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Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 2, 1 March–6 May 1845

1 March 1845 • Saturday, continued Page 1 4 March 1845 • Tuesday Page 32 11 March 1845 • Tuesday Page 77 18 March 1845 • Tuesday Page 131 22 March 1845 • Saturday Page 181 25 March 1845 • Tuesday Page 231 5 April 1845 • Saturday Page 266 11 April 1845 • Friday Page 267 15 April 1845 • Tuesday Page 327 22 April 1845 • Tuesday Page 349 29 April 1845 • Tuesday Page 355 6 May 1845 • Tuesday Page 361

Source Note

See source note under Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845.

Historical Introduction

See historical introduction under Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845.

Page [202]

There is a multitude of business before us which we want to council about. This afternoon we want to talk about the
Nauvoo House

Located in lower portion of Nauvoo (the flats) along bank of Mississippi River. JS revelation, dated 19 Jan. 1841, instructed Saints to build boardinghouse for travelers and immigrants. Construction of planned three-story building to be funded by fifty-dollar...

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, the
Printing Office

Located at four different sites from 1839–1846: cellar of warehouse on bank of Mississippi River, June–Aug. 1839; frame building on northeast corner of Water and Bain streets, Nov. 1839–Nov. 1841; newly built printing establishment on northwest corner of ...

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, the church history, and the organization of the
City

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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, and some other items of business. We want to see this
City

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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organized under the provisions of the general Corporation act immediately, and he will appoint
O. Pratt

19 Sept. 1811–3 Oct. 1881. Farmer, writer, teacher, merchant, surveyor, editor, publisher. Born at Hartford, Washington Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Moved to New Lebanon, Columbia Co., New York, 1814; to Canaan, Columbia Co., fall...

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and
John E. Page

25 Feb. 1799–14 Oct. 1867. Born at Trenton, Oneida Co., New York. Son of Ebenezer Page and Rachel Hill. Married first Betsey Thompson, 1831, in Huron Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Emer Harris, 18 Aug. 1833, at Brownhelm...

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to have the
City

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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organized within three days after monday and the petitions presented to
John T. Barnet[t]

20 Oct. 1809–2 Sept. 1905. Farmer, community and civic leader. Born in Sullivan Co., Tennessee. Son of James Henry Barnett and Mary A. Tipton. Moved to Jefferson Co., Tennessee, by 1822. Moved to Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois, 1829. Boyhood friend of...

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by that time.
292

Barnett, not a Mormon but sympathetic to the church, was a member of the Hancock County Commissioners’ Court from Nauvoo. According to Illinois law, any town with a population of at least 150 men could be legally incorporated by a two-thirds majority vote at a public meeting. Following a vote to incorporate, the newly appointed president and trustees would have to bring a certified tally of the votes to the county commissioners’ court. Under this law, the residents of Nauvoo would have been able to appoint a president and board of trustees who would have had some of the powers of the mayor and city council under the revoked Nauvoo charter. Three days after this council, Brigham Young stated that the purpose of this incorporation was to provide for the defense of the city. Hosea Stout recorded that Young “informed us that it [is] in contemplation to incorporate one mile Square of the City so as to include the Temple Nauvoo House and other public property which could be done according to the Statute Laws of Illinois and thus keep up a legal police for the protection of our lives and property.” (Oaks and Hill, Carthage Conspiracy, 46; Corporations [3 Mar. 1845], Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois [1844–1845], pp. 111–112, 114, secs. 1–4, 10–14; Stout, Journal, 25 Mar. 1845.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Oaks, Dallin H., and Marvin S. Hill. Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1975.

Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois, Adopted by the General Assembly of Said State, at Its Regular Session, Held in the Years, A. D., 1844–’5. Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1845.

Stout, Hosea. Journal, Oct. 1844–May 1845. CHL. MS 1910.

Coun.
O. Pratt

19 Sept. 1811–3 Oct. 1881. Farmer, writer, teacher, merchant, surveyor, editor, publisher. Born at Hartford, Washington Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Moved to New Lebanon, Columbia Co., New York, 1814; to Canaan, Columbia Co., fall...

