144:(the "Hedrickites") ultimately found themselves in possession of the most prominent 2.5-acre (10,000 m) portion of the 63.5 acres (257,000 m) Bishop Partridge had purchased in 1831. On April 7, 1884, a Hedrickite conference authorized construction of a "house of worship" on the property, and on April 6, 1887, a building committee was formed and authorized by conference vote to immediately begin construction of the building. At their October 6, 1889 conference, the Hedrickites noted completion of the small church building on the northeast corner of the property, but no building was constructed on the exact site believed to have been designated for the temple—the central part of the sparsely-wooded field.
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257:. The appeals court disagreed with the trial court on the issue of laches, suggesting that the RLDS Church had unnecessarily delayed in asserting its rights over the property, and that in any case the legal title claims of the Hedrickites were probably superior to those of the RLDS Church. However, rather than reversing the decision of the trial court, the appeals court dismissed the case from the courts entirely, which meant that the controversy stood as though no case had ever been brought. In the result, the Hedrickites remained in possession of the Temple Lot by default.
236:] that the design of heaven was that the church come to Independence, get this particular lot, and make it their Zion. History tells how they went there even before the death of their prophet and how they left post haste shortly after with the mob close behind. This lot was taken possession of at that time and still remains unoccupied save by the meeting house of the Hedrick faction, who are holding it as the representatives of the true Mormon Church. Today it was decided by the trustees that a costly temple would be built there. The Utah Mormons are behind the move.
230:] Hedrick at the time Brigham Young took up the reins of government. The former faction is the stronger in numbers in this county, having 700 members in Independence. They fight the Brigham Young crowd on every hand. The "Hedrickites" on the contrary apparently favor the Utah faction and consequently are always fighting the Reorganized church. In the City of Independence a beautiful lot, over a block of the best ground, high up was selected years ago by angels, so they say, and Joseph Smith was told in a revelation in 1833 [
285:, both argued that the RLDS Church had been denied title to the Temple Lot merely because of the doctrine of laches, and that the courts had confirmed that otherwise their title was superior. The Temple Lot church has consistently maintained that the case stands as the final validation of their right to possess the Temple Lot. The LDS Church, although it assisted the Hedrickites in the case, has not taken an official position on the outcome of the case.
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Observing lumber and other building materials rapidly accumulating on the site, on June 11, 1887, the RLDS Church served written notice to the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) to "cease and desist" performing any construction on the disputed site. However, construction continued and media reports of the
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View east-northeastward of the "Hedrickite" Temple Lot today. The 2.5-acre "block" shown is the highest-elevation part of a 63.5-acre piece of real estate which has variously been referred to (also) as the "Temple Lot" or "Mormon Temple Lot" or "Temple Parcel" or "Temple Block" or "Temple
Property"
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of the RLDS Church and claimed that the RLDS Church was the rightful successor to the original Latter Day Saint church. The Temple Lot church originally claimed the property on the basis of legal title, but later in the case also argued that it was entitled to the land as the rightful successor of
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After days of hearings which commenced
February 7, 1894, the trial court ruled in March 1894 that the RLDS Church was the rightful successor to the original Latter Day Saint church, and that as such it was entitled to ownership of the property. The court also held that the doctrine of
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announced Sunday, April 9, 1893 that construction of a long-awaited Latter-day Saint Temple would begin on the disputed property. Evidently on advice of their attorney, however, the strategy was abandoned, and soon forgotten in the confusion of rumors. The
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Leaders of the RLDS Church widely interpreted the result of the case as a technical vindication of the church's claim as being the rightful successor to the original Latter Day Saint church. Joseph Smith III and his successor,
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Kansas City, MO., April 9 . In
Independence, Mo., are two strong branches of the Mormon Church -- "the reorganized church," or followers of young Joseph Smith, and the "Hedrickites," or those who followed
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392:. The Historical Record: a monthly periodical devoted exclusively to historical, biographical, chronological and statistical matters, Volumes 5-8, edited by Andrew Jenson. 1889
567:"Decision of John F. Philips, judge, in Temple Lot case : the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints versus the Church of Christ, et al (1894)"
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day indicate that a habitable structure was in place as early as that summer of 1887. On
September 10, 1888, visiting elders from the Utah-based
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did not apply since the Latter Day Saints had been driven out of
Missouri and were therefore unable to assert their rights to the property.
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Temple Lot, begun in April 1887 and completed in 1888 or 1889. Construction of this building prompted the "Temple Lot Suit" 1891-1896.
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the original church. The Utah-based LDS Church also participated in the case, providing funds and legal advice to the
Hedrickites.
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The
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, complainant, vs. the Church of Christ at Independence, Missouri
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The
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, complainant, v. the Church of Christ at Independence, Missouri
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to cease its occupation of the property. The RLDS Church won the case at trial, but the decision was reversed on appeal.
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on
December 19, 1831. The portion shown in this photograph was re-purchased on behalf of trustee
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but the motion was dismissed. The RLDS Church then sought to appeal the decision to the
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Church of Christ in
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title to the Temple Lot, which was under the control by the Temple Lot church. After
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362:"Decision of John F. Philips, judge, in Temple Lot case, p. 4 "History of Suit""
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purchased the Temple Lot from Jones H. Flournoy and Clara Flournoy on behalf of
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The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) appealed the trial court's decision to the
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Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints v. Church of Christ
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Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints v. Church of Christ
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Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints v. Church of Christ
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A Temple Will Be Erected on a Site Selected by the Angels Years Ago.
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The RLDS Church requested a second hearing by the Court of Appeals
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Perhaps to bolster their legal claim to the property, a Hedrickite
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Transcriptions of full witness statements for the Temple Lot case
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United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
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The case became an important source for documents related to
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p. 648, History of the Temple Lot in Jackson County Missouri
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United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit cases
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The proposed temple was never built on the site and the
556:(Independence, Mo.: Church of Christ, Temple Lot, 1979)
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An Outline History of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
129:. Partridge held the property in trust for the church.
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Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
585:, 507 pages of information about the "Temple Lot Suit"
612:"Intro to Church of Christ (Temple Lot)— part 1 of 7"
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United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
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On August 6, 1891, the RLDS Church filed suit in the
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in the 1890s which addressed legal ownership of the
444:Ron Romig, "The Temple Lot Suit After 100 Years",
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106:. In the early 1830s, the lot was designated by
574:Complainant's abstract of pleading and evidence
167:the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
549:(Lamoni, Iowa: Herald Publishing House, 1893)
342:"The Temple Lot Case: Fraud in God's Vinyard"
446:John Whitmer Historical Association Journal
346:John Whitmer Historical Association Journal
156:The first house of worship erected on the
726:Christianity and law in the 19th century
666:History of the Latter Day Saint movement
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420:, 60 F. 937 (C.C.W.D. Mo. 1894).
686:Mormonism-related controversies
127:Smith's Latter Day Saint church
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671:Independence, Missouri
499:, 163 U.S. 681 (1896).
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620:. February 28, 2020
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82:. In the case, the
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