The Place for the City of Zion

The plat map for the City of Zion was prepared under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith and sent to the Saints in Missouri in June 1833, along with architectural plans for the first temple in Zion. The map shows three central temple lots where 24 temples were/are to be built. churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual-2017/chapter-21-doctrine-and-covenants-57-58?lang=eng

Drawing of the 63.27-acre-plot of land purchased December 19, 1831 by Edward Partridge, for the Church, from Jones H. Flournoy (black lines). A possible overlay of the plat for the City of Zion, with its three temple lots, as drawn under the direction of Joseph Smith in June 1833 (red lines); representing only a portion of the 1833 map.

Where Science Meets the Doctrine and Covenants, for the Come Follow Me lesson June 2-8 Doctrine and Covenants 58-59

My subheading to this essay is: Seeing the past, present, and future. I have looked forward to writing about the science in the Doctrine and Covenants, and those essays will come. However, many of the recent sections deal almost exclusively with people, so I have focused on people. However, in this essay, I will address the issue of, when we look today at a place like the Temple Lot at Independence, what can that site tell us about the past and, perhaps, suggest future events. I recognize that this is also a bit of a stretch in finding the science in the Doctrine and Covenants, but here goes. I will start with section 57, even though that section is for this week’s lesson.

The heading to Doctrine and Covenants section 57 states, “Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, July 20, 1831. In compliance with the Lord’s command to travel to Missouri, where He would reveal “the land of your inheritance” (section 52), the elders had journeyed from Ohio to Missouri’s western border. Joseph Smith contemplated the state of the Lamanites and wondered: ‘When will the wilderness blossom as the rose? When will Zion be built up in her glory, and where will Thy temple stand, unto which all nations shall come in the last days?’ Subsequently he received this revelation.”

Doctrine and Covenants 57:1-7 states, “Hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land, which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints. Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse. Wherefore, it is wisdom that the land should be purchased by the saints, and also every tract lying westward, even unto the line running directly between Jew and Gentile; And also every tract bordering by the prairies, inasmuch as my disciples are enabled to buy lands. Behold, this is wisdom, that they may obtain it for an everlasting inheritance. And let my servant Sidney Gilbert stand in the office to which I have appointed him, to receive moneys, to be an agent unto the church, to buy land in all the regions round about, inasmuch as can be done in righteousness, and as wisdom shall direct. And let my servant Edward Partridge stand in the office to which I have appointed him, and divide unto the saints their inheritance, even as I have commanded; and also those whom he has appointed to assist him.”

Edward Partridge had been appointed as the first bishop of the Church May 20, 1831, only two months after joining the Church, as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 51:1-13. He served in this capacity until his death in 1840.1 The Missouri legislature had organized Jackson County, Missouri, December 15, 1826, and in March 1827, a small “frontier village located at the departure point of the trade-lucrative Santa Fe Trail”, named Independence, was officially selected as the county seat. However, the anticipated US government sale of the recently surveyed land within Jackson County was not made available until 1829.2

Doctrine and Covenants 58:24-25, which was received August 1, 1831, states, “And now, as I spake concerning my servant Edward Partridge, this land is the land of his residence, and those whom he has appointed for his counselors; and also the land of the residence of him whom I have appointed to keep my storehouse; Wherefore, let them bring their families to this land, as they shall counsel between themselves and me.”

The heading to Doctrine and Covenants Section 59 states, “Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, August 7, 1831. Preceding this revelation, the land was consecrated, as the Lord had directed, and the site for the future temple was dedicated.

Apparently, that dedication occurred on August 3rd, on a 160-acre “squatter’s claim” of Jones H. Flournoy. “The Smith party worked their way through the brush and trees to the highest spot on the property. Orson Pratt recalled: ‘It was then a wilderness, with large trees on the temple block.’ His brother Parley P. Pratt remembered that the location was ‘a beautiful rise of ground about a half a mile west of Independence … it was a noble forest.’ And William L. McLellin recollected what he had been told: ‘Joseph cut his way in through this growth of trees, brush and saplings, to reach the site of the dedication for the proposed Millennial Temple.’ This location was approximately two blocks west of where Flournoy’s home was located and about one-half block southwest of his unoccupied trading post on the Santa Fe Trail.”3 

