1813, 200 years ago this year.

John C. Waller, husband of Joseph Smith Sen.'s sister Priscilla was the Senior Warden of the Federal Lodge in Randolph in 1804. A John Smith was Senior Warden in 1813, possibly Joseph Smith Senior's brother (although he may have moved by then).

[Source: Brooke, John L. The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994.]

170 years ago today - Nov 3, 1843

Knowleton F. Hanks becomes the first Mormon missionary to be buried at sea.

[Source: Wikipedia, 19th Century (Mormonism), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century_(Mormonism)]

175 years ago today - Nov 3, 1838

[Joseph Smith] Joseph prophesies to Parley P. Pratt: "The word of the Lord came to me last night that our lives should be given us, and that whatsoever we may suffer during this captivity, not one of our lives should be taken." (Parley Parker Pratt, Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt 192.)

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

5 years ago today - 11/2/2008

[Same-Sex Marriage] Bishops across California close Sacrament Meetings with special prayers; many invoke their own priesthood authority in blessing voters and the upcoming election day activities.

[Source: Mormons for Marriage: A Prop 8 Timeline, http://mormonsformarriage.com/?page_id=68]

110 years ago today - Monday, Nov 2, 1903

[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Also held a meeting with Pres. [William H.] Smart and Counselor Jos. R. Murdock and Bp. Wm. Daybell and a number of the brethren from Charleston for the purpose of organizing a prayer circle for that ward. Present 15. I made brief remarks in reference to the purpose and character of a prayer circle and presented the name of Bp. Wm. Daybell as president and Ernest Bate as secretary. Sustained. The brethren then robed, and I explained the signs and tokens [of the temple endowment ceremony] and took them through, after which prayer was offered at the altar by Bp. Daybell.

[Source: Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson]

170 years ago today - Nov 2, 1843

Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith and some of the brethren agreed to write to five of the leading candidates for the presidency of the United States, to inquire -"what their course of action would be in relation to the cruelty and oppression that we have suffered from the State of Missouri, if they were elected.-",

[Source: BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://byustudies.byu.edu]

170 years ago today - Nov 02, 1843

Brigham Young reported the marriage of his sister to Joseph Smith in the Journal of Discourse: "I recollect a sister conversing with Joseph Smith on this subject [of plural marriage]. Joseph said, 'Sister, you talk very foolishly, you do not know what you will want.' He then said to me [B.Y.]: 'Here, brother Brigham you seal this lady to me.' I sealed her to him. This was my own sister according to the flesh." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 16, pg. 166-167). Marriage - Joseph to Fanny Young Murray, age 56, already married . Fanny was already married to a living husband, Roswell Murray. SOURCE: FamilySearch.net record for Joseph Smith Jr.

[Source: Joseph Smith Polygamy Timeline, http://www.i4m.com/think/polygamy/JS_Polygamy_Timeline.htm]

170 years ago today - Nov 2, 1843

On September 23, 1843, Augusta Cobb left her husband Henry Cobb with child Brigham Cobb (born May 19, 1843) joining members of the Twelve on their way to Nauvoo. She marries Brigham Young on November 2, 1843 in Nauvoo, while she was still legally married to Henry Cobb, becoming the fourth of some 55 recognized wives of Young.

[Source: Marquardt Papers]

170 years ago today - Nov 2, 1843

Brigham Young (aged 42) marriage to Harriet Elizabeth Cook (1824-1898) (aged 19) first marriage 1 child

[Source: Wikipedia, List of Brigham Young's Wives, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brigham_Young%27s_wives]

175 years ago today - Nov 2, 1838

[Joseph Smith] Sampson Avard is captured and begins to testify that Daniteism is an order from the Church. Joseph and the other prisoners are taken into town to bid a quick goodbye to their wives and children. The Saints are ordered to surrender all arms and sign away all possessions. Hyrum, who is very sick, is forced to march with the other prisoners. General S. D. Lucas writes the details of the conquest to Gov. Boggs. Prisoners are then put in covered wagons for a 60-mile journey to Independence, where they are to be sentenced.

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

180 years ago today - Nov 2, 1833

Mob fires on Whitmer settlement. Mormons return fire, wounding one. The next day, November 2d, all the Independence Mormons, numbering about thirty families, left town and gathered together for protection. The same day people made another attack on the Big Blue settlement, when they unroofed another house. They also attacked another settlement about six miles from Independence.

[Source: Kenney, Scott, Saints Without Halos, "Mormon History 1830-1844," http://web.archive.org/web/20120805163534/saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml]

95 years ago today - Nov 1, 1918

Thus saith the Lord, I am well pleased with the records which are kept of the receipts and disbursements of the tithing and fast and freewill offerings and properties of my church. And I say unto you, that the time is now in accord with my word given to my servant Joseph Smith, Jr., in 1838, when the tithing and other funds and the properties of my church shall be disposed of and appropriated for the work of the ministry, and the building up and beautifying and the lengthening and strengthening of the stakes of Zion. The presidency of my church, the council of the twelveâ€"and not at any time less than a majorityâ€"shall be a quorum and the presiding bishopric of my church shall be a council for this purpose. And they shall be agreed in their decisions, and shall hearken unto my voice in all things. And the duties of the presiding bishopric, shall be in accordance with the promptings of my Spirit, and subject to the presidency of the church. â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€" This above statement, or revelation, in the handwriting of President Joseph F. Smith was found in his pocket at the time of his death. The original copy was placed in the hands of President Heber J. Grant by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith.

