An election of county officers was forthwith ordered, which resulted in the choice of Frank Maguire, W.W. Phelps and Ramsey, recommended by the Governor, as County Judges. With W. W. Phelps as President of the Board; John Cleminson, County and Circuit Clerk; John Skidmore, Sheriff; and Squires, County Surveyor. Austin A. King, afterwards Governor of the State, was elected Circuit Judge, and the first court was held in Far West, then the only town in the county, in 1837. ["Far West: The Old Mormon Settlement in Missouri," Daily Morning Herald, St. Joseph, Missouri, Friday, 1 January 1875]. The Clerks Office of the Caldwell Circuit Court also filled a fundamental civil role.
The public square was reserved to accomodate religious, public and governmental buildings, such an envisioned temple and public courthouse. The city was laid out on a grand scale. Albert Rockwood described the plan in a letter to relatives, "The publick square in the center contains 10 acres, the 4 main streets are each 8 rods wide, the others are 6 rods wide. The squares contain 4 acres each, and are calculated for 4 Buildings, (streets [are] marked 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th North st. also East, south, and West). [Albert Perry Rockwood, letter, 6 October 1838, Family and Church History Department Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.] Initially, a log school house was built in the southwest quarter of the city. This building served as school building, courthouse, a worship facility, and a place for public meetings. The History of Caldwell and Livingston Counties, Missouri, suggests the school building was moved to the public square during the Mormon era. [(St. Louis, MO: n.p., 1886), 120-22.]
However, it appears the log school building remained in its original location and a new frame building was built on the square in early 1838. The new multi-purpose facility was erected on the public square soutwest of the temple site. This structure served as a school house, church, public meeting hall and eventually courthouse. At a citizens meeting, 6 August 1838 [in the new hall?], Sidney Rigdon favored removing "the County seat to this place." [Far West Square?] [Scott H. Faulring, 200-201.]
Frame School, Public Hall, Spring 1838
"Public hall was [constructed] just across the street, south from the temple lot. [An] old apple tree marks the spot. J. D. Whitmer saw it tore down because [he was] afraid [it] would fall on the stock." [Richard Holzapfel, Jeffery Cottle, Ted Stoddard, eds., Church History in Black and White: George Edward Anderson's Photographic Mission to Latter-day Saint Historical Sites (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center Brigham Young University, 1995), 80.]
John Corrill was elected state representative from Caldwell County, Missouri in 1838. [PJSv2]
Corrill had been a counselor to Bishop Edward Partridge since 1831 in Jackson County. In April 1837, because of experienced as a surveyor, John helped lay out, price, and sell lots in Far West. “In May the Missouri High Council selected him as the church's agent and as the 'Keeper of the Lord's Storehouse.' Corrill received payment of $1.50 per day for his services as agent. In June, the High Council's gave approval to Corrill to engage in the mercantile business. In August the High Council relieved him of some of the press of duty by appointing Titus Billings in his stead as counselor to Bishop Partridge.” [Kenneth H. Winn, “Such Republicanism as This”: John Corrill's Rejection of Prophetic Rule,” in Launius and Thatcher, Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History, (Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1994), 58.; 73, fn. 51. ]
On 6 August 1838, the very same day of the Election Day Battle difficulties for the Mormons at Gallatin, Davies County, Missouri, the citizens of Caldwell County went to the poles without incident. Voters probably gathered at the Public Hall on the Far West Square. That day, voters elected John Corrill to represent them in the Missouri State Legislature. Unlike many new émigrés, Corrill met both the state ad local residency requirements for election. In addition, he was very popular among the Missouri Saints for repeatedly demonstrating his ability to negotiate on the Church's behalf among non-Mormons. But it may not have been an entirely open election. Corrill noted in his Brief History of the Church, that shortly before the election, Danite officers met with the First Presidency, selected a slate of candidates, and then passed out tickets throughout the county with their approved candidates printed on them.
One month after Corrill assumed his seat in the legislature he introduced two memorials, dated 19 December 1838, on the Mormon's behalf. “The first was from church members in Daviess County, who prayed for release from the “treaty” signed at Far West compelling them to leave the state. The second memorial from the church detailed the mistreatment of the Saints from arrival in Jackson County to the Mormon War and asked that all property taken from them during this period be restored and, as in the first petition, requested that their forced emigration be halted.” [Kenneth H. Winn, “Such Republicanism as This”: John Corrill's Rejection of Prophetic Rule,” in Launius and Thatcher, Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History, (Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1994), 63, 67, citing, Missouri Republican (St. Louis), 24 December 1838; LDS History of the Church, 3:217-24.]
Ebenezer Robinson, "Early in January, 1839, at a local election the writer was elected justice of the peace, and duly commissioned as such and attended to the duties of that office during our stay in that state." [Ebenezer Robinson, The Return, 2 (April 1890).]
Also, for me to furnish Br. Joseph Smith jr with the South East corner of Block No 7, containing Lots No 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 appraised at $220, free of expense. There is a house and a claim upon one of these lots that I may have to buy." [FWR.]
While at Far West I happened in John Corl's [Corrill] or the Church store. . . . [helped] carry them [translation manuscripts] over to Joseph's office.[Anson Call, Diary, summer 1838, page 9, BYU.]
