The Joseph Smith Papers is pleased to announce its latest web release. This release features the entirety of Documents, Volume 9: December 1841–April 1842, including all annotations and introductions. The release also features an introduction and documents relating to Joseph Smith’s financial agents in Ohio; Trustees Land Book B; introductions and documents to twelve legal cases from Illinois; the first of two deed record books for Nauvoo, Illinois; and transcripts from several letters in Joseph Smith’s office papers.
Documents, Volume 9 includes documents concerning the growth and development of the church and the city of Nauvoo from December 1841 through April 1842. These documents include those reporting the establishment of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo and a Freemasonry lodge in Nauvoo, as well as letters, revelations, land transactions, newspaper editorials, and discourses.
In the Financial Records series, we have published images and transcripts for Trustees Land Book B which, like its predecessor Trustees Land Book A, was used to track and record Joseph Smith’s land transactions as trustee-in-trust in Nauvoo and Hancock County, Illinois. This release also includes the records created by two of Joseph Smith’s financial agents in Ohio: William Marks and Oliver Granger. The extant records for Granger are the most extensive existing for any of Joseph Smith’s agents and consist of both the records Granger created and had in his possession as a church agent and the documents detailing the financial confusion caused by his death. With this release, all extant financial content pertaining to Joseph Smith in Ohio has now been published.
In the Legal Records series, we have added introductions and documents for several Illinois legal cases. City of Nauvoo v. F. M. Higbee, F. M. Higbee v. JS–A, F. M. Higbee v. JS–A on Habeas Corpus, and F. M. Higbee v. JS–B detail ongoing conflicts between Joseph Smith and Francis M. Higbee concerning slander and disparaging remarks allegedly made on both sides. State of Illinois v. Sympson, Sympson v. JS, and State of Illinois v. JS for Perjury cover a civil case and a criminal case brought against Joseph Smith for identifying Alexander Sympson as a suspect in the burglary and assault of Richard and Hannah Nott Badham. JS et al. v. C. B. Street and M. B. Street is a civil suit involving an unpaid promissory note given to Smith and others by the Streets for majority interest in the steamboat Nauvoo. Also included in this release are a series of cases related to Amos Davis, a longtime opponent of Joseph Smith, and R. D. Foster v. Hawn, at which Smith testified.
In the Administrative Records series, we have added the first of two deed record books with deeds dating 20 April 1840–28 August 1843. These books record land transactions in Nauvoo, Illinois, and the surrounding area. We have also added transcripts for the correspondence kept in Joseph Smith’s office in Nauvoo.