Letter from James M. Adams, 16 November 1842

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Letter from James M. Adams, 16 November 1842
Source Note

James M. Adams
11 May/11 June 1806–20 Aug. 1873. Miller, farmer. Born at Sandisfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of James Adams and Polly Marvin. Married Hannah Elizabeth Root, 12 June 1828, in Ashtabula, Ashtabula Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ ...
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, Letter,
Andover
Township in southeast Ashtabula Co. located about sixty miles northeast of Cleveland. Population in 1840 about 900. Branch of church established in township, 1836. About thirty members of church in area, by 1841.
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, Ashtabula Co., OH, to JS,
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, 16 Nov. 1842; handwriting of
James M. Adams
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; three pages; Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU. Includes address, docket, and archival marking.

Bifolium measuring 10⅛ × 7⅞ inches (26 × 20 cm) when folded. The letter was inscribed in blue ink. It was trifolded twice in letter style with the outer edge of the second leaf folded in a triangular pattern to form a seal flap. The letter was addressed and sealed with an adhesive wafer, which was pressed with a blind-stamp pattern of three circles.

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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received the letter, likely by 25 January 1843, when he recorded the reception of the donations associated with the letter,
1
Book of the Law of the Lord, 279–280.
and docketed it. In late 1844, following JS’s death,
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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Newel K. Whitney
3/5 Feb. 1795–23 Sept. 1850. Trader, merchant. Born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Moved to Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York, 1803. Merchant at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for...
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became one of the interim church trustees and was appointed “first bishop” among other
Nauvoo
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bishops.
2
Richards, Journal, 9 Aug. 1844; “Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 1 Nov. 1844, 5:693; see also Minutes, Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, 1:30.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
It was presumably during this time that many of the church’s financial and other administrative records passed into his possession. This document, along with many other personal and institutional documents that Whitney kept, was inherited by Newel K. and
Elizabeth Ann Smith Whitney
26 Dec. 1800–15 Feb. 1882. Born at Derby, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Daughter of Gibson Smith and Polly Bradley. Moved to Ohio, 1819. Married Newel K. Whitney, 20 Oct. 1822, at Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio. Shortly after, joined reformed Baptist (later Disciples...
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’s daughter Mary Jane Whitney, who was married to Isaac Groo. The documents were passed down within the Groo family. Between 1969 and 1974, the Groo family donated their collection of Newel K. Whitney’s papers to the J. Reuben Clark Library (renamed Harold B. Lee Library in 1973) at Brigham Young University.
3
Andrus and Fuller, Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 24; Wilkinson et al., Brigham Young University, 4:255.
Andrus, Hyrum L., and Chris Fuller, comp. Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers. Provo, UT: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, 1978.
Wilkinson, Ernest L., Leonard J. Arrington, and Bruce C. Hafen, eds. Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years. Vol. 4. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1976.
Footnotes
[1]
Book of the Law of the Lord, 279–280.
[2]
Richards, Journal, 9 Aug. 1844; “Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 1 Nov. 1844, 5:693; see also Minutes, Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, 1:30.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
[3]
Andrus and Fuller, Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 24; Wilkinson et al., Brigham Young University, 4:255.
Andrus, Hyrum L., and Chris Fuller, comp. Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers. Provo, UT: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, 1978.
Wilkinson, Ernest L., Leonard J. Arrington, and Bruce C. Hafen, eds. Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years. Vol. 4. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1976.
Historical Introduction
On 16 November 1842,
James M. Adams
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wrote to JS informing him of the status of the
branch
An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...
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of 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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in
Andover
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, Ohio. Adams had presided over the Saints in Andover since at least 1837.
1
Erastus Snow, Troy, NY, to Don Carlos Smith, Kirtland, OH, 2 Dec. 1837, in Elders’ Journal, Nov. 1837, 22; Erastus Snow, Journal, 1835–1837, [84], [86].
Snow, Erastus. Journals, 1835–1851; 1856–1857. CHL. MS 1329, box 1, fds. 1–3.
By 1841 there were about thirty members of the church in the area,
2
“Minutes of a Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 July 1841, 2:459.
though in his letter Adams noted that “a number” of individuals had been
baptized
An ordinance in which an individual is immersed in water for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon explained that those with necessary authority were to baptize individuals who had repented of their sins. Baptized individuals also received the gift of...
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since that time. The occasion for Adams writing this letter seems to have been the arrival of Samuel Russell, a church member who was on his way to
Nauvoo
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, Illinois, after attending to personal financial business in the eastern
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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.
3
The letter identifies this individual only as Brother Russell, but when the editors of JS’s history fleshed out some of JS’s later remarks regarding the donations referenced in this letter, they identified Samuel Russell as the church member who brought the letter and donations to Nauvoo. (JS History, vol. D-1, 1514–1515.)
It appears Adams quickly made arrangements with Russell to carry the
tithing
A free-will offering of one-tenth of a person’s annual interest or income, given to the church for its use. The Book of Mormon and JS’s revision of the Bible explained that “even our father Abraham paid tithes of one tenth part of all he possessed.” Additionally...
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donations from the Andover branch with him to Nauvoo; Adams then scrambled to gather what donations he could from the branch with only a few days of notice. Once Adams had assembled the donated goods, he penned this letter to JS describing the conditions of the church in Andover and providing an inventory of their donations. Adams then gave the letter and goods to Russell to transport to Nauvoo.

