JOHN WHITMER HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION<BR> 2002 Annual Meeting<BR>Nauvoo, Illinois
JWHA.INFO

2002 JWHA Program Report

Barbara Bernauer and Billie Young
    -Photos Courtesy Bill Main

  For more information about the meeting contact:

  Executive Secretary Norman Bernauer, 427 West 70th Street, Kansas City, MO 64113-2022 (816) 333-5315 bernauer@kcnet.com 

 The 2002 Meeting Featured a New "Round Table Colloquy" Format

 Long time JWHA conference presenter and past President of the Mormon Historical Association, Newell Bringhurst, facilitated a special plenary "Round Table Colloquy" session at this year's conference (September 26-29, 2002) in Nauvoo, Illinois. Past JWHA President, Michael S. Riggs, asked Bringhurst to put together the radically different session format allowing for more "free flowing dialogue and opportunity for audience interaction that is often lacking in traditional settings." 

 The topic of the round table was the 1844 United States Presidential election and why Joseph Smith, Jr. decided to run for office. It proved a dream session- bristling with top notch scholars and full of interesting dialogue.This was an excellent test of the new format, and the session proved very popular.

Featured Presenters:

Robert Remini

  Robert V. Remini is professor emeritus of history and the humanities at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has been called the foremost Jacksonian scholar of our time. He has authored a definitive three volume biography of Andrew Jackson as well as biographies of Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. He is known as an artful teacher capable of capturing the character of his subjects and make the American past come alive. His forthcoming (October, 2002) biography of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith from Viking Press is highly anticipated and JWHA was among the first scholarly forums to consider the text. Advanced copies of Professor Remini's book were made available for conference attendees by Viking Press

D. Michael Quinn

  D. Michael Quinn is a former professor of history at Brigham Young University. His accolades include the Samuel F. Bemis, the George W. Egleston, and the Frederick W. Beinecke prizes; Best Book and Best Article awards from the Mormon History Association; "Outstanding Teacher" by vote of graduating BYU seniors; and invitations to lecture at the University of Paris's Fondation de la Maison des Sciences de l'Homme and other similar venues. He is the author of J. Reuben Clark: The Church Years; Early Mormonism and the Magic World View; The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power; The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power; and Same-Sex Dynamics Among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example. He is the editor of The New Mormon History: Revisionist Essays on the Past and a contributing author to American National Biography; Faithful History: Essays on Writing Mormon History; Fundamentalisms and Society: Reclaiming the Sciences, the Family, and Education; Reader's Encyclopedia of the American West; Under an Open Sky: Rethinking America's Western Past; and Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism. His research honorariums include grants from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Henry E. Huntington Library, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation and Yale University.

 

Mark A. Scherer

Klaus J. Hansen

  Klaus J. Hansen, graduated from Brigham Young University where he obtained both a B.A. in 1957 and an M.A. in 1959. His doctoral degree at Wayne State University was completed in 1963. Hansen's doctoral dissertation, The Kingdom of God in Mormon Thought and Practice, 1830-1896, was the precursor to his first book, Quest for Empire: The Political Kingdom of God and the Council of Fifty in Mormon History, published in 1966. After obtaining his Ph.D., Hansen taught history at Eastern Michigan University (1963); Ohio State University (1963-65); Utah State University (assistant professor of history, 1965-1968); and Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario (associate professor, 1968-1976; professor of history, 1976-). It was at Queen's University, Hansen published a second book, Mormonism and American Culture. A third book, Mormonism and the American Experience, followed in 1981. While working on his books, Hansen continued to write articles on Mormonism, American Millennialism, and Antebellum America. Hansen is active in several organizations, including the American Historical Association, the Western History Association, and the Utah State Historical Society. He was awarded fellowships from Yale University (1974-1975) and the Canada Council (1974-1975), and won an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History and the Mormon History Association's Book Award for Quest for Empire.

 

Richard Bushman

 

The program schedule allowed attendees sufficient time to get in some informal visiting as well.

