Letter from Heber C. Kimball and Others, 25 May 1840

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Letter from Heber C. Kimball and Others, 25 May 1840
Source Note

Heber C. Kimball
14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...
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,
Joseph Fielding
26 Mar. 1797–19 Dec. 1863. Farmer. Born at Honeydon, Bedfordshire, England. Son of John Fielding and Rachel Ibbotson. Immigrated to Upper Canada, 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Parley P. Pratt, 21 May 1836, in Black Creek...
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, and
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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, Letter,
Preston
Town located on River Ribble, approximately 216 miles northwest of London. Population in 1831 about 33,000. Population in 1841 about 35,000. First Latter-day Saint mission to England established, 1837–1838, with most efforts concentrated in town and surrounding...
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, Lancashire, England, to the First Presidency (including JS), high council, and bishop,
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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[
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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], Hancock Co., IL, 25 May 1840. Featured version copied [ca. late July 1840] in JS Letterbook 2, p. 168; 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 25 May 1840,
apostle
Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...
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Heber C. Kimball
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and British mission
presidency
An organized body of leaders over priesthood quorums and other ecclesiastical organizations. A November 1831 revelation first described the office of president over the high priesthood and the church as a whole. By 1832, JS and two counselors constituted ...
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members
Joseph Fielding
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and
William Clayton
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wrote a letter from
Preston
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, England, to
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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leaders in
Nauvoo
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, Illinois.
1
Fielding was appointed as president of the British mission on 8 April 1838, with Clayton as his second counselor. (Thompson, Journal of Heber C. Kimball, 37–38; Fielding, Journal, 10 Apr. 1838, 60.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Thompson, Robert B. Journal of Heber C. Kimball an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Nauvoo, IL: Robinson and Smith, 1840.
Fielding, Joseph. Journals, 1837–1859. CHL. MS 1567.
The letter introduced a group of Latter-day Saints immigrating to the Nauvoo area from the Preston region.
Brigham Young
1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...
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described this group, which consisted of forty-one individuals, as the “first Company of Saints from
England
Island nation consisting of southern portion of Great Britain and surrounding smaller islands. Bounded on north by Scotland and on west by Wales. Became province of Roman Empire, first century. Ruled by Romans, through 447. Ruled by Picts, Scots, and Saxons...
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.”
2
Historian’s Office, Brigham Young History Drafts, 40.
Historian’s Office. Brigham Young History Drafts, 1856–1858. CHL. CR 100 475, box 1, fd. 5.
The company—led by John Moon, a cousin of Clayton’s wife,
Ruth Moon Clayton
13 June 1817–15 Jan. 1894. Born in Eccleston Parish, Lancashire, England. Daughter of Thomas Moon and Lydia Plumb. Married William Clayton, 9 Oct. 1836, in Penwortham, Lancashire. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber C. Kimball...
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—departed
Liverpool
Seaport, city, county borough, and market-town in northwestern England. Experienced exponential growth during nineteenth century. Population in 1830 about 120,000. Population in 1841 about 290,000. First Latter-day Saint missionaries to England arrived in...
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on 6 June 1840 and arrived in
New York City
Dutch founded New Netherland colony, 1625. Incorporated under British control and renamed New York, 1664. Harbor contributed to economic and population growth of city; became largest city in American colonies. British troops defeated Continental Army under...
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on 20 July.
3
William Clayton, Penwortham, England, to Brigham Young and Willard Richards, Manchester, England, 19 Aug. 1840, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL. The Saints reached New York Harbor on 17 July but were held in quarantine for three days before being allowed to disembark. (Allen and Alexander, Manchester Mormons, 98.)
Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.
Allen, James B., and Thomas G. Alexander, eds. Manchester Mormons: The Journal of William Clayton, 1840 to 1842. Santa Barbara, CA: Peregrine Smith, 1974.

