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
June 23 pistols cocked at the same time, and were threatening to shoot him; about midnight he sued out a Writ for a violation of the Law in relation to Writs of ; having transferred me to the custody of , for the purpose of dragging me to ; and thereby avoiding the effect and operation of said Writ, contrary to Law; which was put over to be heard at 10 o’Clock tomorrow morning, and I was conducted back to the room and guarded thro’ the night.
The 5th. Regiment, 2nd. Cohort, Nauvoo Legion, consisting of 4 companies organised, was elected Colonel, Lieutt. Coll. , Major.
24 As my favorite horse Jo Duncan was somewhat jaded, with being ridden so hastily by , I hired a man with his horse and buggy to carry to Rock Island, where the Steamer Amaranth fortunately came, in about 15 minutes on which he took passage to , to inform my brother of what was being done, and request him to send me some assistance forthwith.
About 8 the Master in arrived, and issued a Writ of , returnable before the Hon. John [HC 5:443] D. Caton, Judge of the 9th. Judicial circuit at Ottawa, which was duly served on and .
Mr. who was out electioneering to become the Representative for Congress, told me that he could not find time to be my Lawyer, unless I would promise him my vote; he being considered the greatest criminal Lawyer in that part of , I determined to secure his aid— and promised him my vote, he afterwards went to and joyfully said, “I am now sure of my election, as Joseph Smith has promised me his vote and I am going to defend him”.
At 10 a.m. another writ was sued, this time from the Circuit Court of , against and for private damage, and for false imprisonment, claiming $10,000 damages, upon the ground, that the Writ issued by the Governor of , was a void writ in Law; upon which said writ they were held to bail in $10.000 each, and they had to send to for bondsmen, and were placed in the custody of the Sheriff of . and felt bad when these last writs were served on them, and began to cool in their conduct a little; after which they also obtained a Writ of for the purpose of being discharged before Judge Caton.
I was conveyed by and upon the first writ of Habeas Corpus, towards Ottawa, as far as , 32 miles, where I was again abused by and , which was observed by the Landlord.
sent Mr. Campbell sheriff of , to my assistance, and he came and slept by me. In the morning certain men wished to see me, but I was not allowed to see them. The news of my arrival had hastily circulated about the neighborhood, and very early in the morning the largest [HC 5:444] room in the hotel was filled with citizens, who were anxious to hear me preach and requested me to address them. entered the room and said, pointing to me, “I wish you to understand this man is my prisoner, and I want you should disperse; you must not gather round here in this way.” Upon which Mr. David Town an aged gentleman who was lame, and carried a large hickory walking stick, advanced towards , bringing his hickory upon the floor, said, “You damned infernal puke; we’ll learn you to come here and interrupt gentlemen; sit down there (pointing to a very low chair) and sit still; don’t open your head till General Smith gets through talking; if you never learned manners in , we’ll teach you that gentlemen are not to be imposed upon by a nigger driver; you can not kidnap men here, if you do in ; and if you attempt it here, there’s a committee in this Grove, that will sit on your case; and sir, it is the highest tribunal in the , as from its decision, there is no appeal.” , no doubt, aware that the person addressing him was at the head of a Committee who had prevented the Settlers on the public domain from being imposed upon by land speculators, sat down in silence, while I addressed the assembly for an hour and a half on the subject of marriage; my visitors having requested me to give them my views of the law of God respecting marriage. My freedom commenced from that hour. [p. 1584]
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Document Information
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Footnotes
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778
Hosea Stout, History of the Nauvoo Legion, Draft 2, p. [6], Nauvoo Legion Records, CHL.
Stout, Hosea. History of the Nauvoo Legion, Draft 2, ca. 1844–1845. Nauvoo Legion Records, 1841–1845. CHL. MS 3430, fd. 10. One of three drafts of the history; includes material dated 4 February 1841 through September 1843. Pages are out of order; in the current order, this draft includes pp. [1]–[4], [13]–[14].
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Insertion in handwriting of Thomas Bullock.
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779
See 24 June 1843 entry in History Draft.
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780
Clayton, Journal, 23 June 1843; “Missouri vs Joseph Smith,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 5 July 1843, [2].
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
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781
This racial slur was commonly employed by white Americans by the nineteenth century to refer derogatorily to people of African descent. Black Americans strongly objected to the use of the term.a The Church Historian’s Press also condemns the use of this word but retains it in document transcripts to accurately present the historical record and to illuminate the oppressive racial landscape faced by Black Americans. Church leaders today have asked Latter-day Saints to “lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice,” which includes rejecting racist language.b
(aEaston, Treatise on the Intellectual Character, and Civil and Political Condition of the Colored People of the U. States, 40–41. bNelson, “Let God Prevail,” 94.)Easton, Hosea. A Treatise on the Intellectual Character, and Civil and Political Condition of the Colored People of the U. States; and the Prejudice Exercised towards Them: With a Sermon on the Duty of the Church to Them. Boston: Isaac Knapp, 1837.
Nelson, Russell M. “Let God Prevail.” Ensign, Nov. 2020, 92–95.
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Insertion in handwriting of Thomas Bullock.
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778