Missouri church leaders sent Elisha Hurd Groves to Kirtland to buy a printing press and locate it in Far West in 1837. [Groves, MS 2050, 11, 13, #1, LDS Church Historical Department Archives.]
Reed Peck mentions the printing office. [Reed Peck Manuscript, 14-15.]
Lyman Littlefield recorded, "In August, 1836, the Saints commenced settling in Caldwell County. My father moved there and selected a place about two miles south of Far West, on the road leading to Liberty, Clay County. In addition to opening a farm, he formed a partnership with Mr. Calvin Graves, and purchased a stock of dry goods and family groceries and commenced business in Far West. Also, they took a stock of goods to Grand River, in Daviess County. In both of these places they were selling many goods and prospering. About this time the writer left the printing office and clerked in the store at Far West." [Lyman Omer Littlefield, Reminiscences of Latter-day Saints, 34].
Joseph Holbrook: "I built an office for Bishop Edward Patridge [sic] in Far West and finished it. I also built a dwelling house for him." [Joseph Holbrook, 38, 39.] John Corrill and Titus Billings served as counselors to Bishop Partridge.
The militia of the county of Caldwell were now all under requisition, armed and equipped according to law. [ Sidney Rigdon, Times and Seasons, Vol. 4, No.18: 273-274.] Wararen Foote wrote, "The militia at Far West, were ordered not to leave that place under penalty of the law, but to hold themselves as minutemen, and be ready at a moments warning, armed and equipped to repel the mob." [Warren Foote, Autobiography, typescript, BYU-S.]
The men of the county were organized as the 53rd regiment of the Missouri State Militia. Alexander George Cannon recalled, soon after Joseph and family arrived at Far West, “a regiment was organized by W. W. Phelps, Geo. M. Hinkle, Lyman Wight and Reed Peck, they having received their commissions from the governor. An election of officers was called and G. W. Robinson was elected colonel, I lieutenant colonel and Seymour Brunson major. [George Q. Cannon, Early Scenes in Church History, 88.]
The History of Caldwell and Livingston Counties, Missouri, lists the officers of the 53rd regiment as: Colonel Hinkle, Lieutenant-colonel Wight, Major Jefferson Hunt, Captain Amasa Lyman, Captain Seymour Brunson, Lieutenant George P. Dykes, Ensign Jacob Gates, [139.]
“George M. Hinkle was nominated and was objected by elder James Emmet because he was too noisy – by King Follet because of his military office, and by James Durfee because he was a merchant.” [FWR, 121.]
John Rigdon recalled, "On the fourth of July 1838, “Colonel Hinckle had one company of uniformed militia. We had a martial band with a bass drum and two small drums. . ." [John Wickliffe Rigdon, “The Life and Testimony of Sidney Rigdon,” Dialogue, Vol. 1, No. 4, 30-34.]
Sidney Rigdon wrote, "Far West, where I resided, which was the shire town of Caldwell county, was placed under the charge of a captain by the name of Killian, who made my house his head quarters; other portions of the troops were distributed in different places in the county, wherever danger was apprehended. In consequence of Captain Killians' making my house his head quarters, I was put in possession of all that was going on." [ Sidney Rigdon, Times and Seasons, Vol. 4, No. 18, 273-274.]
W.W. Phelps requested: "Please say in your Messenger and Advocate "A post office has been established at Far West, Caldwell county, Missouri." [LDS History of the Church, Vol. 2:96.]
"This day the citizens of Caldwell county assembled at Far West, and organized by calling Elias Higbee to the chair, and appointing George W. Robinson secretary. W. W. Phelps having resigned the office of postmaster, it was voted unanimously that Sidney Rigdon be recommended to the Postmaster General, as the person of our choice to fill the place of W. W. Phelps, as postmaster in this city.[LDS History of the Church, [Vol.3:55-56.]. On Election Day in August, [1838] the Mormons at Far West voted to notify the U.S. postmaster general that Sidney Rigdon was "the person of our choice to fill the place of W. W. Phelps, as postmaster in this city." [LDSHistory of the Church, 3:56.]
After the expulsion of the church from Caldwell County, the office of Postmaster, was held by David Hughes. Around 1843 the post office was removed to Kingston. [Daily Morning Herald].
Willard Snow recalled, "They took possession of the town making it the head quarters of the army." [Mormon Redress Petitions, 540-541.] John M. Burk operated a hotel/tavern establishment at Far West. During the occupation of the City, John Burk's Tavern Stand was commandeered by General Clark. The occupying force used Burk's house for their headquarters. Burk recalled, "John M. Burk wrote, “I here by Certify that General John Clark and his aid at their arrival at far West in Caldwell Co Misorie [sic]came to my Tavern stand and without my Liave [sic] Pitched their Markees in my yard and did take my wood and hay to furnish the same and did bring their horses in also and without my Leave take hay for them and did take Posession [sic] of my house and use it for a council house and did place a strong guard around it so as to hinder any person from going in or out and I myself was not permitted to go in.” [Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, 148-149, 280. Chapman Duncan suggests the guarded area was occupied by fifty to sixty church member prisoners being detained on the square – referring to this area as the bull pen." “Missouri officers slept – some of them at J.M. Burk's tavern.” [Duncan, biography, 38, MS 6936.]