Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 February 1840–B

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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 ...
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, 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
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wrote two letters to JS from
Washington DC
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. 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
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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...
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, Illinois, where JS would have received it after he returned from
Washington
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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.
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...
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copied the version featured here into JS Letterbook 2 sometime between April and June 1840.
3
Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.
Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.
Footnotes
[1]
See Historical Introduction to Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 Feb. 1840–A.
[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.
[3]
Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.
Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 February 1840–B Letterbook 2
Page 97
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In my remarks
9
This refers to Higbee’s remarks to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. (See Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 Feb. 1840–A.)
I refered you to a resolution passed at a large meeting of the citizens of
Ray County
Located in northwestern Missouri. Area settled, 1815. Created from Howard Co., 1820. Initially included all state land north of Missouri River and west of Grand River. Population in 1830 about 2,700; in 1836 about 6,600; and in 1840 about 6,600. Latter-day...
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(which was), all mormons who would deny their religion should be protected in
Caldwell County
Located in northwest Missouri. Settled by whites, by 1831. Described as being “one-third timber and two-thirds prairie” in 1836. Created specifically for Latter-day Saints by Missouri state legislature, 29 Dec. 1836, in attempt to solve “Mormon problem.” ...
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or any other County in the
State
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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. The resolution was published in the Newspapers at
Liberty
Located in western Missouri, thirteen miles north of Independence. Settled 1820. Clay Co. seat, 1822. Incorporated as town, May 1829. Following expulsion from Jackson Co., 1833, many Latter-day Saints found refuge in Clay Co., with church leaders and other...
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, & I think copied by the Mo. Republican.
10
The 24 October 1838 meeting held in Richmond, Missouri, at which this resolution was passed, opened with a report on the burning of homes in Daviess County, Missouri. (“The Mormon War Again,” Jeffersonian Republican [Jefferson City, MO], 3 Nov. 1838, [2].)
Jeffersonian Republican. Jefferson City, MO. 1831–1844.
I wish you would send me a Paper that contains that statement if you can find such a one; also the affidavits concerning false swearing by
[Sampson] Avard
23 Oct. 1800–15 Apr. 1869. Physician. Born at St. Peter, Isle of Guernsey, Channel Islands, Great Britain. Migrated to U.S., by 1830. Married Eliza, a native of Virginia. Located at Washington DC, 1830. Moved to Virginia, by 1831. Moved to Freedom, Beaver...
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[George M.] Hinkle
13 Nov. 1801–Nov. 1861. Merchant, physician, publisher, minister, farmer. Born in Jefferson Co., Kentucky. Son of Michael Hinkle and Nancy Higgins. Married first Sarah Ann Starkey. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1832. Moved to ...
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& Co
11
JS believed that Hinkle had betrayed him, leading to the arrest of JS and other church leaders. Avard and Hinkle were later among the men who testified against JS in a Missouri court. (LeSueur, 1838 Mormon War in Missouri, 170–173; Baugh, “Call to Arms,” 330–332; Sampson Avard, Testimony, Richmond, MO, Nov. 1838, pp. [2]–[23]; George M. Hinkle, Testimony, Richmond, MO, Nov. 1838, pp. [38]–[45], State of Missouri v. JS et al. for Treason and Other Crimes [Mo. 5th Jud. Cir. 1838], in State of Missouri, “Evidence.”)
LeSueur, Stephen C. The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1987.
Baugh, Alexander L. “A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri.” PhD diss., Brigham Young University, 1996. Also available as A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri, Dissertations in Latter-day Saint History (Provo, UT: Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History; BYU Studies, 2000).
or to prove their rascality or bad character and direct the same to
Judge Young
20 Feb. 1798–28 Nov. 1861. Attorney, judge, politician. Born in Fayette Co., Kentucky. Moved to Jonesboro, Union Co., Illinois Territory. Admitted to Illinois bar, 1817, in Jonesboro. Served as state representative from Union Co., 1820–1822. Married Matilda...
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—

E. Higbee
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[p. 97]
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Source Note
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Page 97
Document Information
Related Case Documents
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
[9]
This refers to Higbee’s remarks to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. (See Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 Feb. 1840–A.)
[10]
The 24 October 1838 meeting held in Richmond, Missouri, at which this resolution was passed, opened with a report on the burning of homes in Daviess County, Missouri. (“The Mormon War Again,” Jeffersonian Republican [Jefferson City, MO], 3 Nov. 1838, [2].)
Jeffersonian Republican. Jefferson City, MO. 1831–1844.
[11]
JS believed that Hinkle had betrayed him, leading to the arrest of JS and other church leaders. Avard and Hinkle were later among the men who testified against JS in a Missouri court. (LeSueur, 1838 Mormon War in Missouri, 170–173; Baugh, “Call to Arms,” 330–332; Sampson Avard, Testimony, Richmond, MO, Nov. 1838, pp. [2]–[23]; George M. Hinkle, Testimony, Richmond, MO, Nov. 1838, pp. [38]–[45], State of Missouri v. JS et al. for Treason and Other Crimes [Mo. 5th Jud. Cir. 1838], in State of Missouri, “Evidence.”)
LeSueur, Stephen C. The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1987.
Baugh, Alexander L. “A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri.” PhD diss., Brigham Young University, 1996. Also available as A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri, Dissertations in Latter-day Saint History (Provo, UT: Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History; BYU Studies, 2000).