Committees of the Council of Fifty, 1844–1846
During the , Illinois, period
the formed a number of
committees, composed of various members of the council, to carry out
specified council business. Typically, a committee would be formed and
charged in one council meeting and would report on its assignment in one
or more subsequent council meetings. In some cases, the minutes reflect
that the work of a particular committee was formally approved by the
council and that the committee was discharged. In other cases, a
committee reported the successful completion of its work but no formal
discharge was noted. In still other cases, it is unclear whether a
committee that is mentioned was ever truly formed to what extent a
committee carried out its assignment.
The following chart provides detail on each council committee mentioned
in the Nauvoo Council of Fifty minutes, whether in the bound record or
in the loose council records. (Figurative uses of the word committee or committes that are outside of the
council, such as the Nauvoo temple committee, are not included.)
Committees are listed in chronological order by formation date (or date
of first mention, if it is not clear that a particular committee was in
fact formed). The first two columns identify each committee and the date
the committee was formed. The third column gives the names of the
members of the committee, in the order the names are given in the
minutes. Chairmen, where known, are indicated by “(c).” The final column
provides the date the committee is mentioned in the minutes.
| Committee | Date Formed | Members | Dates Mentioned |
| Committee to draft a constitution for the council | 11 Mar. 1844 | 19 Mar. 1844; 4, 5, 11, 18, and 25 Apr. 1844; 9 Sept. 1845 | |
| Committee to draft a petition to Congress | 21 Mar. 1844 | 21 and 26 Mar. 1844 | |
| Committee to draft a memorial to the president of the | 26 Mar. 1844 | 26 Mar. 1844 | |
| Committee of arrangements for the state convention | 13 May 1844 | 13 May 1844 | |
| Committee to confer with about transferring the post office | 25 May 1844 | 25 May 1844 | |
| Committee on foreign relations (also called committee of ways and means) | 4 Mar. 1845 | 4, 11, 18, and 22 Mar. 1845; 11 Apr. 1845 | |
| (c) | |||
| Committee to address letters to state governors | 4 Mar. 1845 | (c) | 4 and 11 Mar. 1845 |
| Committee to consider the | 4 Mar. 1845 | 4 and 11 Mar. 1845 | |
| Committee to examine southern and western geography | 11 Mar. 1845 | (c) | 11 and 18 Mar. 1845 |
| Committee to report information on a statute on marriage | 11 Mar. 1845 | 11 and 18 Mar. 1845 | |
| Committee to prepare papers for missionaries in the | 22 Mar. 1845 | (c) | 22 and 25 Mar. 1845; 11 and 29 Apr. 1845 |
| Committee to investigate the stock of the | 22 Mar. 1845 | (c) | 22 and 25 Mar. 1845; 15 Apr. 1845 |
| Committee to prepare historical documents about the | 22 Mar. 1845 | 22 Mar. 1845 | |
| Committee to organize the city of a mile square | 25 Mar. 1845 | 25 Mar. 1845 | |
| Committee to assist in outfitting the Western Mission | 11 Apr. 1845 | 11, 15, and 22 Apr. 1845 | |
| Committee to examine all writs that may be served on the brethren | 15 Apr. 1845 | 15 Apr. 1845 | |
| Committee to examine the legal standing of the | 15 Apr. 1845 | 15 Apr. and 10 May 1845 | |
| Committee to plan outfitting and travel for the westward migration | 9 Sept. 1845 | (c) | 9 and 30 Sept. 1845; 4 Oct. 1845 |
| Committee to write “a pointed document of the treatment we have received from the ” | 4 Oct. 1845 | 4 Oct. 1845 | |
| Committee to stay in to transact business for the council | 11 Jan. 1846 | 11 and 18 Jan. 1846 | |
| Committee to ascertain facts about emigrating companies | 19 Jan. 1846 | Captains of emigrating companies | 19 Jan. 1846 |