW JERUSALEM, 1880s. In 1910 there was a revival of the united order CONSECRATION, UNITED ORDER in Independence, which had limited success into all have been used to describe the communalist thought that underpins the ideals of many of the Latter Day Saint denominations. Joseph Smith s history with communalism is mixed. After his death, several leaders attempted to reinstitute communalism in various forms. In the Midwest, Strang gathered his followers at Voree and then Beaver Island. In Iowa, Charles B. Thompson gathered his followers to Preparation. Although not yet practicing consecration, Alpheus Cutler s followers gathered at Manti, Iowa, then moved to Minnesota, finally to Independence, Missouri where many of the members lived the law of consecration. When a group of his followers organized the United Order of Enoch in 1870 and decided to buy land in the area that is now Lamoni, Iowa, Joseph Smith III gave a reserved blessing to the effort. The Smith family and church headquarters eventually relocated to Lamoni in the early 1880s, but communalism was not part of the new community. At the same time in Utah, several united order the 1930s. Proposals for complete sessions are encouraged, but individual papers, panel discussions, interviews, personal essays, debates, musical presentations, and more will also be considered. Proposals related to the conference theme are preferred, but reflections on other topics and their intersection with the Latter Day Saint movement, in addition to studies of historical and contemporary events and figures, news in the Latter Day Saint world, and cultural studies will be considered as well. Proposals should include: title, 100-word abstract, brief summary of the topics relevance to JWHA s focus of purpose, list of any audio/visual equipment needs (or specify no AV needed ), and a brief bio (with contact information) for the proposed presenter(s). The proposal deadline is April 1, 2014. Those presenting at the conference will be expected to register, including the payment of registration fees, prior to the conference. Please submit proposals to: proposals@jwha.info.
Page 2 The John Whitmer Historical Association Newsletter Presidential Message, 2013-2014 With Council Bluffs in the rear-view mirror, I headed south on I-29 and would soon turn east. The 2013 Annual Meeting was behind us and I chose a route home to Nauvoo that would lead through Lamoni so I could visit a potential 2014 annual meeting venue. Just outside of Corning, Iowa, I made an unplanned stop. As Nauvoo s French Icarian community broke up in the 1850s, they relocated to Corning. I had long hoped to visit and get a sense of the place in which they attempted to build their version of Zion. Unfortunately, this was not the reason for my stop. My inspiration came instead from a state trooper s flashing lights. After maintaining a perfect driving record for more than fifteen years, I was being stopped for the third time in two years. The first had been outside of Nauvoo, the second not far from Palmyra, New York, and both had ended in tickets. Not in Iowa, though. The trooper asked me where I was coming from and I explained I had been at a church history conference. He gave me a warning and let me go. For no good reason, I was immediately convinced that it was the church connection that made the difference and I expanded my analysis to see the traffic stops as analogous to our 19 th century experiences in the various states. New York and Illinois were not particularly friendly or forgiving. But Iowa was a different story. They welcomed us and our various expressions of Latter Day Saint thought, just as they welcomed the Icarians, the Inspirationists of Amana and other lesser-known Utopians. And the people of Iowa are preparing to welcome us again for our 2014 Annual Meeting in Lamoni as we explore Sacred Places and Zionic Communities: The Ideals and Realities of the Restoration. Our first order of business, though, is the Restoration Studies/Sunstone Midwest Symposium to be held at the Graceland Independence Campus January 31 to February 2, 2104. There we will explore Of One Heart and Mind: Common Consent in the Restoration Traditions. Details on both conferences can be found elsewhere in the newsletter. With the very capable assistance of our Executive Director, Cheryle Grinter, we continue to make great strides in professionalizing and streamlining our organizational operations, and we hope you appreciate the stepped-up service. Thanks to Cheryle for her hard work, and thanks to those of you who contribute your time, talents, and treasure to make the John Whitmer Historical Association successful. --Lachlan Mackay President
