(Redirected from James J. Strang)
'James Jesse Strang' (
March 21,
1813 –
July 9,
1856) was a leader in the
Latter Day Saint movement during and after the
1844 succession crisis. In
1844, Strang became the founder and
prophet of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), which is one of many churches that claim to be a continuation of the
Church of Christ founded by
Joseph Smith, Jr. in
1830. He also served as the crowned "king" of an ecclesiastical monarchy that existed for six years within the U.S. state of
Michigan.
Summary of Latter Day Saint leadership
Strang was
baptised a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on
February 24,
1844 in
Nauvoo,
Illinois. A few months after the
murder of
Joseph Smith, Jr., Strang announced that he had been appointed by Smith to take over leadership of the church. His claims were rejected by the main body of church leaders and members, and Strang was subsequently
excommunicated, after which he established a religious
sect of his own. Although Strang had been a Mormon for barely four months at Joseph Smith's death, several prominent Saints, including some of Smith's family, accepted his claims for a time. The most noteworthy of these included three of Joseph Smith's
apostles, a
bishop of Smith's church, and Smith's own mother and wife (see below). Nearly all of these would ultimately repudiate his leadership, however.
Strang taught his followers that the new gathering place for the
Latter Day Saints would be in
Wisconsin, and that he was to be king as well as prophet of their church. Strang would ultimately offer a highly-developed set of teachings that differed in many significant aspects from any other kind of Mormonism, including that preached by Joseph Smith himself.
Strang's sect is formally referred to as the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints[1] but his followers today are generally known simply as "Strangites". The church has its current headquarters in
Voree, Wisconsin, outside the town of
Burlington, where Strang is buried. Its current membership is believed to number between 100 and 300 individuals.
Strang and his associates settled from 1848-56 on
Beaver Island in
Lake Michigan, where he was pronounced king of his church—though never of the island itself, as some have erroneously asserted. Strang was also at various times a lawyer, land developer, schoolteacher, temperance lecturer, news correspondent for the ''
New York Tribune'', editor of at least two newspapers, and a scientist for the
Smithsonian Institution.
Childhood and education
James Jesse Strang was born
March 21 1813, the middle of three children, in
Town of Scipio,
Cayuga County, New York. He was raised as a
Baptist by parents who had a good reputation. James' mother was very tender with him as a consequence of delicate health. She required him to render an account of all his actions and words while absent from her. Born Jesse James Strang, he later changed the order of his first and middle name, as he aspired to the greatness of a king and "King James" sounded better than "King Jesse" to him.
During his formative years, Strang was the author of a rather profound personal diary, written partly in a secret code that was not deciphered until over one hundred years after it was authored (ironically, by Strang's own grandson Mark Strang, a banker in Long Beach, California). This diary (published by
Michigan State University Press) contains Strang's musings on a variety of subjects, including his desire to "rival
Caesar or
Napoleon" and his regret that by age nineteen, he had not yet become a
general or member of the
state legislature, which he saw as being essential by that point in his life to his own quest for fame (entry for March 21, 1832). However, Strang's diary equally reveals a sincere desire to be of service to his fellow man, together with agonized frustration at not knowing how he might do so as a penniless, unknown youth in upstate New York.
At 12 years old, Strang was baptised as a Baptist. He was known as an exceptionally intelligent child, "a dreamer of grandiose dreams—dreams of power, of royalty, and of fame" according to one biographer. He studied civil law, and was admitted to the bar in
New York at age 23 and later at other places where he resided. He became County
Postmaster and edited a local newspaper. Years later, in the midst of myriad duties as the leader of his church on Beaver Island, he would find time to found and edit the ''Daily Northern Islander'', the first newspaper in all of northern Michigan (Fitzpatrick, pg. 208).
Strang, who had earlier described himself as a "cool philosopher" and a
freethinker (despite his formal Baptist affiliation), became a Baptist
minister, but ultimately left to join the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1844 under the influence of his brother-in-law, Benjamin. Strang quickly came into favor with Joseph Smith, though they had known each other only a short time, and was reportedly baptized personally by Smith (ibid, pg. 27). Immediately ordained an
Elder, he was sent forthwith at Smith's request to Wisconsin, with instructions to establish a Mormon
stake at Voree. Shortly after Strang's departure, Joseph Smith was murdered by an anti-Mormon mob in
Carthage, Illinois.
