History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]

Source Note

JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of
Thomas Bullock
23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...
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,
Franklin D. Richards
2 Apr. 1821–9 Dec. 1899. Carpenter, businessman, newspaper editor. Born at Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Phinehas Richards and Wealthy Dewey. Raised Congregationalist. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Phinehas ...
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, Jonathan Grimshaw, and
Leo Hawkins
19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...
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; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction

This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “
Governor
14 Dec. 1796–14 Mar. 1860. Bookkeeper, bank cashier, merchant, Indian agent and trader, lawyer, doctor, postmaster, politician. Born at Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of John M. Boggs and Martha Oliver. Served in War of 1812. Moved to St. Louis, ca...
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’s forces” at
Far West
Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...
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, Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop
Vinson Knight
14 Mar. 1804–31 July 1842. Farmer, druggist, school warden. Born at Norwich, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Rudolphus Knight and Rispah (Rizpah) Lee. Married Martha McBride, July 1826. Moved to Perrysburg, Cattaraugus Co., New York, by 1830. Owned farm...
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at
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.

Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of
Thomas Bullock
23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...
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and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers
Willard Richards
24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...
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and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author.
Brigham Young
1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...
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,
Heber C. Kimball
14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...
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,
George A. Smith
26 June 1817–1 Sept. 1875. Born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York. Son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Joseph H. Wakefield, 10 Sept. 1832, at Potsdam. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio,...
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, and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.

The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the
Missouri
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...
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Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in
England
Island nation consisting of southern portion of Great Britain and surrounding smaller islands. Bounded on north by Scotland and on west by Wales. Became province of Roman Empire, first century. Ruled by Romans, through 447. Ruled by Picts, Scots, and Saxons...
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by the
Twelve
Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...
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and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to
America
North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...
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; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch
Joseph Smith Sr.
12 July 1771–14 Sept. 1840. Cooper, farmer, teacher, merchant. Born at Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Nominal member of Congregationalist church at Topsfield. Married to Lucy Mack by Seth Austin, 24 Jan. 1796, at Tunbridge...
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; the establishment of the
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo
temple
Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...
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; the
Wisconsin “pinery”
Also known as the “pinery.” Collective term for regions in Wisconsin where lumbering operations were located, especially along Black, Chippewa, St. Croix, Wisconsin, and Wolf rivers. Latter-day Saints established lumber camps and mills on Black River to provide...
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expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by
Orson Hyde
8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...
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on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.

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<Jany. 8th. 1840 Page 1012—> when the people present commenced making noise and disturbing the meeting, and when was reproving them, for their disgraceful conduct, some of those present fired Lucifer matches, rebuked them severely, and taught them better manners, and proposed to send them some Indians <from the West> to civilize them see page 1012

Addenda • 9 January 1840

<Jany. 9 1840 Page 1013> while they were opening the meeting, some one threw a quantity of Brimstone in the fire, which nearly suffocated them, As soon as the fumes of Brimstone would permit, told them he thought he should be in no danger of cat[c]hing the Itch in , for the smell of Brimstone indicated that it was thoroughly cured see page 1013

Addenda • 12 January 1840

<Jan. 12th. 1840 Page 1013> after preaching had a severe shake of the Ague which lasted some hours, The weather was extremely cold, but by the kind attention of Mr. Peirsons family and William Richards, he was in some measure relieved of his Ague before he left . wore a cradle bed quilt from to where lined old worn out plaid Cloak, with ’s quilt, with Flannel between which made him very comfortable see page 1013

Addenda • 19 December 1838

The subscriber was born of Ebenezer and Rachael Page, their first child Feb’ 25th. A.D. 1799. My Father was of pure English extraction my Mother of English Irish and Welch extraction— my place of birth was Trenton township, Oneida County; State of New York,— I embraced the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was baptized August the 18th. 1833 by the hands of Elder (own Brother to one of the three first Witnesses to the Divinity of the Book of Mormon) I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Elders , Ebenezer Page Jr. and others— My baptism took place in Brownhelm, Lorain County, Ohio, my Ordination in , of Huron County of the same State on the 12th of Sept’ 1833 I moved to , Geauga Co. Ohio in the fall of 1835. On the 31st. day of May 1836 I started on a Mission to west, Leeds County, I was gone from my family seven Months and Twenty days— On the 16th. day of Feb. 1837 I again left with my family of Wife and two small children taking with me all the earthly goods I possessed which consisted of one Bed, and our wearing apparel of the plainest kind to continue my Mission in the same region of Country as before. In July following the commandment came forth for me to occupy a place in the Quorum of the Twelve— On the 14th. day of May 1838 I started with a company of Saints made up of men women and their children for the state of where we landed with a company occupying thirty waggons in the first week of October at a place there called some six miles above the outlet of on the north side of the where we were attacked by an armed Mob and by them barbarously treated for near two weeks, we then went to , Caldwell Co, where we united with the general body of the Church and with them participated in all the grievious persecutions practiced on the Church by means of a furious mob, by which means I buried one wife and two children as Martyrs to our holy religion who died through extreme suffering for the want of the common [p. 15 [addenda]]

Addenda • 8 January 1840

Jany. 8th. 1840 Page 1012— when the people present commenced making noise and disturbing the meeting, and when was reproving them, for their disgraceful conduct, some of those present fired Lucifer matches, rebuked them severely, and taught them better manners, and proposed to send them some Indians from the West to civilize them see page 1012

Addenda • 9 January 1840

Jany. 9 1840 Page 1013 while they were opening the meeting, some one threw a quantity of Brimstone in the fire, which nearly suffocated them, As soon as the fumes of Brimstone would permit, told them he thought he should be in no danger of catching the Itch in , for the smell of Brimstone indicated that it was thoroughly cured see page 1013

Addenda • 12 January 1840

Jan. 12th. 1840 Page 1013 after preaching had a severe shake of the Ague which lasted some hours, The weather was extremely cold, but by the kind attention of Mr. Peirsons family and William Richards, he was in some measure relieved of his Ague before he left . wore a cradle bed quilt from to where lined old worn out plaid Cloak, with ’s quilt, with Flannel between which made him very comfortable see page 1013

Addenda • 19 December 1838

Dec 19th., 1838 Page 876. The following is a brief synopsis of the Journal of Elder as given by himself.

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Document Information
Editorial Title
History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]
ID #
7513
Total Pages
562
Handwriting on This Page
- Franklin D. Richards
Footnotes
1. 1684
  George A. Smith, Autobiography, 133–134.
  
  Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.
2. 1685
  George A. Smith, Autobiography, 134–135.
  
  Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.
3. 1686
  “History of John E. Page,” Deseret News, 16 June 1858, p. 69.
  
  Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.