History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of and ; 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
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 , Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
, 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. ’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and , assisted by , 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, , 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, and 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, , , , 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—, Ohio, and northwest —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.
<September 17 Camp> The Camp passed through in Morgan County to Geneva twenty five miles— There was a small Church at Geneva and a few members in —
<’s letter> “Head Quarters, 3d. Div . Mi. Septr. 17. 1838. To his Excellency, the Commander in Chief— Sir:— I arrived at the of this County, , on the evening of the 15th. inst: with the troops raised from the Militia of , when I was joined by the troops from , under the command of ; in the same neighborhood I found from two to three hundred men in arms, principally from the Counties of , Carroll and Saline; these men were embodied under the pretext of defending the Citizens of , against the Mormons, and were operating under the orders of a Dr. Austin from Carroll County. The Citizens of , or a large portion of them residing on each side of the , had left their farms and removed their families either to the adjoining Counties or collected them together at a place called the Camp Ground. The whole County on the East side of appears to be deserted, with the exception of a few who are not so timid as their neighbors. The Mormons of have also left their farms, and have encamped for safety at a place, immediately on the East bank of , called — The numbers are supposed to be about two hundred and fifty men, citizens of , and from fifty to one hundred men, Citizens of ; both parties have been scouting through the country, and occasionally taking prisoners, and threatning and insulting each other, but as yet no blood has been shed. I have ordered all armed men from adjoining Counties to repair to their homes; the Men, and others to the amount of one hundred men, have returned, and there remain now about one hundred and fifty who will I am in hopes, return in a few days. I have been informed by the Mormons that all of those who have been charged with a violation of the laws, will be in to day for trial; when that is done, the troops under my command will be no longer required in this county, if the Citizens of other counties will return to their respective homes. I have proposed to leave two companies, of fifty men each, in this , and discharge the remainder of the troops; said two companies will remain for the preservation of order, until peace and confidence[HC 3:80] are restored. I also enclose to your Excellency the report of , and refer you for particulars to Major Rogers. I have the honor to be, your obt. servant Maj. Genl. 3 Div. . Mi.”
<18> Tuesday 18. I have been at home all day, considerably unwell but am some better this evening.
The Camp travelled to Brussels, Phillips Ferry fifteen miles, and a part crossed over the Illinois River—
<’s Orders> This day the ordered Captain Childs to have the Boonville Guards mounted, with ten days provisions and in readiness to march on his arrival at the end of the week— The also ordered General of the fourth division to march immediately with four hundred mounted men to the scene of difficulties and co-operate with General — Similar orders were issued to Major Generals Lewis Bolton, , and Thomas D. Grant—
<19.> Wednesday 19th. I was at and about home—
<Camp> The camp finished crossing the River and passing through Griggensville Griggsville and Pittsfield and encamped on the Prairie, thirteen miles—
<20> Thursday 20th. The Camp travelled twenty two miles crossing the on the Steamer “Rescue” opposite Louisiana into Pike County Missouri, pitched tents one mile west of the Town— twenty two miles 656 <miles> from . To shew a feeling that is striving to prevail throughout the State of I give the following Extract from Elder John D. Tyler’s Journal from which most of the facts in this history are derived.
“This afternoon as I was driving the herd, I had occasion to go back after a Cow that strayed on the Prairie where we baited I found her and went on, and met two men who [p. 826]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
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Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [578]
- [579]
David R. Atchison, Grand River, MO, to Lilburn W. Boggs, 17 Sept. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 26–27.
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; and the Evidence Given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes against the State. Fayette, MO: Boon’s Lick Democrat, 1841.
- [580]
See 18 Sept. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [581]
JS, Journal, 18 Sept. 1838.
- [582]
- [583]
B. M. Lisle, Jefferson City, MO, to Captain Childs, 18 Sept. 1838; B. M. Lisle, Jefferson City, MO, to Samuel D. Lucas, 18 Sept. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 23–24.
Mormon War Papers, 1838–1841. MSA.
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; and the Evidence Given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes against the State. Fayette, MO: Boon’s Lick Democrat, 1841.
- [584]
See 19 Sept. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [585]
JS, Journal, 19 Sept. 1838.
- [586]
- [587]
See 20 Sept. 1838 entry in History Draft.
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