Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 4, 1 March–22 June 1844

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Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 4, 1 March–22 June 1844
1 March 1844 • Friday Page 1 2 March 1844 • Saturday Page 2 3 March 1844 • Sunday Page 3 4 March 1844 • Monday Page 4 5 March 1844 • Tuesday Page 7 6 March 1844 • Wednesday Page 8 7 March 1844 • Thursday Page 9 8 March 1844 • Friday Page 26 9 March 1844 • Saturday Page 28 10 March 1844 • Sunday Page 30 11 March 1844 • Monday Page 34 12 March 1844 • Tuesday Page 35 13 March 1844 • Wednesday Page 36 14 March 1844 • Thursday Page 37 15 March 1844 • Friday Page 38 16 March 1844 • Saturday Page 39 17 March 1844 • Sunday Page 40 18 March 1844 • Monday Page 41 19 March 1844 • Tuesday Page 42 20 March 1844 • Wednesday Page 44 21 March 1844 • Thursday Page 45 22 March 1844 • Friday Page 46 23 March 1844 • Saturday Page 47 24 March 1844 • Sunday Page 48 25 March 1844 • Monday Page 49 26 March 1844 • Tuesday Page 50 27 March 1844 • Wednesday Page 51 28 March 1844 • Thursday Page 52 29 March 1844 • Friday Page 53 30 March 1844 • Saturday Page 54 31 March 1844 • Sunday Page 55 1 April 1844 • Monday Page 56 2 April 1844 • Tuesday Page 57 3 April 1844 • Wednesday Page 58 4 April 1844 • Thursday Page 59 5 April 1844 • Friday Page 60 6 April 1844 • Saturday Page 61 7 April 1844 • Sunday Page 65 8 April 1844 • Monday Page 73 9 April 1844 • Tuesday Page 77 10 April 1844 • Wednesday Page 80 11 April 1844 • Thursday Page 81 12 April 1844 • Friday Page 82 13 April 1844 • Saturday Page 83 14 April 1844 • Sunday Page 87 15 April 1844 • Monday Page 88 16 April 1844 • Tuesday Page 89 17 April 1844 • Wednesday Page 90 18 April 1844 • Thursday Page 91 20 April 1844 • Saturday Page 93 21 April 1844 • Sunday Page 94 22 April 1844 • Monday Page 95 23 April 1844 • Tuesday Page 96 24 April 1844 • Wednesday Page 97 25 April 1844 • Thursday Page 98 26 April 1844 • Friday Page 99 27 April 1844 • Saturday Page 101 28 April 1844 • Sunday Page 102 29 April 1844 • Monday Page 104 30 April 1844 • Tuesday Page 105 1 May 1844 • Wednesday Page 106 18 May 1844 • Saturday Page 123 2 May 1844 • Thursday Page 107 3 May 1844 • Friday Page 108 4 May 1844 • Saturday Page 109 5 May 1844 • Sunday Page 110 6 May 1844 • Monday Page 111 7 May 1844 • Tuesday Page 112 8 May 1844 • Wednesday Page 113 9 May 1844 • Thursday Page 114 10 May 1844 • Friday Page 115 11 May 1844 • Saturday Page 116 12 May 1844 • Sunday Page 117 13 May 1844 • Monday Page 118 14 May 1844 • Tuesday Page 119 15 May 1844 • Wednesday Page 120 16 May 1844 • Thursday Page 121 17 May 1844 • Friday Page 122 19 May 1844 • Sunday Page 124 20 May 1844 • Monday Page 125 21 May 1844 • Tuesday Page 126 22 May 1844 • Wednesday Page 127 23 May 1844 • Thursday Page 128 24 May 1844 • Friday Page 131 25 May 1844 • Saturday Page 132 26 May 1844 • Sunday Page 133 27 May 1844 • Monday Page 134 28 May 1844 • Tuesday Page 138 29 May 1844 • Wednesday Page 139 30 May 1844 • Thursday Page 140 31 May 1844 • Friday Page 141 1 June 1844 • Saturday Page 142 2 June 1844 • Sunday Page 143 3 June 1844 • Monday Page 144 4 June 1844 • Tuesday Page 145 5 June 1844 • Wednesday Page 146 6 June 1844 • Thursday Page 147 7 June 1844 • Friday Page 148 8 June 1844 • Saturday Page 149 9 June 1844 • Sunday Page 150 10 June 1844 • Monday Page 151 11 June 1844 • Tuesday Page 152 12 June 1844 • Wednesday Page 154 13 June 1844 • Thursday Page 155 14 June 1844 • Friday Page 156 15 June 1844 • Saturday Page 157 16 June 1844 • Sunday Page 158 17 June 1844 • Monday Page 160 18 June 1844 • Tuesday Page 162 19 June 1844 • Wednesday Page 164 20 June 1844 • Thursday Page 166 21 June 1844 • Friday Page 167 22 June 1844 • Saturday Page 169
Source Note

