Rival prophet at Voree
James J. Strang
1813–1856
1 topic · 4 dated events
Their part in each topic
The Succession Crisis of 1844
Rival prophet at Voree
Baptized by Joseph Smith in February 1844 and ordained an elder by Hyrum, Strang produced a letter dated 18 June 1844 appointing him successor, claimed an angelic ordination on the very day of the martyrdom, and in September 1845 unearthed engraved plates at Voree, Wisconsin. He drew in Martin Harris, three Whitmers, William Smith and Lucy Mack Smith before polygamy and a royal coronation cost him most of them. He was assassinated in 1856.
In the timeline
4 events across 1 topics, chronological. Only events this person was actually part of — present at, responsible for, or the subject of — not every event where the name comes up.
Rigdon leaves for Pittsburgh; a letter is later dated to this day
The Rigdon family boarded the steamer Osprey for Pittsburgh, sent there partly to establish residency for the vice-presidential ticket and partly, according to Joseph Smith's diary, to get Rigdon out of danger. James J. Strang would later publish a letter dated the same day in which Joseph appointed him to plant a stake in Wisconsin and, Strangites held, named him successor. Strang further claimed that on 27 June, the day of the martyrdom, an angel ordained him a prophet, seer, revelator and translator, and that the letter reached him by mail on 9 July.
Times and Seasons answers the world, and cuts off Strang
The Nauvoo paper acknowledged that 'great excitement prevails throughout the world to know who shall be the successor of Joseph Smith,' and reported that the 8 August special conference had carried, without a dissenting voice, that the Twelve should preside over the whole church. The same issue carried a notice cutting off James J. Strang and Aaron Smith for circulating a purported revelation of 18 June 1844 and trying to establish a stake called Voree.
William Smith ordained Presiding Patriarch, then breaks
The Twelve ordained William Smith Presiding Patriarch. He spent the summer arguing that the office carried a right to lead, wrote to the Times and Seasons emphasizing that he was the only surviving son of Joseph Smith Sr., and in October published a pamphlet charging that Brigham Young privately conceded 'little Joseph' was the rightful heir but thought it imprudent to say so. He was cut off, and later allied with Strang and then with Lyman Wight.
The Voree plates
Four of Strang's followers, digging where he directed under a tree at Voree, Wisconsin, unearthed three small brass plates covered with an alphabetical and pictorial record. Strang translated them within days and published them with witness statements. Martin Harris, three Whitmers, Hiram Page, William Smith and Lucy Mack Smith all followed Strang for a time.
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People who share the most dated events with James J. Strang.
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