Bob Wallace and Bill Main

New Best Book Award

The John Whitmer Historical Association is proud to announce that a new cooperative effort has been reached enhancing and enriching the Best Book Award presented annually. Through the generosity of the Smith-Pettit Foundation of Salt Lake City, a grant of $1,000 will be given to the author of the book judged to be the best book written and published during the current year. This began with the 2001 award.

The Smith-Pettit Foundation is a private foundation dedicated, through its activities, to supporting scholarly Mormon studies. Gary Bergera, a member of JWHA since 1987 is the new managing director of the foundation. JWHA is grateful for the kind and generous offer making this award possible.

    Also, many thanks to Lachlan Mackay, Community of Christ Historic Sites Director and Joyce Shireman, Joseph Smith Historic Site Director and the great JSHS staff for hosting JWHA at Nauvoo.

2002 Awards

Celebrating JWHA's 30th Anniversary!

  Mark Scherer and Robert Remini

The Friday evening Round Table featured Michael Quinn, Klaus Hansen, Richard Bushman, Mark Scherer and Robert Remini.

Thursday 26-Sunday 29 September 2002

NAUVOO, ILLINOIS

Concurrent sessions were held in the theater of the Joseph Smith Historic

Site (JSHS) , the second floor room of the Nauvoo House (NH) and the upper
room of the Red Brick Store (RBS).

With three concurrent sessions at a time, the program was packed with interesting papers. In addition, an entire afternoon was devoted to visiting Nauvoo's historic sites. Serving as the 2002 Program Chair, 2002-2003 JWHA President Billoine Young orchestrated an excellent conference.  

                                           
Thursday, September 26, 2002
7:30 p.m.  Sterling McMurran Lecture

  Bob Flanders

The Thursday evening Sterling McMurrin Lecture featured Dr. Robert Flanders, author of Nauvoo, Kingdom on the Mississippi.

Dr. Flanders' lecture was entitled: "Nauvoo On My Mind"
Dr. Flanders is Emeritus Professor of History,  Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri, and author of  Nauvoo: Kingdom on the Mississippi

A reception followed.

 
                                             Friday, September 27, 2002
Beverages and snacks for visiting between sessions served on the
first floor of the Nauvoo House.
                                        
I                     8:30 - 9:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions
Session A
1. "Schisms Within The Schism: The Fragmentation of the Lamb of God Wing of
the Recent RLDS Schism,"  William D. Russell, Professor of American History
and Government, Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa.
2. "The Nauvoo Charter," Richard Bennett, Professor, Church History and
Doctrine, BYU,
Location: Second floor, NH
Chair: Wayne Chandler
Commentator: Alma Blair
 
Session B
1. "Etienne Cabet and the Nauvoo Icarians: the Mormon Interface," Robert
Sutton, Department of History, Western Illinois University
2. "A Remnant Preserved: Artifacts and Stonework of the Nauvoo Temple"
(slides), Alexander L.  Baugh, Associate Professor, Church History and
Doctrine, BYU
Location  - Theater one, JSHS
Chair: Joyce Shireman
Commentator: Lachlan Mackay
 
Session C
1. "They Deserve to be Remembered: Identifying the Women of the Relief
Society in Nauvoo," Maurine C. Ward, Editor, Mormon Historical Studies
2  "Marietta Walker - Accomplishing the Impossible"  Joni Wilson, Community
of Christ Church, Independence, Missouri
Location: Upstairs, RBS
Chair: Jeanne Murphy
Commentator: Bill Shepard
                                       
II                 10:15 - 11:30 a.m.  Concurrent Sessions
Session A
1. "Treasonable Doubt: Politics, Pulpit and the Mormon War," Barbara Higdon,
President Emerita, Graceland University. The paper is a collaboration between
Higdon and George Jones.
2. "Answering Questions No Longer Asked: Nauvoo, Its Interpretation and
Meaning in the Community of Christ,"  Mark Scherer, Historian, Community of
Christ Church.            
Location : Theater one, JSHS
Chair: Barbara Mesle
Commentator: Bob Mesle
 
