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
December 16 was made with , whereby I was equally entitled to a discharge, but was put off with a plea that he must write to the officer, at , before it could be granted.
17 Saturday 17.
“ Decr. 17. 1842— Dear Sir— Your Petition requesting me to rescind ’s proclamation and recall the Writ issued against you has been received and duly considered. I submitted your case and all the papers relating thereto, to the judges of the Supreme Court, or at least to six of them, who happened to be present. They were unanimous in the opinion that the requisition from was illegal and insufficient to cause your arrest, but were equally divided as to the propriety and justice of my interference with the acts of . It being therefore a case of great doubt as to my power, and I not wishing even in an official station to assume the exercise of doubtful powers; and inasmuch as you have a sure and effectual remedy in the [HC 5:205] Courts, I have decided to decline interfering. I can only advise that you submit to the laws, and have a judicial investigation of your rights— If it should become necessary, for this purpose to repair to , I do not believe that there will be any disposition to use illegal violence towards you; and I would feel it my duty in your case, as in the case of any other person, to protect you with any necessary amount of force from mob violence whilst asserting your rights before the Courts, going to and returning– I am most respectfully Yours .”
“ December 17. 1842 Joseph Smith Esqre. Dr. Sir. I have heard the letter read which has written to you, and his statements are correct in relation to the opinion of the Judges of the Supreme Court. The judges were unanimously of the opinion that you would be entitled to your discharge under a habeas corpus to be issued by the Supreme Court— but felt some delicacy in advising , to revoke the order issued by . my advice is, that you come here without delay, and you do not run the least risk of being protected while here, and of being discharged by the Supreme Court by Habeas Corpus. I have also the right to bring the case before the court now in session here and there you are certain of obtaining your discharge. I will stand by you, and see you safely delivered from your arrest— Yours truly— .”
“City of 17th. Decr. 1842 Gen. J. Smith My Son— It is useless for me to detail facts that the bearer can tell— But I will say that it appears to my Judgment, that you had best make no delay in coming before the Court at this place for a discharge under a habeas corpus. I am &c ”
On receiving the foregoing letters, and having entered for the Copyright of a Map of the City of , forJoseph Smith in the Clerks office of the [HC 5:206] District of ; the brethren left for .
20 Tuesday 20. Chopping and drawing wood, with my own hands and team, as I had done mostly since the 9th.. continued very sick. This afternoon the brethren arrived from , and presented me with Messrs. ’s, ’s, and ’ letters, and general history of their proceedings, which was highly satisfactory
Elder died this morning at a quarter past 3 o’clock at—— Bradford, , he is the first Elder who has fallen in a foreign land in these last [p. 1428]
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