History Draft [1 March–31 December 1843]

Source Note

History draft; 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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, John L. Smith, Jonathan Grimshaw, 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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, Richard Bentley, and
Wilford Woodruff
1 Mar. 1807–2 Sept. 1898. Farmer, miller. Born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. Moved to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Zera Pulsipher,...
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; 101 numbered pages plus several inserted pages; CHL. This manuscript covers the period from 1 March 1843 to 31 December 1843.
Historical Introduction

See Introduction to History Drafts, 1844–1856.

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<I had an> Interview <with several Pottowatamie chiefs, who came to see me during my absence, and remained until the present> between Joseph Smith & the Potowotamie Chiefs

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<Note from s Journal> Several of the potowatomie chiefs came to for the purpose of Having an interview with the Prophet Joseph Smith, at the time of their arival He had gone to upon a visit, was kidnapped, while there, & efforts made to run him to “The Indians Chiefs <who> remaind at untill the prophet returned & had his trial during their stay thay had a [illegible] talk with in the basement of the & some others were present they were not free to talk & did not wish to Communicate their feelings until they could see the great Prophet At length on the 2nd day of July 1843 Joseph Smith <& Councellors & some of the > met those Chiefs in the Chamber of his <Court room> with about 20 of the the followig is a synopsis of the conversation which took place as given by the interpeter who accompanid them. The Indian Orator arose & asked the prophet if those <the> men who were present were all his Friends. Answer yes. He then said “we as a people have long been distressed and oppressd we have been driven from our lands many times we have been wasted away by wars until there is <are> but few of us left the white man has hated us & shed our blood until it has appeared as though their would soon be no Indian Left. we have talked with the great spirit & the great spirit has talked with us we have asked the great Spirit to save us & Let us live and the great spirit has told us that he had raised us up a great Prophet a Chief & Friend unto us who would do us great good & tell us what to do and the great Spirit has told us that you are the man (Pointi[n]g to the Prophet Joseph) we have now come a great ways to see you & to hear your words & to have you tell us what to do, our Horses have become poor traveli[n]g & we are hungry, we will now wait & hear your words” the Spirit of God rested upon the esspecially the orator who spoke. Joseph was much affected & shed tears. He arose & said unto them “I have heard your words they are true, the great Spirit has told you it truth, I am your friend & Brother & I wish to do you good your Fathers was <were> once a great people they worshipd the great Spirit the Great Spirit done <did> them good He was their frind but they left the great spirit & would not hear his words or [p. [1]]

I had an Interview with several Pottowatamie chiefs, who came to see me during my absence, between Joseph Smith & the Potowotamie Chiefs

written by

from s Journal “ who remaind at untill the prophet returned & had his trial during their stay thay had a talk with in the basement of the & some others were present they were not free to talk & did not wish to Communicate their feelings until they could see the great Prophet At length on the 2nd day of July 1843 Joseph Smith & some of the met those Chiefs in the Court room with about 20 of the the followig is a synopsis of the conversation which took place as given by the interpeter The Indian Orator arose & asked the prophet if the men who were present were all his Friends. Answer yes. He then said “we as a people have long been distressed and oppressd we have been driven from our lands many times we have been wasted away by wars until there are but few of us left the white man has hated us & shed our blood until it has appeared as though their would soon be no Indian Left. we have talked with the great spirit & the great spirit has talked with us we have asked the great Spirit to save us & Let us live and the great spirit has told us that he had raised us up a great Prophet Chief & Friend who would do us great good & tell us what to do and the great Spirit has told us that you are the man (Pointing to the Prophet Joseph) we have now come a great way to see you & to hear your words & to have you tell us what to do, our Horses have become poor traveling & we are hungry, we will now wait & hear your words” the Spirit of God rested upon the esspecially the orator Joseph was much affected & shed tears. He arose & said unto them “I have heard your words they are true, the great Spirit has told you it truth, I am your friend & Brother & I wish to do you good your Fathers were once a great people they worshipd the great Spirit the Great Spirit did them good He was their frind but they left the great spirit & would not hear his words or [p. [1]]

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Document Information
Editorial Title
History Draft [1 March–31 December 1843]
ID #
8470
Total Pages
200
Handwriting on This Page
- Robert L. Campbell
- Wilford Woodruff
Footnotes
1. Insertion probably in the handwriting of Robert L. Campbell.
2. Thomas Bullock handwriting ends; Wilford Woodruff begins. This page begins a two-page insertion of a description from Wilford Woodruff about JS’s interview with the Potawatomi on 2 July 1843. A note at the top of page 54 indicates that this description should be added to the 2 July 1843 entry. The 7 July 1843 entry follows the inserted pages on page 55.
3. Insertion probably in the handwriting of Robert L. Campbell.
4. Insertion probably in the handwriting of Robert L. Campbell.
5. Cancellation and insertion probably in the handwriting of Robert L. Campbell.
6. Cancellation and insertion probably in the handwriting of Robert L. Campbell.
7. Cancellation and insertion probably in the handwriting of Robert L. Campbell.
8. Cancellation and insertion probably in the handwriting of Robert L. Campbell.
9. Cancellation and insertion probably in the handwriting of Robert L. Campbell.

History Draft [1 March–31 December 1843]

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