“He shall build the house of the Lord in Zion, and shall do a work that none other man understandeth to do, in building the houses of the Lord.” — Joseph Smith¹

John Corrill was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on January 10, 1831, in Kirtland, Ohio, and was ordained an elder later that month. That same year, Corrill served a mission to New London, Ohio, was ordained a high priest, and was appointed second counselor to Bishop Edward Partridge, a position he would hold until August 1837.² He moved to Jackson County, Missouri, where he presided over a group of Saints. As Missourians grew violent and the Saints faced expulsion, Corrill and other leaders offered themselves up to the mob as a ransom to protect the Saints, knowing they could be scourged or put to death.³ After the Saints were forced from Jackson County, he relocated to Clay County, Missouri before moving to Kirtland, Ohio to work on the temple. Corrill was one of the founders of the city of Far West in Caldwell County, Missouri, later serving as the county’s state representative. He was also appointed to be a Church historian with Elias Higbee. Corrill testified against Joseph Smith at a hearing in 1838 and was eventually excommunicated from the Church in March 1839.²

1. Joseph Smith, Blessing, to John Corrill, 22 Sept. 1835, josephsmithpapers.org

2. “Corrill, John,” josephsmithpapers.org; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 17, 190-191

3. “Renounce War and Proclaim Peace,” Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, churchofjesuschrist.org