The John Whitmer Historical Association Newsletter Page 3 2013 Annual Meeting Report Thanks to lots of hard work from program committee co-chair Debbie Marsh, JWHA Executive Director Cheryle Grinter, bus tour consultant/narrator Lew Weigand, awards committee chair Erin Metcalfe, Jan Marshall of John Whitmer Books, Craig Foster who coordinated the auction, and most importantly the dedicated professional and amateur historians who shared their research, our 2013 Annual Meeting was a smashing success. Back-of-the-house responsibilities prevented me from sitting in on most of the sessions, but highlights for me included Laurie Maffly-Kipps thoughtful exploration of scripture and schism in the Restoration, Ron Romig s illustrated discussion of the Whitmer family, Brent and Erin Metcalfe s presentation on Book of Mormon Caractors, Terry Latey s introduction to web-based tools used to share Latter Day Saint history in southwestern Iowa, Barbara Bernhauer s video on Little Sioux, and R. Jean Addams paper on the Redemption of Zion. It is not a coincidence that the above list includes every session that I was able to attend. The quality of the program was outstanding, as was the turnout, especially for an away (not in Independence) conference. We had 136 attendees at the conference, including 30 first-time attendees of which 16 joined us for the first-time attendees breakfast. We hope to increase both these numbers in Lamoni and are now planning how to best connect with the Graceland community. Thanks again to all who made our 2013 gathering in Council Bluffs a success, and special thanks to Debbie Marsh who went through more than twenty drafts to create the final program. Debbie, your organizational skills and patience are appreciated more than words can express. --Lachlan Mackay President Join us for Restoration Studies/ Sunstone Midwest 2014 January 31 to February 2, at Graceland University INDEPENDENCE CAMPUS. Come and explore the theme Of One Heart and Mind: Common Consent in the Restoration Traditions. Papers, panel discussions, plenary sessions, and the Wallace B. Smith Lecture, presented by Dr. Leonard M. Young, a former member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, Community of Christ. Register online at: https://www.regonline.com/rss2014, or call 816.738.9342 for more information.
Page 4 The John Whitmer Historical Association Newsletter John Whitmer Historical Association Annual Meeting Minutes R. Jean Addams, President, called the meeting to order at 6:47 PM. Welcome to the 41 st Annual Meeting of the John Whitmer Historical Association. Annual Meeting Important Announcements: Please wear your name tags throughout the meeting. Only one program per registered guest. One Journal per family. Banquets and bus tour are sold out. If you are a session chair for more than one session, hold on to your chair packet and use for each session you chair. Please return your chair packet to the registration desk when you ve completed your sessions. In the printing of the program we omitted Smith-Pettit they are a generous sponsor. A special thank you to the Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau for their contributions to the meeting. The 9/20/12 Annual Membership Meeting minutes were approved as written. At the April 12, 2013 board meeting the Board of Directors voted to raise the annual regular membership The John Whitmer Historical Association NEWSLETTER The newsletter is published irregularly by and for the benefit of the membership of the John Whitmer Historical Association. Copyright 2013 by JWHA. All rights reserved. Visit us online and view back issues at www.jwha.info Staff REED A. RUSSELL, Editor WILLIAM D. MORAIN, Copy Editor Please send letters and notices to the editor via e-mail: ReedARussell@yahoo.com dues to $45 beginning 1/1/14. Membership s ratification is required for approval. It was moved and seconded to ratify the increase of dues $5. Motion carried. Election of 2014 officers Nominated President Elect Erin Metcalfe Call for additional nominations from the floor no nominations from the floor. President Elect vote passed. Nominations for Board of Directors William Russell Debra Marsh Call for additional nominations from the floor no nominations from the floor. Board of Directors vote passed. Nominating Committee nominations from the floor. Christin Mackay Mike Marquardt Brian Hales Sherry Morain Nominating Committee nominees vote passed. The 2012 Financial Reports were presented and opened for discussion. The reports are a summarization of the financial activities. For any questions, see Lew Weigand, Treasurer or Cheryle Grinter, Executive Director. The bylaws have been updated by great effort of the committee. Steve Shields presented the report on behalf of the committee. The bylaws were written and minor adjustments made. The major changes are the officers of the Association, which makes the Immediate Past President responsible for the nominations committee. Committees had been listed in the bylaws, and each time the committees changed, the bylaws were to be For a copy of the 2012 financial reports presented, visit our website www.jwha.info.
