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
March 15 Indiana $12,129,339, Maryland $20,901,040 Lousiana $21,213,000. Mississippi $ 5,500,000, $13,836,379, Alabama $9,843,536, Arkansas $3,900,000, $5,611,000, Florida $3,500,000. [HC 5:306]
A great fire at Valparaiso, unequalled in Chili, damage $2,000,000.
16 In the , reading papers, and giving counsel to , , and many others.
17 Part of the day in my , remainder at home.
Settled with Father [Asahel] Perry, gave him a deed for 80 acres of land and city lot, and prophesied that it would not be six months before he could sell it for cash.
At 4 P.M. brought in a letter from Esq. dated 7th. instant concerning , which I immediately answered.
Reports reach us that new indictments have been found against myself, and some 100 others, on the old troubles and was making desperate threats.
The Island of Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain, by the Emperor of China, who opened 5 ports to the English trade by treaty.
18 I was most of the forenoon in the in cheerful conversation with , and others. Finished writing a letter to .
About noon I laid [blank] down on the writing table, with my head on a pile of law books, saying, write and tell the world I acknowledge myself a very great lawyer, I am going to study law, and this is my way I study it; and then fell asleep.
Rode out in the afternoon with looking at lots for Bishop and afterwards played ball with the boys.
The French seized upon the Society group of Pacific Isles
19 Rode out with , and visited my , returned about 11 A.M. and spent the remainder of the day at home. [HC 5:307]
started for with a letter to Mr . Attorney, concerning .
Received a letter from Elder , giving a synopsis of his mission to , since August 1839, in which I find he has published since April 1841 (when the remainder of the Twelve returned home) 1500 “Hymn Books,” 2500 “Voice of Warning,” 3000 tracts, entitled “Heaven on Earth”, 3000 copies of “’s Mission to ” 10,000 copies of “A letter to the Queen” and some other works, and continued the “Star” monthly: he left Oct. 20th 1842, and after a voyage of ten weeks arrived in ; being ice bound on the and having a dislike to the outlaws who govern , he wintered at Chester, . On the news of his arrival, he was warmly pressed to preach; which he did several times, and baptized two men in that place.
Sir James South, Sir John Herschel, and other astronomers in Europe, have published notices of the sword seen in the heavens, on the eve of the 10th; and several successive evenings; they represent it, as the stray tail of a comet, as no nucleus could be discovered with the most powerful instruments.
At Paris, M. Arago, communicated to the Academy of Sciences, on the subject of the comet, that the observations of the Astronomers were not complete, the nucleus not being discovered [p. 1500]
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