Russell arrived in
Nauvoo
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by 13 January 1843 and probably presented the letter and most of the
Andover
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branch’s goods to the temple recorder on that date.
4
William Clayton recorded the Andover branch’s donations in the Book of the Law of the Lord on 25 January 1843, but this likely represented a recording date rather than a reception date. JS’s journal entry for 13 January implies that the goods had already been delivered by that time. (Book of the Law of the Lord, 279–280; JS, Journal, 13 Jan. 1843.)
However, Russell did not differentiate between the cash donations from Andover and his own financial resources. After Russell arrived in Nauvoo, his brother,
Daniel Russell
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, argued that Samuel had used too much of the family’s money on his business in the East and claimed twenty dollars of donations from the Andover branch as well as twenty-five pounds of dried apples to recoup these costs. The day he arrived in Nauvoo, Samuel met with JS to explain the problem. Although JS subsequently spoke to Daniel, he was unsuccessful in retrieving the donated money or apples.
5
JS, Journal, 13 Jan. and 6 Apr. 1843; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843; see also “Special Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, 4:182; and JS History, vol. D-1, 1514–1515.
Historian’s Office. General Church Minutes, 1839–1877. CHL

The loss of the tithing money from the
Andover
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branch was representative of a broader problem with tithing donations at this time. In spring 1843, JS stated that “many complaints [have] come to me of money being sent which I never received.” Indeed, at a 6 April 1843
conference
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
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of the church, JS complained that
elders
A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...
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collecting donations for the church “have had to[o] great latitude to practise fraud.” JS argued that measures should be taken to ensure that only authorized
agents
A specific church office and, more generally, someone “entrusted with the business of another.” Agents in the church assisted other ecclesiastical officers, especially the bishop in his oversight of the church’s temporal affairs. A May 1831 revelation instructed...
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of the church or members of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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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received donations on behalf of the church and that even then, the agents or apostles should be held strictly accountable for all the money they received. During his sermon, JS used the loss of the Andover branch’s tithing donations as an example for why tighter regulations were needed.
6
JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1843; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843; see also “Special Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, 4:182; and JS History, vol. D-1, 1514–1515.
Footnotes
[1]
Erastus Snow, Troy, NY, to Don Carlos Smith, Kirtland, OH, 2 Dec. 1837, in Elders’ Journal, Nov. 1837, 22; Erastus Snow, Journal, 1835–1837, [84], [86].
Snow, Erastus. Journals, 1835–1851; 1856–1857. CHL. MS 1329, box 1, fds. 1–3.
[2]
“Minutes of a Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 July 1841, 2:459.
[3]
The letter identifies this individual only as Brother Russell, but when the editors of JS’s history fleshed out some of JS’s later remarks regarding the donations referenced in this letter, they identified Samuel Russell as the church member who brought the letter and donations to Nauvoo. (JS History, vol. D-1, 1514–1515.)
[4]
William Clayton recorded the Andover branch’s donations in the Book of the Law of the Lord on 25 January 1843, but this likely represented a recording date rather than a reception date. JS’s journal entry for 13 January implies that the goods had already been delivered by that time. (Book of the Law of the Lord, 279–280; JS, Journal, 13 Jan. 1843.)
[5]
JS, Journal, 13 Jan. and 6 Apr. 1843; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843; see also “Special Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, 4:182; and JS History, vol. D-1, 1514–1515.
[6]
JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1843; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843; see also “Special Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, 4:182; and JS History, vol. D-1, 1514–1515.
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to light caused the Kingdom of God to grow & flourish its Judges is bein[g] restored as at the first & its counsellors as at the beginning.
9
See Isaiah 1:26.

