No known listing exists to account for all the residents of the City of Far West during its hayday, between August 1836 through early 1839. Diary and journal accounts provide clues about some of the actual inhabitants. But such accounts typically lack specificity about housing arrangements and locations. Along this line are church member petitions for redress, written after the expulsion from Missouri, for the purpose of receiving some compensation from the government for lost land and property. Many members fled into Far West during the "Mormon War," making the actual population of the city, during regular times, quite difficult to estimate with any accuracy. In addition, a number lived on farms just outside of the city limits regularly passing into and out of the community. Fortunately, Far West administrators compiled a listing of residents in March 1838. But, only the listing of the residents of the south west quarter of the larger city still exists. While we can not tell from this listing exactly where particular individuals and families lived, this information provides perhaps the best snapshot available of residency patterns within the city.
Thomas B. Marsh returned from a mission with Wilford Woodruff in Kentucky. "September 19, 1836... Brother D. [David] W. Patten and his wife accompanying us to Missouri. I proceeded immediately to the new city which had been laid out, and called Far West, in our absence. On our arrival ... I procured a lot immediately, built a house and moved into it. During the winter I made improvements on my lot; got up my firewood; attended councils and preached to the Saints.[: "History of Thomas Baldwin Marsh [by himself]," The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 26 (1864):359-60, 375-76, 390-92, 406].
Joseph Holbrook wrote, "I have built a house assisted others in building, so that I have plenty to do and the brethren paid me well for it. I buit an office for Bishop Edward Patridge [sic] in Far West and finished it. I also built a dwelling house for him. I built two other dwelling houses [for] Morgan Gardner and George Slade."
Emily Partridge recorded, "After Far West was laid out father built another house and we moved into the city. The Saints from all parts of the world, where the gospel had been preached, began to gather in, and the place was rapidly built up." [Autobiography of Emily Partridge Young, 10].
Levi Hancock noted, "In November I bought me a farm in Caldwell County. I built a house sixteen feet square of logs and a small one for a shop. I hired rails made and fenced four acres and planted it to corn. I built a brush fence around my pasture. I bought and paid for ten acres in the city of Far West and partly paid for a city lot near the Temple block, where I desired living. I had in all sixty acres of good land besides my city lot paid for. I had cows, hogs, and one good mare, sheep and hens a plenty and was in a good way to live with plenty to eat." [Autobiography of Levi Ward Hancock, 58].
Albert Rockwood wrote, "Most of the lots in the first square mile are sold. City lots can be bought 2d handed but it is thought not advisable to purchase only of the Bishop.Plenty of lots [are] yet for sale in [the] 2d mile which brings the highest lots ½ mile to the square. Those that wish to purchase lots in F[ar] W[est], would do well to purchase soon for if the war which is now blackning on all sides should abate the lots would sell verry fast. Lotts cost 30 to 60 Dol[lars] (work on the Lords House pay[s] for lots.) this is the pay the Bishop desires of those that can-not pay the money. [Rockwood letter, 6 October 1838]. Emigration to the stakes of Zion is verry great[.] almost every day witnesseth from 1 to 30 teams with furniture & familes[.] Teniment room is verry scirce in this place, many families have to live in their tents & waggons. The houses are mostly made of logs and generally contain as many famalies as rooms and in many cases more[.] The houses are mere shanties[.] they cost from 30 to 80 days work [of] 1 man besides from ten to fifty Dollars in Cash[.] not more than 20 or 30 houses have been built since the first of Sept. the Brethren have been more than ½ of the time in dispersing Mobs which are almost continually about us. . . . [14 October 1838]." [Dean C. Jessee and David J. Whittaker, eds., “The Last Months of Mormonism in Missouri: The Albert Perry Rockwood Journal,” 6 October 1838, BYU Studies, 28 (Winter 1988), 21-22].
