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The John Johnson Farm Home Photo courtesy of Alexander L. Baugh

The John Johnson Farm served as headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for approximately six months between September 1831 and March 1832. Also, in an upper room of the house, several significant revelations were received including Doctrine and Covenants Section 76, the vision of the three degrees of glory.

The Prophet Joseph continued his work of the translation of the bible while living here, and the John Johnson Farm was where the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon were dragged from the house and tarred and feathered on March 24, 1832.¹ Five days later, Joseph and Emma's adopted son, Joseph Murdock, died due to complications resulting from exposure.

Key Events at the John Johnson Farm - On February 16, 1832 Joseph and Sidney received the revelations of the three degrees of glory, Doctrine & Covenants Section 76. - Joseph and Sidney were tarred and feather after being dragged from the farm house on March 24, 1832.

The Johnson's were converted in the Spring of 1831 with the healing of John's wife Elsa from rheumatism in her shoulder.² Two of the Johnson's sons, Luke and Lyman Johnson became members of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and their daughter, Marinda, married Orson Hyde.

The Johnson's fell away from the Church in 1837, although Luke returned to the faith and traveled with the Saints to Utah.³ Father Johnson died in 1843 in Kirtland where he is buried.

In 1956, the farm was purchased by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and now serves as a welfare farm for the Church.

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SOURCES

¹ Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., introduction and notes by B. H. Roberts (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932-1951), 1: 263 - 264.

² Larry C. Porter and Susan Easton Black, eds., The Prophet Joseph: Essays on the Life and Mission of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1988), 163.

³ Susan Easton Black, Who's Who in the Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997), 156 - 157.