On August 9, Joseph and most of the party left Independence for their return to Kirtland. Bishop Partridge was instructed to complete the legal acquisition of the Temple Lot Property from Flournoy when the land was officially available for sale in early December. “As planned, Jones H. Flournoy acquired his squatter’s claim on December 12, 1831. His deed shows that he bought a total of 160 acres for $320. One week later, on December 19, Partridge acquired from Flournoy, a 63.27-acre parcel of his 160 acres, which encompassed the dedicated temple site. Partridge paid Flournoy the sum of $130.00 or $2.55 per acre. Flournoy netted a profit of $3.48. The temple site and the surrounding property, thereafter, came to be known as the “Temple Lot” or the “Temple Property” by church members and locals alike… It should be noted that in the early days of land holdings in Missouri, it was illegal for a church to hold property as a separate entity; therefore the Temple Lot Property parcel of 63.27 acres, as well as other properties, were held in Partridge’s name.”4

Regarding the Temple Lot Property after the Saints were expelled from Jackson County in 1833, the deed to the land was still in the name of Edward Partridge’s heirs, Edward having died in Nauvoo in 1840. “In the spring of 1848, a resident of Independence, James Pool, decided to purchase the Temple Lot Property for his own purposes.” Pool, apparently, had been associated with the Church in 1831, “…according to Parley P. Pratt, he ‘entertained us kindly and comfortably.’” But Pool apparently left the Church and remained in Missouri as most of the members moved west. “Apparently no attempt had yet been made to seize the property due to nonpayment of back property taxes by the county. Regardless, Pool obviously wanted a clear title to the land, and so he sent his agent, a Mr. Pearson, to Winter Quarters to locate Partridge and make a cash offer for a quitclaim deed. He may not have been aware that Edward Partridge had died a few years previous in Nauvoo.”5

Brigham “Young then noted that the Partridge family needed oxen, wagons, horses, groceries, and other provisions to equip themselves for the trip to the Great Basin. Orson Pratt, Heber C. Kimball, and Wilford Woodruff provided input. After deliberation, the council decided to proceed with the arrangement and to have the children of Partridge sign the deed besides Partridge’s widow. The sale was made for the equivalent of $300 and the Partridge heirs traveled with Pearson to Atchison County, in the extreme northwest corner of Missouri to legally execute the document. On May 5, 1848, the quitclaim deed was signed before two witnesses and the county clerk. Pearson then departed for Independence, and the Partridge family returned to Winter Quarters. Pool subsequently had the deed recorded in the Jackson County property records on May 5, 1848.”6

“Pool only held the property for a short period of time because of some personal legal difficulties. The sheriff levied on this property and sold it to John Maxwell on September 22, 1848. Maxwell, in turn, made an arrangement with Samuel H. Woodson in February 1851 wherein they became partners in the ownership of the property. The two men then platted the land for what became the Maxwell-Woodson Addition to the city of Independence. Thereafter, the individual lots were sold to other individuals and from these various subsequent owners John Hedrick and William Eaton purchased lots 15–22 between 1867 and 1874. These lots comprise the acreage owned today by the Church of Christ.”7

Starting in 1900, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began to quietly purchase land in and around Independence. The following is taken from a Special Council meeting; with Lorenzo Snow as president, and George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith as his counselors; and others attending; held Wednesday, February 21, 1900:

“Messrs. Frisby and Cole of the Church of Christ (Hederickites)…[were in attendance] regarding the Temple lot in Jackson county, Mo…Mr. Cole…explained what had prompted them to come here to Utah, he said that the elders of the church to which he belonged had sought to know the mind of the Lord in regard to them as a body of people, and the Lord had revealed to them that the time was close at hand when the temple would be built; and acting under the prompting of the Spirit that had made this clear to their minds, they had come to their brethren in Utah to invite them to sit in council with themselves and with members of the ‘Reorganized’ church to see if there were not some grounds on which all could act together for the building of the Temple…”8 

“President Snow remarked that to his mind it appeared almost an impossibility to create a union out of such discordant elements…Elder Cole [stated that] there was no harmony between the Reorganized church and the Hederickites… He also stated that there were one-hundred forty members of the Hederickite church and they were very much scattered…The Temple lot and grounds were…sold at sheriff’s sales twice for taxes. When the present owners obtained possession of it, it was cut up, as it is today in lots. They were instructed of the Lord to buy it and did so…As to the present value of the land, it was thought it would sell for about a thousand dollars, that is, what now remains of it, which was about three acres…On being asked if they been moved to confer with the followers of Strang, they said, No, neither had they been moved upon to confer with the Whitmer people, although they were right among them.”9

