History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
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Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. D-1, created 4 July 1845–4 Feb. 1846 and 1 July 1854–2 May 1855; handwriting of , Robert L. Campbell, and ; 275 pages, plus 6 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fourth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fourth volume covers the period from 1 Aug. 1842 to 1 July 1843; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
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Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1, constitutes the fourth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 August 1842 to 1 July 1843, and it was compiled after JS’s death.The material recorded in volume D-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , with the assistance of . After Richards’s death in 1854, continued work on the volume as the new church historian with Bullock’s continued help. The process adopted by Richards and Bullock involved Richards creating a set of rough draft notes and Bullock transcribing the notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). George A. Smith followed a similar pattern, though he dictated the draft notes to Bullock and other scribes.According to the Church Historian’s Office journal, finished the third volume of the series, volume C-1, on Thursday, 3 July 1845, in , Illinois. He began work on the fourth volume, D-1, the next day, beginning on page 1362 with the entry for 1 August 1842. (The pages in volumes A-1–E-1 were numbered consecutively.) Bullock continued work on the record, drawing upon ’s draft notes, until 3 February 1846—the day before D-1 and the other volumes were packed up in preparation for the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo. At that point he had reached page 1485 with the entry for 28 February 1843. Subsequently, apparently after the collection had arrived in Utah, Bullock added a brief comment beneath that entry: “end of W. Richard’s compiling[.] the books packed Feby. 4— 1846 in Nauvoo[.] Miles Romney— present. The records carried by T Bullock from Winter Quarters to G S L [Great Salt Lake] City in 1848.”A notation at the top of page 1486 reports that “the books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. J[onathan] Grimshaw & Miles Romney present.” Vertically, in the margin, is a poignant epitaph: “Decr. 1 1853 Dr. Willard Richards wrote one line of History—being sick at the time—and was never able to do any more.” With Richards’s death on 11 March 1854, JS’s cousin was called to the office of church historian. The notation on the top of page 1486 acknowledges this change in officers, noting, “commencement of George A. Smith’s compiling as Historian. April 13. 1854[.] [C]ommenced copying July 1. 1854.” From mid-April to the end of June 1854, George A. Smith, in collaboration with Thomas Bullock, worked on the draft notes for the history before a new scribe, , resumed writing in D-1 on 1 July 1854, beginning with the entry for 1 March 1843.continued transcribing intermittently into the late fall of 1854, when he was assigned other duties in the Historian’s Office. He had reached page 1546 with the entry for 5 May 1843. Work resumed in February 1855 in the hand of Robert L. Campbell, recently returned from a mission. He concluded volume D-1 on the morning of 2 May 1855 and began writing in E-1 that afternoon.The 274 pages of volume D-1 contain a record of much that is significant in the life of JS and the development of the church he founded. Among these events are• JS’s 6 August 1842 prophecy that the Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.•JS’s 8 August 1842 arrest on a warrant for being “an accessory before the fact” to an attack on former governor .• ’s 17 August 1842 letter to governor , pleading for the humane treatment of her husband and family.•JS’s 1 and 6 September 1842 instructions regarding the proper procedures for performing baptisms for the dead.• JS’s 15 November 1842 “Valedictory” as he stepped down as editor of the Times and Seasons.• The 26 December 1842 arrest of JS on a “proclamation” by former governor , and subsequent hearing in , Illinois.• The 7 February 1843 recovery of a volume of patriarchal blessings given by , which had been stolen in , Missouri.• JS’s 21 February 1843 remarks regarding the and .• JS’s 2 April 1843 instruction at , Illinois, on the nature of God and other subjects.• JS’s 16 May 1843 remarks at , Illinois, on the everlasting covenant and eternal marriage.• The account of JS’s 23 June 1843 arrest and his habeas corpus hearing the following week at .
Footnotes
February 2 presiding and brother Benjn. L. Clapp Chief Speaker, reporting that Joseph and had attempted to take away the rights of the Citizens, re[HC 5:263]ferring to the election of the last City Council, I corrected the error and returned home.
“The Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered;” It would be better thus “The Spirit maketh intercession for us with striving which cannot be expressed.”
3 Friday 3. This morning read German; at 11 walked out in the , returned at a ¼ past 12, read proof of Doctrine and Covenants, which is now being Stereotyped
Brother John Mayberry sent me a Cow to assist in bearing my expences to .
4 Saturday 4. At home till one o clock in the afternoon, when I attended the General City Election Caucus at the , where all things were amicably settled, and mutual good feelings restored to all parties. Brother [Benjamin] Clapp made a public Confession for the Speech which he made at a former Caucus. I returned home about four oclock, and was visited by— . I told him that I had restored to his former standing in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and that I had concluded to make brother a Counsellor to the First Presidency. In the evening presided in the Municipal Court.
5 Sunday 5. At home reading German.
6 Monday 6. Spent the forenoon at the Election of Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors for the , to serve during the next two years, at brother s Office— dined at home, one o clock afternoon Thomas Moore came in and enquired about a home. I blessed him and said God bless you for ever and ever, may the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob rest upon you for ever; and may you sit on thrones high and lifted up, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen: When I returned to the Election, Joseph Smith was elected Mayor by unanimous vote. [HC 5:264], , and were elected Aldermen. , , , , , , , and were elected Councillors.
7 Tuesday 7. This forenoon attended a Council of the Twelve Apostles at the house of President . This afternoon I sent a search Warrant to ’s for the purpose of obtaining the book of Patriarchal blessings given by Father , which was stolen from — The warrant was issued on the Affidavit of , and the book obtained. In the evening came to my house for an explanation, and I informed him that the book was the property of the Church, that it had been Stolen, and after passing through various hands, had been secured by while acting as Agent for the Church, at , and should have been given up by him. I have since been informed that Sister Sarah, ’s Wife had procured the book of her brother, Son of , for the purpose of returning it to the Church, but being under a pledge to her brother not to give up the book until he had seen her again, she had neglected to mention it to me. ¶. Elder arrived home from this evening.
8. Wednesday 8. This morning I read German, and visited with a brother and sister from who thought that “a Prophet is always a Prophet”, but I told them that a Prophet was a Prophet only, when he was acting as such— after dinner brother came in, we had conversation on various subjects— at 4 in the afternoon I went out with my little to exercise myself, by sliding on the Ice. [HC 5:265] The public papers say that Point Petre in Guadaloupe was totally destroyed, and 10,000 persons to have been killed, by an Earthquake.
9 Thursday 9. Part of the forenoon I spent at the conversing with Mr. Rennick of and trying to effect a settlement with him. He promised to let me have some Notes on a Paper Maker in Louisville— towards paying me, and then went off contrary to promise— I also had conversation with Master [Jonathan] Nye, and read several letters, one from , and directed the following in reply
Hon: City of [p. 1464]
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