Ohio

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Joseph Smith lived on the Morley Farm from March to September 1831. Isaac Morley, one of the earliest settlers of Kirtland, had joined the Church in 1830. He invited many early converts to live on his 80-acre farm and here built a small home for Joseph and Emma Smith shortly after the Prophet's arrival in Ohio.

Here, Emma gave birth to twins who soon died. Several days later, the Smiths adopted the infant twins of John Murdock, whose wife, Julia, died from complications of childbirth.

While living on the Morley Farm, Joseph received 13 revelations now included in the Doctrine and Covenants. In a memorable discourse on October 25, 1831, he asked the Saints to develop among themselves perfect love so that their names might be written in "the Lamb's book of life," in other words, those who receive salvation through Jesus Christ. The fourth conference of the Church was held here in June 1831. During the conference, the first high priests of this dispensation were called. Later that year, in a priesthood meeting held in an 18-by-20-foot log schoolhouse on a hill overlooking this farm, Joseph prophesied to a small group of priesthood holders that "this Church will fill North and South America—it will fill the world."1

None of the original buildings remains on the Morley Farm. A portion of the original Chillicothe Trail passes through this Church-owned historic site. Many early converts and missionaries traveling to and from the East Coast of the United States used this trail.