Edward Partridge's petition related, "The fall of 1836... I moved my family to what is now Caldwell county there I purchased land and built houses where I lived till last winter when in conformity with the order of Gov. Boggs and the threats of Genl. Clark I moved my family to the State of Illinois, at which time I held the title to forty acres of land in Clay Co. and more than four fifths of the lots in the town of Far West Caldwell Co. which was laid out one mile square and was settleing very rapidly. I had five houses and one barn in the town. I also held eight hundred and sixty eight acres of land in Caldwell county. The property in Caldwell Co. has sunk to a mere trifle, in consequence of our Church not being protected there. I give the following for a sample, I bought a house last summer in Far West and gave twelve hundred dollars for it, after I bought it a well was dug and other repairs made amounting to between fifty and a hundred dollars this property has lately been sold by my agent and only brought one hundred dollars-An other house and lot which last summer I would not have been willing to have taken three hundred dollars for has been sold by my agent and brought only thirty dollars, however I cannot think that property there will remain so low long. . . . [514] Last fall I was taken from my home in Far West Mo. by Genl. Clark, without any civil process, and driven off to Richmond Ray Co. thirty miles, and kept a prisoner between three and four weeks before I was liberated, for which I think the State of Missouri aught to pay me a round sum. . . . My loss or expected loss on my land, houses, and village lots in Caldwell Co. in consequence of having to leave there [$]15,500.00 Quincy Ill. May 15th 1839 [515] I certify that the above statements are correct according to the best of my knowledge and belief. Edward Partridge. [MRP, 511-515]. Emily Austin reminisced, "My husband bought faring land and timber sufficient for a lifetime; he also built a dwelling house in the city. Our city lot was one acre of ground, and all required buildings were properly erected." [Emily Austin, Life among the Mormons, (Madison Wis.: M.J. Cantwell, Book and Job Printer, 1882), 86].
Elijah Newman's redress petition reads, "No sooner had our brethren put themselves into their hands than the troops commenced an awfull yelling and shouting such as I never before heard[.] ... These troops burnt large quantities of house logs. I judged to logs to be sufficient for forty or fifty houses They were houses taken down and moved into town just before the troops came there and the owners had not time to put them up again they were moving in for their safety. I saw the soldiers pull down the body of one house in Far West and burn the logs, they also burnt many rails I was ordered, together with the rest of my brethren that were in town onto the public square where we were closely surrounded by a strong guard and there compelled to sign an instrument of writing said to be a deed of trust, which was to bind us to put all our property into the hands of a committee to be applied in paying the debts of any of the church members..." [Elijah Newman, Johnson, Clark V., ed. Mormon Redress Petitions (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, 1992), 507-08].
Sarah Rich provided some insight into conditions during the occupation by the militia."In the morning, after we had our breakfast we started to go home to my house, about four blocks away, but found on the road the mob had placed their guards out to protect anyone from passing. We attempted to pass but were stopped by bayonets pointed at us, and told we could not pass. I told him I was going to my home a short distance away; they still refused and all that we could do was to return to my brother-in-law's, but when we got there and were telling in the store what had happened, the captain of the guards happened to be there and heard what I said." [Rich, Sarah DeArmon Pea, 1814-1893, autobiography, typescript, BYU].
1840S REDRESS PETITIONS
Samuel & Lettice Bent, two miles from Fare west, Gad Yale's, Mr. Moss' houses, MRP, 419
Solomon Chamberlin, one of first settlers, house, lot, MRP, 159
John W. Clark, one acre and improvements in the City, MRP, 166
Anthony Coombs, Acre Lot in the City Far West, MRP, 432
L. Corkins, my house, MRP, 433
Charles Crismon, resident of Far West, MRP, 435
Perry Durfee, came afterwards to my own house and took me prisoner, MRP, 443
Joseph Hancock, lot, MRP, 224
Levi Hancock, lot near the contemplated Church, MRP, 225
George Harris, 2 lots, house, barn, fruit trees, MRP, 226
Sarah Hillman, lot, house, MRP, 236
Levi Jackman, land property in the city Far West, MRP, 246
Aaron Johnson, residence in far west, MRP, 249
Huntington Johnson, 1 house & improvements on 1 acre of land in sitty farwest, MRP, 251
Arza Judd, Jr., 20 or 25 came to my house and ordered us off, MRP, 374
Asahel Lathrop, one house and lot situated in the Town of Far West, MRP, 264
John Lowry, John Clark and his aid at their arrival of Far West. . . in the yard John M. Burk. . . come near my dwelling and Did pitch their Camp and took my house Logs, MRP, 280
Windsor P. Lyon, one town lot in Far West, MRP,
Alexander McRae, house and lot in the town of Far West, MRP, 283
Silas Maynard, House and Lot in City Far West, MRP, 286
Isaac Morley, a City lot in far West where I built me a comfortable house and lived in it until 1838, MRP, 500.
