Edward Partridge, History, Manuscript, circa 1839
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Source Note
, History, Manuscript, ca. 1839; handwriting of ; nineteen pages (several additional leaves missing); CHL.
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Historical Introduction
While incarcerated at , Missouri, in March 1839, JS addressed a letter to the Saints and to “ in particular” in which he called for the Saints to gather up “a knoledge of all the facts and sufferings and abuses put upon them” in that they might publish the records “to all the world” and “present them to the heads of the government.” (JS et al., Liberty, MO, to the church members and Edward Partridge, Quincy, IL, 20 Mar. 1839, in Revelations Collection, CHL [D&C 123:1, 6].) Apparently in response to this assignment, Edward Partridge wrote a history that became the first three installments of “A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints in Missouri,” an eleven-part series published in the church’s newspaper, Times and Seasons, between December 1839 and October 1840.may have intended to tell the entire story himself, but he fell ill shortly after publication began and died 27 May 1840. Partridge’s manuscript, which he did not title, is provided here. The full text of “A History, of the Persecution,” which necessarily relied on other sources following Partridge’s demise, receives comprehensive treatment in volume 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers and is available on this website.’s history begins with his account of the conflicts in the early 1830s. Partridge was a bishop of the church in Missouri, first in and then in following the Saints’ expulsion from Jackson County. He also served as bishop in after the Saints relocated there from Clay County in 1836. By the time he drafted his account of the Mormon experiences in Missouri, the Saints had been exiled from the state and had relocated to .’s narrative is based on firsthand observations and may also have relied on other records he kept. It begins, “In presenting to our readers a history of the persecutions,” indicating that Partridge wrote it for publication purposes. However, there are occasionally significant differences between the manuscript version and “A History, of the Persecution” as published.The early custodial history of the manuscript is somewhat uncertain. However, the manuscript was presumably among materials in the possession of church historian and recorder Joseph Fielding Smith, who held that office from 1921 to 1970 and who had worked in the Church Historian’s Office many years prior. The manuscript became part of the First Presidency’s papers when Smith became church president in 1970, and, with other records (including Revelation Book 1 and two drafts of JS’s history), was transferred from the First Presidency’s office to the Church History Library in 2005.
In presenting to our readers a history of the persecutions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day-Saints in the State of we feel it our duty to commence it at the beginning, notwithstanding many of our readers we are aware are well acquainted with the outrages committed in (an account of them having been published in the Evening & Morning star) and might perhaps rather see the paper filled with other matter than to have those former troubles presented before them again. yet there are a great many others, who are altogether unacquainted with those early persecutions who would feel that we had not done our duty were we to pass by them and confine our history to more recent transactions. Thus much by way of introduction.
In the winter of A.D. 1830–31 five elders of the church of Jesus Christ 4 of which were from the State of & 1 was from traveled , through a deep snow which is not common in that country through the praries from to Missouri where they made a permanent stand. They occasionally preached about the country as the way opened before them. A few believed the gospel preached and had been baptized when About the middle of the following July a number more elders’ arrived at , and shortly after a small branch of the church also arrived
At that time there appeared to be but little objection to our people’s settleing there, although the preaching had stirred up some few to appear like hedge hogs when an enemy is near. The church in continued to increase continually untill it was driven from the . As the church increased the hostile spirit of the people increased also The enemies circulated from time to time all manner of false stories against our people hoping thereby to stir up the indignation of others. They also in the spring of 1832 brick batted or stoned some of the houses of the Saints breaking in windows &c. not only disturbing but endangering the lives of the inmates. In the course of that season a county meeting was called at to adopt measures to drive the Saints from the but the meeting broke up without coming to any agreement about the Saints having had too much [p. [1]]
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