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
not to printthe books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. Jonathan Grimshaw & Miles Romney present. commencement of ’s compiling as Historian, April 13. 1854 commenced copying July 1. 1854
Decr. 1. 1853 Dr. wrote one line of History— being sick at the time— and was never able to do any more.
March 1 This morning I read and recited in German; went to my and reviewed my valedictory letter in the Times and seasons, No 7 Vol. 4; after which, I went with Marshal to procure some provisions for Thomas Morgan and Robert Taylor; who on petition of the inhabitants of the , I had directed should work out their punishment on the highways of .
Elder called on me this afternoon to borrow a horse; I instructed my ostler to put the Lieut. General’s saddle on my horse “Jo Duncan,” and let ride the Governor, on the Lieut. General’s saddle.
Signed a power of Attorney dated Feb. 28 to , to sell all the lands in Henderson County, deeded to me by .
The froze up on the 19th of Nov. last, and still continues so, wagons and teams constantly pass over on the ice to .
I am constantly receiving applications from abroad for Elders; which were replied to, in the Times and Seasons of this day, that the Conference on the 6th. of April next, will attend to as many of them as possible.
The Council of the Twelve Apostles wrote to , , , and other branches, as follows:— [HC 5:292]
“The Twelve to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in and about . Greeting. Beloved brethren, As our beloved President Joseph Smith is now relieved from his bondage, and his business temporarily, and his property too; he has but one thing to hinder his devoting his time to the spiritual interests of the Church; to the bringing forth of the revelations, translation, and history. And what is that? He has not provision for himself and family, and is obliged to spend his time in providing therefor. His family is large, and his company great, and it requires much to furnish his table, and now brethren, we call on you for immediate relief in this matter, and we invite you to bring our President as many loads of wheat, corn, beef, pork, lard, tallow, eggs, poultry, venison, and every thing eatable at your command, (not excepting unfrozen potatoes and vegetables as soon as the frost will admit) flour &c. [blank] and thus give him the privilege of attending to your spiritual interest.
The measure you mete, shall be measured to you again— if you give liberally to your President; in temporal things, God will return to you liberally in spiritual and temporal things too— one or two good new milch cows are much needed also— Brethren, will you do your work, and let the President do his, for you; before God?
We wish an immediate answer by loaded teams, or letter.
Your Brethren in Christ, In behalf of the Quorum
, Clerk . President
P.S. Brethren, we are not unmindful of the favors our President has received from you in former days, but a man will not cease to be hungry this year, because he eat last year.
”
Some thirty inhabitants of Saratoga have died recently of a disease; called the Black tongue. [p. 1486]
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Document Information
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Footnotes
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426
TEXT: Insertion written at top of page.
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427
TEXT: Insertion written in left margin.
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428
See 1 Mar. 1843 entry in History Draft.
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429
JS, Journal, 1 Mar. 1843.
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Thomas Bullock handwriting ends; Leo Hawkins begins.
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430
Woodruff, Journal, 1 Mar. 1843.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
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431
Editorial reply, Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1843, 4:117.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
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432
Brigham Young, Nauvoo, IL, to “the church in and about Ramus,” Ramus, IL, 1 Mar. 1843, draft, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL.
Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.
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433
“A Fatal Epidemic,” The Wasp, 1 Mar. 1843, [4].
The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.
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426
