Letter from Edward Hunter, 27 October 1841
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Source Note
, Letter, , Chester Co., PA, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 27 Oct. 1841; handwriting of ; two pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal stamp, postal notation, docket, and endorsement.Bifolium measuring 10 × 7¾ inches (25 × 20 cm). The document was trifolded twice in letter style with four horizontal and two vertical folds and then sealed with a red adhesive wafer, addressed, and stamped. The second leaf was torn, likely when the letter was opened. Residue from the adhesive wafer remains on the verso of the second leaf. There is also separation along the folds of the second leaf.A docket and an endorsement were inscribed on the third page by , who served as JS’s scribe from December 1841 until JS’s death in June 1844 and served as church historian from December 1842 until his own death in March 1854. The letter is listed in a Church Historian’s Office inventory from circa 1904. By 1973 it had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The docket, inventory, and inclusion in the JS Collection indicate the letter has remained in institutional custody since its receipt.
Footnotes
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1
JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].
Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.
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2
See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.
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Historical Introduction
On 27 October 1841, , a businessman from eastern , wrote to JS in , Illinois, regarding various financial matters. Hunter appears to have been in Nauvoo during the summer of 1841, when he initiated several land purchases there and received a power of attorney from Nauvoo resident Margaret Smith, who had previously lived in . The power of attorney authorized Hunter to collect money from Margaret Smith’s cousin , whom she had left in charge of her properties and finances in Philadelphia. The settlement of Margaret Smith’s affairs was impeded, however, when Guest refused to recognize Hunter’s authority because his power of attorney lacked the proper government certification. Hunter also apparently received direction from JS in summer 1841 to obtain goods from eastern Pennsylvania and transport them to Nauvoo. The letter featured here offered JS information about the goods Hunter had obtained and about their transit to Illinois. Hunter also used the letter to update JS on his efforts to recover money for Margaret Smith and to request JS’s aid and advice on land transactions and business ventures in Nauvoo.sent the letter via the post office, where it was postmarked on 29 October. The letter likely arrived in by 15 December 1841, when a second power of attorney from Margaret Smith was written and sent through government channels for proper approval. JS responded to Hunter’s letter on 21 December.
Footnotes
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1
Edward Hunter, Bond, Nauvoo, IL, to Margaret Smith, 25 Sept. 1841, Edward Hunter, Collection, CHL; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 21 Dec. 1841, JS Collection, CHL.
Hunter, Edward. Collection, ca. 1798–1965. Photocopy and typescript. CHL.
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2
Margaret Smith to Edward Hunter, Power of Attorney, Nauvoo, IL, 15 Dec. 1841, copy, Edward Hunter, Collection, CHL; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 21 Dec. 1841, JS Collection, CHL.
Hunter, Edward. Collection, ca. 1798–1965. Photocopy and typescript. CHL.
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Document Transcript
Footnotes
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1
For a power of attorney to be legally binding, the document had to be certified by the proper judicial authority and then recorded by the county clerk. (See Power of Attorney to Hyrum Smith, 5 Sept. 1837; and Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, to JS, Nauvoo, IL, 10 Feb. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.)
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2
By 25 September 1841, Margaret Smith provided Edward Hunter with a power of attorney “to receive all such moneys” that her cousin John Guest “may have in his hands or at his command for her.” (Edward Hunter, Bond, Nauvoo, IL, to Margaret Smith, 25 Sept. 1841, Edward Hunter, Collection, CHL.)
Hunter, Edward. Collection, ca. 1798–1965. Photocopy and typescript. CHL.
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3
It is unclear why these goods were directed to Whitney rather than to JS. JS may have arranged with Hunter and Potter to send them to Whitney, who, as one of Nauvoo’s bishops, could use them to help support church members.
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4
A receipt indicates that Hunter bought the lot of goods from Fitzgerald, Fry & Co. and paid $735 on the bill of $1,987.17. The goods and the remainder of the bill were transmitted to JS via church member Ephraim Potter. (Ephraim Potter for JS, Receipt to Edward Hunter, 26 Oct. 1841, JS Collection [Supplement], CHL.)