“At 2:15 p.m. the Brethren who were at the meeting in the forenoon (excepting the visitors from Independence0 met to consider the question of sending the proposed delegation to meet the proposed committeemen from the Hedrickite and Reorganite churches, at Independence, Missouri… [President Snow] …was not unmindful of the fact that when the Temple should be built at Jackson county, this Church would do it…President Cannon: The question of authority, it would be found, would be of the insuperable difficulty…President Snow said because of the innocent persons among these organizations, he believed the time would come when those two factions would break up and the majority of them gradually come to us…Elder Francis M. Lyman [of the Quorum of the Twelve] said…It seems to me…that the Lord will tell you whenever it is necessary to make any move to obtain that land and build that temple. He had no idea that we could ever unite with Hederickites and Reorganites to do such work. When the Temple is built it will be built by members of this Church, and the speaker could not see this Church uniting with them or anybody else for the purpose of learning the will of the Lord.”10 

President George Q. Cannon said: “Our hearts for years have inclined towards the center stake of Zion. President [John] Taylor wanted to create a fund outside of the tithing, which could be used by himself as President of the Church for any purpose which the Lord might signify to him, which would not trench upon the tithing. [President Cannon had also served as his councilor.] He did create such a fund, and the predominant idea in his mind was to watch [for] a favorable opportunity to buy land in Independence, and we have all felt, no doubt, the desire of that kind. In our deliberations this morning sixty-three acres have been mentioned and it strike[s] him that this conference of committees might result in a way being perceived by which a purchase of that kind might be made. Land might be purchased for us in a way which we could not ourselves, and that without creating excitement. The speaker said he had heard President Young, Taylor and Woodruff talk in this strain; and the question arose in his mind this morning that perhaps this was an opening for us to accomplish something of this kind. It was plain that the land would have to be purchased, and that we would have to pay for it; it could be got in no other way.”11

“President Snow remarked that President Cannon had expressed his views exactly in relation to the purchase of land. President Snow stated, “We are not prepared for it now. We must have money; and if pieces of land could be bought without creating excitement or placing a burdon upon us, he would be in for it. If we were to undertake to do this, he feared it would not be kept from the public. We must first get out of debt, and be economical in our affairs; and to do this he asked each person present to keep up the spirit of tithing, to keep the law themselves and to teach others what the Lord requires us to do…It was clear to his mind it would not take long to create a fund, and when this should be done it would be in order to purchase the land as opportunity presented without creating excitement. In this way, he believed, Zion would be redeemed, as President Cannon had said, by purchase.”12

Apparently, nothing much happened at the Temple Lot until around September 7, 1930, when the Church of Christ announced it would commence construction on the temple, and even published a drawing of the proposed building in the local newspaper. “Excavation commenced soon thereafter. However, the building of the temple, for a number of reasons, never materialized…In 1946, the city of Independence offered to backfill, at the city’s expense, the 1930s excavation site for the temple.13 So the site remains, a small grassy lot in Independence. 

Both President Cannon and President Snow mentioned a fund to be created, separate from the Church’s tithing fund, for the purpose of buying land and building a Temple in Missouri. When I was growing up, in addition to tithing, we had fast offerings (to help care for the poor), budget (to pay for maintaining the ward functions, such as utilities), building funds (these were established at various times and locations to help build new buildings, including temples), and fund-raising Relief Society Bazaars. A Temple fund was created in the 1830s to help fund construction of the Kirtland Temple. Such funds were set up from time to time in various places until 1990. As a result of the Church’s careful saving and investment programs, enough money was acquired to build numerous chapels and Temples. Beginning January 1, 1990, ward budget funds were discontinued because enough money was coming in through tithing that a separate fund was no longer necessary. Ward and stake operational funds would no longer have to come from local assessments but from the Church’s general funds.

President Snow stated in 1900 that the Church did not have sufficient funds to build a Jackson County Temple. To that date, six Temples had been constructed: Kirtland (1836), Nauvoo (1846), St. George (1877), Logan (1884), Manti (1888), and Salt Lake (1893). The Laie Hawaii Temple was completed in 1919, the Cardston Temple in 1923, and the Mesa Temple in 1927. These were followed by Idaho Falls (1945), Bern Switzerland (1955), Los Angeles (1956), London (1958), and Oakland (1964). So, when I was growing up, there were only 13 functioning temples. Between 1900 and 1999, 64 temples were completed and dedicated (14 in the year 1999). Thirty-four Temples were dedicated in 2000. Since 2000, 159 Temples have been built and dedicated, with another 121 announced.14 

Number 137 on that list, dedicated May 6, 2012, is the Kansas City Missouri Temple. It is located in the Shoal Creek development in Clay County, Missouri, within the Kansas City limits—4 ½ miles west of Liberty and 10 miles northwest of Independence. Why wasn’t that temple built in Independence on the 20 acres the Church owns near the Temple Lot, purchased by the Church in 1904? It is my personal opinion that putting a Temple on that 20-acre-lot would place two temples side-by-side when the Independence Temple is finally built. For example, there are five temples in Salt Lake County, Utah, including the Salt Lake Temple, the Taylorsville Temple, the Jordan River Temple, the Oquirrh Mountain Temple, and the Draper Temple; but none of them were built side-by-side.

