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 hearing the following week at .
Footnotes
March 1. About this time a slide from Mount Ida near Troy took place, burying ten houses, and killing 30 or 40 persons.
2 I was engaged in the Court room, sitting on the case of vs , all day. In the evening examining Blackstone, and [Stephen] Phillips on Evidence. Elders and , with their wives, at ’s. [HC 5:293]
The Legislature of took up the bill to repeal City Charter. Mr. Davis, of Bond, moved to take up the bill to repeal a part of the Charter; objections being made by several members, it was decided in the affirmative, and placed on the orders of the day. The question being on ordering the bill to a third reading.
Mr, Simms moved the previous question.
Mr. Logan hoped the previous question would not be sustained; some of the provisions proposed to be repealed, are very innocent ones; and he thought the house would be willing to retain them; he wanted to repeal the provisions allowing the Writ of , and some others. The previous question was then lost.
Mr. Logan denied that any discussion had been had on the provisions of the Charter proposed to be repealed. He wanted the gentlemen interested, to have an opportunity to be heard.
Mr. (of ) went into the subject at some length. He compared the Charter of with any other city in the ; and showed that the bill repealed the same powers in the Nauvoo Charter which others contained, and are permitted to retain. He thought this unjust, and was opposed to the principle of making such distinctions. He bore testimony to the good order and industry of the Mormons; and he had no doubt but that they were much abused.
He alluded to the course of the Whigs during the canvass for the last election, and appealed to his party, to sustain the Mormons, as they had so nobly carried the last election; he cautioned them against taking the other course; and predicted if they did, that they would be the means of electing a Whig to Congress in that district; and at the next Gubernatorial election, would elect the Governor also; that the arms of the Whigs were open to receive them.
3 I was again sitting on the case of vs until 10 ½ P.M, many witnesses were examined, many lawyers pleas made, and much law read; it was a very tedious suit, and excited much feeling among the people; when I returned home I found my ’s health improving. I visited Sister Durphy who was sick, in company with . returned from this evening, with five teams loaded with provisions and grain [HC 5:294] as a present to me, which afforded me very seasonable relief, I pray the Lord to Bless them that gave it abundantly, and may it be returned upon their heads an hundred fold.
“Mr. of , moved a call of the house (some members leaving)
The bill passed by yeas and nays as follows. Yeas— Messrs , Baillache, [John] Bell, Blakeman, Bone, Brinkley, Brown of , Burklow, Busey, Caldwell, Cloud, Cochran, Compton, Courtright, [Cyrus] Danner, Dollins, Douglas, , Epler, Ervin, Ewing, Ficklin, Flanders, Fowler, Glass, Gobble, Haley, Hambaugh, [p. 1487]
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Document Information
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Footnotes
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434
“Awful Calamity at Troy,” The Wasp, 22 Mar. 1843, [1].
The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.
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435
See 2 Mar. 1843 entry in History Draft.
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436
JS, Journal, 2 Mar. 1843.
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437
Young, Journal, 2 Mar. 1843.
Young, Brigham. Journals, 1832–1877. Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1, boxes 71–73.
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438
“House of Representatives, Thursday, March 2,” The Wasp, 15 Mar. 1843, [4].
The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.
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439
See 3 Mar. 1843 entry in History Draft.
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440
JS, Journal, 3 Mar. 1843.
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441
JS, Journal, 4 Mar. 1843.
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Insertion in graphite in unidentified handwriting.
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Insertion in handwriting of Thomas Bullock.
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442
“House of Representatives, Friday, March 3,” The Wasp, 15 Mar. 1843, [4].
The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.
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434
