Introduction to City of Nauvoo v. McGraw and White
City of Nauvoo v. McGraw and White
Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, Mayor’s Court, 2 August 1842
Historical Introduction
In late July 1842, filed a complaint against William McGraw and James White for violating the temperance ordinance in , Illinois, by selling “spirituous liquors.” It was the second time McGraw had been charged with illegally selling alcohol in Nauvoo. Because Markham’s complaint is not extant, the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime are unknown. The trial was set for 2 August, and subpoenas were issued for seven witnesses. In contrast to McGraw’s first trial, held on 5 July 1842, neither McGraw nor White appeared before the court on 2 August. JS found the two men guilty in absentia and fined them twenty-five dollars, the same fine McGraw received on 5 July. When constable attempted to collect the fine against McGraw and White, he found no property belonging to either man in Nauvoo. This and other records suggest that McGraw and White were neither Latter-day Saints nor residents of Nauvoo. After the 2 August 1842 trial, no further complaints were issued against the men, and neither was brought before the Nauvoo courts again.
Calendar of Documents
This calendar lists all known documents created by or for the court, whether extant or not. It does not include versions of documents created for other purposes, though those versions may be listed in footnotes. In certain cases, especially in cases concerning unpaid debts, the originating document (promissory note, invoice, etc.) is listed here. Note that documents in the calendar are grouped with their originating court. Where a version of a document was subsequently filed with another court, that version is listed under both courts.
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