| William Smith accuses David and Mary Cahoon Elliot of whipping, beating, and threatening to kill their fifteen-year-old daughter. Joseph decides the parents should have
raised her better. They promise to do better and are restored to fellowship. |
| |
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|
| Date |
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October 29, 1835 |
|
Kirtland council, 127–129. |
| Location |
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Kirtland, Ohio. |
|
|
| Description |
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… a High Council was called at E. Bosleys
for the purpose of trying certain cases. |
|
Edmund
Bosley (1776–1846) moved from New York to Kirtland in 1833. Living
in Missouri by 1838. Moved to Illinois in 1839. Died at Winter Quarters.
Papers 2:528–529. |
| [Presiding] |
|
[Oliver
Cowdery] |
|
| Clerk |
|
Orson Hyde |
|
| Present |
|
David W. Patten (h)
Brigham Young
John F. Boynton (h)
Joseph Coe
Lyman Sherman
James Emmett
John Smith
Wm. E. McLellin
Orson Hyde
Simeon Carter
Alpheus Cutler
Selah J. Griffin |
|
Original: Emmitt, S.
J. Griffin
This council consists of five apostles (David, Brigham, John F. Boynton, William,
and Orson), one of the seven presidents of the Seventy (Lyman), and six high
priests (Joseph Coe, James, John Smith, Simeon, Alpheus, and Selah).
|
| Open |
|
After the council had taken their seats according to their
respective numbers President O. Cowdery opened the council by prayer. |
|
procedure:
take a number, sit. |
| Charge
parents with whipping child |
|
William Smith charges
David Elliott and his wife for whipping and beating their daughter. |
|
David
Elliott (1799–1855) of Ithaca, New York, baptized 1831 and married
Mary Cahoon (sister of Reynolds Cahoon) the same year. Zion's Camp, First
Quorum of Seventy. Moved to Zion with the Kirtland Camp, 1838. Then to Springfield,
Illinois. Died in Salt Lake City.
Aaron Lyon (1781–1839) died in Hancock County, Illinois.
|
| Speakers |
|
Counselors David W. Patten and Brigham Young speak on one
side; John Smith and William E. McLellin on the other. Prosecution witnesses
are Aaron C. Lyon and his wife, Roxana. |
|
| 15-year-old
girl comes for help |
|
Aaron C. Lyon: about ten days ago,
the fifteen-year-old Elliott girl came to his house, complaining that: |
|
| Abused by father, considers suicide |
|
her father had abused her, and whipped her & that some
marks were found upon her arms, body &c. then she had been whipped.
This circumstance took place about ten days since. … she said she
would, or had a mind to make away with herself, hang herself (or something
of the kind) to get rid of her trouble and affliction. |
|
|
| Mother
threatens to kill her |
|
Roxana Lyon: corroborates her husband's testimony
and adds that "Mrs. Elliott threatened to take the broomstick and
kill her." |
|
|
| Suicide
attempt |
|
Sister Osgood: three years ago,
as she was leaving the Elliott home, the girl said, "I know how I
shall fare when you leave I shall run away or destroy myself." She
went down into the well to drown herself but Sister Osgood prevented her. |
|
|
| Public
knowledge in Chagrin |
|
Erastus Babbitt: the people of Chagrin,
where the incident took place, were very agitated about it; and "it
was a topic of public conversation." |
|
|
| Joseph:
girl to blame |
|
Joseph Smith: talked to the girl
and her parents at their house in Chagrin "… he was satisfied
that the girl was in the fault, and that the neighbors were trying to create
a difficulty." |
|
Joseph:
"I was then called to appear before the high Council which was [11] Setting
to give my testimony in an action against Br.. David Eliot[t] for whiping
his Daughter unreasonably my testimony was in his favour." Diary-2, 10–11 // PWJS, 95. |
| Grandfather:
girl lies, never saw her abused |
|
Brother Elliott's father: she is
"refractory and stubborn, and would sometimes vary from the truth
and had never seen brother or Sister Elliot[t] abuse her." |
|
| All
sides heard |
|
The counselors, accuser, and
accused speak. |
|
| Presidency
renders decision |
|
"The Presidents" render a decision:
the complaint is |
|
|
Father
brought disgrace
Child shouldn't need the rod at 15 |
|
not without foundation, Yet the charge had not been fully
sustained, but he has acted injudiciously and brought a disgrace upon himself,
upon his daughter & upon this Church, because he ought to have trained
his child in a way, that she should not have required the rod at the age
of 15 years. |
|
|
| Evening
session |
|
Council adjourns
and re-convenes at candle-light. Hezekiah Fisk replaces Alpheus
Cutler and Almon Babbit substitutes for Joseph
Coe. |
|
Joseph,
Emma, and "others" of the household arrive after the session
begins. "I was solicited to take a seat with the presidency and
preside in a case of Sister Eliots I did so my Mother was called as
testimony and began to relate circumstances that had been brought before
the church and settled," so
Joseph objects. William jumps up, accusing Joseph of "invalidating
or doubting" their
mother's testimony. Joseph tells him he is out of order and tells him
to sit down. William refuses. Joseph repeats his "request" and
William is "enraged."
Joseph orders him to sit down and William refuses, daring Joseph
to knock him down. Joseph, "agitated," is ready to leave, but
their father intercedes. Joseph remains and the council resumes its business.
Diary-2, 12 // PWJS, 96–97. |
| Mother
accused |
|
[129] William Smith accuses
Mary Elliott of abusing her daughter and the rest of her children. |
|
| Difficult
case (6 counselors) |
|
Six counselors are appointed to speak. |
|
| Sister
Elliot confesses, is forgiven |
|
Testimony of Sister Childs was that she lived in the house
with Sister Elliott confessed her wrong, and promised to
do so no more consequently the council forgave her. |
|
| Brother
Elliott confesses, is forgiven, both restored |
|
Brother Elliott confesses and is forgiven "and he and his
wife were restored to fellowship." |
|
| Close |
|
Prayer by Sidney Rigdon. |
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| |
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Minutes of November 12, 1835
Minutes of October 5, 1835
Ohio Minutes
|