Minutes of the October 11, 1831 Hiram Conference
Conference record
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Source note
Preferred witness: Minute Book 2, pages 8–9, accessed 21 May 2026. The minutes preserve the 11 October Hiram conference and its committee appointments. ¶
Additional witnesses: History, 1838–1856, volume A-1, page 154 records a related October conference concerning William W. Phelps's printing assignment; page 156 retrospectively summarizes the Hiram proceedings. ¶
The transcripts below follow the Joseph Smith Papers expanded-transcription presentation: original spelling and punctuation are retained; editorial additions appear in brackets; insertions appear in angle brackets; cancellations appear with strikethrough; and manuscript page endings are linked to the corresponding JSP image and transcript page. ¶
Historical introduction
Several conferences occurred in October 1831. This record centers on the 11 October meeting at John Johnson's home in Hiram, where elders were instructed concerning the conduct of meetings and a committee was begun to visit and set the branches in order. The original source compilation also preserved a related early-October printing assignment, presented below as a separate historical entry rather than silently merged into the Hiram minutes. ¶
This material remains one conference record because the surviving sources preserve proceedings, retrospective summaries, or reported remarks rather than a set of discrete, complete sermon transcripts. ¶
Transcript
Minute Book 2
11 October 1831 • Tuesday
Minutes of a conference held in Hiram Portage County Ohio Oct 11. 1831 ¶
| Elders Present | Peter Whitmer Jr |
|---|---|
| Joseph Smith Jr | Reynolds Cahoon |
| Oliver Cowdery | William W Phelps |
| David Whitmer | Luke Johnson |
| John Whitmer |
Certain points were discussed by br Joseph Smith Jr, who said that the Elders present were to tarry untill the Morrow & hold a meeting so that the members might understand the ancient manner of conducting meetings as they were led by the Holy Ghost Also said that this was not perfectly known by many of the Elders of this Church. Exhortation by br William W Phelps ¶
Br Oliver Cowdery then made a move that this conference take into consideration the propriety of appointing six Elders to visit the several branches of this church setting them in order and also make known the p. 8 ¶
situation of brs Joseph Smith Jr and Sidney Rigdon And accordingly brs David Whitmer and Reynolds Cahoon were chosen appointed, the other four remain to be chosen hereafter ¶
It was decided by vote that the general conference meet on the 25 Inst at the dwelling house of br Serenes Burnett in orange Cuyahoga County brs David & Reynolds were then ordained to their office or appointment and br Stephen Burnett an Elder under the hands of John Whitmer conference closed in prayer by br Joseph Smith Jr ¶
John Whitmer ¶
History A-1 — related October printing conference
A conference was held in which brother W[illiam] W. Phelps was instructed to stop at Cincinnati, on his way to Missouri, and purchase a press and types, for the purpose of establishing and publishing a monthly paper at Independence, Jackson county, Missouri, to be called “The Evening and Morning Star.” ¶
History A-1 — retrospective Hiram summary
1On the 2 11th of October a conference was held at brother [John] Johnson’s where I was living, at which the elders were instructed into the ancient <manner> of conducting meetings, of which knowledge the most of them were ignorant: a committee of six were appointed to instruct the several branches of the church. Elders David Whitmer and Reynolds Cahoon were appointed as two of the said Committee with the further duty on their mission, of setting forth the condition of brs. Joseph Smith Jr. and Sidney Rigdon, that they might obtain means to continue the translation. this conference was adjourned till the 25th October, to meet at the house of Serenus Burnett, at in Orange, Cuyahoga county. ¶
Compiler's notes
Tyler’s collection-level compiler’s note is preserved verbatim. ¶
Notes from Tyler’s compilation
Multiple conferences were held this month. At the first one, “W. W. Phelps was instructed to stop at Cincinnati, on his way to Missouri, and purchase a press and types, for the purpose of establishing and publishing a monthly paper at Independence, Jackson county, Missouri, to be called “The Evening and Morning Star.” ¶
On the 21st, Joseph and Sidney held a special conference to settle a conflict that had arisen in the church in Kirtland. ¶
Vault presentation
- The printing assignment remains in its own labeled witness section to preserve the distinction among the October conferences.
- The 11 October minutes state that William W. Phelps gave an exhortation but do not preserve a complete sermon text.