History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844]
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Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. F-1, created 9 Apr.–7 June 1856 and 20 Aug. 1856–6 Nov. 1856; handwriting of and Jonathan Grimshaw; 304 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the final volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This sixth volume covers the period from 1 May to 8 Aug. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1 through E-1, go through 30 Apr. 1844.
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Historical Introduction
History, 1838-1856, volume F-1, constitutes the last 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 May 1844 to the events following his 27 June 1844 death, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in 1856.The material recorded in volume F-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin, and also assistant church historian . Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the volume and creating a set of draft notes, which Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks. Woodruff gathered additional material concerning the death of Joseph Smith as a supplement to George A. Smith’s work recording that event. Jonathan Grimshaw and , members of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed the draft notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents.According to the Historian’s Office journal, Jonathan Grimshaw initiated work on the text of volume F-1 on 9 April 1856, soon after Robert L. Campbell had completed work on volume E-1. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.) Grimshaw’s scribal work begins with an entry for 1 May 1844. Unlike previous volumes in which the numbering had run consecutively to page 2028, Grimshaw began anew with page 1. He transcribed 150 pages by June 1856, and his last entry was for 23 June 1844. Though more of his writing does not appear in the volume, he continued to work in the office until 2 August, before leaving for the East that same month. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 and 10 Aug. 1856.)assumed the role of scribe on 20 August 1856. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 20 Aug. 1856.) He incorporated ’s draft notes for the period 24–29 June 1844 on pages 151–189, providing an account of JS’s death and its immediate aftermath. He next transcribed a related extract from ’s 1854 History of Illinois on pages 190–204. Pages 205–227 were left blank.provided the notes for the final portion of the text. This account begins with an entry for 22 June 1844 and continues the record through 8 August 1844, ending on page 304. (The volume also included ten pages of addenda.) The last specific entry in the Historian’s Office journal that captures at work on the history is for 6 November 1856. A 2 February 1857 Wilford Woodruff letter to indicates that on 30 January 1857, the “presidency sat and heard the history read up to the organization of the church in , 8th. day of August 1844.” (Historian’s Office, Journal, 6 Nov. 1856; Wilford Woodruff, Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to George A. Smith, 2 Feb. 1857, Historian’s Office, Letterpress Copybooks, vol. 1, p. 410; see also Wilford Woodruff, Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Amasa Lyman and Charles C. Rich, 28 Feb. 1857, Historian’s Office, Letterpress Copybooks, vol. 1, pp. 430–431.)The pages of volume F-1 contain a record of the final weeks of JS’s life and the events of the ensuing days. The narrative commences with and arriving at , Illinois, on 1 May 1844 from their lumber-harvesting mission in the “” of Wisconsin Territory. As the late spring and summer of 1844 unfold, events intensify, especially those surrounding the suppression of the Nauvoo Expositor in mid-June. Legal action over the Expositor leads to a charge of riot, and subsequently JS is charged with treason and is incarcerated at the jail in , Illinois. The narrative of volume F-1 concludes with an account of the special church conference convened on 8 August 1844 to consider who should assume the leadership of the church.
June 27
“Permit , the private secretary of Joseph Smith, to be with him if he desires it, and to pass and repass the guard.
Commander in Chief”
“June 27th 1844”
said he could not get one for himself.
met in the Street, and informed him that Joseph wanted to see him. [HC 6:612]
11.30. arrived at the jail, and read a letter from .
Joseph, and tried to get past the guard, but they persisted in refusing to admit him.
12½ noon. Joseph wrote for of to come up on Saturday as his attorney, as follows:—
“ Jail, June 27th 1844
“, Sir,
Myself and brother are in Jail on charge of Treason,— to come up for examination on Saturday morning 29th, inst, and we request your professional services at that time, on our defence, without fail.
Most respectfully, Your Servt.
Joseph Smith.
“P. S. There is no cause of action, for we have not been guilty of any crime; neither is there any just cause of suspicion against us, but certain circumstances make your attendance very necessary
J. S.”
took the letter, and left the jail. He handed it to with directions to take it to forthwith. The guard being aware of the letter told the mob that “old Joe” had sent orders to raise the Nauvoo Legion to come and rescue him. The mob gathered around , and demanded the letter; some of them wanted to take it from him, by force, and said that should not get out of alive, as a dozen men had started off with their rifles to waylay him in the woods. Having previously ordered his horse, took advantage of their disagreements, and started off at full speed. He by mistake took the road, and so avoided the men who were lying in wait for him. When he emerged on to the prairie, he saw the and his [HC 6:613] posse, whereupon he left the road for the road. -[]-
Dr Southwick called at the jail. Joseph gave him a note to or requesting them to furnish him with a pass.
1¼ P. M. Joseph, and dined in their room. and dined below.
1½ P. M. was taken sick, when Joseph said, “, as you have a pass from the to go in and out of the jail, go and get a pipe and some tobacco to settle his stomach,” and went out for them; when he had got the pipe and tobacco, and was returning to jail, a man by the name of Stewart called out, “Old man, [p. 179]
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