The Papers
Browse the PapersDocumentsJournalsAdministrative RecordsRevelations and TranslationsHistoriesLegal RecordsFinancial RecordsOther Contemporary Papers
Reference
PeoplePlacesEventsGlossaryLegal GlossaryFinancial GlossaryCalendar of DocumentsWorks CitedFeatured TopicsLesson PlansRelated Publications
Media
VideosPhotographsIllustrationsChartsMapsPodcasts
News
Current NewsArchiveNewsletterSubscribeJSP Conferences
About
About the ProjectJoseph Smith and His PapersFAQAwardsEndorsementsReviewsEditorial MethodNote on TranscriptionsNote on Images of People and PlacesReferencing the ProjectCiting This WebsiteProject TeamContact Us
Published Volumes
  1. Home > 
  2. The Papers > 

Letter from Almon Babbitt, 10 April 1844

Source Note

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....

View Full Bio
, Letter,
Macedonia

Area settled, 1826. Founded by Latter-day Saints, 1839–1840, following exodus from Missouri. Town platted, Aug. 1840. Post office established, Sept. 1840. Incorporated as Macedonia, Mar. 1843. Renamed Webster, 23 July 1847. Population in 1845 about 380. Crooked...

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL, to JS and the
Council of Fifty

An organization intended to establish the political kingdom of God on the earth. An 1842 editorial in the church newspaper stated that the “design of Jehovah” was to “take the reigns of government into his own hand.” On 10 and 11 March 1844, JS and several...

View Glossary
, [
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....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL], 10 Apr. 1844. Featured version copied [between ca. Aug. 1844 and ca. Feb. 1845] in Council of Fifty, “Record,” p. [94]; handwriting of
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...

View Full Bio
; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Council of Fifty, “Record.”

Historical Introduction

On 10 April 1844,
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....

View Full Bio
addressed a letter from
Macedonia

Area settled, 1826. Founded by Latter-day Saints, 1839–1840, following exodus from Missouri. Town platted, Aug. 1840. Post office established, Sept. 1840. Incorporated as Macedonia, Mar. 1843. Renamed Webster, 23 July 1847. Population in 1845 about 380. Crooked...

More Info
, Illinois, to JS and the other members of the
Council of Fifty

An organization intended to establish the political kingdom of God on the earth. An 1842 editorial in the church newspaper stated that the “design of Jehovah” was to “take the reigns of government into his own hand.” On 10 and 11 March 1844, JS and several...

View Glossary
in
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....

More Info
, Illinois, giving notice of his intended absence from the next day’s council meetings. The Council of Fifty was an assembly chaired by JS that included about fifty men concerned with setting up a theocratic government to secure the protection of the
Latter-day Saints

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
’ rights and to prepare for the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Babbitt was admitted as a member of the council on 26 March 1844 and attended subsequent meetings on 4 and 5 April.
1

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 and 26 Mar. 1844; 4–5 and 18 Apr. 1844; see also Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831 [D&C 65].


Because he attended on 5 April, Babbitt knew that the council would reconvene at the newly dedicated
Nauvoo Masonic Hall

Illinois lodge Grand Master Abraham Jonas granted dispensation to establish Nauvoo lodge, 15 Oct. 1841. First lodge meeting held, 29–30 Dec. 1841, in Hyrum Smith’s office. Installation ceremonies held, 15–16 Mar. 1842. Prior to eventual dedication of Masonic...

More Info
on Thursday, 11 April, at nine o’clock in the morning. Regular attendance and punctuality were expected at these meetings. In deference to this expectation—and because he had been late to the 5 April meeting—Babbitt felt compelled to inform JS and the other council members that he would be absent on 11 April and would support any decisions the council made so that it could proceed with official business.
2

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Mar. 1844; 5 and 11 Apr. 1844.


It is unknown how
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....

View Full Bio
transmitted this notice the roughly twenty-five miles from
Macedonia

Area settled, 1826. Founded by Latter-day Saints, 1839–1840, following exodus from Missouri. Town platted, Aug. 1840. Post office established, Sept. 1840. Incorporated as Macedonia, Mar. 1843. Renamed Webster, 23 July 1847. Population in 1845 about 380. Crooked...

More Info
to
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....

More Info
, a distance that would have taken most of a day to travel. He would not have had time to send the letter by post, since he composed it to be read at a meeting the next morning.
3

Babbitt also sent a letter requesting that he be excused from the 6 May 1844 meeting. (See Letter from Almon Babbitt, 5 May 1844.)


He may have asked
Benjamin F. Johnson

28 July 1818–18 Nov. 1905. Brickmaker, merchant, tavern keeper, leatherworker, farmer, nurseryman, beekeeper. Born at Pomfret, Chautauque Co., New York. Son of Ezekiel Johnson and Julia Hills. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1833. Baptized into Church...

View Full Bio
or
John Smith

16 July 1781–23 May 1854. Farmer. Born at Derryfield (later Manchester), Rockingham Co., New Hampshire. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Member of Congregational church. Appointed overseer of highways at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York, 1810. Married...

View Full Bio
—council members who also lived in the Macedonia area—to take the note with them, although both were reportedly absent from the 11 April meeting as well.
4

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844; 18 Apr. 1844.