JS, “President Joseph Smith’s Journal,” Journal, 4 vols., Dec. 1842–June 1844; handwriting and signatures of
Willard Richards
24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...
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; 1,045 pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes shorthand and illustrations; also includes redactions, use marks, and archival stickers.

Willard Richards
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kept “President Joseph Smith’s Journal” in four small memorandum books. The paper in book 1 is blue, while the paper in books 2–4 is white. In the first two books, the paper was printed with seventeen blue lines and extra space for page headers, whereas the paper for book 3 was printed with nineteen blue lines and no header space. The first eight gatherings of paper for book 4 were printed with sixteen blue lines and header space, while the last nine gatherings were printed with nineteen blue lines and no header space. The four volumes have 147, 160, 142, and 190 free leaves, respectively, and were sewn with all-along sewing. The leaves in books 1–3 were trimmed to measure 6 × 3¾ inches (15 × 10 cm), while the paper in book 4 measures 6¼ × 3¾ inches (16 × 10 cm). Books 2–4 have matching red-speckled stain on the page edges. All four books were bound with a tight-back case binding and have brown leather over pasteboards. Books 1–3 measure 6¼ × 4 × ¾ inches (16 × 10 × 2 cm); book 4 measures 6⅜ × 4 × ¾ inches (16 × 10 × 2 cm). The outside covers of book 1 feature an embossed pattern around the borders. The cover of book 4 is red and features a gold pattern around the borders on the front and the back.

Willard Richards
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inscribed most of the journal entries in these memorandum books with a quill pen in ink that is now brown, although he also used blue ink for several entries. The volumes also include inscriptions written in graphite, some of which are contemporaneous and some that are later redactions. Richards paginated the first 114 of the 285 inscribed pages in book 1—discounting the title page that precedes the pagination—and the first 20 of the 309 inscribed pages in book 2. There is no pagination in books 3–4. In book 2, pages 11, 17, and 20–21 feature illustrations of celestial observations.

The
Richards
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memorandum books include later inscriptions that are not transcribed in this edition. At the end of book 2,
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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added a list of
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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-era plural marriages. A few revisions, additions, or notes are penciled in throughout the volumes. There are also several use marks throughout the volumes—probably made when the journal entries were later revised for inclusion in the “History of Joseph Smith” published in Mormon newspapers in the mid-nineteenth century.
1
This serialized history drew on the journals herein beginning with the 4 July 1855 issue of the Deseret News and with the 3 January 1857 issue of the LDS Millennial Star.
The spines of the volumes are now labeled with blue-colored paper stickers that probably date from the early Utah period.
2
The labels on the spines of the four volumes read respectively as follows: “Joseph Smith’s Journal—1842–3 by Willard Richards” (book 1); “Joseph Smith’s Journal by W. Richards 1843” (book 2); “Joseph Smith’s Journal by W. Richards 1843–4” (book 3); and “W. Richards’ Journal 1844 Vol. 4” (book 4). Richards kept JS’s journal in the front of book 4, and after JS’s death Richards kept his own journal in the back of the volume.
Each of the four volumes also bears the mark of a square sticker removed from the upper right-hand corner of the outside front cover. Finally, a “Historian’s Office Archives” self-adhesive paper sticker appears in the front inside cover or on the first flyleaf of each book.

