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
Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 and 4 July 1845.
Historian’s Office, Journal, 1 July 1854.
Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855.
<December 1> I may see proper to inflict, but he takes it in good part— Answer this as soon as received Yours truly S. Armstrong for .[”]
See 2 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
<2> Friday 2. Sat as Mayor on trial of , who was fined in the sum of $25. for breach of City Ordinances for selling Spirits by the small quantity. In the evening called on and to take an appraisal of the establishment, preparatory [HC 5:198] to a lease to Elders and for the term of five years.
See 3 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
<3.> Saturday 3. Called at the several times. In the P. M. afternoon attended the Municipal Court in the case of for breach of ordinance &c.
See 4 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
<4> Sunday 4. The weather being very wet I remained at home all day.
The high council of met, heard, accepted, and adopted the report of their committee, for dividing the into ten wards, for transacting church business as follows— The first ward is bounded on the North by the boundary line, and on the South, by Brattle Street— The second ward is bounded on the North by Brattle Street or the first ward, and on the South by Carlos Street or the 3rd. Ward.
The third Ward is bounded on the North by Carlos Street or the 2nd. Ward and on the South by Joseph Street or the Fourth Ward. The fourth Ward is bounded on the North by Joseph Street, or the Third Ward, and on the South by Cutler Street, or the Fifth Ward. The fifth ward is bounded on the North by Cutler Street, or the Fourth Ward, and on the South by Mulholland Street. The sixth Ward is bounded on the West by the and on the East by Main Street, or the Seventh Ward. The seventh Ward is bounded on the West by Main Street, or the sixth ward, and on the East by Durfee Street or the Eighth Ward.
The Eighth Ward is bounded on the West by Durfee Street or the Seventh Ward, and on the East by Robinson Street or the ninth Ward. The ninth Ward is bounded on the West by Robinson Street on the Eighth Ward, and on the East by Green Street, or the Tenth Ward. [HC 5:199] The Tenth Ward is bounded on the West by Green Street or the Ninth Ward, and on the East by the Boundary Line.
See 5 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
<5.> Monday 5. In the A. M. morning attended in Council with and others on Bankruptcy, making an Inventory of our property, and a schedule of our liabilities. That we might be prepared to avail ourselves of the laws of the Land as did others— afternoon had conversation with brother [William] Gheen— In the evening attended the .
See 6 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
<6.> Tuesday 6. Attended the trial of an appealed case of before the Municipal Court— <Judgment confirmed.>
See 7 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
<7> Wednesday 7. Dined with Elder and family. has this day returned home from his mission to , his presence was truly gratifying, spent the day with , and drawing wood.
See 8 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
<8.> Thursday 8. Spent the day at home, received a visit from and Wife. This day , Governor of in his Inaugural address to the Senate and House of Representatives, remarked that a great deal has been said about certain charters granted to the people of . These Charters are objectionable on many accounts, but particularly on account of the powers granted. The people of the have become—— aroused to the subject, and anxiously desire that those charters should be modified—— so as to give the inhabitants of no greater privileges than those enjoyed by others of our fellow Citizens.
See 9 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
<9> Friday 9. I chopped wood <all day> My brother started for to attend to [p. 1424]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
See 2 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 2 Dec. 1842.
See 3 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 3 Dec. 1842.
See 4 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 4 Dec. 1842; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 4 Dec. 1842.
Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.
See 5 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 5 Dec. 1842.
See 6 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 6 Dec. 1842.
See 7 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 7 Dec. 1842.
See 8 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 8 Dec. 1842; “Gov. Ford’s Inaugural Address, ” The Wasp, 24 Dec. 1842, [2].
The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.
See 9 Dec. 1842 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 9–20 Dec. 1842; Clayton, Diary, 9 Dec. 1842.
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
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