Throughout the month of October, our focus is on crime in Illinois history. Follow along here and on our social media to learn more about the crimes, cases, and trials that have left their mark on Illinois.
In 1839, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led the Mormons to Illinois after their expulsion from Missouri. As Smith and his followers established a settlement at Nauvoo, many Illinoisans feared that the group’s religious authority had extended too far into politics. The huge wave of immigration to Nauvoo had created a massive voting bloc with the power to turn the tide of elections.… Read More