Evening star., 1903-07-13
SOME MORMON HISTORY.
Effort of Sidney Rigdon to Establish
Church in Pennsylvania.

From the Grrrncastic Ua.D Echo Pilot.
Two missionaries of the Mormon Church.
Elders Jesse L. Smith of Magrath. Canada.
and Joseph Glover of Lehi. Utah. are ut
work building Mormon Church i0x25
feet in size. near the Fairview school house
in Quincy township. This church will be
the first sanctuary of this denomination
constructed in this county, but 1t is not the
first contemplated More than half Il cen
tury ago an attempt was made to build a
huge Mormon temple on the McLauahan
farm along the creek west of town and TO
found settlement of Morm"ns which
should be the parent of the church in the
United States
After the killing of Joseph Smith and
Hiram Smith at Carthage. Ill, by mob
on the 21th of June, 1874. the leadership
of the Saints naturally belonged to Sidney
kSdon. but Brigham Young. an ambitions
man and a more recent convert to the faith
than Risdon. was chosen first president.
His talented competitor was cut off from
the communion of the faithful. cursed. and
'olemniy delivered over to the devil, ito ~
buffeted in the flesh for thousand years.
In short time Rigdon, with a band of
faithful followers. came eastward to Pitts
burg. where they established paper to
promulgate their doctrines. While Young
and his associates Were flying to Salt Lake
city. Rigdon and his adherents sought
cOnSenial field among the conservative in
habitants OF tho keystone state. locating 1T
Pittsburg. Their work there did not pros
per, however. and in "A short time two ennis
saries sent out by Rigdon appeared in An
trim township: After looking over num-
ber Of farms they finally selected the Me
LaEallan farm as the site of their city. de-
ClarinS: This is the place the Lord has
shown us in visions to be the site of the
city of New jerusalem Shortly after
ward Peter Boyer. wealthy farmer o.
Allegheny county. came on and contracted
with Mr.. Mclanahan for his farm there of
about 100 acres, at sl47oo. Boyer paid
S6,tHo in advance, and gave mortgage for
the remainder of the purchase money. The
purchaser took possession in the spring OF
l>4i. and in short time Sidney RiGdon.
Elders Hyde and Huber. Judge Richards.
William +. Mcclellan. Hatch. Iinkle. Zody.
Grimes. Ringer and others Joined them.
The band numbered. all told. about 80.
Most of them moved upon the farm. wnerc
they intended to lay out a grand city build
magnificent temple and establish extern
sive manufacturing establishments. Some
of them located in town, and some engaged
In various business enterprises.
Among other enterprises in which they
embarked was the publishing of news
paper. the Conococheague Herald. of
which this paper is the lineal descendant.
The original press brought here by Robin
son. the Mormon printer, is still preserved
In this office.
They did some prea ching in town. but
We're unsuccessful in arousing on the part
they had hoped for to make their cause
popular. Rigdon boasted that the conflict
would rage until the streets of the town
were drenched with blood. When the CON
ficts did not materialiZe. however. he de-
clared that there was not In the churches
of the town religion enough to save
nest of woOdpeCkerS.
1dleness prevailed among the MormonS
here and the money brought with them
was soon consumed. The house. the barn.
the corn crib. the smokehousa even. We're
used dwelling places Crops of grain
We're allowed to go to waste. Finally, the
time for the payment of the mortage notes
arrived but no money for that purpose was
available. Mr.. McLanahan foreclosed in
August. 1919. and all the visions of the fu-
ture great city disappeared Some went to
Utah. and some Joined the GentileS and
remained here. OF these. the last one a
woman. died here about ten years ago
There has been Mormon congrega ton
a. Tomstown for a number of years. with
a varied membership of from twenty-five
to forty. The Mormon doctrine minus
polygamy. has been taught by local
preachers and by missionaries who have
frequently visited them. Recruits have at
times left the community to move to Utah
and take up their lives with the faithful