History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. D-1, created 4 July 1845–4 Feb. 1846 and 1 July 1854–2 May 1855; handwriting of , Robert L. Campbell, and ; 275 pages, plus 6 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fourth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fourth volume covers the period from 1 Aug. 1842 to 1 July 1843; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1, constitutes the fourth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 August 1842 to 1 July 1843, and it was compiled after JS’s death.
The material recorded in volume D-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , with the assistance of . After Richards’s death in 1854, continued work on the volume as the new church historian with Bullock’s continued help. The process adopted by Richards and Bullock involved Richards creating a set of rough draft notes and Bullock transcribing the notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). George A. Smith followed a similar pattern, though he dictated the draft notes to Bullock and other scribes.
According to the Church Historian’s Office journal, finished the third volume of the series, volume C-1, on Thursday, 3 July 1845, in , Illinois. He began work on the fourth volume, D-1, the next day, beginning on page 1362 with the entry for 1 August 1842. (The pages in volumes A-1–E-1 were numbered consecutively.) Bullock continued work on the record, drawing upon ’s draft notes, until 3 February 1846—the day before D-1 and the other volumes were packed up in preparation for the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo. At that point he had reached page 1485 with the entry for 28 February 1843. Subsequently, apparently after the collection had arrived in Utah, Bullock added a brief comment beneath that entry: “end of W. Richard’s compiling[.] the books packed Feby. 4— 1846 in Nauvoo[.] Miles Romney— present. The records carried by T Bullock from Winter Quarters to G S L [Great Salt Lake] City in 1848.”
A notation at the top of page 1486 reports that “the books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. J[onathan] Grimshaw & Miles Romney present.” Vertically, in the margin, is a poignant epitaph: “Decr. 1 1853 Dr. Willard Richards wrote one line of History—being sick at the time—and was never able to do any more.” With Richards’s death on 11 March 1854, JS’s cousin was called to the office of church historian. The notation on the top of page 1486 acknowledges this change in officers, noting, “commencement of George A. Smith’s compiling as Historian. April 13. 1854[.] [C]ommenced copying July 1. 1854.” From mid-April to the end of June 1854, George A. Smith, in collaboration with Thomas Bullock, worked on the draft notes for the history before a new scribe, , resumed writing in D-1 on 1 July 1854, beginning with the entry for 1 March 1843.
continued transcribing intermittently into the late fall of 1854, when he was assigned other duties in the Historian’s Office. He had reached page 1546 with the entry for 5 May 1843. Work resumed in February 1855 in the hand of Robert L. Campbell, recently returned from a mission. He concluded volume D-1 on the morning of 2 May 1855 and began writing in E-1 that afternoon.
The 274 pages of volume D-1 contain a record of much that is significant in the life of JS and the development of the church he founded. Among these events are
• JS’s 6 August 1842 prophecy that the Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.
•JS’s 8 August 1842 arrest on a warrant for being “an accessory before the fact” to an attack on former governor .
• ’s 17 August 1842 letter to governor , pleading for the humane treatment of her husband and family.
•JS’s 1 and 6 September 1842 instructions regarding the proper procedures for performing baptisms for the dead.
• JS’s 15 November 1842 “Valedictory” as he stepped down as editor of the Times and Seasons.
• The 26 December 1842 arrest of JS on a “proclamation” by former governor , and subsequent hearing in , Illinois.
• The 7 February 1843 recovery of a volume of patriarchal blessings given by , which had been stolen in , Missouri.
• JS’s 21 February 1843 remarks regarding the and .
• JS’s 2 April 1843 instruction at , Illinois, on the nature of God and other subjects.
• JS’s 16 May 1843 remarks at , Illinois, on the everlasting covenant and eternal marriage.
• The account of JS’s 23 June 1843 arrest and his hearing the following week at .
Footnotes
<March 14> appears to be concerning taxes, I suppose it most probable that you are the person, and direct my answer accordingly.—
I received your letter from and requested to answer it, which he did, stating the facts in the case, which in substance I will repeat.
In the year 1842 I had no taxable property in , real or personal.
I never gave , the assessor, a list by which to assess lots to me—— If I ever gave him any list, it was to assist him in the information, what lots to assess to the “Trustee in Trust” and for no other purpose,— which very well knew at the time and now knows it.
You ask; What shall I do with the Lots? I answer, they are lots, which, on another part of your list are assessed to the Trustee in Trust, or Mr Smith.— and doubtless it would be the most just and equitable course for the Assessor to correct his error.— and let the matter rest where it was originally. But if this cannot be, you must take your own course, tis not for me to advise you in your duty.— But of this I can advise you, that I have not the first farthing of personal property liable to taxation in this , or to be sold for taxes, this side of Eternity. Yours Respectfully ”
At about half past 7 oclock in the evening, the sword which had made its appearance for several evenings past, moved up near the moon, and formed itself into a large ring round the moon; two balls immediately appeared in the ring opposite each other, something in the form of sun dogs, as in the following diagram
[drawing of atmospheric phenomenon showing intersecting circles with accompanying descriptions]
This circle was similar to the one around the moon <in appearance> but larger. A.A Parhelion visible from 8 to 9 o’clock P.M. when it was seen by me and this diagram was drawn in my journal.
This space was darker than other parts of the horizon
Moon
Circle such as is frequently seen.
The outer part of parhelion was much more brilliant than the inner.
The above is a diagram of one of the signs of the times designed to represent A union of power and combination of nations.
says that at 11 o’clock the circles interwoven around the moon were innumerable.
See 15 Mar. 1843 entry in History Draft.
<15> I wrote a letter to , and signed <several> deeds for Sister<s> , and , and In the most of the day, gave the following name to the “Wasp” enlarged, as is contemplated [HC 5:304] “The Nauvoo Neighbor”. “Our motto, the Saints singularity Is Unity, Liberty Charity” The following is an extract from the prospectus of this date.
“We feel pleasure in announcing to our readers and to the public generally, that we have determined to enlarge the Wasp to double its size; as soon as the present volume shall be completed, which will be on the 19th of April.
It made its appearance in the world near twelve months ago; small in stature, dressed in a very humble garb, and under very inauspicious circumstances. It was then thought by many that its days would not be long in the land, and that at any rate it would not survive the sickly season. Many of its elder brethren who thought that they had attained to the size of manhood [p. 1498]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [476]
JS, Journal, Observations in the Night Sky, Corrected Diagram, 14 Mar. 1843; Woodruff, Journal, 14 Mar. 1843.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
- [477]
TEXT: Previous sentence written within large circle with arrow standing straight upwards.
- [478]
TEXT: Previous sentence written within medium circle.
- [479]
TEXT: ”Moon” written within one of three small circles inside medium circle.
- [480]
TEXT: Previous sentence written within medium circle.
- [481]
See 15 Mar. 1843 entry in History Draft.
- [482]
JS, Journal, 15 Mar. 1843; “Prospectus of the Weekly Newspaper, called The Nauvoo Neighbor,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1843, 4:129.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
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