Succession as prophet and role in Mormon polygamy
Following Smith's murder,
Brigham Young, Strang, and several others claimed to be Smith's successor. A power struggle ensued, and Young eventually led the bulk of Smith's followers to
Utah.
Strang's evidence for his leadership claim included a purported "
Letter of Appointment" from Smith, postmarked a week before his death: "
Nauvoo,
June 19,
1844." Strang also testified that an
angel appointed him as Joseph Smith's successor at about the same time Smith died. Smith and Strang were some 200 miles (320 km) apart at the time, and some witnesses reported that Strang made his announcement before news of Smith's murder was publicly available.
The letter from Smith to Strang is held by
Yale University. Although the
postmark and first page are legitimate, forensic analysis shows the second page—the one with text appointing Strang as Smith's successor—is of a different paper stock than the first page, suggesting it may have been
forged. Definitive proof of a forgery, however, has never been produced.
The letter convinced most of Smith's family and several other prominent Mormons that Strang's claims were genuine.
John Whitmer,
David Whitmer,
Martin Harris,
Hiram Page, Apostles
John E. Page,
William E. M'Lellin, and
William Smith, Smith's first wife and widow,
Emma Hale Smith, the sisters of Joseph Smith,
William Marks, Bishop
George Miller, and others, including Joseph Smith's mother,
Lucy Mack Smith, accepted Strang at first. Lucy wrote to one Reuben Hedlock: "I am satisfied that Joseph appointed J.J. Strang. It is verily so."(ibid) According to William Smith, all of Joseph Smith's family (except for
Hyrum Smith's and
Samuel Harrison Smith's widows), endorsed Strang. (Palmer, 211)
In all, about 12,000 Latter-day saints accepted Strang's claims. However, not all of these would choose to follow him to
Beaver Island in
Lake Michigan, where Strang's headquarters was moved in 1848. Most of his initial followers, including all of those listed above (with the exception of
George Miller, who remained loyal to Strang until his own death in 1856), would leave Strang's church before his death. Some eventually followed
Brigham Young, but Smith's immediate family never recognized Young's leadership as legitimate, and many of them formed the
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints a few years later. Several of these defections were due to Strang's seemingly abrupt "about-face" on the subject of
polygamy. Vehemently opposed to the practice at first, Strang reversed course in 1849 to become one of its strongest advocates, marrying a total of five wives (including his original spouse) and fathering a total of fourteen children.
Strang's defense of polygamy was rather unique. He claimed that, far from enslaving or demeaning women, it would ''liberate'' and "elevate" them by allowing them to choose the best possible mate based upon any factors deemed important to them--even if that mate were already married to someone else. Rather than being forced to wed "corrupt and degraded sires" due to the scarcity of more suitable men, a woman could marry the one she saw as the most compatible to herself, the best candidate to father her children and the man who could give her the best possible life, no matter how many other wives he might have. (Book of the Law, pp. 312-28)
Strang's first wife was Mary Perce, whom he married on November 20, 1836. They were separated in May of 1851, though they remained legally married until Strang's death. His second wife, married on July 13, 1849, was Elvira Eliza Field (who disguised herself at first as "Charlie J. Douglas," Strang's purported nephew, before revealing her true identity in 1850). Strang's third wife was Betsy McNutt, whom he married on January 19, 1852; his fourth was Sarah Adelia Wright, married on July 15, 1855. Ironically, decades after Strang's death, Sarah would divorce her second husband, one Dr. Wing, due to ''his'' interest in polygamy (Fitzpatrick, pg. 127). Strang's last wife was Phoebe Wright, cousin to Sarah, whom he married on October 27, 1855, less than one year before his murder.
