Joseph Smith · James StrangA continuing faith since 1830Contact an elder
The original Latter Day Saints · A Midwestern history

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

The history did not end at Nauvoo. Follow the original books, revelations, people, and places through Voree, Wisconsin, and Beaver Island, Michigan.

Voree, Wisconsin · St. James, Michigan · Zion
People gathered on a pier in Paradise Bay, St. James, Beaver Island, in the historic photograph Waiting for the Boat.
“Waiting for the Boat,” with lighthouse behind the pier.
Paradise Bay, St. James, Beaver Island, Lake Michigan, 1910.
1830–1844Joseph Smith Jr.First President
1844–1850Voree, WisconsinFirst Presidency under James J. Strang
1850–1856St. James, MichiganBeaver Island
Our welcome

A faith that
remained in the Midwest.

You have found the true Mormon church, a small group of primitive Latter Day Saints that has been in continuous existence since 1830, but remained in the Midwest when Joseph Smith was martyred in 1844. We support the Prophet Joseph’s written revelation appointing a successor named James Strang on June 18, 1844, just nine days before the Prophet Joseph was killed.

The Prophet James was ordained to that sole office by angels the same hour that Joseph was killed, and with witnesses later found brass records buried in a Wisconsin hill. The closest associates to the Prophet Joseph were numbered with us, including his wife, his mother, his only surviving brother and his sisters, three of his apostles, the bishop of the whole church, the Nauvoo stake president, and the Book of Mormon witnesses.

The Prophet James was martyred in 1856 and our members have become few in number as prophesied in the scriptures. After Brigham Young argued that the Prophet Joseph would not have a successor, a minority of members elected Brigham as their president anyway en route to Utah in 1847. That new organization grew rapidly in the West, changed dramatically, and are a modern worldwide organization today. They no longer claim new prophecies, visions, revelations, or translations.

You should join us if you prefer the Mormons in the days of the Prophet Joseph. Since 1830, we have had no membership requirements except faith, repentance, baptism, and confirmation.

Faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation
Continuing faith

Faith and
the living tradition.

For baptism for the remission of sins

It is necessary only to have faith toward God, and to repent of all sin.

To receive baptism by immersion, contact an elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

John Hajicek
An elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
816-536-3142
John’s personal history and contact information →
Priesthood

A concise lineage.

One example of our concise priesthood lineage, retained from the established account on this website.

  1. 1829Prophet Joseph Smith
  2. By June 1831Ebenezer PageRecorded as an elder in the June 1831 conference minutes. Minute Book 2, p. 3.Early Mormon in New York and Missouri; brother of John E. Page. Later an Apostle at Voree, Wisconsin, and Beaver Island.
  3. 1858Elder Wingfield WatsonLived on Beaver Island and in Voree, Wisconsin.
  4. 1907Elder Joseph H. HickeySon of L. D. Hickey, who lived at Palmyra, New York; Nauvoo, Illinois; Voree, Wisconsin; and was an apostle on Beaver Island.
  5. 1953Elder Steve BaranySon-in-law of Joseph H. Hickey; died in 2010 at 95.
  6. 1982Elder John J. HajicekLived in Voree, Wisconsin; and Independence, Missouri; with a temporary address on E. South Temple St., Salt Lake City.
The historian
& the original evidence
John Hajicek outdoors, wearing a blue suit and red bow tie.
John Hajicek.
A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
John Hajicek

John Hajicek and
the original records.

John Hajicek is a historian, bibliographer, collector, and elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His study of James Strang began in 1973; rare books became part of his work in 1980, and historical research and collecting became his full-time occupation in 1990.

His work joins original books and documents to the buildings, photographs, art, and other objects through which the early Latter Day Saints can be studied. Voree, Beaver Island, and the communities that remained in the Midwest are central to that work.

Other archives, books, and historical resources

The established resource directory includes scripture texts, outside historical accounts, and archival addresses. Some external addresses are retained from the earlier edition and may have moved.