History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, , and Jonathan Grimshaw; 392 pages, plus 11 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fifth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fifth volume covers the period from 1 July 1843 to 30 Apr. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, constitutes the fifth 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 July 1843 to 30 April 1844, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in the mid-1850s.
The material recorded in volume E-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the history and creating a set of draft notes that Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks.
Robert L. Campbell, a recently returned missionary and member of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed ’s notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). The Church Historian’s Office journal entry for 2 May 1855 pinpoints the beginning of his work: “R. L. C. on Book D forenoon, afternoon began book E.” Campbell’s work on the volume apparently concluded on 5 April 1856; entries in the Historian’s Office journal indicate that he then moved on to other assignments while another clerk, Jonathan Grimshaw, began work on volume F-1, the last manuscript in the series. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855; 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.)
Volume E-1 contains 391 pages of primary text and 11 pages of addenda. The initial entry on page 1637 is a continuation of the 1 July 1843 entry that closed volume D-1. The final entry in volume E-1 is for 30 April 1844.
The 391 pages of volume E-1 document a crucial period of JS’s life and the history of the church. Important events recorded here include
• An account of JS’s 2 July 1843 meeting with several Pottawatamie chiefs.
• JS’s 4 July 1843 address regarding his recent arrest, the Legion, and Mormon voting practices.
• JS’s 12 July 1843 dictation of a revelation regarding eternal marriage, including the plurality of wives, in the presence of and .
• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of and revocation of his priesthood license.
• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by .
• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of ’s appointment to a mission to Russia.
• Minutes of a 6–9 October 1843 general conference inserted under the date of 9 October at which pled his case in regard to his 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment and was permitted to continue as counselor in the First Presidency.
• Text of JS’s appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of , inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.
• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by .
• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the .
• An account of JS’s sermon, 7 April 1844.
<July 1> of whose society I had been deprived for four months. Just at dark, the Sheriff and jailer came to the with our supper. I sat down and ate. There were a number watching. After I had supped, I whispered to the Jailer to blow out all the candles but one, and step away from the door with that one. All this was done. The Sheriff then took me by the arm, and an apparent scuffle insued— so much so, that those who were watching, did not know who it was the Sheriff was scuffling with. The Sheriff kept pushing me towards the door, and I apparently resisting, [HC 3:465] until we reached the door, which was quickly opened and we both reached the street. He took me by the hand and bade me farewell, telling me to make my escape, which I did with all possible speed. The night was dark. After I had gone probably one hundred rods, I heard some person coming after me in haste. The thought struck me in a moment that the mob was after me. I drew a pistol and cocked it, determined not to be taken alive. When the person approaching me spoke, I knew his voice, and he speedily came to me. In a few minutes I heard a horse coming. I again sprung my pistol cock. Again a voice saluted my ears that I was acquainted with. The man came speedily up and said he had come to pilot me through the country. I now recollected I had left my wife in . I mentioned it to them, and one of them returned, and the other and pursued our journey as swiftly as we could. After I had gone about three miles, my wife overtook me in a carriage, into which I got, and we rode all night, It was an open carriage, and in the month of February 1839. We got to the house of an acquaintance just as day appeared. There I put up until the next morning, when I started again and reached a place called Tenney’s grove; and to my great surprise, I here found my family, and was again united with them, after an absence of four months, under the most painful circumstances. From thence I made my way to where I now am. My wife after I left her, went directly to and got the family under way, and all unexpectedly met at Tenney’s Grove. . [HC 3:466]
Messrs. , , , and (the Counsel on my behalf) then respectively addressed the Court, and they exhorted the Mormons to stand for their rights, stand or fall, sink or swim, live or die. Mr Mason was counsellor for . [HC 5:473]
After which the following order was made.
This day came the said , in proper person, and the said having made return of said Writ of and produced the body of said in pursuance to the mandate of said Writ, and after hearing the evidence in support of said Petition. It is ordered and considered by the court that the said Joseph Smith Senior be discharged for the said arrest and imprisonment complained of in said Petition, and that the said Smith be discharged for want of substance in the Warrant upon which he was arrested as well as upon the merits of said case, and that he [delay].
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court, at the city of this 2nd day of July 1843. clerk
A public meeting in relation to the late arrest of General Joseph Smith.
Ill. July 1st 1843. At a meeting of the citizens of , held this day in the Assembly Hall, it was
Resolved unanimously, that Messrs Sanger and Dixon of the town of and the citizens of , Pawpaw Grove, and generally, in this [p. 1651]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [4]
JS, Journal, 1 July 1843; Woodruff, Journal, 1 July 1843.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
- [5]
Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 55–56.
Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book / Nauvoo, IL, Municipal Court. “Docket of the Municipal Court of the City of Nauvoo,” ca. 1843–1845. In Historian's Office, Historical Record Book, 1843–1874, pp. 51–150 and pp. 1–19 (second numbering). CHL. MS 3434.
- [6]
“A Public Meeting in Relation to the Late Arrest of General Joseph Smith,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 19 July 1843, [3].
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
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