Moses Morse, on[e] lot in fairwest [sic], MRP, 294
Jedidiah Owen, troops came to my house, MRP, 304
Issac Pierce, a resident of Far West, MRP, 318
Uriah B. Powell, one House and lot in Far West town, MRP, 521 .
Elisha Richards, bought me a house and lot in the City of far west Caldwell Co missouri, for which I paid the Sum of $200, MRP, 525 .
Levi Richards, a Citizen of Far West. . . compelled . . . to leave my house, MRP 328
Burr Riggs, two hundred acres and a "Lot on which I erected a dwelling home Stable &c, MRP, 330
Orrin Rockwell, troops go to the house of, MRP, 417
Samuel Rolfe, 2 Town Lots with Two Dwelling Houses (FW?), MRP, 331
Almon Sherman, one Town Lot & House (FW?), MRP, 337
Joseph Smith, Jr., house, oral tradition and MRP, 349
[MRP - Clark V. Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions: Documents of the 1833-1838 Missouri Conflict (Provo, UT: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1992)]
Alphabetized Typescript
List of Names of
Latter Day Saints Living in the South West Quarter of Far West, Missouri, 25
March 1838, original housed at the LDS Family and Church Historical Department,
Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah, 6 pages, Far West film #889, 391, typescript by
Lyndon W. Cook.
Far West Caldwell Co. Mo., March 25th 1838
A List of Names of the Church of Latter Day Saints living in the SW
quarter of Far West
No. Child No. Name Age
[Father, mother, oldest to
youngest]
[Priesthood]
Grade
86 Abbott,
Lewis [brother-in-law
of Thomas B. Marsh]
87 Abbott, Ann
88 Abbott, Abigail
89 29 Abbott, Thomas B, under 8 years
96 Adkinson,
Margaret
90 Elder Alexander, Randolph
91 Alexander, Marza
92 30
Alexander, Thomas M. under
8 years
93 31 Alexander, Susan A. under 8 years
94 32 Alexander, Adaline under 8 years
95 33 Alexander, Moroni W. under
8 years
142 Alexander,
Francis E.
141 51 Alexander, Nancy under 8 years
8 Bachelor,
Delight
132 Buell,
Norman
133 Buell, Presenda [Presinda]
71 High Priest Carter, Jared
72 Carter, Lydia
73 Carter, Evaline
74 Carter, Ellen
75 Carter, Orlando
76 24 Carter, Clark under 8 years
77 25 Carter, Lydia under 8 years
78 26 Carter, Jared under 8 years
68 Carter,
Nancy
30 Elder Chase, Stephen
31 Chase, Orey [Orryanna]
32 Chase, Eli
33 Chase, Darwin
34 Chase, Hiram B.
131 Chase, Mary
80 Cleveland, Alanson
81 Cleveland, Ann
82 Cleveland, Hortentia
83 27 Cleveland, Henry under 8 years
84 28 Cleveland, George W. under 8 years
115 Elder Cox, Ralph
116 Cox, Wealthy
117 40 Cox,
Charles under 8
years
118 41 Cox, Eliza A. under 8 years
119 42 Cox, Mariah W. under 8 years
9 Egleston,
Esther U.
129 47 Fordham, Bethiah under 8 years
135 Goleher,
William C.