Willard Richards
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identified himself as the scribe for the journal on the title pages of books 1 and 4. Because Richards kept the journals for JS and kept his own journal in the back of book 4 after JS’s death, the books may have been among “Drs [Richards’s] private books & Papers” listed in the 1846 inventory of church records made in
Nauvoo
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, Illinois.
3
“Schedule of Church Records, Nauvoo 1846,” [1], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
The volumes are listed in inventories made in Salt Lake City, Utah, by the Church Historian’s Office in 1855, 1858, and 1878, as well as in the 1973 register of the JS Collection.
4
“Inventory. Historian’s Office. 4th April 1855,” [1]; “Contents of the Historian and Recorder’s Office G. S. L. City July 1858,” 2; “Index of Records and Journals in the Historian’s Office 1878,” [11]–[12], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL; Johnson, Register of the Joseph Smith Collection, 7.
Johnson, Jeffery O. Register of the Joseph Smith Collection in the Church Archives, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: Historical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1973.
These archival records and the physical evidence of archival stickers indicate continuous institutional custody and authenticity.

Note: The journal
Willard Richards
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kept for JS is divided into four physical books. The transcript and annotation here are for book 4, covering 1 March through 22 June 1844. The transcript and annotation for the other three books are also available on this website; book 1 covers 21 December 1842 through 10 March 1843, book 2 covers 10 March through 14 July 1843, and book 3 covers 15 July 1843 through 29 February 1844.
Footnotes
[1]
This serialized history drew on the journals herein beginning with the 4 July 1855 issue of the Deseret News and with the 3 January 1857 issue of the LDS Millennial Star.
[2]
The labels on the spines of the four volumes read respectively as follows: “Joseph Smith’s Journal—1842–3 by Willard Richards” (book 1); “Joseph Smith’s Journal by W. Richards 1843” (book 2); “Joseph Smith’s Journal by W. Richards 1843–4” (book 3); and “W. Richards’ Journal 1844 Vol. 4” (book 4). Richards kept JS’s journal in the front of book 4, and after JS’s death Richards kept his own journal in the back of the volume.
[3]
“Schedule of Church Records, Nauvoo 1846,” [1], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
[4]
“Inventory. Historian’s Office. 4th April 1855,” [1]; “Contents of the Historian and Recorder’s Office G. S. L. City July 1858,” 2; “Index of Records and Journals in the Historian’s Office 1878,” [11]–[12], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL; Johnson, Register of the Joseph Smith Collection, 7.
Johnson, Jeffery O. Register of the Joseph Smith Collection in the Church Archives, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: Historical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1973.
Historical Introduction
Willard Richards
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took over the responsibility of keeping JS’s journal from
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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on 21 December 1842, the same day JS “made a particular request” that Richards “act as his private se[c]retary & historian.”
1
JS, Journal, 21 Dec. 1842.
This was the second time Richards kept JS’s journal; he had also kept it between 13 December 1841 and 29 June 1842 before leaving for
Richmond
Post village located along Housatonic River about 160 miles west of Boston. Settled 1760; incorporated 1765. Population in 1850 about 900. Jennetta Richards Richards corresponded with JS from village regarding his friendship with her husband, Willard Richards...
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, Massachusetts, to bring his family to
Nauvoo
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, Illinois. During Richards’s absence, Clayton kept JS’s journal, inscribing entries, as Richards had done, in the large Book of the Law of the Lord, which also contained records of donations for the
Nauvoo
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temple
Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...
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. Clayton continued keeping the journal—JS’s first Nauvoo journal—even after Richards returned to Nauvoo on 30 October 1842, probably because, as temple recorder, Clayton was the custodian of the Book of the Law of the Lord.
2
Historical Introduction to JS, Journal, Dec. 1841–Dec. 1842.
When Richards resumed keeping JS’s journal on 21 December 1842, he began using a much smaller memorandum book. This second Nauvoo journal was kept by Richards through 22 June 1844 and eventually comprised four such memorandum books.

