Letter from Robert D. Foster, 24 December 1839

Source Note

Robert D. Foster
14 Mar. 1811–1 Feb. 1878. Justice of the peace, physician, land speculator. Born in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. Son of John Foster and Jane Knibb. Married Sarah Phinney, 18 July 1837, at Medina Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of ...
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, Letter,
Washington DC
Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...
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, to JS,
Philadelphia
Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...
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, Philadelphia Co., PA, 24 Dec. 1839. Featured version copied [between Apr. and June 1840] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 119–122; handwriting of
Howard Coray
6 May 1817–16 Jan. 1908. Bookkeeper, clerk, teacher, farmer. Born in Dansville, Steuben Co., New York. Son of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens. Moved to Providence, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, ca. 1827; to Williams, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania, by 1830; and...
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; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 2.
Historical Introduction
On 24 December 1839,
Robert D. Foster
14 Mar. 1811–1 Feb. 1878. Justice of the peace, physician, land speculator. Born in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. Son of John Foster and Jane Knibb. Married Sarah Phinney, 18 July 1837, at Medina Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of ...
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wrote a letter from
Washington DC
Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...
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to JS, who was then visiting the
Saints
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
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in
Philadelphia
Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...
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and surrounding areas. Though Foster was traveling with the church’s delegation to the federal government, he was not an official member of that group.
1
Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.
Instead, he had been asked to accompany
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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, who was recovering from malaria.
2
Historical Introduction to Letter of Introduction from Sidney Rigdon, 9 Nov. 1839; Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 31 Oct.–3 Nov. 1839, 66.
Foster wrote in a later reminiscence that after JS and
Elias Higbee
23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...
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left for Philadelphia, Foster remained in Washington in order “to take care of Mr. Rigdon; and also to wait upon every preacher in the city.”
3
Robert D. Foster, “A Testimony of the Past,” True Latter Day Saints’ Herald, 15 Apr. 1875, 227.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Saints’ Herald. Independence, MO. 1860–.
In this letter, Foster briefly updated JS on Rigdon’s health and described his own proselytizing efforts, including an encounter with Reverend George G. Cookman, a prominent Methodist minister in the city.
4
The English-born Cookman immigrated to the United States in 1825 and in 1838 moved to Washington DC, where he led the congregation at Wesley Chapel. Seven days after Foster wrote this letter, the United States Senate appointed Cookman as its chaplain, a position he held until he perished at sea in March 1841. (Ridgaway, Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman, 19–20, 31, 63, 65, 72–76, 81; Journal of the Senate of the United States, 26th Cong., 1st Sess., 31 Dec. 1839, 68.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Ridgaway, Henry B. The Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman; with Some Account of His Father, the Rev. George Grimston Cookman. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1873.
Journal of the Senate of the United States of America, Being the First Session of the Twenty-Sixth Congress, Begun and Held at the City of Washington, December 2, 1839, and in the Sixty-Fourth Year of the Independence of the Said United States. Washington DC: Blair and Rives, 1839.

JS received the letter a few days after
Foster
14 Mar. 1811–1 Feb. 1878. Justice of the peace, physician, land speculator. Born in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. Son of John Foster and Jane Knibb. Married Sarah Phinney, 18 July 1837, at Medina Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of ...
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sent it and responded on 30 December.
5
Letter to Robert D. Foster, 30 Dec. 1839.
Foster’s original letter is not extant.
Howard Coray
6 May 1817–16 Jan. 1908. Bookkeeper, clerk, teacher, farmer. Born in Dansville, Steuben Co., New York. Son of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens. Moved to Providence, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, ca. 1827; to Williams, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania, by 1830; and...
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copied the version featured here into JS Letterbook 2 sometime between April and June 1840.
6
Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.

Footnotes
1. 1
  Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.
2. 2
  Historical Introduction to Letter of Introduction from Sidney Rigdon, 9 Nov. 1839; Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 31 Oct.–3 Nov. 1839, 66.
3. 3
  Robert D. Foster, “A Testimony of the Past,” True Latter Day Saints’ Herald, 15 Apr. 1875, 227.
  
  Saints’ Herald. Independence, MO. 1860–.
4. 4
  The English-born Cookman immigrated to the United States in 1825 and in 1838 moved to Washington DC, where he led the congregation at Wesley Chapel. Seven days after Foster wrote this letter, the United States Senate appointed Cookman as its chaplain, a position he held until he perished at sea in March 1841. (Ridgaway, Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman, 19–20, 31, 63, 65, 72–76, 81; Journal of the Senate of the United States, 26th Cong., 1st Sess., 31 Dec. 1839, 68.)
  
