Revelations, work of Church continue in Ohio
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In the early years of the Church, when members were in the process of gathering, first to Kirtland, Ohio, and then to Jackson County, Mo., the Church did not have long-term permanent headquarters.
Fayette, N.Y., was its first base of operations, from the time the Church was organized there on April 6, 1830, until the Prophet Joseph Smith left for Kirtland, in late January 1831.When the Prophet arrived in Kirtland during the first week of February 1831, that city in northeastern Ohio became Church headquarters until later that year, on Sept. 12, when Joseph moved to John Johnson's home near Hiram, Ohio, about 35 miles southeast of Kirtland.
During the time the Prophet resided in the Johnson home, from Sept. 12, 1831, until he left April 2, 1832, to make his second visit to Missouri, Hiram was considered to be headquarters for the Church.
References in Church history to Hiram generally are understood to be synonymous with the Johnson farm and home, located about two miles from Hiram.
While residing in the Johnson home, the Prophet received 16 of the revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants.
A two-story frame building with a basement, the Johnson home was the setting of several Church conferences, the first being held there Oct. 11, 1831, in which "the Elders were instructed in the ancient manner of conducting meetings, of which knowledge most of them were ignorant." (History of the Church, 1:219.)
The Prophet also conducted meetings on the Sabbath and in the evenings, and baptized numerous people while at the Johnson farm.
In recent years, the Johnson home was used as a meetinghouse for the Hiram Branch. The branch met there from April 1984 until March 1987, when a new meetinghouse was dedicated next to the home and the Hiram Ward was created. Today, the Johnson home is a Church visitors center.