Several pieces of evidence indicate that these four memorandum books were considered volumes of the same journal rather than separate journals themselves. For example, whereas JS’s journals kept during the 1830s were recorded in bound books or notebooks labeled with different titles—such as “Sketch Book” or “The Scriptory Book”
3
Source Note to JS, Journal, 1835–1836; Source Note to JS, Journal, Mar.–Sept. 1838.
—the first and last of
Richards
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’s memorandum books bear virtually identical titles, with the fourth explicitly identified as “vol 4”. Similarly, that books 2 and 3 lack titles suggests that each was simply a continuation of the previous book. This suggestion is made even stronger in book 2, in which the first entry commences at 4:00 p.m. on 10 March,
4
JS, Journal, 10 Mar. 1843.
with the events of the earlier part of the day recorded at the end of book 1. All four memorandum books are virtually the same size, and the bindings on the first three are similar.

As with nearly all the entries in JS’s previous
Missouri
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...
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and
Illinois
Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...
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journals, JS neither wrote nor dictated the text of the entries in the memorandum books; they are based on
Willard Richards
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’s observations. For example, the entry for 22 September 1843 records only that Richards “saw Joseph pass in a waggon with Hiram.”
5
JS, Journal, 22 Sept. 1843.
Despite the secondhand nature of the entries, however, Richards, a close associate and frequent companion of JS, was able to capture in detail JS’s words and actions on many occasions.

The shift of
Richards
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’s office from temple recorder and scribe to JS’s “private se[c]retary & historian,” as well as the transfer of the journal out of the Book of the Law of the Lord, may have influenced what events Richards recorded in the memorandum books. At least some of the material Richards, as JS’s private secretary, included in this journal—such as the detailed record of a medical malpractice suit over which JS presided—probably would have received much less emphasis had Richards, in the capacity of temple recorder and scribe, been keeping JS’s journal in the book that also contained records of donations for the temple. Similarly, although the ledger-size Book of the Law of the Lord likely remained in the recorder’s office and most journal entries were probably made there, each of the memorandum books was small enough that Richards could easily carry it with him, allowing him to record many of JS’s activities closer to the actual event—both temporally and spatially—than was possible earlier.

Richards
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’s new title of historian was significant as well. On 1 December 1842, he began working on the “History of Joseph Smith” that was being serially published in the Times and Seasons, and by August 1843 he was drawing on JS’s earlier journals for that history.
6
JS, Journal, 1 Dec. 1842 and 20 Jan. 1843; see also “History of Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 3:726–728.
Richards therefore likely expected that the contemporaneous journal entries he was keeping for JS would eventually be used as the basis for JS’s history.

Richards
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employed various techniques in keeping the journal. For a few entries, he made lightly penciled notes and returned later with a quill pen to expand the entry. In other entries, the morning or afternoon portion of an entry was written in one ink and the evening portion of the entry in a different ink that matches that of the following entry. These changes in writing media and in other aspects of the inscribed text indicate that many entries—or parts of entries—were made on the very day of the events they described. The textual evidence in other entries indicates that they were written several days after the date they bear. Still other entries are a hybrid. Richards’s notes of sermons and legal proceedings, for example, bear evidence of both contemporaneous inscription and later revision. In some instances, Richards left blank spaces and even blank lines, apparently intending to add details later. Hurried note taking often resulted in missing words, informal abbreviations, inconsistent spelling, and poorly formed characters. Richards revisited some difficult passages to mend or rewrite characters, revise spelling and punctuation, and add interlineations. Some of the blanks were filled while others were left standing. Richards’s notes include both immediate emendations, such as wipe-erasures made while his ink was still wet, as well as later revisions, such as knife-erasures of words written in ink that had dried. The various ways in which Richards wrote and revised entries resulted in the journal’s uneven texture but also contribute to its wealth of immediately recorded information and clarifying additions.

