Jeffrey N. Walker discusses the Kirtland Bank and the lawsuit brought against Joseph.
Jeffrey N. Walker, “Looking Legally at the Kirtland Safety Society,” in Sustaining the Law: Joseph Smith’s Legal Encounters, ed. Gordon A. Madsen, Jeffrey N. Walker, and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: BYU Studies, 2014), 179–226
The Kirtland Safety Society has been the source of much debate within the historical community. Most commentators agree that the Kirtland Safety Society was an imprudent venture. Some have even argued that its failure marked an almost fatal blow to Joseph Smith’s leadership. Charges of personal gain and illegality are often included in their critique. Unfortunately, those debating his matter offer little or no legal analysis to support their position. This article is a starting point to rectify this omission. To do so this article will be separated into three parts. The first will provide a brief background of the economy in nineteenth-century America that gave rise to the organization of the Kirtland Safety Society and how it fit into the broader national financial landscape. The second examines the events—nationally, locally, and internally—that led to the failure of the Kirtland Safety Society. And the third examines the law and the lawsuit that was filed in connection with its demise.
. . .