136 Goleher,
Elizabeth
137 Goleher, Polly
138 48 Goleher, Elizabeth under 8 years
139 49 Goleher, Nancy under 8 years
140 50 Goleher, James under 8
years
97 Teacher Graves, Alvin C.
98 Graves, Elizabeth
99 Graves,
Warren H.
100 Graves,
Asa
101 Graves,
John
102 Graves,
Eliza J.
103 34 Graves,
Johnithan under 8
years
104 35 Graves, Oliver C. under 8 years
105 36 Graves, Alvin C. under 8 years
106 High Priest Hinkle, George M.
107 Hinkle, Sarah
108 Hinkle, Morgan
109 Hinkle, Andrew
110 37 Hinkle, George
A. under 8 years
111 38 Hinkle,
Susan J. under 8
years
18 Hitchock, Polly
19 Hitchock, Elizabeth
20 Hitchock, Dove
21 Hitchock, Thomas
22 7 Hitchock, Martha G. under 8 years
23 8 Hitchock, Oliver C. under 8 years
24 9 Hitchock, Alma S. under 8 years
25 10 Hitchock, Sarah A. under 8 years
122 Hoagland,
Henry
123 Hoagland, Ruth
124 Hoagland, Harriet
125 43 Hoagland, Lucy D. under 8 years
126 44 Hoagland, William H. under 8 years
127 45
Hoagland, Jane under
8 years
60 Elder Hulett, Sylvester
61 Hulett, Anna
62 Hulett, Charlot
130 Manard
[Maynard], Silas
12 Marble,
Betsey [probably living with Wood Family]
63 Mills,
Alvira [possibly
living with Sylvester Hulett]
26 Owens,
Abigail C.
27 Owens,
Horace B.
28 Owens, Caroline A.
29 11 Owens, James C., Jr. under 8 years
35 High
Priest Page, Hiram
36 Page,
Catharine
37 Page,
Mary
38 Page, John D.
39 12 Page, Phylander A. under 8 years
40 13 Page, Mary C. under 8 years
41 14 Page, Peter C. under 8 years
79 Palmer,
Asahel [possibly living with Jared Carter]
120 Peck,
Reed
121 Peck,
Clarissa M.
1 Teacher Pitkin, George W.
2 Pitkin,
Amanda
3 1 Pitkin, Martha U. under 8 years
4 2 Pitkin, Ammon under
8 years
5 3 Pitkin, George under 8 years
6 Pitkin, Laura
7 Pitkin, Abigail
69 High Priest Riggs, Burr
70 Riggs,
Lovina
128 46 Riggs, Frederick under 8 years
[living with another family]
134 Rollins, Henry
85 Slade, Mary [possibly living
with Cleveland family]
112 High Priest Snow, William
113 Snow,
Hannah
114 39 Snow, Abagail D. under 8 years
64 High
Priest Williams, F. G.
65 Williams,
Rebecca
66 Williams, Lucy E.
67 Williams, Ezra G.
42 Whitmer, Peter Sen.
43 Whitmer, Mary
44 High Priest Whitmer, David
45 Whitmer, Julia Ann
46 15 Whitmer, David J. under 8 years
47 16 Whitmer, Julia A. under 8 years
48 Whitmer, Vasti
49 17 Whitmer, Caroline under 8 years
50 18 Whitmer, Mary E. under 8 years
51 19 Whitmer, Vashti P. under 8 years
52 High Priest Whitmer, Jacob
53 Whitmer, Elizabeth
54 Whitmer, Mary A.
55 Whitmer, David P.
56 20 Whitmer, Sally E. under 8 years
57 21 Whitmer, Anna under 8
years
58 22 Whitmer, John C. under 8 years
59 23 Whitmer, Elizabeth under 8 years
10 Wood,
Henry
11 Wood,
Esther
13 Wood, Lucy
14
Wood, Mariah
15 4 Wood,
Roxey M. under 8 years
16 5 Wood, Esther under 8 years
17 6 Wood, Henry under 8 years