Kimball
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,
Fielding
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, and
Clayton
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may have mailed this letter to
Nauvoo
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. Alternatively, they may have entrusted it to John Moon or another member of the company, who may have posted it upon arrival in
New York
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. Had Moon carried the letter all the way to Nauvoo, it would not have reached church leaders until almost a year after it was written. Though the company of Saints departed
New York City
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overland for Nauvoo only eight days after they arrived in 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 ...
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, they stayed almost eight months in the
Pittsburgh
Also spelled Pittsbourg, Pittsbourgh, and Pittsburg. Major industrial port city in southwestern Pennsylvania. Near location where Monongahela and Allegheny rivers converge to form Ohio River. French established Fort Du Quesne, 1754. British captured fort,...
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area and did not arrive in
Montrose
Located in southern part of county on western shore of Mississippi River. Area settled by Captain James White, 1832, following Black Hawk War. Federal government purchased land from White to create Fort Des Moines, 1834. Fort abandoned; remaining settlement...
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, Iowa Territory—across the
Mississippi River
Principal U.S. river running southward from Itasca Lake, Minnesota, to Gulf of Mexico. Covered 3,160-mile course, 1839 (now about 2,350 miles). Drains about 1,100,000 square miles. Steamboat travel on Mississippi very important in 1830s and 1840s for shipping...
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from Nauvoo—until April 1841.
4
“Book of the Life of Hugh Moon,” 25–26.
“The Book of the Life of Hugh Moon.” In Biographical Sketches of the Moon Family of Malad, Idaho, compiled by Deseret Moon, Elva E. Moon, Ellen Greer Rees, and Lavern Ward, 23–38. Provo, UT, 1955. Copy at BYU.
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 letter into JS Letterbook 2 likely sometime around the end of July 1840.
5
The letter is preceded and followed in the letterbook by incoming and outgoing JS correspondence dated to the last two weeks of July 1840. (Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 28 July 1840; Letter from John C. Bennett, 25 July 1840.)
Footnotes
[1]
Fielding was appointed as president of the British mission on 8 April 1838, with Clayton as his second counselor. (Thompson, Journal of Heber C. Kimball, 37–38; Fielding, Journal, 10 Apr. 1838, 60.)
Thompson, Robert B. Journal of Heber C. Kimball an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Nauvoo, IL: Robinson and Smith, 1840.
Fielding, Joseph. Journals, 1837–1859. CHL. MS 1567.
[2]
Historian’s Office, Brigham Young History Drafts, 40.
Historian’s Office. Brigham Young History Drafts, 1856–1858. CHL. CR 100 475, box 1, fd. 5.
[3]
William Clayton, Penwortham, England, to Brigham Young and Willard Richards, Manchester, England, 19 Aug. 1840, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL. The Saints reached New York Harbor on 17 July but were held in quarantine for three days before being allowed to disembark. (Allen and Alexander, Manchester Mormons, 98.)
Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.
Allen, James B., and Thomas G. Alexander, eds. Manchester Mormons: The Journal of William Clayton, 1840 to 1842. Santa Barbara, CA: Peregrine Smith, 1974.
[4]
“Book of the Life of Hugh Moon,” 25–26.
“The Book of the Life of Hugh Moon.” In Biographical Sketches of the Moon Family of Malad, Idaho, compiled by Deseret Moon, Elva E. Moon, Ellen Greer Rees, and Lavern Ward, 23–38. Provo, UT, 1955. Copy at BYU.
[5]
The letter is preceded and followed in the letterbook by incoming and outgoing JS correspondence dated to the last two weeks of July 1840. (Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 28 July 1840; Letter from John C. Bennett, 25 July 1840.)
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from Heber C. Kimball and Others, 25 May 1840 Letterbook 2 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”
Page 168
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Preston
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May 25th. 1840

