Note, 16 September 1835
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Source Note
Note, [, Geauga Co., OH], 16 Sept. 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, p. 108; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
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Historical Introduction
On 16 September 1835, the church’s presidency appointed and as of the . This action was recorded in Minute Book 1, apparently more as a note of the action taken than as official meeting minutes. The note is similar to other notations in Minute Book 1 regarding the , of which the Literary Firm was originally a part. The Literary Firm was organized in April 1832 and given responsibility over the church’s publishing endeavors. Its original members were JS, , , , , and , all of whom were designated as “ over the revelations” in November 1831. At some point, , who became a member of the United Firm in March 1833, was likely added to the group since became the primary operating entity of the Literary Firm in September 1833. Although the United Firm appears to have been largely dormant after its reorganization in April 1834, the Literary Firm was still operating; at the time of this note, F. G. Williams & Co. was publishing the church newspaper Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate and had just published the Doctrine and Covenants. Oliver Cowdery was keeping F. G. Williams & Co.’s books, but the presidency apparently wanted other individuals to have authority to act on behalf of the firm, perhaps to promote subscriptions to the Messenger and Advocate or to generate sales of the Doctrine and Covenants.It is unclear why and were the ones designated as agents of the firm. Perhaps they were interested in the church’s publishing efforts, although neither one appears to have been actively involved in those enterprises; existing documents specify their participation on only a few occasions. In November 1831, Whitmer attended where the publication of JS’s revelations was discussed, and in September 1834, Samuel Smith nominated JS, , , and as the committee responsible for compiling the Doctrine and Covenants. No extant records indicate that Samuel Smith ever acted as an agent for the firm, but the F. G. Williams & Co. account book shows that Whitmer repaid one of the firm’s loans in October 1835. It is unclear what other actions Whitmer may have taken.Although this note does not specify who was present when and were appointed to the Literary Firm on 16 September, it is likely that all six members of the church’s presidency—JS, , , , , and —were there. All six attended a meeting of the held that same day. It is also likely that David Whitmer, , and —the presidency of the high council—were there, since they attended the 16 September high council meeting and were often included in meetings of the church presidency during their stay in Kirtland in 1835 and early 1836. Sometime in 1836, recorded the note in Minute Book 1.
Footnotes
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1
Whitmer was the president of the Missouri high council but had been residing in Kirtland, Ohio, since at least October 1834, and Smith was a member of the Kirtland high council. (Minutes, 3 July 1834; Oliver Cowdery, Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1834, 1:3; Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:3].)
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
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2
See, for example, Note, 9 Jan. 1833; and Note, 15 Mar. 1833.
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3
Historical Introduction to Minutes, 30 Apr. 1832.
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4
Revelation, 26 Apr. 1832 [D&C 82:11–12]; Revelation, 12 Nov. 1831 [D&C 70:1–3].
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5
Revelation, 15 Mar. 1833 [D&C 92:1–2]; Minutes, 11 Sept. 1833.
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6
See Revelation, 23 Apr. 1834 [D&C 104]; and Parkin, “Joseph Smith and the United Firm,” 33–34.
Parkin, Max H. “Joseph Smith and the United Firm: The Growth and Decline of the Church’s First Master Plan of Business and Finance, Ohio and Missouri, 1832–1834.” BYU Studies 46, no. 3 (2007): 5–66.
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7
Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Sept. 1835, 1:192; Historical Introduction to Doctrine and Covenants, 1835; Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 ed., title page.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
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8
F. G. Williams & Co., Account Book, 1.
F. G. Williams & Co. Account Book, 1833–1835. CHL. In Patience Cowdery, Diary, 1849–1851. CHL. MS 3493.
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9
Minutes, 1–2 Nov. 1831; Minutes, 12 Nov. 1831; Minutes, 24 Sept. 1834.
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10
F. G. Williams & Co., Account Book, 3 (second numbering).
F. G. Williams & Co. Account Book, 1833–1835. CHL. In Patience Cowdery, Diary, 1849–1851. CHL. MS 3493.
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12
See, for example, Letter to Quorum of the Twelve, 4 Aug. 1835; and Minutes, 26 Sept. 1835.
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1
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