Cincinnati, Ohio

Area settled largely by emigrants from New England and New Jersey, by 1788. Village founded and surveyed adjacent to site of Fort Washington, 1789. First seat of legislature of Northwest Territory, 1790. Incorporated as city, 1819. Developed rapidly as shipping center after opening of Ohio and Erie Canal, 1832. Seventh most populous city in U.S., by 1833. Port of entry and Hamilton Co. seat. Population in 1820 about 9,600; in 1830 about 25,000; and in 1840 about 46,000. Four Latter-day Saint missionaries to American Indians preached in city en route from Kirtland to Missouri, by Jan. 1831. Joseph Smith visited city, June 1831, meeting with Campbellite minister Walter Scott. Smith revelations directed him, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery to preach in city while traveling from Independence, Missouri, to Kirtland, Ohio, Aug. 1831. Lyman Wight baptized nearly one hundred people and formed first branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in city, 1833. Second branch formed, 1840, by John E. Page and Orson Hyde. Hyde departed city for Jerusalem to dedicate Palestine, at Joseph Smith’s direction, for return of Jews. Third edition of Book of Mormon printed in city, 1840. Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Lyman Wight held conference in city, 27 May 1844.

Retrieved with permission from The Joseph Smith Papers.