John Johnson Farm

John Johnson Farm
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in the state of Ohio
Location	Hiram Township, Portage County, Ohio
Coordinates
Architectural style	Colonial, Other
NRHP Reference #	76001512
Added to NRHP	12 December 1976

The John Johnson farm in Hiram Township, Portage County, Ohio, United States, is a significant location in the history of the Latter Day Saint movement and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Movement founder Joseph Smith accepted John Johnson's invitation to reside on his farm in September 1831. The farm was the headquarters of Smith's Church of Christ from September 1831 until March 1832, and the farm was the site of several revelations to Smith and other church leaders. In 1956, the LDS Church purchased the farm property and used the property as a welfare farm from 1971 to 2002. The home continues to operate as a tourist attraction.

Revelations received at the Johnson Farm

Several revelations were received by Smith and other church leaders while at the Johnson Farm. Sixteen of the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants were received. Among these revelations were section 1 (the introduction) and section 76 (the vision of the degrees of glory). As part of section 76, Smith and Sidney Rigdon stated, "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of [Jesus Christ], this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father". Smith also completed part of his revision of the Bible at the Johnson home.

Violence at the Johnson Farm

On the night of March 24, 1832, Smith and his wife Emma were caring for their adopted twins, both of whom were sick with the measles. While Joseph was sleeping on the trundle bed on the first floor of the Johnson home, a mob of about 25 attacked him and dragged him out the front door. Smith struggled with the mob but was overcome. The mob choked him, tried to put acid in his mouth, and tarred and feathered him. When Smith got back to the house, Emma thought that the tar was blood and she fainted. Smith's friends spent the rest of the night cleaning the tar off of his body. The next day, Smith preached a sermon to a crowd which included some of the mobbers and baptized three people. One of the twin babies, the eleven-month-old boy named Joseph Murdock Smith, died four days later.

A late second-hand witness, Clark Braden, alleged that Eli Johnson—whom Braden claimed was a son of John Johnson—led the attack and that its intent was to punish Smith for an supposed improper relationship with his sister Marinda. Two other antagonistic witnesses, Hayden and S. F. Whitney, claimed that the motive was economic. However, Eli was, in fact, a brother to John Johnson (and an uncle to Marinda) and was living with the family at the time. The mob enlisted the services of a physician to castrate Smith. However, in the end, the physician refused to administer the procedure.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Portage County, Ohio