The letter arrived in Nauvoo in time for the morning meeting on 11 April, which began as scheduled in the
Nauvoo Masonic Hall

Illinois lodge Grand Master Abraham Jonas granted dispensation to establish Nauvoo lodge, 15 Oct. 1841. First lodge meeting held, 29–30 Dec. 1841, in Hyrum Smith’s office. Installation ceremonies held, 15–16 Mar. 1842. Prior to eventual dedication of Masonic...

More Info
at nine o’clock. According to the minutes recorded by council clerk
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...

View Full Bio
, JS—the standing chair of the council—read the note aloud at the start of the meeting, after which the council excused Babbitt.
5

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844. Along with Babbitt, several other council members were reportedly absent from the 11 April meeting, inhibiting the council from enacting resolutions. After excusing Babbitt’s absence, the council sent a messenger to gather the other absent members so that the meeting could proceed according to the rule that all members be present to vote unless excused for official council business. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Mar. 1844.)


During the course of the two sessions held on 11 April, JS introduced the council’s political slogan, reiterated that membership in the council was not limited to members of the church, and affirmed his belief that the Constitution 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 ...

More Info
insufficiently protected the rights of oppressed peoples.
6

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844.


JS likely gave
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....

View Full Bio
’s letter to
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...

View Full Bio
, who may have made a loose-leaf copy of the letter along with his minutes of the 11 April meeting. Regardless, Clayton recorded the letter as part of the minutes in the first volume of the bound Council of Fifty record, likely in February 1845.
7

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Mar. 1844; Historical Introduction to Council of Fifty, “Record”; Clayton, Journal, 18 Aug. 1844; 6 and 20 Sept. 1844; 6, 11, and 12 Feb. 1845. According to his journal, Clayton spent only three days copying council minutes in 1844. He resumed this task in February 1845. Because of the length of material prior to the 11 April 1844 minutes that Clayton had to copy, it is unlikely that he finished this task in the three days he spent working on it in August and September 1844.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

Neither Babbitt’s original letter nor a loose-leaf copy is extant. The version recorded in the minute book is featured here.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 and 26 Mar. 1844; 4–5 and 18 Apr. 1844; see also Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831 [D&C 65].

  2. [2]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Mar. 1844; 5 and 11 Apr. 1844.

  3. [3]

    Babbitt also sent a letter requesting that he be excused from the 6 May 1844 meeting. (See Letter from Almon Babbitt, 5 May 1844.)

  4. [4]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844; 18 Apr. 1844.

  5. [5]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844. Along with Babbitt, several other council members were reportedly absent from the 11 April meeting, inhibiting the council from enacting resolutions. After excusing Babbitt’s absence, the council sent a messenger to gather the other absent members so that the meeting could proceed according to the rule that all members be present to vote unless excused for official council business. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Mar. 1844.)

  6. [6]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844.

  7. [7]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Mar. 1844; Historical Introduction to Council of Fifty, “Record”; Clayton, Journal, 18 Aug. 1844; 6 and 20 Sept. 1844; 6, 11, and 12 Feb. 1845. According to his journal, Clayton spent only three days copying council minutes in 1844. He resumed this task in February 1845. Because of the length of material prior to the 11 April 1844 minutes that Clayton had to copy, it is unlikely that he finished this task in the three days he spent working on it in August and September 1844.

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter from Almon Babbitt, 10 April 1844
*Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845

Page [94]

Macedonia

Area settled, 1826. Founded by Latter-day Saints, 1839–1840, following exodus from Missouri. Town platted, Aug. 1840. Post office established, Sept. 1840. Incorporated as Macedonia, Mar. 1843. Renamed Webster, 23 July 1847. Population in 1845 about 380. Crooked...

More Info
April 10th. 1844. To the Honorable president
1

On 11 March 1844, the Council of Fifty received JS as its “standing chairman.” Thereafter he was often referred to by his official council position of “chairman” but was also often referred to by his church office of “President” or by some abbreviation thereof. For example, William Clayton’s record of the 11 April 1844 meeting begins by noting that “Prest. J. Smith [was] in the chair.” (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Mar. and 11 Apr. 1844.)


and councillors of the kingdom of God, Sirs, Circumstances that is not in my power to controll prevent me from meeting with you on the 11 Inst. I will therefore say from the confidence which I have in your deliberation, I will most cheerfully give my sanction to all measures which may receive your sanction.
Yours very respectfully
A[lmon] W. 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....

View Full Bio
[p. [94]]
View entire transcript

|

Cite this page

Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [94]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Almon Babbitt, 10 April 1844
ID #
13222
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • William Clayton

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    On 11 March 1844, the Council of Fifty received JS as its “standing chairman.” Thereafter he was often referred to by his official council position of “chairman” but was also often referred to by his church office of “President” or by some abbreviation thereof. For example, William Clayton’s record of the 11 April 1844 meeting begins by noting that “Prest. J. Smith [was] in the chair.” (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Mar. and 11 Apr. 1844.)

© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UseUpdated 2021-04-13Privacy NoticeUpdated 2021-04-06