Abstract
This thesis aims to examine the reasons for the Saints’ settlement in and subsequent expulsion from Jackson County. It also presents the Saints’ attempts at reinstatement. Historians generally attribute the Saints’ religion as the cause of their expulsion. However, the Jackson Countians issued manifestos that suggest other possible reasons for their expulsion. Are the manifestos trustworthy? Could there be other reasons for the Saints’ expulsion, such as business competition and a lack of consumerism? Source dates range from 1821 to 2009. Secondary sources include doctoral and masters’ theses, encyclopedias, histories, and journal articles concerning Missouri and Mormonism. Primary sources include autobiographies, journals, Latter-day Saint documents, government documents, and newspapers. Both sides deserve blame for the expulsion. Cultural-religious, economic, and political issues all contributed to the ejection of the Saints from Jackson County. Relying on hearsay and popular perceptions of the Saints, the Jackson Countians justified their actions with bigoted and malicious remarks. Although not included in the manifestos, the efforts of the Saints to compete with local merchants likely exacerbated tensions between the new religious community and the established population. Furthermore, the Saints’ storehouse and their practice of the Law of Consecration did not increase the amount of money in circulation in Jackson County. The lack of a nearby bank probably discouraged consumerism among the Saints as well. Possibly, if the Jackson Countians had benefited from a constant money stream from the Saints, they would have displayed greater tolerance and less of an inclination to expel the newcomers.