Over time,
Richards
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settled somewhat into a pattern of generally recording the events of one day on one page—some pages largely empty and others filled with cramped writing—with weather reported at the bottom of the page. He made an entry for almost every day during the last year and a half of JS’s life. The journal ended when JS left
Nauvoo
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on 22 June 1844, five days before he was killed at the jailhouse at
Carthage
Located eighteen miles southeast of Nauvoo. Settled 1831. Designated Hancock Co. seat, Mar. 1833. Incorporated as town, 27 Feb. 1837. Population in 1839 about 300. Population in 1844 about 400. Site of acute opposition to Latter-day Saints, early 1840s. Site...
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, Illinois. Richards accompanied JS to Carthage and, during the final days of JS’s life, kept extensive notes of JS’s activities in his personal journal.
7
See Appendix 3.

Note: The journal
Willard Richards
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kept for JS is divided into four physical books. The transcript and annotation here are for book 4, covering 1 March through 22 June 1844. The transcript and annotation for the other three books are also available on this website; book 1 covers 21 December 1842 through 10 March 1843, book 2 covers 10 March through 14 July 1843, and book 3 covers 15 July 1843 through 29 February 1844.
Footnotes
[1]
JS, Journal, 21 Dec. 1842.
[2]
Historical Introduction to JS, Journal, Dec. 1841–Dec. 1842.
[3]
Source Note to JS, Journal, 1835–1836; Source Note to JS, Journal, Mar.–Sept. 1838.
[4]
JS, Journal, 10 Mar. 1843.
[5]
JS, Journal, 22 Sept. 1843.
[6]
JS, Journal, 1 Dec. 1842 and 20 Jan. 1843; see also “History of Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 3:726–728.
[7]
See Appendix 3.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Discourse, 7 March 1844–B, as Reported by Willard Richards *Discourse, 7 March 1844–B, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff *Discourse, 7 March 1844–A, as Reported by Willard Richards *Discourse, 7 March 1844–A, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by William Clayton *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Willard Richards *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Published in Times and Seasons
Page [145]
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4 June 1844 • Tuesday

Tuesday June 4th 1844.— at home—
A[rthur] Morrison
Ca. 1802–after 1850. Merchant, tailor, militia captain, judge. Born in Virginia. Moved to Batavia, Clermont Co., Ohio, by 1825. Married Keziah Ann Voriz, 17 Nov. 1825, in Clermont Co. Moved to Palestine, Darke Co., Ohio, by 1830. Baptized into Church of Jesus...
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&
Pulaski Cahoon
18 Sept. 1820–15 Feb. 1892. Liquor merchant, shoe and boot retailer, harness maker. Born in Harpersfield, Ashtabula Co., Ohio. Son of Reynolds Cahoon and Thirza Stiles. Moved near Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1825. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter...
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proposd to give $100.00 per month for the use of the. “Maid of Iowa[”] and made out their own bonds. of their own security— but I would not receive them.—
409
On 15 June 1844, JS signed a contract with Morrison and Cahoon—with Hiram Kimball and Abraham Hodge standing as security—allowing Morrison and Cahoon to rent the Maid of Iowa from JS, trustee-in-trust for the church, for one hundred dollars per month. The contract was for one month, with the option of extending it to six months if both parties agreed, and Morrison and Cahoon were required to pay the rent in advance. (Contract, JS et al., Hancock Co., IL, 15 June 1844, Helen Vilate Bourne Fleming, Collection, CHL.)

