History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]

Source Note

JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell,
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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, 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

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
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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, who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with
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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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
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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’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
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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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
Hyrum Smith
9 Feb. 1800–27 June 1844. Farmer, cooper. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Randolph, Orange Co., 1802; back to Tunbridge, before May 1803; to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, 1804; to Sharon, Windsor Co...
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and
William Clayton
17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...
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.

• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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and revocation of his priesthood license.

• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by
Addison Pratt
21 Feb. 1802–14 Oct. 1872. Sailor, farmer, carpenter. Born in Winchester, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. Son of Henry Pratt and Rebekah Jewell. Married Louisa Barnes, 3 Apr. 1831, in Dunham, Lower Canada. Settled on banks of Lake Erie, in New York, where he...
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.

• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of
George J. Adams
7 Nov. 1810–11 May 1880. Tailor, actor, clergyman. Born in Oxford, Sussex Co., New Jersey. Lived in Boston during 1820s and 1830s. Became Methodist lay preacher. Married Caroline. Moved to New York City, before 1840. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of...
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’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
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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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
Vermont
Area served as early thoroughfare for traveling Indian tribes. French explored area, 1609, and erected fort on island in Lake Champlain, 1666. First settled by Massachusetts emigrants, 1724. Claimed by British colonies of New York and New Hampshire, but during...
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, inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.

• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by
Eliza R. Snow
21 Jan. 1804–5 Dec. 1887. Poet, teacher, seamstress, milliner. Born in Becket, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Daughter of Oliver Snow and Rosetta Leonora Pettibone. Moved to Mantua, Trumbull Co., Ohio, ca. 1806. Member of Baptist church. Baptized into Church...
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commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by
Lorenzo Snow
3 Apr. 1814–10 Oct. 1901. Schoolteacher. Born in Mantua, Portage Co., Ohio. Son of Oliver Snow and Rosetta Leonora Pettibone. Attended Oberlin College. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John F. Boynton, 19 June 1836, in Kirtland...
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.

• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the
United States
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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.

• An account of JS’s
King Follett
24/26 July 1788–9 Mar. 1844. Born at Winchester, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. Son of John Follett and Hannah Oak (Oake) Alexander. Married Louisa Tanner, by 1815. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spring 1831. Member of Whitmer branch...
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sermon, 7 April 1844.

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<July 3> at the Public house of Captain William Haws (the Captain of a company in which served in the Black Hawk war,) we again resumed the march and about dark <camped about two miles below Ottawa, near the > having travelled over 200 miles in 2 days and 18 hours with the same horses, which had become very tired, [blank] . left the company about an hour before sun set and about dusk crossed the into Ottawa and put up at brother [Lucien] Sangers. There he learned positively that Joseph had come as far as , where he was informed that Judge [John D.] Caton was absent, and had returned to and obtained another writ of , and had started in the direction of , Adams County, and also that Lucien P Sanger had taken his Stage coach to convey brother Joseph to , when he had obtained this information, he left orders for the Maid of Iowa to return with all speed to .

Early on the morning of the 29th. returned to his Company and gave them the information, when the Company started on their return for , came as far as Captain Haws’s and staid all night; he gave us the use of his barn to sleep in; in conversing with the citizens of Magnolia they approbated our course, manifested a warm feeling, and offered to help us with <their> artillery Company, if we needed their assistance.

On the 30th. we made a direct course for the Narrows 4 miles above Peoria, where we recrossed the , and camped near the Town.

1st. July. we travelled 40 miles and camped on a small creek near a Farm house where the entire Company had an abundance of milk for the night.

2nd. July <Early in the morning Jesse B. Nichols went into the village of <Gallsburg>, waked up a blacksmith, and employed him to set a couple of horse shoes. The blacksmith objected saying it was Sunday morning, and being a professor of religion, he would not do it, unless for double price which Nichols consented to give him. He went to the Shop, and whilst setting the shoes, the Company passed through, exciting considerable curiosity among the Villagers—— two of the brethren remained to accompany Nichols: as he was about paying the Blacksmith for the work, a Presbyterian Minister came up and said to him “you ought to charge a dollar a shoe, these are Mormons, and you who are a Church Member have been shoeing this Mormon’s horse on [HC 5:487] Sunday, and you ought to be brought before the Church for doing it”. Upon which the blacksmith demanded two dollars for his work, instead of one as agreed, before. Nichols handed him one dollar, the Priest telling the Blacksmith he ought not to take it, that Jo Smith was an Imposter and ought to be hung. The Son of Vulcan however took the dollar but demanded more. Upon which Nichols kicked the Priest on his seat of honor, mounted his horse, and left amid the loud cheers of a number of Spectators.> We continued our journey to , where we learnt the full particulars of brother Joseph’s safe arrival and trial before the Municipal court, when we made merry, composed a song, and danced, and proceeded to

During the entire journey the heat was extremely oppressive, and as the necessity of the case was very urgent they <we> had not time to sleep, it may be safely said to be one of the most rapid and fatiguing marches that is on record having travelled with the same horses about 500 miles in 7 days.”

