Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 February 1840–B

Source Note

Elias Higbee
23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...
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, Letter,
Washington DC
Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...
More Info
, to JS, [
Commerce
Located near middle of western boundary of state, bordering Mississippi River. European Americans settled area, 1820s. From bank of river, several feet above high-water mark, ground described as nearly level for six or seven blocks before gradually sloping...
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, Hancock Co., IL?], 20 Feb. 1840. Featured version copied [between Apr. and June 1840] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 96–97; handwriting of
Howard Coray
6 May 1817–16 Jan. 1908. Bookkeeper, clerk, teacher, farmer. Born in Dansville, Steuben Co., New York. Son of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens. Moved to Providence, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, ca. 1827; to Williams, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania, by 1830; and...
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; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 2.
Historical Introduction
On 20 February 1840,
Elias Higbee
23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...
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wrote two letters to JS from
Washington DC
Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...
More Info
. In the first letter, Higbee discussed testimony he had presented before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which was considering the
church
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...
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’s memorial to Congress. The letter featured here refers to that account of Higbee’s remarks, indicating that this was the second letter he wrote that day.
1
See Historical Introduction to Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 Feb. 1840–A.
In this letter, Higbee addressed matters associated with the travel expenses of the church’s delegation to the federal government. He also requested that certain documents—including affidavits and newspaper articles that supported statements he had made before the judiciary committee—be sent to him so that he could present them to the committee.

Higbee
23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...
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presumably sent this letter by post to
Commerce
Located near middle of western boundary of state, bordering Mississippi River. European Americans settled area, 1820s. From bank of river, several feet above high-water mark, ground described as nearly level for six or seven blocks before gradually sloping...
More Info
, Illinois, where JS would have received it after he returned from
Washington
Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...
More Info
on or before 29 February 1840.
2
John Smith, Journal, 1836–1840, 29 Feb. 1840, [58].
Comprehensive Works Cited
Smith, John (1781-1854). Journal, 1833–1841. John Smith, Papers, 1833-1854. CHL. MS 1326, box 1, fd. 1.
The original letter is not extant.
Howard Coray
6 May 1817–16 Jan. 1908. Bookkeeper, clerk, teacher, farmer. Born in Dansville, Steuben Co., New York. Son of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens. Moved to Providence, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, ca. 1827; to Williams, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania, by 1830; and...
View Full Bio
copied the version featured here into JS Letterbook 2 sometime between April and June 1840.
3
Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.

Footnotes
1. 1
  See Historical Introduction to Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 Feb. 1840–A.
2. 2
  John Smith, Journal, 1836–1840, 29 Feb. 1840, [58].
  
  Smith, John (1781-1854). Journal, 1833–1841. John Smith, Papers, 1833-1854. CHL. MS 1326, box 1, fd. 1.
3. 3
  Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.
  
  Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.

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Feb 20th. 1840

Dear Brother

I received a letter this morning from ; who writes that he missed having the chills one week but that it had returned again— I forwarded him a letter from . Mr’s Richey has just received a letter from Baltimore in answer to one that she lately sent, stating that none of our are there preaching; which gives me reason to think that is not there. I have recd. the letter you gave me, mailed at . has gone home,

Mr. Richards has forsaken use, and And also has not paid me the money which we lent him.

says he has not recd. any funds yet. I was obliged I was obliged to let have money to go home, and likewis[e] to pay his board here; which will take about all the borrowed money we owed him. Consequently it will not be many weeks before I shall send for more

made no objections to honoring the order from . I wish you would comfort my wife. If you have an opportunity I should be very glad to receive a word of comfort by letter or by the Boys. writes for me not to think of publishing the documents now as we have not the means of so doing. I shall write again soon. Be assured as ever of the best feelings of my heart. Give my love to all enquiring friends

Jos. Smith Jr.}

P.S. I do not preach publickly just now for I have not time: but am preaching privately. Some of them have got so much self righteousness that I have not been able [to] do much with them yet. yet [p. 96]

Feb 20th. 1840

Dear Brother

Mr. Richards has forsaken use, And also has not paid me the money which we lent him.

says he has not recd. any funds yet. I was obliged I was obliged to let have money to go home, and likewise to pay his board here; which will take about all the borrowed money we owed him. Consequently it will not be many weeks before I shall send for more

Jos. Smith Jr.}

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Document Information
Editorial Title
Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 February 1840–B
ID #
2741
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D7:186–188
Handwriting on This Page
- Howard Coray
Footnotes
1. 1
  Rigdon was sick during the entire journey to the eastern United States, which delayed the delegation’s travel and caused JS and Higbee to continue to Washington DC ahead of Rigdon, Robert D. Foster, and Orrin Porter Rockwell. After Rigdon joined JS and Higbee in Philadelphia, he was apparently still unwell and did not return to Washington with JS and Higbee; he was still in Philadelphia at this time. This letter from Rigdon is apparently not extant. (Historical Introduction to Letter of Introduction from Sidney Rigdon, 9 Nov. 1839; Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 14 and 27 Jan. 1840, 2.)
2. 2
  It is unclear where Babbitt was at the time Higbee wrote this letter. According to Benjamin Johnson, Babbitt and his wife, Julia Johnson Babbitt, had left to serve a mission to the eastern United States in late 1839. Benjamin Winchester reported that Babbitt was preaching in Philadelphia by April 1840. (Johnson, “A Life Review,” 58, 62; “Important Church News,” Times and Seasons, May 1840, 1:109.)
  
  Johnson, Benjamin Franklin. “A Life Review,” after 1893. Benjamin Franklin Johnson, Papers, 1852–1911. CHL. MS 1289 box 1, fd. 1.
  Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
3. 3
  The letter JS mailed to Higbee from Dayton, Ohio, while JS was traveling back to Commerce from the eastern states is apparently not extant.
4. 4
  Parley P. Pratt had been in Washington DC for a few weeks to help JS and Higbee muster popular support for the church’s efforts to petition the federal government for redress and reparations. Pratt then returned to New York City, where he and his family were living, for several months before he traveled with the other apostles to England. (Higbee and Pratt, Address by Judge Higbee and Parley P. Pratt, 4; Letter from Elias Higbee, 9 Mar. 1840; [Parley P. Pratt], “Sketches of Travels in America, and Voyage to England,” LDS Millennial Star, July 1840, 1:50–51.)
  
  Pratt, Parley P., and Elias Higbee. An Address by Judge Higbee and Parley P. Pratt, Ministers of the Gospel, of the Church of Jesus Christ of “Latter-day Saints,” to the Citizens of Washington, and to the Public in General. N.p., 1840.
  Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.
5. 5
  Upon arriving in Washington DC, JS and Higbee wrote home asking for additional money to cover their expenses. They also made arrangements with Young to draw money from his Washington bank accounts. Church leaders could then repay these loans by depositing money into Young’s bank accounts in Illinois. (Letter to Hyrum Smith and Nauvoo High Council, 5 Dec. 1839; Letter from Hyrum Smith, 2 Jan. 1840.)
6. 6
  Higbee’s wife, Sarah Ward Higbee, was apparently living in the vicinity of Carthage, Illinois, at this time. (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 29 Oct. 1839, 66.)
7. 7
  Possibly a reference to Higbee’s sons, Francis and Chauncey, or to male friends in Commerce.
8. 8
  This sentence likely refers to the collection of documents the delegation intended to publish and publicly distribute, including their memorial to Congress and the affidavits they submitted to accompany it. (See Memorial to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, ca. 30 Oct. 1839–27 Jan. 1840; and Letter from Elias Higbee, 24 Mar. 1840.)

Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 February 1840–B

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