Sarah Wright would later describe Strang as "a very mild-spoken, kind man to his family, although his word was law." She further indicated that while each wife had her own bedroom, they all shared meals and prayer time together with Strang and that family life in their household was generally "as pleasant as possible." (''American Heritage'', Vol. 21, Issue 4, Article by Robert P. Weeks entitled "For His Was the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory...Briefly." Hereafter referred to as "Weeks article") On the other hand, Strang and Phoebe Wright's daughter, Eugenia, wrote in 1936 that after only eight months of marriage, Phoebe "had begun to feel dissatisfied with polygamy, though she loved him [Strang] devotedly all her life."
Strang led his church for 12 years. He refused to name a successor at his death, and because of his unique doctrine requiring a Strangite prophet to be ordained directly by angels, no one has succeeded in claiming his prophetic mantle (though at least two men have tried; see below) since his demise. No
apostles remain in Strang's organization, either—since all Strangite apostles must be appointed by a Strangite prophet—the last having died in 1900. Strang's church today is led by a Presiding
High Priest, who does not claim to have the authority or priesthood office possessed by Joseph Smith nor James Strang.
Visions, translating from plates, revelations and distinctive teachings
Like Joseph Smith, James Strang reported numerous visions, unearthed and translated ancient metal plates using the
Urim and Thummim, and claimed to have "restored" long-lost spiritual knowledge to humankind. Also, like Smith, Strang offered various witnesses who authenticated the genuineness of the ancient records he claimed to have received.
Unlike Smith, however, Strang offered ''his'' plates to the curious public for examination. The non-Mormon
Christopher Sholes (inventor of the first practical typewriter, and a later inspiration to
Thomas Edison), editor of the "Southport Telegraph," examined the "
Voree Plates" Strang claimed to have uncovered. Sholes offered no opinion of the plates themselves, but described Strang as "honest and earnest" and opined that Strang's followers ranked "among the most honest and intelligent men in the neighborhood."
[2]
Strang's translation of these metal plates was published as the "Voree Record," purporting to be the last testament of one "Rajah Manchore of Vorito," who had lived in the area centuries earlier and wished to leave a brief record for posterity. The Strangite church kept these plates for several years, until they disappeared around 1900. The current whereabouts of the "Voree Plates" is unknown.
Strang also translated other items, including a small plate unearthed according to directions given in a vision, and the purported "
Plates of Laban" described in the
Book of Mormon. His translation of these "Plates of Laban" was published in 1850 as the
Book of the Law of the Lord, said to be the original Law as it was given to Moses. Strang claimed to have received a number of revelations, including his own appointment as king and direction to continue the practice of
plural marriage established by Smith—though Strang had initially denied Smith's alleged involvement in it. To this day, many of Strang's adherents continue to assert that Joseph Smith had nothing to do with polygamy in Nauvoo, but rather that Strang was the one chosen to "restore" its practice. This enables them to reconcile Strang's earlier vehement denunciation of plural marriage with his later revelations permitting it.
Strang rejected both the
Virgin Birth of
Jesus Christ and the Mormon doctrine of "
plurality of gods." A determined
monotheist, he insisted that there was but one eternal
God of all the universe, the Father, and that "
progression to godhood" (a doctrine taught by Joseph Smith toward the end of his life) was impossible. God had always been God, said Strang, and He was but one Person (not three, as in the traditional Christian
Trinity). Jesus Christ, said Strang, was the natural-born son of
Mary and
Joseph, who was chosen from before all time to be the Savior of mankind, but who had to be born as an ordinary mortal of two human parents (without any divine intervention) to be able to truly fulfill his Messianic role. Strang claimed that the earthly Christ was in essence "adopted" as God's son at birth, and fully revealed as such during the
Transfiguration. After proving himself to God by living a perfectly sinless life, he was enabled to provide an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of men, prior to his
resurrection and
ascension.