Session B
1. "Citizenship Unveiled: Mormons and the Profile of 'American,'" Susan
Curtis, Professor of History, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana.
2. "How is Community of Christ History Different From RLDS History: One
Theologians Plea for the Aid of Historians," Don Compier, Dean, Community of
Christ Seminary, Graceland University.
Location : Upstairs, NH
Chair: Bill Russell
Commentator: Paul Edwards
 
Session C
1. "'So we built a good little temple to worship in:Mormonism at Zodiac,
Texas 1847-1851." Melvin C, Johnson.  Johnson lives in Nacogdoches where he
owns a historical research firm. This paper includes material that
appears in the current issue of The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal.
His historical areas of interest include steam logging railroads, mill towns
of East Texas, and the Texas Hill County before and during the Civil War.
2. "The Nauvoo Temple as a Source of Controversy", Bill Shepard.  Shepard ,
of Strangite heritage, has collected hundreds of documents relating to James
J. Strang's settlement at Voree, Wisconsin and is a trustee over 100 acres of
that 1844-56 Mormon settlement. He is currently preparing a paper for the
Journal of Mormon History on William Smith's brief return to and expulsion
from Nauvoo in the summer of 1845.
Location: Upstairs,  RBS
Chair: Ron Romig
Commentator: Michael Marquardt
 
                  1:45 - 1:00   Lunch - On Your Own
 
                 1:15- 2:30  p.m.  Plenary Session
"A Non-Mormon's Interpretation of Joseph Smith," Robert Remini, Professor of
 History Emeritus and Research Professor of  Humanities Emeritus, at the
University of Illinois, Chicago,  author of the forthcoming biography of
Joseph Smith,  published by Viking Press.
Location: Sanctuary, Community of Christ Church
 
                                      
III            3:00 - 4:15 p.m.  Concurrent Sessions
Session A
1. "John Cook Bennett's Nauvoo," Andrew Smith.  Smith, author of The Saintly
Scoundrel: The Life and Times of Dr. John Cook Bennett, (University of
Illinois Press), teaches at the New School University in Manhattan and is
president of The American Forum.
2. "The People Versus the Prophet,"  Marshall Hamilton. Hamilton holds a BA
degree from BYU and has written on the Nauvoo experience of the Latter Day
Saints.  After a career in publishing he now is the proprietor of Harpers
Ferry Books, a used and rare bookstore  in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Location: Theater one, JSHS
Chair: Robert Gunderson
Commentator: Ed Warner
 
Session B
1.  "Alpheus Cutler and his Mormon Schism - A Critical Look at Obscure
Believers"
Location: Second floor,  NH
Chair: Eric Paul Rogers, Supervisor of Strategic Planning, LDS Church
Education System
Panel: Bill Shepard, Richard E. Bennett, Mike Riggs, BiloineYoung
 
Session C
1.  "Revisiting the Battle for Nauvoo: New Light on an Old Topic,"  Kenneth
W. Godfrey, Former Director, Logan LDS Institute, LDS Church Education System
Location: Upstairs, RBS
Chair: Barbara Howard
Commentator:  Richard Howard

                    6:00  - 7:30 p.m. 30th Anniversary Celebration of JWHA.

Bill Russell chaired this celebration by reading a colorful review of JWHA's highs and lows over its 30 years of scholarship.
Hors d'oeuvres and beverages served. 
Location:  Theater one, JSHS
 
                7:45 - 9:15  p.m. Plenary Session.

