John Johnson Farm...you must come visit this place.

This was a cool place. One of my favorite spots we've visited so far in this corner of Ohio.
Here's what The Church has to say about the place:

The John Johnson home is located in a beautiful, tranquil area amid rich farmland, rolling hills, and wooded areas. The Johnson family provided a home for Joseph Smith and his family from 1831 to 1832. While here, Joseph Smith received many revelations and faced serious opposition.

And here's what wikipedia had to say:
On the night of 24 March 1832 Joseph and Emma Smith were caring for their adopted twins. Both of the twins were sick with the measles. While Joseph was sleeping on the trundle bed on the first floor of the Johnson home a mob of about 25 attacked Joseph and dragged him out the front door. Joseph struggled with the mob but was overcome. The mob choked him, tried to put acid in his mouth, put tar all over his body and then covered him with feathers. When Joseph got back to the house, Emma thought that the tar was blood and fainted. Joseph's friends spent the rest of the night cleaning the tar off of his body. The next day, Joseph preached a sermon to a crowd which included some of the mobbers and baptized three people. One of the twin babies, the eleven-month-old boy named Joseph Murdock Smith died four days later.

And about the Johnsons:

The Johnson's were converted in the Spring of 1831 with the healing of John's wife Elsa from rheumatism in her shoulder.² Two of the Johnson's sons, Luke and Lyman Johnson became members of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and their daughter, Marinda, married Orson Hyde. 

The Church used the property as a Welfare Farm. Now it is used for Tours to show anyone who visits the places where exact historical events took place; and from what our Elderly Missionary guides told us, it's a very coveted hot spot for Girls Camps in the summer. Apparently you have to secure a spot early or you'll be left out. I can understand why. The location is gorgeous.

When you first enter the Farm, they have everyone gather here to give a brief introduction before taking us into the farmhouse. This was the gararge...but obviously for the horses. All the discolored and darker wood on the walls and ceiling is original.

(Below photo taken from http://lds.org/placestovisit/eng/historical-sites/historic-john-johnson-home) Go meet in the garage area on the right until a tour group is gathered, then they take you outside and into the farmhouse on the left.

Washroom? Current day Mudroom equivalent? I can't remember what she told us this was used for.

Well stocked pantry. And nice view as you grab your sugar.

Big Kitchen. Mrs Johnson was well-off for that time.

She even had decorative woodwork done.

Our guide is holding the wood piece that goes over the bread oven that's directly behind her. A hole in the brick fireplace. Would take a long time to make the bread as the hot/warm coals would slow bake it.

Original wood not retouched.

Formal sitting room? 

This wasn't the last rope she tried to sneak under.

Happily trying to run away from being caught. Loves mischief.

This is the room where Joseph Smith was trying to sleep and take care of the sick (with measles) twin baby when the mob burst through the house, dragged him out to pour hot tar and feathers over his exposed body, and chip his tooth when trying to force acid down his throat. The baby that was sick, later died from exposure while in his already weakened condition.
Also, when they dragged Sidney Rigdon out of his house across the street the same night, they pulled him by the feet and let his head bang repeatedly against the cold, hard ice/snow and gave him a concussion they believe. Our guide told us this really affected Sidney alot. 

 Sad room to walk into when you think of what happened to its unsuspecting occupants.

 When we were told the story, the kids were antsy and she was astute enough to have everyone sit on the floor like storytime at the library to keep them semi-still so that she could relate what had happened in this room some years back. I think it's good for the kids to hear the sad parts of the history as well as the good parts. Helps them, at least myself, appreciate the sacrifices our leaders endured to bring God's truth back to Earth. Even though some of mankind thought they were more powerful than God and could prevent such a thing from happening. Big mistake.

(Along with everything else you learn about what the people did who lived here, I'm glad I don't have to pull my bed tight by the ropes at the end, climb into a bug infested straw bed, wake up with no central heat and have to wear a long sleeve dress and uncomfortable shoes, go bake my bread and hand wash the laundry everyday). I did not mind, one bit, driving home in my warm car, slipping under my warm, comfortable, not lumpy bedsheets without having to share it with all other members of my family, and enjoying a peaceful sleep in a heated house. But they may be glad they don't have to go to through the current public school system either.

Pull ropes to tighten bed for a more comfortable sleep.


 The spare bedroom, in an almost hidden room, for company when guests came to visit.


The table where Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received more detailed revelation on what Heaven is like and who would go to which degree of glory.
For the full revelation, go here.
This was fascinating.
Joseph and Sidney sat at this desk while others were watching them and said it looked like Joseph and Sidney's face had changed, lighter. Joseph and Sidney saw Jesus in this room and the 3 Glories of Heaven. They were working on translating the Bible correctly and came across John 5:29, mediated on it together and then had this happen to them:

20 And we beheld the ^aglory of the Son, on the ^bright hand of the ^cFather, and received of his fulness;

 21 And saw the holy ^aangels, and them who are ^bsanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who ^cworship him forever and ever.

 22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the ^atestimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he ^blives!

 23 For we ^asaw him, even on the ^bright hand of ^cGod; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only ^dBegotten of the Father—

(D&C 76: 20-23)

The kids were coloring a Johnson Farmhouse picture while she told us the story of the Revelation happening here.

The door that the mob bust through, dragged Joseph out to hopefully kill or intimidate him, but they didn't quite succeed, so he dragged his beaten body back to the house and when Emma saw him, she fainted because she mistook the tar for blood. They spent the night tearing the tar off his body so he could speak to a group the next morning (a group of which included some of the aggressors from the previous night and ended up converted and baptized from what they heard the Prophet preach).

The steps where Joseph gave several speeches. 

I stepped where great people have stood. Cool.

And Brenden was entertaining our group with a little jig. 

As well as leading Kyleigh on a nightly stroll through the grounds.

But they did great overall.

When we were in the car driving to Hiram to visit the John Johnson farm, I was skeptical about viewing 'a farm'. A one house tour that we make the entire drive for? Didn't make a whole lot of sense since we had gone to Kirtland and went through several houses and took a good amount of time. But, I was wrong. Well worth the drive.