Furthermore, Strang denied that God could do ''all'' things, and insisted that some things were as impossible for Him as for us. Thus, he saw no essential conflict between science and religion, and while he never openly championed
evolution, he did state that God was limited in His power by both the
matter He was working with and by the eons of time required to "organize" and shape it. He spoke glowingly of a future generation who would "make religion a science," to be "studied by as exact rules as mathematicks." "The mouth of the Seer will be opened," Strang prophesied, "and the whole earth enlightened." ("Book of the Law of the Lord," pg. 85, spelling as in original)
Musing at length on the nature of
sin and
evil, Strang wrote that of all the things that God could give to man, He could never give him ''experience''. (ibid, pp. 152-53) Thus, if "
free agency" were to be real, said Strang, humanity must be given the possibility to fail and to learn from its own mistakes. The ultimate goal for each human being was to willingly conform oneself to the revealed character of God in every resepct, preferring good to evil not out of a fear of punishment or desire for reward, but rather "on account of the innate loveliness of undefiled goodness; of pure unalloyed holiness." (ibid, pg. 155)
Strang believed strongly in the
Saturday Sabbath, and enjoined it on his followers in lieu of
Sunday; the Strangite church continues this tradition. He advocated
baptism for the dead, and practiced it to a limited extent in Voree and on Beaver Island. He also introduced
animal sacrifice, not for sin or guilt, but rather as a part of Strangite celebration rituals. Animal sacrifices and baptisms for the dead are not currently practiced by the Strangite organization, though belief in each is still affirmed. Strang constructed a
temple of sorts in Voree and later on Beaver Island, though what "ordinances" or rituals were practiced there (and how they might have compared to the practices of the
Nauvoo Temple during Joseph Smith's lifetime) are uncertain, since no "
endowment" rituals comparable to those practiced by the Utah LDS church survive among his adherents.
Strang preached
eternal marriage, though he did not require it to be performed in a temple (as in the modern LDS church). Thus, eternal marriages are still contracted in Strang's church even in the absence of any Strangite temple or "endowment" ceremony. Alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea were prohibited to his followers, as in many other Mormon denominations. Polygamy is no longer practiced by the Strangites, though belief in its correctness is still affirmed.
Strang also claimed to have "restored" a "missing" commandment to the Decalogue (the "
Ten Commandments"): "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Strang claimed that this commandment had been lost over the centuries, and that versions of the Decalogue found in the Bible and subscribed to by other churches--including other Mormon churches--contain only ''nine'' commandments, not ten. (ibid, pp. 38-46)
Strang allowed women to hold the Priesthood offices of
Priest and
Teacher, unique among all Mormon factions during his lifetime. He welcomed
African Americans into his church, and ordained at least two to the eldership (see
Blacks and the Latter Day Saint movement). Strang also publicly advocated
conservation of land and natural resources, requiring the building of parks and retention of large tracts of woodlands in his kingdom. He defended his claims to prophetic leadership against
Brigham Young and others, wrote an eloquent refutation of the "
Solomon Spalding theory" of the Book of Mormon's authorship, and defended the prophetic ministry and teachings of Joseph Smith (as he understood them). On the secular side, he authored a book for the
Smithsonian Institute on the Beaver Islands, and founded and edited the ''Daily Northern Islander'', described above.
Coronation as king and troubled reign on Beaver Island
Strang claimed that he was to fulfill the office of
king as described in the Book of the Law of the Lord. He insisted that this authority was incumbent upon all holders of Joseph Smith's prophetic office from the beginning of time, and his followers believe that
Smith himself was crowned secretly as "king" of the Mormon church before his murder. Strang was crowned in
1850 by his counselor and Prime Minister, an actor named George J. Adams. About 300 people witnessed his
coronation, for which he wore a red flannel robe topped by a white collar with black speckles. His tin crown was described in one account as "a shiny metal ring with a cluster of glass stars in the front," borrowed from Adams' own theatrical prop chest (Weeks article). In addition, Strang sported a breastplate, while carrying a shield and wooden scepter. He "reigned" for six years, and the date of his coronation,
July 8th, is still mandated as one of the two most important dates in the Strangite church year (the other being
April 6th, the anniversary of the founding of Joseph Smith's church).