The John Whitmer Historical Association Newsletter Page 5 recorded with the state of Missouri by minimizing the operations in the bylaws, the need to record with the state is eliminated. The Treasurer role moves from operations to an oversight and checks-and-balances role. The revised bylaws empower the finance committee to look at long term investments and evaluate financial practices. It was moved and seconded to adopt the revised bylaws. The updated bylaws were approved. We appreciate your submissions for the annual meeting presentations and encourage you to timely submit and look at any conflicts that may arise to help us manage the schedule. Lach Mackay, President Elect, recognized Debra Marsh s contribution to the annual meeting committee. R. Jean Addams, President, adjourned the meeting at 7:19 PM. It is time to think about renewing your John Whitmer Historical Association membership for 2014. If you have not already renewed your 2014 membership, please contact Cheryle at 816-738-9342. Membership runs from January through December. Regular membership dues will increase to $45 on January 1, 2014. We appreciate your membership. Annual Meeting Vendor Opportunities The JWHA Annual Meeting will be held in Lamoni, Iowa, September 25-28, 2014. Vendor opportunities will be available again this year. Mark your calendars and watch your in-box for details. 2013 Award Winners Kofford Best Theological Article Award $250 Dale Luffman, Absence of Women s Voices: A Critique of the Book of Mormon, Restoration Studies 13 (2012): 28 38. Kofford Best Historical Article Award $250 Erin B. Metcalfe, Charles Anthon The Man Behind the Letters, John Whitmer Historical Association Journal 32, no. 2 (Fall/Winter 2012): 166 82. Smith-Pettit Best Book Award $1,000 Samuel Morris Brown, In Heaven as It Is on Earth: Joseph Smith and the Early Mormon Conquest of Death (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012). JWHA Best Anthology Book Award $500 Richard E. Turley Jr. and Brittany A. Chapman, eds., Women of Faith in the Latter Days: Volume 2, 1821 1845 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2012). Cover to Cover Books & Mormonabilia Best Biography Book Award $500 John G. Turner, Brigham Young, Pioneer Prophet (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2012). Cover to Cover Books & Mormonabilia Best Documentary History Book Award $500 Karen Lynn Davidson, David J. Whittaker, Mark R. Ashurst-McGee, and Richard L. Jensen, eds., The Joseph Smith Papers: Histories Vol. 1, 1832 1844 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2012). Karen Lynn Davidson, David J. Whittaker, and Richard L. Jensen, eds., The Joseph Smith Papers: Histories Vol. 2: Assigned Histories, 1831 1847 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2012).
Page 6 The John Whitmer Historical Association Newsletter Mark your calendar now and plan to attend the JWHA Annual Meeting at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, September 25 28, 2014. You will be responsible for making your own sleeping room reservations. Here are some potential accommodations. Lamoni, IA Super 8 641.784.7500 www.super8.com Chief Lamoni Motel 641.784.3329 Maple Street Bed and Breakfast 218 North Maple Street Lamoni, IA 50140 641.784.0300 cjneeley@maplestbnb.com www.maplestbnb.com Rose Manor Bed & Breakfast 641.784.6778 Eagleville, MO (10 miles away) Eagles Landing 660.867.5228 www.eagleville.com/eagleslanding Leon, IA (15 miles away) Main Street Motel 103 S Main Street Leon, IA 50144 641.446.4900 Little River Inn Motel & Guest House 708 W 1st St Leon, Iowa - 50144 641. 446.4884 http://littleriverinnmotel.com/ Blythedale, MO (15 miles away) Painted Lady 660.867.5329 Bethany, MO (30 miles away) Best Western 660.425.8006 www.book.bestwestern.com Family Budget Inn 660.425.7915 Super 8 660.425.8881 www.super8.com Osceola, IA (30 miles away) Americinn of Osceola 641.342.9400 www.americinn.com Best Western 641.342.2123 www.book.bestwestern.com Days Inn 641.342.6666 www.daysinn.com Mount Ayr, IA (25 miles away) Charlie-Jane s Bed & Breakfast 400 W. Madison Street Mount Ayr, Iowa 50854 641.464.2564 www.charlie-janes.com/ The Mount Ayr Inn Hotel & Suites 1304 East South Street Mount Ayr, Iowa 50854 641. 