History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]

Source Note

JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of
Willard Richards
24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...
View Full Bio
and
Thomas Bullock
23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...
View Full Bio
; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction

This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war at
Far West
Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...
More Info
, Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
Willard Richards
24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...
View Full Bio
, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1.
Richards
24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...
View Full Bio
’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and
William W. Phelps
17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...
View Full Bio
, assisted by
Thomas Bullock
23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...
View Full Bio
, resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, Willmer Benson, and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1,
Willard Richards
24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...
View Full Bio
and
Thomas Bullock
23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...
View Full Bio
chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death,
Brigham Young
1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...
View Full Bio
,
Heber C. Kimball
14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...
View Full Bio
,
George A. Smith
26 June 1817–1 Sept. 1875. Born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York. Son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Joseph H. Wakefield, 10 Sept. 1832, at Potsdam. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio,...
View Full Bio
, and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—
Kirtland
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
More Info
, Ohio, and northwest
Missouri
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...
More Info
—during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.

Hide editing marks

<August> I am disposed to say a word relative to the bills of the “ Safety Society Bank.” I hereby warn them to beware of speculators, renegadoes and gamblers, who are duping the unwary and unsuspecting, by palming upon them, those bills, which are of no worth here. I discountenance and disapprove of any and all such practices, I know [HC 2:507] them to be detrimental to the best interests of society, as well as to the principles of religion. Joseph Smith Junr..

In this month Elder Russel succeeded in establishing a small church in Alston, England. While I was engaged in visiting the Churches in . preaching and and baptizing and blessing the saints, strengthening the things that were. I returned to about the last of August, and a wrote the following letter which I sent by the hand of

3–4 September 1837 • Sunday–Monday

<September 4 Joseph’s Letter, to &c, Zion.> , Geauga County, Ohio, September 4th. 1837.

Joseph Smith Junr., President of the church of Christ of Latter Day Saints in all the world; to and the whole Church in Zion; sendeth Greeting. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed you with many blessings in Christ, and who has delivered you many times from the hands of your enemies, and planted you many times in an heavenly or holy place; My respects and love to you all, and my blessings upon all the faithful, and true hearted in the new and everlasting covenant: And forasmuch as I have desired for a long time to see your faces, and converse with you, and instruct you in those things which have been revealed to me pertaining to the kingdom of God in the last days, I now write unto you offering <as> an apology, my being bound with cords of affliction by the workers of iniquity, and by the labors of the Church, endeavoring in all things to do the will of God for the salvation of the church, both in temporal, as well as spiritual things. Brethren we have waded through a scene of affliction and sorrow thus far for the will of God, that language is inadequate to describe, pray ye, therefore, with more earnestness for our redemption. You have undoubtedly been informed by letter and otherwise, of our difficulties in , which are now about being settled, and that you may have a knowledge of the same, I subscribe to you the following minutes of the committee of the whole church of , the authorities &c, referring you to my brother , and brother for further [HC 2:508] particulars; also that you may know how to proceed to set in order and regulate the affairs of the church in Zion, whenever they become disorganized.

<x Conference Minutes Sunday 3rd. Reorganization of the church at .> Minutes of a Conference assembled in committee of the whole church on Sunday the 3d of September, 1837, 9 o’clock, A.M.— was called upon to take the minutes of the conference. then presented Joseph Smith Jun to the Church to know if they still looked upon, and would still receive and uphold <President and counsellors Elected.> him as the president of the whole Church, and the votes was unanimous in the affirmative. President Smith then presented and for <as> his counsellors, <and vote not carried> and to constitute with himself the three first Presidents of the Church, [p. 770]

August I am disposed to say a word relative to the bills of the “ Safety Society Bank.” I hereby warn them to beware of speculators, renegadoes and gamblers, who are duping the unwary and unsuspecting, by palming upon them, those bills, which are of no worth here. I discountenance and disapprove of any and all such practices, I know [HC 2:507] them to be detrimental to the best interests of society, as well as to the principles of religion. Joseph Smith Junr..

In this month Elder Russel succeeded in establishing a small church in Alston, England. While I was engaged in visiting the Churches in . preaching baptizing and blessing the saints, strengthening the things that were. I returned to about the last of August, and wrote the following letter which I sent by the hand of

3–4 September 1837 • Sunday–Monday

September 4 Joseph’s Letter, to &c, Zion. , Geauga County, Ohio, September 4th. 1837.

Joseph Smith Junr., President of the church of Christ of Latter Day Saints in all the world; to and the whole Church in Zion; sendeth Greeting. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed you with many blessings in Christ, and who has delivered you many times from the hands of your enemies, and planted you many times in an heavenly or holy place; My respects and love to you all, and my blessings upon all the faithful, and true hearted in the new and everlasting covenant: And forasmuch as I have desired for a long time to see your faces, and converse with you, and instruct you in those things which have been revealed to me pertaining to the kingdom of God in the last days, I now write unto you offering as an apology, my being bound with cords of affliction by the workers of iniquity, and by the labors of the Church, endeavoring in all things to do the will of God for the salvation of the church, both in temporal, as well as spiritual things. Brethren we have waded through a scene of affliction and sorrow thus far for the will of God, that language is inadequate to describe, pray ye, therefore, with more earnestness for our redemption. You have undoubtedly been informed by letter and otherwise, of our difficulties in , which are now about being settled, and that you may have a knowledge of the same, I subscribe to you the following minutes of the committee of the whole church of , the authorities &c, referring you to my brother , and brother for further [HC 2:508] particulars; also that you may know how to proceed to set in order and regulate the affairs of the church in Zion, whenever they become disorganized.

x Conference Minutes Sunday 3rd. Reorganization of the church at . Minutes of a Conference assembled in committee of the whole church on Sunday the 3d of September, 1837, 9 o’clock, A.M.— was called upon to take the minutes of the conference. then presented Joseph Smith Jun to the Church to know if they still looked upon, and would still receive and uphold President and counsellors Elected. him as the president of the whole Church, and the vote was unanimous in the affirmative. President Smith then presented as his counsellor, and vote not carried and to constitute with himself the three first Presidents of the Church, [p. 770]

View entire transcript |

Cite this page

Document Information
Editorial Title
History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
ID #
7404
Total Pages
332
Handwriting on This Page
- Willard Richards
Footnotes
1. 375
  Letter to John Corrill and Others in Missouri, 4 Sept. 1837.
2. 376
  Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.

History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]

Cite this page

Request for Documents