Both Sidney Rigdon's and Joseph Smith's families left Kirtland, Ohio, under less than ideal circumstances, and moved to Far West, Missouri, in early 1838. Soon after his arrival, the High Council provided Rigdon with a lot and house on Block 6 at no expense. [FWR, 144.]
Smith and Rigdon quickly reorganized the church leadership in Missouri. Former friends were viewed as dissenters. Councils and public meetings were held to set church and city governments in order. "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.] Rigdon probably ran the post office out of his home facing the city public square.
Many other Kirtland members also pulled up stakes and traveled to Far West. Smith, Rigdon, and other church leaders were on hand to greet the arrival of a large party known as Kirtland Camp. “Kirtland Camp” left Kirtland on July 6, 1838 with 515 members. "Tuesday, 2. . . The Kirtland Camp arrived in Far West from Kirtland. I went in company with Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, Isaac Morley and George W. Robinson, and met them some miles out, and escorted them into the city, where they encamped on the public square directly south, and close by the excavation for the Lord's House. Here friends greeted friends in the name of the Lord. Isaac Morley, Patriarch at Far West, furnished a beef for the camp. President Rigdon provided a supper for the sick, and the brethren provided for them like men of God, for they were hungry, having eaten but little for several days, and having traveled eleven miles this day; eight hundred and sixty miles from Kirtland, the way the camp traveled. [LDS History of the Church, Vol.3:85.]
[Joseph Smith] . . . met us just as we were coming up into the village. He shook hands with my father and my mother with tears in his eyes and thanked God that we had got to the journey's end. Joseph Smith led us to Thomas Marsh, who was then the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. This was on Saturday. On Sunday they were going to have a meeting and Sidney Rigdon was to preach.All the Mormons in Far West came to hear him. There was a large schoolhouse outside the village where the meeting was to be held. There was no standing room. They took out the windows, the weather being warm, and got up into the window spaces. Some had to remain outside. He preached for two hours. It was one of his great efforts. [John Wickliffe Rigdon, "The Life and Testimony of Sidney Rigdon," Dialogue, Vol.1, No.4, 30-34.]
Sidney Rigdon Preached at the School House
Image adapted from artwork by Dale Broadhurst
Sidney Rigdon, from a series of portraits of the Church Presidents, painted to hang in the Kirtland Temple, Kirtland, Ohio, 1837
Far West at its apex consisted of hundreds of log cabins, four dry goods stores, nine groceries, six blacksmith shops, and two hotels. The schoolhouse, where Sidney Rigdon preached shortly after settling in the area, was moved to the center of the town square for use as a combination church, town hall, and courthouse.5 The Rigdon dwelling, a two-story log cabin directly across the street from the town square, was the village's largest home. Few Far West residents slept that night. "If we must fight," Rigdon was heard to lament, "[we must] sell our lives as dear as we could."55 Accordingly all hands went to work. Rails, logs, and wagons were formed into a protective breastwork. Women and children, after concealing valuables, lay awake in fear. The vacant second story of Rigdon's home was "packed as full of women and children as could get into it," [Richard S. Van Wagoner, Sidney Rigdon,.230]
I saw Joseph Smith . . . in front of Father's house (the house fronted the square on which the cellar for the temple was dug). . . . . The house my father lived in was a double two-story long house on the edge of the square. The upper story had nothing in it and that was packed as full of women and children as could get into it. We all sat on the floor as close as we could get and there we sat all night. In the morning we came down about sunrise and stood looking at the Missourians' camp on Goose Creek, about one and a half miles from us, when Seymour Brownson came running up; he took command after David Patten's death. He called out, "Every man to his post." [John Wickliffe Rigdon, “The Life and Testimony of Sidney Rigdon,” Dialogue, Vol. 1, No. 4, 30-34.]
The militia of the county of Caldwell were now all under requisition, armed and equipped according to law. The mob after all the authorities of the State had been recalled, except the force of Caldwell county, commenced the work of destruction in earnest; showing a determination to accomplish their object. 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.]
[Hearing about the massacre at Haun's Mill], Col. George M. Hinkle ordered 50 men to go and relieve, or guard them, but only our ten volunteered to go. We were determined to go and help our brethren. As we rode across the Square, the Prophet came out of George Robertson's house, where David Patten and O'Banion lay dead. He came out without hat or coat and stopped us and asked us where we were going. We told him we were going to Hayn's [Hauns] Mill to assist the brethren there. He told us that we were his men, and that we must not go. If we did go against his will there would not be one of us left to tell the tale tomorrow morning. He was very pale and said he, "Go put your horses up and help us to bury these two brethren." And we did . . . . [James Rollins Autobiography, BYU, p.8 - p.9.]
After the surrender of Far West to the State Militia, . . . . Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith were taken to their house under guard. My father and Robinson were brought to my father's house. Robinson and his wife were then living with my father and while they were bidding their families goodbye. [John Wickliffe Rigdon, "The Life and Testimony of Sidney Rigdon," Dialogue, Vol.1, No.4, 30-34.] George W. Robinson, who was Rigdon's son-in-law, had became general church recorder in 1837. [HC, 2:513.]