Contrary to popular misconception, Strang never claimed to be the king of Beaver Island itself, nor of any other geographical entity. Rather, he claimed to be king over his church, which he saw as the one, true "
Kingdom of God" prophesied in Scripture and destined to spread over all the earth. However, as his church was the main religious body on Beaver Island, claiming the allegiance of most of its inhabitants, Strang often tended to exert authority even over non-Mormons on Beaver--which would ultimately cause him and his followers a great deal of grief. Furthermore, he and many of his disciples were accused of forcibly appropriating non-Mormon property on the island, which equally made him few friends among the "gentiles."
On the other hand, Strang and his people lived in justified apprehension of what their non-Mormon neighbors, many of whom were bullying and threatening toward them, might do next. Mormons were often beaten up while going to the post office to collect their mail (Fitzpatrick, p. 86), and some of their homes were robbed and even seized by "gentiles" while Mormon men were away (ibid, p. 96). On July 4th of 1850, a drunken mob of "gentile" fishermen vowed to kill the Mormons or drive them from the island, only to be awed into submission when Strang fired a cannon (which he had secretly acquired) at them. Competition for business and jobs between Mormons and the non-Mormon inhabitants of Beaver and nearby areas added to tensions on the island, as did the increasing Mormon monopoly on local government, made sure after Beaver and adjacent islands were attached first to
Emmet County in 1853, then later organized into their own insular county of
Manitou in 1855.
As a result of his coronation, together with lurid tales spread by George Adams (who had been excommunicated by Strang a few months after the ceremony), Strang was accused of
treason,
counterfeiting,
trespass on government land, and
theft, among other crimes. He was brought to trial in
Detroit, Michigan, after President
Millard Fillmore ordered U.S. District Attorney George Bates to investigate the rumors about Strang and his colony. Strang's successful trial defense brought him considerable favorable press, which he leveraged to run for, and win, a seat in the Michigan state legislature as a Democrat in
1853. Facing a determined effort to deny him this seat due to the hostility of his enemies, he was permitted to address the legislature in his defense, after which the
Michigan House of Representatives voted twice (first unanimously, then a second time by a 49-11 margin) to allow "King Strang" to join them (Fitzpatrick, p. 101).
In the 1853 legislative session, Strang introduced ten bills, five of which passed (ibid, pg. 100). The ''Detroit Advertiser'', on Feb. 10, 1853, wrote of Strang: “Mr. Strang’s course as a member of the present Legislature, has disarmed much of the prejudices which have previously surrounded him. Whatever may be said or thought of the peculiar sect of which he is the local head, I take pleasure in stating that throughout this session he has conducted himself with the degree of decorum and propriety which have been equaled by his industry, sagacity, good temper, apparent regard for the true interests of the people, and the obligations of his official oath.” (''Detroit Advertiser'', Feb. 10, 1853) He was reelected in
1855, and did much to organize the upper portion of Michigan's
lower peninsula into
counties and
townships. Strang ardently fought the illegal practice of trading liquor to local
Native American tribes. This made him many enemies among those non-Mormon residents of Beaver and nearby
Mackinac Island who profited mightily from this illicit trade.
Assassination
James Strang made foes among his own people, too. One of these, Thomas Bedford, had been horsewhipped for
adultery on Strang's orders, and felt considerable resentment toward the "king." Another, Dr. H.D. McCulloch, had been excommunicated for drunkenness and other alleged misdeeds, after previously enjoying Strang's favor and several high offices in local government. These were joined by Alexander Wentworth and one Dr. J. Atkyn, who had allegedly endeavored (unsuccessfully) to blackmail the Strangites into paying his numerous bad debts (Fitzpatrick, pp. 110-11). Furthermore, many others who had been members of his church became disgruntled on account of Strang's demand that
tithing be paid to him; if a full tithe was not believed to have been paid, then elders were sent out to the members' homes to collect it. A decree that female Strangites wear
"bloomers" proved a sore spot for some of his followers.
Although Strang apparently knew that Bedford and the others were gunning for him, he seems not to have taken them very seriously. "We laugh with bitter scorn at all these threats," he wrote in the "Northern Islander," just days before his murder (Weeks article). Strang's refusal to employ a
bodyguard or to carry a firearm or other weapon made him an easy target.