P.M went out on my
fa[r]m
JS purchased one hundred fifty-three acres for farm, 16 Sept. 1841, to be paid off over time. Located about three miles east of Nauvoo on south side of Old Road to Carthage. Farm managed by Cornelius P. Lott and wife, Permelia. JS frequently labored on farm...
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broke the whippletree too my buggy——

Wrote
M[r] Tewksbuy [Abijah Tewksbury]
Dec. 1799–5 Mar. 1875. Owner and operator of shipping office, ballast inspector. Born in Winthrop, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Tewksbury and Elizabeth. Moved to Chelsea, Suffolk Co., by 1810; to Deer Island, Massachusetts, by 1817; and to Boston...
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Boston
Capital city of Massachusetts, located on eastern seaboard at mouth of Charles River. Founded by Puritans, 1630. Received city charter, 1822. Population in 1820 about 43,000; in 1830 about 61,000; and in 1840 about 93,000. JS’s ancestor Robert Smith emigrated...
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—
410
JS and Hyrum Smith wrote to Tewksbury—identified by Mormon missionary Freeman Nickerson as “the first that was baptized in Boston”—to invite him back into the church. “We understand that you have been cut off from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” the two men wrote, “and feeling an ardent desire for the Salvation of the souls of men, we . . . advise you to be rebaptised . . . thus you may again receive the sweet influences of the holy Ghost, and enjoy the fellowship of the Saints.” (“Latter Day Saints Again,” Times and Seasons, 16 May 1842, 3:797; JS and Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Abijah Tewksbury, Boston, MA, 4 June 1844, copy, JS Collection, CHL.)

6 To 7 eve in counsel with
[John] Taylor
1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...
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Babbit [Almon Babbitt]
Oct. 1812–Sept. 1856. Postmaster, editor, attorney. Born at Cheshire, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Ira Babbitt and Nancy Crosier. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ca. 1830. Located in Amherst, Lorain Co., Ohio, July 1831....
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.
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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.
Richads [Willard Richards]
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.
Woodwoth [Lucien Woodworth]
3 Apr. 1799–after 1860. Architect, laborer, carpenter. Born in Thetford, Orange Co., Vermont. Married Phebe Watrous. Moved to Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., New York, by 1830; to Missouri, by 1839; and to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by 1841. Architect of Nauvoo...
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&
Pheps [William W. Phelps]
17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...
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&c about proscutin [prosecuting] the Laws
411
William and Wilson Law.
&
[Robert D.] foster
14 Mar. 1811–1 Feb. 1878. Justice of the peace, physician, land speculator. Born in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. Son of John Foster and Jane Knibb. Married Sarah Phinney, 18 July 1837, at Medina Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of ...
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for pugey [perjury]. slander &c
412
In May 1844, a grand jury in Carthage indicted JS on charges of perjury, adultery, and fornication based on testimony provided by William Law, Wilson Law, and Robert D. Foster. JS maintained that he was innocent of the charges. (JS, Journal, 25 May 1844.)
—— counelld [counseled]
Taylor
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to go in with a prosecuti[o]n in behalf of—
Maria
18 Dec. 1823–1847. Born in Pickering, York Co. (later in Ontario), Upper Canada. Daughter of Edward Lawrence and Margaret. Moved with family to Lima, Adams Co., Illinois, 1838. Father died, between 5 Nov. and 23 Dec. 1839. Resided in Quincy, Adams Co., 1840...
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[blank]
413
“Lawrence” was likely meant to be written in this blank space.
—— agreed Conclud[e]d to go to
Qui[n]cy
Located on high limestone bluffs east of Mississippi River, about forty-five miles south of Nauvoo. Settled 1821. Adams Co. seat, 1825. Incorporated as town, 1834. Received city charter, 1840. Population in 1835 about 800; in 1840 about 2,300; and in 1845...
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with—
Taylor
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& give up my Bonds of guardianship.— &c
414
JS planned to transfer his legal guardianship of the deceased Edward Lawrence’s estate to John Taylor and on 23 January 1844 drafted an agreement with Taylor describing the transfer that would free JS from the guardianship. Had the transfer been completed, Taylor, as the new guardian of Lawrence’s children, could have made a complaint on behalf of Lawrence’s oldest daughter, Maria Lawrence. (Clayton, Journal, 23 Jan. 1844; JS to John Taylor, Article of Agreement, 23 Jan. 1844, JS Office Papers, CHL; Madsen, “Joseph Smith as Guardian,” 196–197, 199–202.)
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
Madsen, Gordon A. “Joseph Smith as Guardian: The Lawrence Estate Case.” Journal of Mormon History 36, no. 3 (2010): 172–211.
(
[Alpheus] Cutler
29 Feb. 1784–10 June 1864. Stonemason. Born in Plainfield, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. Son of Knight Cutler and Elizabeth Boyd. Married Lois Lathrop, 17 Nov. 1808, in Lebanon, Grafton Co., New Hampshire. Moved to Upper Lisle, Broome Co., New York, ca. 1808...
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&
[Reynolds] Cahoon
30 Apr. 1790–29 Apr. 1861. Farmer, tanner, builder. Born at Cambridge, Washington Co., New York. Son of William Cahoon Jr. and Mehitable Hodges. Married Thirza Stiles, 11 Dec. 1810. Moved to northeastern Ohio, 1811. Located at Harpersfield, Ashtabula Co.,...
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are so anxious to get prope[r]ty they will all flit out as soon as th[e]
temple
Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...
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is completed and the faith of th[e] saints ceases from <them)— &>