464.3500 866.464.2093 www.mountayrinn.com/ Other: Nine Eagles State Park RR 1 Davis City, IA 50065 ph. 641.442.2855 fax 641.442.2856 - Nine_Eagles@dnr.iowa.gov http://www.iowadnr.gov/destinations/ StateParksRecAreas/IowasStateParks/ParkDetails. aspx?parkid=610128 Little River Recreation Area http://www.mycountyparks.com/county/decatur/ Park/Little-River-Recreation-Area/Facility/Little- River-Cabins.aspx Iowa Hotels http://www.iowahotels.org/cities/ Lamoni/?src_aid=1066~G~LamoniIowa~ Broad&gclid=CJeSzqOrgbsCFfPm7AodQTEA_w
N o. 90 96 The John Whitmer Historical Association Newsletter Page 7 Untold Nauvoo Stories Need a winter break? Plan now to attend the Restoration Studies Symposium January 31 to February 2, spend a week researching in the Midwest, and then head to Nauvoo for Untold Nauvoo Stories. Held on February 7 and 8 and sponsored by the City of Nauvoo, the Joseph Smith Historic Site and Historic Nauvoo, Untold Stories focuses on lesser-known aspects of Nauvoo s history and includes both Mormon and non-mormon stories. Presenters will include Scott Esplin, who will explore the relationship between Mormons and Catholics during the 20 th century and Joseph Johnstun who will take a look behind the story of John C. Bennett s Nauvoo brothel. Susan Easton Black Durrant will present on Isaac Galland s pre-mormon and Mormon Nauvoo-area land speculations, and Lachlan Mackay will talk about Joseph Smith III s memories of post-mormon Nauvoo. The event is held in conjunction with the annual re-enactment of the February 1846 exodus from Nauvoo. For more details, visit www.untoldnauvoostories.com. This is the perfect excuse to experience Nauvoo locked in winter s embrace. 49th Annual MHA Conference San Antonio, Texas, June 5-8, 2014 Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk San Antonio, Texas, is the site of the 49th annual Mormon History Association conference. MHA s first venture into Texas, the conference will be held at the Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk, June 5-8, 2014. Registration for the conference will begin in mid-february 2014. Hotel lodging at the Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk can be secured by visiting the MHA website and following the instructions on our home page www.mormonhistoryassociation.org. A great program has been developed with the theme The Immigration of Cosmopolitan Thought, along with tours planned of historic San Antonio and early Mormon (Wightites) sites. MHA particularly encourages participation in our conference by university students. MHA has established a Student Travel Fund for those whose papers have been accepted by the Program Committee. To further student interest in Mormon history, MHA has also initiated an annual Student Paper competition at universities whose student bodies have a local or regional interest in Mormon history as well as Mormon Studies programs that have chosen to participate in the competitions. An award of $300 will be given by MHA to the sponsoring institution to give to the writer of the winning paper about Mormon history. For more information, please visit the MHA website.
Page 8 The John Whitmer Historical Association Newsletter N o. o. 96 91 John Whitmer Historical Association PO Box 496 Independence, MO 64051-0496 816.738.9342 jwha@jwha.info www.jwha.info New from John Whitmer Books Eighth Witness: The Biography of John Whitmer Hardcover, price $49.95 Available early 2014 Persistence of Polygamy: From Joseph Smith s Martyrdom to the First Manifesto, 1844-1890 Hardcover price $39.95 Forthcoming Herstories: Ten Autobiographical Narratives of RLDS Women Hardcover, price $39.95 Available through Amazon.com