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5
A receipt indicates that Hunter bought the boots, shoes, and other goods from “S Livezey,” paying $210 on the bill of $395.81. The goods and the remainder of the bill were transmitted to JS via Ephraim Potter. (Ephraim Potter for JS, Receipt to Edward Hunter, 27 Oct. 1841–B, JS Collection [Supplement], CHL.)
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6
A receipt indicates that Hunter paid $14.16 for “a lot of Books & Stationary bot of J Locker,” which were to be transmitted to JS via Potter. (Ephraim Potter for JS, Receipt to Edward Hunter, 27 Oct. 1841–A, JS Collection [Supplement], CHL.)
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A receipt indicates that Hunter paid $36.72 for “a lot of Silks bot. of Benjn S Riley & Co” to be transmitted to JS via Potter. (Ephraim Potter for JS, Receipt to Edward Hunter, 28 Oct. 1841–A, JS Collection [Supplement], CHL.)
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8
Potter wrote to Hunter on 10 November 1841 with an update on the transportation of the goods from Philadelphia to St. Louis. At that time, Potter seemed uncertain about his ability to get the goods all the way to Nauvoo. Nevertheless, the goods arrived in Nauvoo by 21 December 1841. (Ephraim Potter, Ohio River, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 10 Nov. 1841, Edward Hunter, Collection, CHL; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 21 Dec. 1841, JS Collection, CHL; see also Ephraim Potter for JS, Receipt to Edward Hunter, 28 Oct. 1841–B, JS Collection [Supplement], CHL.)
Hunter, Edward. Collection, ca. 1798–1965. Photocopy and typescript. CHL.
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9
Based on Edward Hunter’s receipts, plus the $100 paid to Ephraim Potter for transporting the goods to Nauvoo, Hunter’s expenses totaled $1,095.88.
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10
In JS’s 21 December response, he accepted Hunter’s proposed agreement. (JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 21 Dec. 1841, JS Collection, CHL.)
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JS wrote at length in his 21 December letter about the prospect of Hunter and Henry Buckwalter erecting mills in Nauvoo and encouraged them to do so. (JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 21 Dec. 1841, JS Collection, CHL.)
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Margaret Smith had not heard about Hunter’s endeavors by 12 November 1841, when she wrote him a letter expressing that she was “very anxious to know how they act with you about paying in the money at the present time and whither there is or will be difficulty.” By 21 December, JS had informed Margaret Smith of the difficulties Hunter had encountered in enacting the power of attorney. (Margaret Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, Chester Co., PA, 12 Nov. 1841, Edward Hunter, Collection, CHL; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 21 Dec. 1841, JS Collection, CHL.)
Hunter, Edward. Collection, ca. 1798–1965. Photocopy and typescript. CHL.
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13
A second power of attorney from Margaret Smith to Hunter was created on 15 December 1841 and, according to JS, was “executed & sent up to the Clerks office for the Seat of State. & will be forwarded direct from there, it is now on the way most probably.” (Margaret Smith to Edward Hunter, Power of Attorney, Nauvoo, IL, 15 Dec. 1841, copy, Edward Hunter, Collection, CHL; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 21 Dec. 1841, JS Collection, CHL.)
Hunter, Edward. Collection, ca. 1798–1965. Photocopy and typescript. CHL.
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14
James Ivins appears to have been serving as an agent for the church in the eastern United States at this time. (See Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 13 Sept. 1841.)
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15
Hunter purchased land from Foster on 18 September 1841. On 25 September 1841, Chauncey Robison, recorder in Hancock County, received a deed for Hunter from Foster for “the South East Quarter of Section No Three in Township No Six North Range No Eight west.” The details of payment are not known. (Chauncey Robison, Recorder’s Certificate, Hancock Co., IL, 25 Sept. 1841, Edward Hunter, Collection, CHL.)
Hunter, Edward. Collection, ca. 1798–1965. Photocopy and typescript. CHL.
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Postal place and date stamped in blue ink.
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Postage in unidentified handwriting.
