Some Early Church History at AoA

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Adam-ondi-Ahman, a settlement in Daviess County, Missouri, received its unusual name from the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1838... Members of the Church had been forced out of Jackson County, Missouri... When they appealed to the state legislature to make a new county "for Mormons," Caldwell and Daviess counties were organized. The Saints immediately moved into Caldwell County with Far West as the county seat, and soon also began settling in adjoining Daviess County. (Encyclopedia of Mormonism)

Saturday, 19 -- This morning we struck our tents and formed a line of march, crossing Grand River at the mouth of Honey Creek and Nelson's Ferry. Grand River is a large, beautiful, deep and rapid stream, during the high waters of Spring, and will undoubtedly admit of navigation by steamboat and other water craft. At the mouth of Honey Creek is a good landing. We pursued our course up the river, mostly through timber, for about eighteen miles, when we arrived at Colonel Lyman Wight's home. He lives at the foot of Tower Hill (a name I gave the place in consequence of the remains of an old Nephite altar or tower that stood there), where we camped for the Sabbath. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 1838-39 3:122

In the afternoon I went up the river about half a mile to Wight's Ferry, accompanied by President Rigdon, and my clerk, George W. Robinson, for the purpose of selecting and laying claim to a city plat near said ferry in Daviess County, township 60, ranges 27 and 28, and sections 25, 36, 31, and 3 0, which the brethren called "Spring Hill," but by the mouth of the Lord it was named Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said He, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet. DHC 3:34-35.

Minutes of the Meeting which Organized the Stake of Zion called Adam-ondi-Ahman.

Adam-ondi-Ahman, Missouri, Daviess county, June 25, 1838. A conference of Elders and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held in this place this day, for the purpose of organizing this Stake of Zion, called Adam-ondi-Ahman. The meeting convened at 10 o'clock a. m., in the grove near the house of Elder Lyman Wight. President Joseph Smith. Jun., was called to the chair. He explained the object of the meeting, which was to organize a Presidency and High Council to preside over this Stake of Zion, and attend to the affairs of the Church in Daviess county. It was then moved, seconded and carried by the unanimous voice of the assembly, that John Smith should act as President of the Stake of Adam-ondi-Ahman. Reynolds Cahoon was unanimously chosen first counselor, and Lyman Wight second counselor. After prayer the presidents ordained Elder Wight as second counselor.Vinson Knight was chosen acting Bishop pro tempore by the unanimous voice of the assembly... After singing the well known hymn, Adam-ondi-Ahman, the meeting closed by prayer by President Cahoon, and a benediction by President Joseph Smith, Jun. (History of the Church, Vol.3, Ch.4, p.38)

I then moved to Adam-ondi-Ahman where I commenced to build for myself, a log house but was compelled to stop on account of the mobbers who came upon us. This was a time of grief and trouble to us, the mob who infested this beautiful region of country, were constantly creating excitement after excitement adding rumor to rumor until we were forced to watch them by night, as well as by day. We were so harassed that we were not able to build houses or even spare time to procure food for our families and we lived in peril. Our fare was also poor as we could not get our corn ground and we had to punch holes in pieces of tin and take ears of corn and grate them on the tin to get or make meal for our bread, and we had to live on this kind of food for six months.

After a great deal of excitement and some skirmishing, the governor of the state of Missouri, Lilburn W. Boggs sent his blood-thirsty minions, who surrounded us, his ever-to-be-remembered and execrated inhuman order, for the extermination of the Latter-day Saints or their eternal banishment from their homes, their houses and land, and from the state. In pursuance of which order, all the surrounding branches of the Church, were either butchered in cold blood, old and young included in one indiscriminate slaughter or else they were driven into Far West. I and my family went into Far West and the mob at length concluded to strip us of all we possessed and then banish us from the state. . . (William Cahoon Autobiography, in Reynolds Cahoon and Sons (1960), p.86)

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