I walkd out with
woodworth
3 Apr. 1799–after 1860. Architect, laborer, carpenter. Born in Thetford, Orange Co., Vermont. Married Phebe Watrous. Moved to Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., New York, by 1830; to Missouri, by 1839; and to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by 1841. Architect of Nauvoo...
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Source Note
Document Transcript
Page [145]
Document Information
Footnotes
[409]
On 15 June 1844, JS signed a contract with Morrison and Cahoon—with Hiram Kimball and Abraham Hodge standing as security—allowing Morrison and Cahoon to rent the Maid of Iowa from JS, trustee-in-trust for the church, for one hundred dollars per month. The contract was for one month, with the option of extending it to six months if both parties agreed, and Morrison and Cahoon were required to pay the rent in advance. (Contract, JS et al., Hancock Co., IL, 15 June 1844, Helen Vilate Bourne Fleming, Collection, CHL.)
[410]
JS and Hyrum Smith wrote to Tewksbury—identified by Mormon missionary Freeman Nickerson as “the first that was baptized in Boston”—to invite him back into the church. “We understand that you have been cut off from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” the two men wrote, “and feeling an ardent desire for the Salvation of the souls of men, we . . . advise you to be rebaptised . . . thus you may again receive the sweet influences of the holy Ghost, and enjoy the fellowship of the Saints.” (“Latter Day Saints Again,” Times and Seasons, 16 May 1842, 3:797; JS and Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Abijah Tewksbury, Boston, MA, 4 June 1844, copy, JS Collection, CHL.)
[411]
William and Wilson Law.
[412]
In May 1844, a grand jury in Carthage indicted JS on charges of perjury, adultery, and fornication based on testimony provided by William Law, Wilson Law, and Robert D. Foster. JS maintained that he was innocent of the charges. (JS, Journal, 25 May 1844.)
[413]
“Lawrence” was likely meant to be written in this blank space.
[414]
JS planned to transfer his legal guardianship of the deceased Edward Lawrence’s estate to John Taylor and on 23 January 1844 drafted an agreement with Taylor describing the transfer that would free JS from the guardianship. Had the transfer been completed, Taylor, as the new guardian of Lawrence’s children, could have made a complaint on behalf of Lawrence’s oldest daughter, Maria Lawrence. (Clayton, Journal, 23 Jan. 1844; JS to John Taylor, Article of Agreement, 23 Jan. 1844, JS Office Papers, CHL; Madsen, “Joseph Smith as Guardian,” 196–197, 199–202.)
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
Madsen, Gordon A. “Joseph Smith as Guardian: The Lawrence Estate Case.” Journal of Mormon History 36, no. 3 (2010): 172–211.