Similar events to what happened in Missouri in 1833 also occurred in Kirtland. Following the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society in 1838, Joseph Smith was forced to leave Kirtland for Far West, and the dissenters, led by Warren Parrish, and including Martin Harris, took control of the temple and other church property. However, by 1841, Parrish’s small group had disbanded. By 1848, another group of former members, led by Hazen Aldrich and James Collin Brewster, was organized in Kirtland and apparently gained control of the temple. This faction also dissolved and most of its members eventually joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (RLDS, that name was later changed to the Community of Christ), eventually led by Joseph Smith III. However, until 1860, ownership of the Kirtland Temple was still under the estate of the Prophet Joseph Smith. In that year, a probate court in Ohio sold the Temple, apparently as a means of paying off some debts owned by Joseph’s estate. Then, in 1874, Joseph Smith III and Mark Hill Forscutt apparently purchased a quitclaim deed to the temple. The RLDS Church formally secured ownership of the temple sometime before 1901.15

Then, on March 5, 2024, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the Kirtland Temple, along with the Community of Christ visitors’ centers in Kirtland and Nauvoo, Nauvoo historic sites like the Red Brick Store, Nauvoo House, Mansion House, and Smith Family Homestead, as well as several artifacts, such as a Bible used by Joseph Smith in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, the original door to Liberty Jail, and several other items and manuscripts, for $192.5 million. This purchase followed earlier transfers of historic property from the Community of Christ to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Joseph and Emma Smith’s home in Kirtland and properties in Missouri in 2012.16

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints currently owns an estimated 22,571 acres of land in Missouri, primarily located in the western part of the state, including over 10,000 acres in Jackson County, with 5,920 acres specifically in and around Independence.17 Will the Temple Lot in Independence become part of the Church-owned property in the near future? Will an Independence Temple be built there soon? We will just have to wait and see—maybe not even for very long.

I think of great significance to the past, current, and future events in Independence, Missouri, are the statements made August 1, 1831, and recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 58:3-5, 7, and 52 “Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand. Remember this, which I tell you before, that you may lay it to heart, and receive that which is to follow…And also that you might be honored in laying the foundation, and in bearing record of the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand…For, behold, verily I say unto you, the Lord willeth that the disciples and the children of men should open their hearts, even to purchase this whole region of country, as soon as time will permit.”

The foundation stones of the Independence, Missouri Temple were laid August 3, 1831, but the Saints were driven out only two years later, with much tribulation. They continued to suffer and sacrifice for many more years, until around 1904, when the Church quietly began to buy back their lands in Missouri. Then, in 2024, the Church bought back many sites of great importance to the Church, including the Kirtland Temple. Is purchase of the ultimate historic site, the Independence Temple Lot, to occur in the near future. I, for one, think so.     

Trent Dee Stephens, PhD

trentdeestephens.com

stephenstrent7@gmail.com

References

1.     Farnes, Sherilyn, Fact, Fiction and Family Tradition: The Life of Edward Partridge (1793-1840), The First Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Master’s Thesis, Brigham Young University – Provo, 2009

2.     Addams, R Jean, The Past and Future of the Temple Lot in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship,  44:145-216, 2021

3.     Ibid

4.     Ibid

5.     Ibid

6.     Ibid

7.     Ibid

8.     Historical Department Journal History of the Church, 1830-2008, February 21, 1900, p. 2-14; catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/82a70f12-1c36-4de5-9047-0cca3e8d402d/0/163

9.     Ibid

10.  Ibid

11.  Ibid

12.  Ibid

13.  Addams, 2021

14.  churchofjesuschristtemples.org/temples/chronology

15.  Kirtland Temple, Wikipedia

16.  newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/sacred-sites-and-historic-documents-transfer-to-church-of-jesus-christ

17.  The Salt Lake Tribune, Sep 12, 2023