| John Corrill | |
|---|---|
| Second Counselor to theBishop of the Church | |
| June 6, 1831 (1831-06-06) – August 1, 1837 (1837-08-01) | |
| Called by | Edward Partridge |
| End reason | Honorably released |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1794-09-17)September 17, 1794 Worcester County,Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | September 26, 1842(1842-09-26) (aged 48) Adams County,Illinois, United States |
| Notable works | A Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints |
John Corrill (September 17, 1794 – September 26, 1842)[1] was an early member and leader of theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and an elected representative in theMissouri State Legislature. He was prominently involved in the Mormon conflicts in Missouri before leaving the church in 1839 and publishingA Brief History of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints (Commonly Called Mormons).
Corrill was born nearBarre, Massachusetts. He worked as a carriage builder, surveyor, and architect and married a woman named Margaret, with whom he had at least five children. Historians believe his writing ability and personal library suggest he may have had some formal education.[1][2]
While living inHarpersfield, Ohio in 1830 the town was visited byOliver Cowdery,Parley P. Pratt,Peter Whitmer, andZiba Peterson, Mormon missionaries on their way to Missouri. After reading from theBook of Mormon, Corrill decided it was a fraud. He was later surprised to hear of the conversion ofSidney Rigdon, a preacher in nearbyKirtland who was planning a preaching tour with Corrill.[3] While visiting Kirtland, Corrill attended some Mormon meetings and witnessed miraculousspeaking in languages unknown to the speakers. After further investigation,[4] he was baptized on January 10, 1831[5] inAshtabula, Ohio.[6] A few days later he was ordained anElder.[3]
In 1831 Corrill served two shortmissions in nearby areas.[3] One of these was toNew London, Ohio.[6] Later that year he was ordained to the High Priesthood and made an assistant to the Latter Day Saint movement's firstBishop of the Church,Edward Partridge, a position he would hold until 1837. In 1833, Corrill was chosen as the third bishop in Zion (Independence, Missouri) where he would later preside over abranch of the church. When Missourians expelled Mormons from the area, Corrill joined in petitioning the governor for militia assistance and settled inClay County for the winter.[3]
In 1834 he was called back to Kirtland where he helped build thetemple and was involved with approving a new book of revelations called theDoctrine and Covenants. After the temple's dedication in 1836[7] he returned to Missouri and was one of the founders and leaders of the Mormon settlement ofFar West.[3][8] During this time the residents of Clay County were pushing for the Mormons to move out of their area and settle elsewhere. In late 1836 Corrill represented the Mormons in negotiating with state leaders for the formation ofCaldwell County for primarily Mormon settlement. Historian Stephen C. LeSueur wrote that Corrill "was one of the Mormons' most prominent leaders in Missouri and had been intimately involved in nearly every phase of Mormon history there."[9] In 1837 he was released as a counselor to Bishop Partridge and was called to a committee for organizing morestakes in Missouri and was "Keeper of the Lord's Storehouse" in Far West. In April 1838 he andElias Higbee became the officialChurch Historians.[3][8]
Corrill was elected by the primarily Mormon residents of Caldwell County to be the county's first representative to theMissouri State Legislature in August 1838.[7] During this same election, distrust between Missourians and Mormons erupted into an armed conflict, known today as theMissouri Mormon War. Corrill witnessed many key events and was involved in surrendering and turning overJoseph Smith to the state militia, which Smith saw as a betrayal.[3][10] At theRichmond hearings in November, Corrill testified for the state against Smith and the Mormon actions in the conflict.[1][8][11]
Disfavor grew between Corrill and the Mormons. Some Mormons had in the past accused him of opposing priesthood authority and "the Judgment of God" in his preference for autonomy and democracy in the church.[8][12] In his only term in theMissouri House of Representatives,[7] as a state representative after the armed conflict subsided, Corrill presented a petition from the Mormons for relief from their mistreatment.[11][13] However, he continued to distance himself from the church, culminating in hisexcommunication inQuincy, Illinois on March 17, 1839. After this event, he published "a 50 page pamphlet attempting to justify his reasons" for leaving the church.[6]
Corrill died inAdams County, Illinois in 1842 at the age of 48.[1]
Corrill is remembered for his 50-page booklet published in 1839, entitledA 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.[1][8]
HistorianRichard L. Bushman's noted 2005 biography,Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, described Corrill as rational, coolheaded, and cautious, illustrating the "clash between Mormonism and republicanism" when he questioned whether he must sacrifice his freewill or autonomy to the Kingdom of God.[14] Bushman's book used Corrill'sA Brief History as source material on the early church. Corrill's account has been called "perhaps, the single most important source of information for events surrounding the Mormon War in Missouri."[15] In contrast, historianSusan Easton Black described Corrill as bitter and his published history as a product of his apostasy.[8]
| Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| New title | Second Counselor to theBishop of the Church February 4, 1831 – May 27, 1840 | Succeeded by |
| Previous: Oliver Cowdery | Church Historian Early 1838 – April 6, 1838 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
