History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
Source Note
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.
Historical Introduction
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 29> I consulted with my Lawyers, and told them that was the nearest place where writs of could be heard and determined, they examined the subject, and decided I was correct, when we turned our steps towards , which gladdened my heart at the prospect of soon being in the midst of my friends again; I sent a Messenger to inform the citizens of of the glad change and I requested Conover to ride a head to Mr. ’s on and call for supper for 100 men. After dinner we travelled about 15 miles, on arriving at ’s I jumped out of the buggy and instead of going through the gate or climbing the fence walked up and jumped over the fence, without touching it. ran out and embraced me and bade me welcome. A flock of turkeys and chickens were killed, and a substantial supper was provided for all, and the company feasted, sang and had a happy time that night. I shewed my sides to and the Company, which still continued black and blue from the bruises I had received from the Pistols of and while riding from Inlet Grove to , 8 days ago. [HC 5:456]
“To of the city of . We your Petitioners Alderman of said request you to notify the to call a special meeting of the city Council, at the Mayors court room this afternoon at 2 o’clock. . , , Alderman.”
City Council accordingly met and passed “An ordinance concerning strangers and contagious diseases, and for other purposes. <as follows>
“Sec 1 Be it ordained by the City Council of the city of , ‘for the peace, benefit, good order, convenience, cleanliness, health and happiness” of said , agreeable to the Charter of the same, that the city Council Marshal, Constables and City Watch, are hereby authorized,—— empowered, and required, to require all strangers who shall be entering this , or are already tarrying, or may hereafter be tarrying in said , in a civil and respectful manner to give their names, former residence, for what intent they have entered or are tarrying in the , and answer such other questions as the officer shall deem proper or necessary for the good order, health, or convenience of the said ; and for a failure or refusal on the part of strangers to give the desired information or for giving false names or information, they shall be subject to the penalty of the ordinance concerning “Vagrants and Disorderly Persons,” passed November 13th 1841.
Sec 2. And be it further ordained, that the aforesaid authorities of the said , are further authorized and empowered, and required to hail, and take all persons found strolling about the at night, after nine o’clock, and before sunrise, and to confine them in Ward for trial according to the aforesaid ordinance concerning “Vagrants and Disorderly Persons” unless they give a good and satisfactory account of themselves, or offer a reasonable excuse for being thus caught out after nine o’Clock.
Sec 3. And be it further ordained that the aforesaid authorities are further authorized, empowered, and required to require all such persons as they may suspect, [p. 1591]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
Thomas Bullock handwriting ends; Robert Campbell begins.
- [802]
Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 29 June 1843, 182–185; “An Ordinance Concerning Strangers and Contagious Diseases, and for Other Purposes,” “An Ordinance Concerning Confining or Keeping Animals in the City of Nauvoo,” “An Ordinance Concerning Bathing and Swimming,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 5 July 1843, [2].
Nauvoo City Council Minute Book / Nauvoo City Council. “A Record of the Proceedings of the City Council of the City of Nauvoo Handcock County, State of Illinois, Commencing A.D. 1841,” ca. 1841–1845. CHL. MS 3435.
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
Go to page