Another copy of the to the against his sending an armed force, was made out and taken to the Porch of the where it was signed in the course of the day by about 900 persons.

4 July 1843 • Tuesday

<4> About 1 a.m. Messrs. , , , and , started for , carrying with them the affidavits, Petition, and the doings of the Municipal court.

At a very early hour people began to assemble at the , and at 11 o’Clock near 13,000 persons had congregated, and were addressed in a very able and appropriate manner by , who has recently been appointed on a Mission to St. Petersburg, Russia. A constant accession of numbers swelled the congregation to 15,000 as near as could be estimated. [blank] at 2 p.m. they were again addressed by Elder on redemption, in a masterly discourse, when I made some remarks of which the following was reported by Elder . [HC 5:488]

“If the people will give ear a moment I will address them, with a [p. 1659]

July 3 at the Public house of Captain William Haws (the Captain of a company in which served in the Black Hawk war,) we again resumed the march and about dark camped about two miles below Ottawa, near the having travelled over 200 miles in 2 days and 18 hours with the same horses, which had become very tired, [blank] . left the company about an hour before sun set and about dusk crossed the into Ottawa and put up at brother [Lucien] Sangers. There he learned positively that Joseph had come as far as , where he was informed that Judge John D. Caton was absent, and had returned to and obtained another writ of , and had started in the direction of , Adams County, and also that Lucien P Sanger had taken his Stage coach to convey brother Joseph to , when he had obtained this information, he left orders for the Maid of Iowa to return with all speed to .

Early on the morning of the 29th. returned to his Company and gave them the information, when the Company started on their return for , came as far as Captain Haws’s and staid all night; he gave us the use of his barn to sleep in; in conversing with the citizens of Magnolia they approbated our course, manifested a warm feeling, and offered to help us with their artillery Company, if we needed their assistance.

On the 30th. we made a direct course for the Narrows 4 miles above Peoria, where we recrossed the , and camped near the Town.

1st. July. we travelled 40 miles and camped on a small creek near a Farm house where the entire Company had an abundance of milk for the night.

2nd. July Early in the morning Jesse B. Nichols went into the village of Gallsburg, waked up a blacksmith, and employed him to set a couple of horse shoes. The blacksmith objected saying it was Sunday morning, and being a professor of religion, he would not do it, unless for double price which Nichols consented to give him. He went to the Shop, and whilst setting the shoes, the Company passed through, exciting considerable curiosity among the Villagers—— two of the brethren remained to accompany Nichols: as he was about paying the Blacksmith for the work, a Presbyterian Minister came up and said to him “you ought to charge a dollar a shoe, these are Mormons, and you who are a Church Member have been shoeing this Mormon’s horse on [HC 5:487] Sunday, and you ought to be brought before the Church for doing it”. Upon which the blacksmith demanded two dollars for his work, instead of one as agreed, before. Nichols handed him one dollar, the Priest telling the Blacksmith he ought not to take it, that Jo Smith was an Imposter and ought to be hung. The Son of Vulcan however took the dollar but demanded more. Upon which Nichols kicked the Priest on his seat of honor, mounted his horse, and left amid the loud cheers of a number of Spectators. We continued our journey to , where we learnt the full particulars of brother Joseph’s safe arrival and trial before the Municipal court, when we made merry, composed a song, and danced, and proceeded to

During the entire journey the heat was extremely oppressive, and as the necessity of the case was very urgent we had not time to sleep, it may be safely said to be one of the most rapid and fatiguing marches that is on record having travelled with the same horses about 500 miles in 7 days.”

Another copy of the to the against his sending an armed force, was made out and taken to the Porch of the where it was signed in the course of the day by about 900 persons.

4 July 1843 • Tuesday

4 About 1 a.m. Messrs. , , , and , started for , carrying with them the affidavits, Petition, and the doings of the Municipal court.

“If the people will give ear a moment I will address them, with a [p. 1659]

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Document Information
Editorial Title
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]
ID #
8112
Total Pages
448
Handwriting on This Page
- Robert L. Campbell
Footnotes
1. 22
  TEXT: Remainder of this line and beginning of the next had been erased and the erased text is illegible.
2. 23
  TEXT: Written over an erasure in a different ink and hand.
3. 24
  TEXT: Insertion written sideways in left margin.
4. 25
  Clayton, Journal, 4 July 1843.
  
  Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
5. 26
  See 4 July 1843 entry in History Draft.
6. 27
  JS, Journal, 4 July 1843; Woodruff, Journal, 4 July 1843; “The 4th of July,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 5 July 1843, [2].
  
  Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
  Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]

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