On Monday,
June 16 1856, Strang was gunned down around 7:00 PM near the dock at the harbor of
St. James, chief city of Beaver Island, by Wentworth and Bedford, who shot him from behind. After the shooting, others joined in and beat him savagely. All this was carried out in full view of several officers and men of the
USS ''Michigan'', a
U.S. Naval vessel docked in the harbor. As they watched the assault unfold, not one of those on board the ship did anything to warn or to aid Strang, who was wounded twice in the head, and once in the ribs. Some have accused the captain of the "Michigan" of complicity in, or at least foreknowledge of, the plot to assassinate Strang, though no hard evidence of this was ever forthcoming. (Fitzpatrick, p. 113) The so-called "King of Beaver Island" was taken to Voree, where he lived until
July 9, dying at age 43. His assailants claimed sanctuary on board the "Michigan," whose captain refused to deliver them to the local
sheriff. After being transported to Mackinac, Strang's murderers were released, then feted and praised by the locals. None were ever convicted of their crimes.
After Strang's death
Shortly after Strang's assassination, on what Michigan historian
Byron M. Cutcheon would call "the most disgraceful day in Michigan history" (Weeks article), a drunken mob of "gentiles" from Mackinac and elsewhere descended upon Beaver Island and forcibly evicted every Mormon from it. Strang's subjects on the island--numbering approximately 2,600 persons--were herded onto hastily-commandeered steamers, many after being robbed of their money and other personal possessions, and unceremoniously dumped onto docks along the shores of Lake Michigan. A few moved back to Voree, while the rest scattered across the country.
While Strang's apostles endeavored for a time to keep his church alive, Strang's unique dogma requiring his successor to be ordained by angels handicapped his church in its search for a new prophet. Apostle Lorenzo Dow Hickey would emerge as an ad-hoc leader until his death in 1900, followed by Wingfield Watson, a high priest in Strang's organization (until he died in 1923). Neither of these men claimed Strang's office or authority, however. Later in the twentieth century two would-be pretenders, Alexander Caffiaux and David Roberts, would endeavor--and fail--to convince the Strangites of their claims. Left without any prophet to lead them, most of Strang's members (including all of his wives) departed his church in the years after his murder. Most later joined the
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which was established in 1860. A few, however, continue to this day to carry on Strang's mission and vision as best they can, as they await a new successor to their fallen founder.
See also
★
Kimball-Snow-Woolley Family
Notes
1. Notice no hyphen and the different capitalization
2. Palmer, 209.
References
★ Fitzpatrick, Doyle C. ''The King Strang Story: A Vindication of James J, Strang, the Beaver Island Mormon King'', 1970, National Heritage, ISBN 0685572269
★ Jensen, Robin Scott, ''
Gleaning the Harvest: Strangite Missionary Work, 1846-1850'', 2005, BYU Thesis
★ Noord, Roger van, ''King of Beaver Island: The Life and Assassination of James Jesse Strang'', 1988, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0252014723
★ Palmer, Grant H, ''
An Insider's View of Mormon Origins'', 2002, Signature Books, ISBN 1-56085-157-0
★ Speek, Vickie Cleverley, ''
God Has Made Us a Kingdom: James Strang and the Midwest Mormons'', 2006, Signature Books, ISBN 1-56085-192-9
★ Strang, James J.,
★ ''
Ancient and modern Michilimackinac, including an account of the controversy between Mackinac and the Mormons'', Reprint by the University of Michigan Library, 2005
★ Weeks, Robert P. "For His Was the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory...Briefly." Article in ''American Heritage'' Magazine, Vol. 21, Issue 4, June, 1970.
[1]
External links
★
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
★
Book of the Law of the Lord, online
★
Assassination of a Michigan King
★
An account of Dr. J. Atkyn, Strang's photographer and later one of his assassins
★
Michigan political biography
★ ''
Ancient and modern Michilimackinac, including an account of the controversy between Mackinac and the Mormons'', book written by Strang, published in 1854
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