View Full Bio
said in relation to the organization of precincts, he has seen near all the acts of the Legislature on the subject and he has not been able to ascertain that the
county

Formed from Pike Co., 1825. Described in 1837 as predominantly prairie and “deficient in timber.” Early settlers came mainly from mid-Atlantic and southern states. Population in 1835 about 3,200; in 1840 about 9,900; and in 1844 at least 15,000. Carthage ...

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can be divided into more than eight nor less than two precincts.
293

At its previous meeting the council approved George A. Smith’s resolution to petition the county commissioners’ court to divide Nauvoo into ten precincts to provide a force of constables to defend the city. Pratt’s uncertainty here may have been based on outdated information. According to the 1829 statute governing elections in Illinois, county commissioners’ courts were able to divide their counties into no more than eight precincts. However, this limitation was removed in an 1835 amendment. The 1845 revision of the statute likewise stated that the county commissioners’ courts were “authorized to divide their respective counties into as many election precincts . . . as they may think expedient for the convenience of the voters of said county.” (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Mar. 1845; An Act Regulating Elections [10 Jan. 1829], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois [1834–1837], pp. 260–261, sec. 2; An Act to Amend “An Act Regulating Elections” [29 Jan. 1835], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois [1834–1837], p. 273, sec. 1; Elections [3 Mar. 1845], Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois [1844–1845], p. 215, sec. 7.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.

Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois, Adopted by the General Assembly of Said State, at Its Regular Session, Held in the Years, A. D., 1844–’5. Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1845.

The
294

TEXT: Possibly “He The”.


county commissioners [p. [202]]
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Source Note

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Page [202]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 2, 1 March–6 May 1845
ID #
11602
Total Pages
385
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • William Clayton

Footnotes

  1. [292]

    Barnett, not a Mormon but sympathetic to the church, was a member of the Hancock County Commissioners’ Court from Nauvoo. According to Illinois law, any town with a population of at least 150 men could be legally incorporated by a two-thirds majority vote at a public meeting. Following a vote to incorporate, the newly appointed president and trustees would have to bring a certified tally of the votes to the county commissioners’ court. Under this law, the residents of Nauvoo would have been able to appoint a president and board of trustees who would have had some of the powers of the mayor and city council under the revoked Nauvoo charter. Three days after this council, Brigham Young stated that the purpose of this incorporation was to provide for the defense of the city. Hosea Stout recorded that Young “informed us that it [is] in contemplation to incorporate one mile Square of the City so as to include the Temple Nauvoo House and other public property which could be done according to the Statute Laws of Illinois and thus keep up a legal police for the protection of our lives and property.” (Oaks and Hill, Carthage Conspiracy, 46; Corporations [3 Mar. 1845], Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois [1844–1845], pp. 111–112, 114, secs. 1–4, 10–14; Stout, Journal, 25 Mar. 1845.)

    Oaks, Dallin H., and Marvin S. Hill. Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1975.

    Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois, Adopted by the General Assembly of Said State, at Its Regular Session, Held in the Years, A. D., 1844–’5. Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1845.

    Stout, Hosea. Journal, Oct. 1844–May 1845. CHL. MS 1910.

  2. [293]

    At its previous meeting the council approved George A. Smith’s resolution to petition the county commissioners’ court to divide Nauvoo into ten precincts to provide a force of constables to defend the city. Pratt’s uncertainty here may have been based on outdated information. According to the 1829 statute governing elections in Illinois, county commissioners’ courts were able to divide their counties into no more than eight precincts. However, this limitation was removed in an 1835 amendment. The 1845 revision of the statute likewise stated that the county commissioners’ courts were “authorized to divide their respective counties into as many election precincts . . . as they may think expedient for the convenience of the voters of said county.” (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Mar. 1845; An Act Regulating Elections [10 Jan. 1829], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois [1834–1837], pp. 260–261, sec. 2; An Act to Amend “An Act Regulating Elections” [29 Jan. 1835], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois [1834–1837], p. 273, sec. 1; Elections [3 Mar. 1845], Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois [1844–1845], p. 215, sec. 7.)

    The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.

    Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois, Adopted by the General Assembly of Said State, at Its Regular Session, Held in the Years, A. D., 1844–’5. Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1845.

  3. [294]

    TEXT: Possibly “He The”.

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