[Source: Joseph F. Smith, Revelation]

120 years ago today - Nov 1, 1893

[John M. Whitaker] The growing difference between President B. H. Roberts and the First Presidency represented by President F[rancis]. M. Lyman, as to which is greater the High Priest or the Seventy, Brother Roberts holding that the Seventy is an Apostle in authority, as held by Joseph Young First President of the Seventies when organized, is assuming a rather dangerous condition in their correspondence, Brother Lyman claiming opposite views, Brother Roberts says he will hold that his views are correct until the First Presidency settles the matter. Then there is another great question that has been brewing ever since statehood between Brother Roberts and Moses Thatcher, on the one hand and F[rancis]. M. Lyman and John Henry Smith on the other, on the question of Church and State, and the First Presidency having stated that all members of the Church have the perfect freedom to vote as they please on all political matters, and Brother Roberts and Thatcher are taking exceptions to what they call church influence, and some of the brethren interfering with the agency of members of the Church, while F[rancis]. M. Lyman, John Henry Smith and John Morgan are going around trying to get Democrats to become Republicians, or getting Democrats to vote for certain Republicans, and this has created a very bitter controversy increasing the differences already existing, and the Brethren are writing in the Press and saying many unkind things against the general Authorities interfering with members, and this is called church influence, and all this is boding no good for the church.

[Source: John M. Whitaker, Diary]

170 years ago today - Nov 1, 1843

[Joseph Smith] This is the last known occasion in which Emma Smith performs the washing and anointing for women receiving the endowment ceremony in the Anointed Quorum.

[Source: Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 7: Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power]

175 years ago today - Nov 1, 1838

[Missouri War] Joseph Smith advises Mormon troops at Far West and Diahman to surrender. Mormon War ends.

[Source: LeSueur, Stephen C., The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri, Appendix: Chronology of Events in Missouri, 1838-1839]

175 years ago today - Nov 01, 1838

Near midnight, General Samuel Lucas holds a hastily organized court martial and orders General Alexander Doniphan to execute Joseph Smith and the other Mormon prisoners. Because Joseph Smith and the other Mormon leaders are not members of the state militia, Doniphan refuses and threatens to charge Lucas with murder if they are killed. Lucas reconsiders and then lifts the death sentence.

[Source: The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com]

180 years ago today - Nov 1, 1833

[Joseph Smith] On this Friday night, a mob moves to attack the Colesville Branch, which is located on the prairie about 13 miles west of Independence. Two advance spies contact Parley P. Pratt and hit him on the head with their guns, drawing blood. The other Saints are aroused and capture these two, keeping them for the night. This causes the rest of the mob to postpone their attack. Violence breaks out against the Saints' homes in Independence. The home of A. S. Gilbert is destroyed. The Gilbert and Whitney store is destroyed; goods are thrown everywhere. Other houses are attacked and windows are broken, with Saints whipped and driven into the wilderness.

[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]

190 years ago today - Nov 1, 1823

Alvin Smith, Joseph Smith's older brother, comes into the house in great pain. He is taken sick and dies 18 days later after an "emetic" administered by a local doctor substituting for the family doctor lodges in his digestive tract. This complicates things for Joseph as he claimed he had been instructed by an angel to bring Alvin to the Hill Cumorah to receive the plates.

[Source: http://www.advent-adam.com/jakestand.html (cached, based on http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies)]

95 years ago today - Oct 31, 1918

[D and C] Doctrine and Covenants 138: A vision, given to President Joseph F. Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 3, 1918. In his opening address at the eighty-ninth Semiannual General Conference of the Church, on October 4, 1918, President Smith declared that he had received several divine communications during the previous months. One of these, concerning the Savior's visit to the spirits of the dead while his body was in the tomb, he had received the previous day. It was written immediately following the close of the conference; on October 31, 1918, it was submitted to the counselors in the First Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, and the Patriarch, and it was unanimously accepted by them.

[Source: Doctrine and Covenants, http://amzn.to/DoctrineandCovenants]

120 years ago today - Oct 31, 1893

[Francis M. Lyman] Had much talk [on the train] with Pres[iden]ts [George Q.] Cannon and [Joseph F.] Smith upon seniority in the Apostleship. They do dot agree upon the subject. Bro[ther] C[annon] holds that seniority rests with Apostles who have not been of the Twelve as well as the Twelve. Bro[ther]

S[mith] does not.

[Lorenzo Snow later decides an apostle must be a member of the Quorum of Twelve to have seniority, resulting in Joseph F. Smith becoming the next president of the church rather than John W. Young.]

[Source: Francis M. Lyman, Diary]