  Ridgaway, Henry B. The Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman; with Some Account of His Father, the Rev. George Grimston Cookman. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1873.
  Journal of the Senate of the United States of America, Being the First Session of the Twenty-Sixth Congress, Begun and Held at the City of Washington, December 2, 1839, and in the Sixty-Fourth Year of the Independence of the Said United States. Washington DC: Blair and Rives, 1839.
5. 5
  Letter to Robert D. Foster, 30 Dec. 1839.
6. 6
  Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.
  
  Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.

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out and leave them without excuse— I preach at Mr. Bakers on Christmas day, or rather in the evening— and then I expect God will bless me, and not let me be confounded— I know nothing about preaching, only, as the Lord shows me while I am speaking— They all say that I preached the best last night they ever heard— I will go on; pray that I may be humble and faithful— I hope by the time you returns, I shall have work for you in the Potomac— I conclude by sending my whole soul <to you> wrapped up in the love and power of God through the merits of Jesus— The message come to day

& I sent one to & also one to ; but our case is not mentioned at all, is upon the whole better— he is as well where he is as any where, at present— We have no letters, in consequence of the Rail Roads being blocked up— I hope you are all happy in the Lord & Savior— I thank you for all your friendly advise & kind admonitions; may they continue for I have found they are doing me good; but dont whip poor too hard, for he is a faithful Soul— In all your letters to send our love, and we will do the same in our correspondence— I am agoing hunting to morrow after another Priest— please send us a full letter as soon as you please— We shall be happy to receive any good inteligence, and you will send no othe[r]— here ends the letter, and aint it a long one— Yes says you and a rough one too— but it is better than none for you know I was not dead when this was written— I dont know any thing about you only that I love you all, dead or alive am this night your

Brother in Christ

[p. 122]

out and leave them without excuse— I preach at Mr. Bakers on Christmas day, or rather in the evening— and then I expect God will bless me, and not let me be confounded— I know nothing about preaching, only, as the Lord shows me while I am speaking— They all say that I preached the best last night they ever heard— I will go on; pray that I may be humble and faithful— I hope by the time you returns, I shall have work for you in the Potomac— I conclude by sending my whole soul to you wrapped up in the love and power of God through the merits of Jesus— The message come to day

& I sent one to & also one to ; but our case is not mentioned at all, is upon the whole better— he is as well where he is as any where, at present— We have no letters, in consequence of the Rail Roads being blocked up— I hope you are all happy in the Lord & Savior— I thank you for all your friendly advise & kind admonitions; may they continue for I have found they are doing me good; but dont whip poor too hard, for he is a faithful Soul— In all your letters to send our love, and we will do the same in our correspondence— I am agoing hunting to morrow after another Priest— please send us a full letter as soon as you please— We shall be happy to receive any good inteligence, and you will send no other— here ends the letter, and aint it a long one— Yes says you and a rough one too— but it is better than none for you know I was not dead when this was written— I dont know any thing about you only that I love you all, dead or alive am this night your

Brother in Christ

[p. 122]

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Document Information
Editorial Title
Letter from Robert D. Foster, 24 December 1839
ID #
502
Total Pages
4
Handwriting on This Page
- Howard Coray
Footnotes
1. 10
  See Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 [D&C 88:82].
2. 11
  The Potomac River, or possibly the Potomac River Valley.
3. 12
  President Martin Van Buren sent his annual message to Congress on 24 December 1839. The president’s message (after 1942 commonly referred to as the State of the Union Address) is mandated by article 2, section 3, of the United States Constitution. The church’s delegation to Washington DC was awaiting the publication of this message, which was delayed by a dispute in the House of Representatives. (Message from the President of the United States, Senate doc. no. 1, 26th Cong., 1st Sess. [1839]; Letter to Seymour Brunson and Nauvoo High Council, 7 Dec. 1839.)
  
  Message from the President of the United States, to the Two Houses of Congress, at the Commencement of the First Session of the Twenty-Sixth Congress. December 24, 1839. Senate Doc. no. 1, 26th Cong., 1st Sess. (1839).
4. 13
  Wilber was a member of the church who served as clerk to a 10 July 1837 conference in Bath, New York. (“Conference,” Elders’ Journal, Oct. 1837, 15–16.)
5. 14
  According to a Washington DC newspaper, heavy snow had closed railroad lines from the nation’s capital to New England, resulting in a “complete interruption of the mails.” (News Item, Madisonian [Washington DC], 25 Dec. 1839, [3].)
  
  The Madisonian. Washington DC. 1837–1841.

Letter from Robert D. Foster, 24 December 1839

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