To the
Presidency
The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...
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,
High Council
A governing body of twelve high priests. The first high council was organized in Kirtland, Ohio, on 17 February 1834 “for the purpose of settling important difficulties which might arise in the church, which could not be settled by the church, or the bishop...
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and
Bishop
An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. JS appointed Edward Partridge as the first bishop in February 1831. Following this appointment, Partridge functioned as the local leader of the church in Missouri. Later revelations described a bishop’s duties as receiving...
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of the
Church of Jesus Christ of 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...
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at
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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We commend to your notice the bretheren and sisters having <that have> commendation commendatory letters from us of this date,
1
No letters of recommendation from Kimball, Fielding, or Clayton bearing this date have been located.
that you will do all that you consistently can for them. for I verily believe they have the utmost confidence in you, and will receive with gratitude your ad[v]ice and instruction, and cheerfully submit to the rules and regulations of the church. They have our blessings, and we trust their subsequent conduct will entitle them <to> your <blessings> also and the church generally.

We rejoice that we can say the work of God here is in a prosperous way, yea, we rejoice greatly at the aspect of the times, expecting the time to be not far distant when the standard of truth will be conspicuously raised throughout this Land.
2
Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and their associates in the British mission had enjoyed considerable success in their proselytizing efforts. At the general conference of the church held in Preston the previous month, representatives gave reports of thirty-three local congregations, the membership of which totaled over 1,600. In the six weeks prior to the conference, Wilford Woodruff baptized 158 people near Ledbury, England, and reported another 200 were ready to be baptized (30 of whom were baptized prior to Woodruff’s return from Preston). (“From England,” Times and Seasons, June 1840, 1:119–122; Clayton, Diary, 15 Apr. 1840; Woodruff, Journal, 14–16 Apr. 1840.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
We have witnessed the flowing of the saints towards
Zion
A specific location in Missouri; also a literal or figurative gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, characterized by adherence to ideals of harmony, equality, and purity. In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the ...
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, the stream has begun and we expect to see it continue running, till it shall have drained the salt or the light from Babylon, when we hope to shout Hosana home.
3
Although John Moon’s company was the first group of English Latter-day Saints to emigrate, the second company, led by Theodore Turley, departed Liverpool on 8 September 1840 and arrived in Nauvoo five months earlier than the first company, on 24 November 1840. According to Clayton—who, with his family, emigrated with Turley’s group—this much larger second company numbered 201 individuals. (Clayton, Diary, 8 Sept. and 24 Nov. 1840.)

Dear brethren accept our love, and present it to the church of your bretheren in the
new and everlasting covenant
Generally referred to the “fulness of the gospel”—the sum total of the church’s message, geared toward establishing God’s covenant people on the earth; also used to describe individual elements of the gospel, including marriage. According to JS, the everlasting...
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Heber C Kimball
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)

Joseph Fielding
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)

William Clayton
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) [p. 168]
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Source Note
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Page 168
Document Information
Footnotes
[1]
No letters of recommendation from Kimball, Fielding, or Clayton bearing this date have been located.
[2]
Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and their associates in the British mission had enjoyed considerable success in their proselytizing efforts. At the general conference of the church held in Preston the previous month, representatives gave reports of thirty-three local congregations, the membership of which totaled over 1,600. In the six weeks prior to the conference, Wilford Woodruff baptized 158 people near Ledbury, England, and reported another 200 were ready to be baptized (30 of whom were baptized prior to Woodruff’s return from Preston). (“From England,” Times and Seasons, June 1840, 1:119–122; Clayton, Diary, 15 Apr. 1840; Woodruff, Journal, 14–16 Apr. 1840.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
[3]
Although John Moon’s company was the first group of English Latter-day Saints to emigrate, the second company, led by Theodore Turley, departed Liverpool on 8 September 1840 and arrived in Nauvoo five months earlier than the first company, on 24 November 1840. According to Clayton—who, with his family, emigrated with Turley’s group—this much larger second company numbered 201 individuals. (Clayton, Diary, 8 Sept. and 24 Nov. 1840.)