History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]

Source Note

JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of
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
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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; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction

This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war 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. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
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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, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1.
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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’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and
William W. Phelps
17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...
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, assisted by
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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, resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, Willmer Benson, and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1,
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
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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chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death,
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 modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—
Kirtland
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
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, Ohio, and northwest
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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—during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.

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<October 29. Minutes of Council.> was, that “the complaint was not without foundation, yet, the charge has not been fully sustained, but he has acted injudiciously, and brought a disgrace upon himself, his daughter, and upon this church, because he ought to have trained his child in a way, that she should not have required the rod at the age of fifteen years. made his confession and was forgiven. Sister Elliot confessed her wrong and promised to do so < & Sister Elliot restored to fellowship.> no more, consequently the council forgave her; and they were both restored to fellowship:”

30 October 1835 • Friday

<30.> Friday 30 at home. Mr Francis Porter from , N. York. <Queries of Francis Porter.> a member of the Methodist church called to make some inquiry, about lands in this place () whether there are any valueable farms for sale, and whether a member of our church could move into this vicinity, and purchase lands, and enjoy his own possessions and property without making it common Stock. He had been requested to do so by some brethren who live in the town <Answer> of Leroy, New York. I replied that I had a valuable farm joining the Temple Lot, I would sell; and that there are other lands for sale in this place; and that we have no common stock business among us; that every man enjoys his own property, or can if he choose is disposed, conse[HC 2:295]crate liberally or illiberally to the support of the poor and needy, or the building up of Zion. He also enquired how many members there are in this church. I told him there were about five or six hundred who communed at our chapel, and perhaps a thousand in this vicinity. At evening I was <Letter from .> presented with a letter from Brother , the purport of which is, that he is censured by the brethren, on account of what took place at the council last night, and wishes to have the matter settled to the understanding of all, that he may not be censured unjustly, considering that his cause was a just one, and that he had been materially injured. I replied that I <Answer to ’s. Letter.> thought we parted with the best of feelings, that I am not to blame on account of the dissatisfaction of others. I invited him to call and talk with me, and that I would talk with him in the spirit of meekness, and give him all the satisfaction I could. This reply was by letter, copy retained.

31 October 1835 • Saturday

<31.> Saturday 31st. in the morning Brother came in < came in> and said he had been much troubled all night and had not slept any, that something was wrong. While talking Brother < came in.> came in according to my request last night. said that he must go to the store. I invited him to stay. He said he would go and do his business, and return; He did so. While he was gone introduced the subject of our difficulty at the council. I told him I did not want to converse upon the subject, until returned. <Proposition.> He soon came in; I then pre proposed to relate the occurrence of the council before named, and wherein I had been out of the way I would confess it, and ask his forgiveness; [p. 632]

October 29. Minutes of Council. was, that “the complaint was not without foundation, yet, the charge has not been fully sustained, but he has acted injudiciously, and brought a disgrace upon himself, his daughter, and upon this church, because he ought to have trained his child in a way, that she should not have required the rod at the age of fifteen years. made his confession and was forgiven. Sister Elliot confessed her wrong and promised to do so & Sister Elliot restored to fellowship. no more, consequently the council forgave her; and they were both restored to fellowship:”

30 October 1835 • Friday

30. Friday 30 at home. Mr Francis Porter from , N. York. Queries of Francis Porter. a member of the Methodist church called to make some inquiry, about lands in this place () whether there are any valueable farms for sale, and whether a member of our church could move into this vicinity, and purchase lands, and enjoy his own possessions and property without making it common Stock. He had been requested to do so by some brethren who live in the town Answer of Leroy, New York. I replied that I had a valuable farm joining the Temple Lot, I would sell; and that there are other lands for sale in this place; and that we have no common stock business among us; that every man enjoys his own property, or can if he is disposed, conse[HC 2:295]crate liberally or illiberally to the support of the poor and needy, or the building up of Zion. He also enquired how many members there are in this church. I told him there were about five or six hundred who communed at our chapel, and perhaps a thousand in this vicinity. At evening I was Letter from . presented with a letter from Brother , the purport of which is, that he is censured by the brethren, on account of what took place at the council last night, and wishes to have the matter settled to the understanding of all, that he may not be censured unjustly, considering that his cause was a just one, and that he had been materially injured. I replied that I Answer to ’s. Letter. thought we parted with the best of feelings, that I am not to blame on account of the dissatisfaction of others. I invited him to call and talk with me, and that I would talk with him in the spirit of meekness, and give him all the satisfaction I could. This reply was by letter, .

31 October 1835 • Saturday

31. Saturday 31st. in the morning Brother came in came in and said he had been much troubled all night and had not slept any, that something was wrong. While talking Brother came in. came in according to my request last night. said that he must go to the store. I invited him to stay. He said he would go and do his business, and return; He did so. While he was gone introduced the subject of our difficulty at the council. I told him I did not want to converse upon the subject, until returned. Proposition. He soon came in; I then proposed to relate the occurrence of the council before named, and wherein I had been out of the way I would confess it, and ask his forgiveness; [p. 632]

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Document Information
Editorial Title
History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
ID #
7404
Total Pages
332
Handwriting on This Page
- Willard Richards
Footnotes
1. 114
  JS, Journal, 30 Oct. 1835.
2. 115
  JS, Journal, 31 Oct. 1835.

History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]

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