 "Joseph Smith's 1844 Campaign for the Presidency - Various Perspectives: A
Round-Table Colloquium"
Newell Bringhurst, Instructor of History and Government, College of the
Sequoias, chair. Participants: Klaus Hansen, Richard Bushman, Emeritus
Professor of History, Columbia University; Chair of the Executive Committee
at the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for LDS History, BYU; D. Michael
Quinn, Robert Remini,  Mark Scherer, Historian, Community of Christ Church.
Location: Theater two, JSHS

Saturday, September 28

                                       
IV             8:30 - 9:45  a.m.  Concurrent Sessions
 
 Session A
"Personality and Theocracy in the Early Mormon Culture of Violence,"  D.
Michael Quinn,  Frederick W. Beinecke, Sr. Fellow at Yale University
Location: Theater one, JSHS
Chair:W. B. (Pat) Spillman
Commentator: Melvin Smith
 
Session B
"The Nauvoo Exodus and Crossing on the Ice: Separating Fact from Folklore," 
William Hartley, Associate Professor of History and Research Historian, BYU,
and research historian with BYU's Smith Institute for Latter Day Saint History.
Location:  RBS
Chair: Alex Baugh
Commentator:
 
V                                   10:15 - 11:30 a.m.  Concurrent Sessions
 
Session A
" Are Members of the Community of Christ Mormon?"  Jan Shipps, Emeritus
Professor, History and Religion, Indiana University/Purdue University,
Indianapolis.
Location: Upstairs, NH
Chair: Richard Howard
Commentator: Bill Russell
 
Session B
1. "The Smiths of Dartmouth College and the Early Beginnings of Mormonism," 
Richard Behrens.  Behrens is a 1964 graduate of Dartmouth. Over the past 40
years he has researched the interactions among early New English culture and
institutions, the Native Americans of the Northeast, Dartmouth College and
Moor's School during the  years from 1743 to 1817 and early LDS converts from
New England.
Location: Theater one, JSHS
Chair: Ron Romig
Commentator:  Bill Morain
 
Session C
1. "Ecstasy and Orthodoxy: Zenos H. Gurley, Sr. and the Formation of the
Early Reorganization"  Clare Vlahos, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy and
History, Park University, Parkville, Missouri
Location: Upstairs, RBS
Chair: Barbara Bernauer
Commentator: James Elliott
 
 11:30 - 1:00 p.m.  Lunch .Box Lunches served at the Nauvoo House. 
They may be eaten inside or taken outdoors for a picnic on the riverbank.
 
1:15 - 2:30 p.m. Business Meeting
Location: Sanctuary of the Community of Christ church
 
Afternoon: Tours of Nauvoo
The drive to Carthage takes from 45 to 60 minutes. The last tour of the jail
begins at 4 p.m.  Tours of the Joseph Smith Center are at 2:40, 3:40 and
4:40.  Additional tours may be arranged at 3:10 and 4:10.  The Red Brick
Store is open until 5 p.m. and arrangements may be made to keep it open until
6 p.m. on Saturday for JWHA conference people only.
There are no scheduled tours at the LDS Center. The LDS sites are staffed
with historic interpreters and are open until 5 p.m. Visitors view a video
and visit various stations that depict church history and growth.
 
6:30 p.m.  Banquet
Location: Lower level of the lodge,  Camp Nauvoo
Presidential Address:  "Benign Voyeur: Twenty-four Years of Third Party
Observations on the Ever-changing Community of Christ Church", Michael S.
Riggs.

Sunday, September 29

 
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. The Singing Saints - A Festival of Hymns and History -
Richard Clothier,  Professor of Music, Emeritus, Graceland University
 
The unique story of the Latter Day Saint movement and its evolving theology
is eloquently expressed in its song.  As we sang the hymns of Kirtland and
Nauvoo and learned their stories together- we experienced something of the joys and
sorrows of those early Saints and discover their most fervently-held
convictions.  A 20-page commemorative booklet of the historic hymns and
related information was distributed at this session.
Location:  Upper Level Lodge, Camp Nauvoo
 
11:00 a.m. JWHA Board Meeting- Camp Nauvoo

Mike & Marjorie Riggs, JWHA Past-President 2001-2002

RETURN TO JWHA.INFOJohn Whitmer- JWHA Namesake