History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]

Source Note

JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of
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...
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,
Franklin D. Richards
2 Apr. 1821–9 Dec. 1899. Carpenter, businessman, newspaper editor. Born at Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Phinehas Richards and Wealthy Dewey. Raised Congregationalist. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Phinehas ...
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, Jonathan Grimshaw, and
Leo Hawkins
19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...
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; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction

This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “
Governor
14 Dec. 1796–14 Mar. 1860. Bookkeeper, bank cashier, merchant, Indian agent and trader, lawyer, doctor, postmaster, politician. Born at Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of John M. Boggs and Martha Oliver. Served in War of 1812. Moved to St. Louis, ca...
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’s forces” 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...
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, Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop
Vinson Knight
14 Mar. 1804–31 July 1842. Farmer, druggist, school warden. Born at Norwich, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Rudolphus Knight and Rispah (Rizpah) Lee. Married Martha McBride, July 1826. Moved to Perrysburg, Cattaraugus Co., New York, by 1830. Owned farm...
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at
Nauvoo
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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, Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.

Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of
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...
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and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers
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...
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and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author.
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...
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,
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...
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,
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,...
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, and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.

The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the
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 ...
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Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in
England
Island nation consisting of southern portion of Great Britain and surrounding smaller islands. Bounded on north by Scotland and on west by Wales. Became province of Roman Empire, first century. Ruled by Romans, through 447. Ruled by Picts, Scots, and Saxons...
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by the
Twelve
Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...
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and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to
America
North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...
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; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch
Joseph Smith Sr.
12 July 1771–14 Sept. 1840. Cooper, farmer, teacher, merchant. Born at Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Nominal member of Congregationalist church at Topsfield. Married to Lucy Mack by Seth Austin, 24 Jan. 1796, at Tunbridge...
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; the establishment of the
Nauvoo
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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city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo
temple
Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...
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; the
Wisconsin “pinery”
Also known as the “pinery.” Collective term for regions in Wisconsin where lumbering operations were located, especially along Black, Chippewa, St. Croix, Wisconsin, and Wolf rivers. Latter-day Saints established lumber camps and mills on Black River to provide...
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expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by
Orson Hyde
8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...
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on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.

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<May 7> Jago de Cuba, the Cathedral, and several extensive buildings were prostrated. <About ten thousand persons were killed at Cape Haytien.> [HC 5:5]

8 May 1842 • Sunday

<8> Sunday 8. Attended meeting at the and heard preach.

“The Authorities of the Stake at were dissolved the Stake discontinued, and the Members of that branch attached to the Church at , by the High Council of .”

9 May 1842 • Monday

<9> Monday 9 spent the day with my family.

10 May 1842 • Tuesday

<10> Tuesday 10 Transacted a variety of business at the , &c

By letter from Elder dated at , we learn that the work is progressing in the north of England, namely, Carlisle, Brampton, Burnstones, Alston and Newcastle upon Tyne where he has been laboring for a few weeks.

11 May 1842 • Wednesday

<11> Wednesday 11. called with my at Brother s to examine a new <cabinet> <cabinet> for the ’s Office, also called at ’s— dictated several letters and other items of a business nature.

12 May 1842 • Thursday

<12> Thursday 12. Dictated a letter to concerning certain difficulties or surmises which existed, and attended the meeting of the Female Relief Society, the house being filled to overflowing. there was a heavy thunder storm at the close of the meeting.

13 May 1842 • Friday

<13> Friday 13. Received a letter from in reply to mine of yesterday. spent most of the day in my garden and with my family. Dictated the following letter to

“ Esqre. Dear Sir. I proceed without delay to give a hasty reply to yours of the 12th. ultimo just received my engagements will not admit of a lengthy detail of events and circumstances which have transpired to bring about that state of things which now exists in this place, as be[HC 5:6]fore you receive this you will probably be apprised of the failure of myself and brethren to execute our designs in paying off our contracts, or in other words, that we have been compelled to pay our debts by the most popular method (i.e.) by petitioning for the privilege of General Bankruptcy, a principle so popular at the present moment throughout the Union— A pressure of business has been sufficient excuse for not giving you earlier notice, although it could have been of no real use to you yet I wish you to understand our intentions to you and your Company, and why we have taken the course we have. You are aware Sir, in some measure of the embarrassments under which we have labored through the influence of Mobs and designing men, and the disadvantageous circumstances under which we have been compelled to contract debts in order to our existence both as Individuals and as a Society, and it is an account of this as well as a pressure on us for debts absolutely unjust, in themselves, that we have been compelled to resort to the course we have to make a general settlement and this we deferred till the last moment, hoping that something would turn in our favor, so that we might be saved the painful necessity of resorting to such measures to accomplish which, Justice demanded a very different course, from those who are justly our debtors but demanded in vain. We have been compelled to the course we have pursued and you are aware Sir, that all have to fare alike in such cases. But Sir, you have one, yea two things [p. 1330]

May 7 Jago de Cuba, the Cathedral, and several extensive buildings were prostrated. About ten thousand persons were killed at Cape Haytien. [HC 5:5]

8 May 1842 • Sunday

8 Sunday 8. Attended meeting at the and heard preach.

after meeting many persons were baptized, some in the font, others in the river—

Eighty persons killed and as many wounded, by an accident on the Paris and Versailles Railroad, the carriages being consumed by fire, & their passengers roasted alive.

9 May 1842 • Monday

9 Monday 9 spent the day with my family.

10 May 1842 • Tuesday

10 Tuesday 10 Transacted a variety of business at the , &c

11 May 1842 • Wednesday

11 Wednesday 11. called with my at Brother s to examine a new cabinet for the ’s Office, also called at ’s— dictated several letters and other items of a business nature.

12 May 1842 • Thursday

12 Thursday 12. Dictated a letter to concerning certain difficulties or surmises which existed, and attended the meeting of the Female Relief Society, the house being filled to overflowing. there was a heavy thunder storm at the close of the meeting.

13 May 1842 • Friday

13 Friday 13. Received a letter from in reply to mine of yesterday. spent most of the day in my garden and with my family. Dictated the following letter to

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Cite this page

Document Information
Editorial Title
History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]
ID #
7513
Total Pages
562
Handwriting on This Page
- Thomas Bullock
Footnotes
1. 1498
  See 8 May 1842 entry in History Draft.
2. 1499
  JS, Journal, 8 May 1842.
3. 1500
  See 9 May 1842 entry in History Draft.
4. 1501
  JS, Journal, 9 May 1842.
5. 1502
  See 10 May 1842 entry in History Draft.
6. 1503
  JS, Journal, 10 May 1842.
7. 1504
  Levi Richards, Liverpool, England, to Willard Richards, 10 May 1842, Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842, 3:843.
  
  Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
8. 1505
  See 11 May 1842 entry in History Draft.
9. 1506
  JS, Journal, 11 May 1842.
10. 1507
  See 12 May 1842 entry in History Draft.
11. 1508
  JS, Journal, 12 May 1842.
12. 1509
  See 13 May 1842 entry in History Draft.
13. 1510
  JS, Journal, 13 May 1842.
14. 1511
  JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, 13 May 1842, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 282–283.
  
  JS Letterbook 2 / Smith, Joseph. “Copies of Letters, &c. &c.,” 1839–1843. Joseph Smith Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155, box 2, fd. 2.