Missouri and the Church

The next move took Margaret and Alexander Shoemaker as well as the Taylor family into Missouri. It is here that they first had contact with the Mormons. To give a background of the Church in Missouri there is a timeline from information found in Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual chapters 9, 11-12, 15-17 and Our Heritage: A Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapter 4. Both of these books are found online at http://lds.org/churchhistory/history.

Remember that Margaret and Alexander were married in Pendleton County, Kentucky on 29 October 1835, so their move to Missouri was after that date. However, we also know from Margaret Shoemaker Clement's history that her parents were "in Missouri at the time the Saints were being mobbed and driven from their homes." As you can see from the timeline below, the Saints were driven from several counties in Missouri at vaying times during the 1830s.

1831
3 Jun - Joseph Smith received a revelation to go to Missouri.
July - The Colesville Saints arrived in Independence, Missouri.
2 Aug - The land of Zion was dedicated.
3 Aug - The temple site in Independence was dedicated.

1832
June - Elder Phelps published the first edition of the Evening and Morning Star.

1833
April - There were over 1000 Saints in Missouri. The first signs of persecution arose.
20 July - A mob of 400 demanded the Saints leave Jackson County. The printing house was destroyed. Bishop Partridge and Charles Allen were tarred and feathered
Nov-Dec - The Saints were expelled from Jackson County and moved into Clay County.

1834
May - Zion's Camp left Kirtland to help the Missouri Saints.
19 Jun - A mob of 300 Missourians met Zion's camp but were stopped by a fierce storm.

1836
Summer - The Saint remained in Clay County until they were asked to leave. They began settlying in Far West.
Dec - Caldwell and Davies Counties were created for the Saints through the help of Alexander W. Doniphan. Far West was named the county seat of Caldwell County.

1837
Nov - Joseph Smith briefly visited Far West.

1838
14 March - Joseph Smith arrived to settle in Far West.
May - Joseph Smith identified the Valley of Adam-Ondi-Ahman.
4 July - The cornerstones for the temple were dedicated.
6 Aug - Persecution began again when a mob of 100 wouldn't let the Saints cast their ballots in Gallatin, Daviess County.
7 Sept. - Joseph Smith and Lyman Wight were tried before Judge Austin King.
27 Oct - Governor Boggs issued the "extermination order."
30 Oct - The Haun's Mill massacre occurred in Caldwell County.
1 Dec - Joseph & Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb Baldwin, and Alexander McRae were sent to Liberty Jail in Clay County.

1839
26 Jan - Brigham Young began organizing for the removal of the Saints.
Feb - 8,000 Saints left Missouri for Illinois.
22 Apr - Those in Liberty Jail joined the Saints in Illinois.