Before I close my communication I would say a word respecting the members of this
branch
An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...
View Glossary
of 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...
View Glossary
relitive to there situation temporaly. Generaly speking we are poor as to the things of this world but I hope that some are rich in faith & will become heirs of the Kingdom.
10
See James 2:5.
Notwithstanding our poverty we are anxious to send up our mits [mites?] to assist in accomplishg the great work of God in building the
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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according to revilation.
11
A January 1841 revelation called for the building of a temple at Nauvoo and instructed the Saints to gather there with “all your precious things of the earth” to assist in construction. Later epistles from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles specified that the temple was to be financed using tithing or consecrations to the church. (Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:27]; Brigham Young et al., “Baptism for the Dead,” Times and Seasons, 15 Dec. 1841, 3:625–627; Brigham Young et al., “An Epistle of the Twelve,” Times and Seasons, 2 May 1842, 3:767–769.)
I have therefore used my best endeavours to gather what I could for this most glorious object As an opertunity is offereded us of sending by Br [Samuel] Russell. It is but a little that we shall be able to send at this time as <we had> only a day or two notice that there would be an oppertunity of sending this faul. We shall calculate to send somthing more in the spring when Br
Lyman Wight
9 May 1796–31 Mar. 1858. Farmer. Born at Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York. Son of Levi Wight Jr. and Sarah Corbin. Served in War of 1812. Married Harriet Benton, 5 Jan. 1823, at Henrietta, Monroe Co., New York. Moved to Warrensville, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, ...
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returns.
12
Wight had recently passed through the region while on a mission to some of his relatives living in upstate New York. He likely informed James M. Adams that he was planning to return to Nauvoo the next year. (Lyman Wight, Mountain Valley, TX, to Wilford Woodruff, [Salt Lake City, Utah Territory], 24 Aug. 1857, p. 12, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861, CHL; “Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 15 Nov. 1842, 4:15; see also Letter from Lester Brooks, 7 Nov. 1842.)
Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.

I will give below a list of the articles sent & the togather with the nam[e]s of those who sent them & wish the worth amount placed to ther credit to apply on there
tithing
A free-will offering of one-tenth of a person’s annual interest or income, given to the church for its use. The Book of Mormon and JS’s revision of the Bible explained that “even our father Abraham paid tithes of one tenth part of all he possessed.” Additionally...
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. I Close by subscribing myself your brother in the bonds of the
new & everlasting covenent
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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James M Adams
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Joseph Smith

Donors Names} {Articles Sent

James M. Adams
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(Cash—— $10.00

(one Pair Shoes

(Seven yard Flanel

(one Pair Socks

(Paid to
Lyman Wight
9 May 1796–31 Mar. 1858. Farmer. Born at Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York. Son of Levi Wight Jr. and Sarah Corbin. Served in War of 1812. Married Harriet Benton, 5 Jan. 1823, at Henrietta, Monroe Co., New York. Moved to Warrensville, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, ...
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ten Dollars

David H. Parsons (two yards and three fourths of fulled cloth
13
“Fulled cloth” could refer either to cloth that had been cleaned or to cloth that had been thickened. (“Fulled,” in American Dictionary, 727.)
An American Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibit, I. the Origin, Affinities and Primary Signification of English Words, as far as They Have Been Ascertained. . . . Edited by Noah Webster. New York: S. Converse, 1828.

(two Pair Socks

(one Pair mittens

David Holman twenty five Pounds Dried Aples

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Footnotes
[9]
See Isaiah 1:26.
[10]
See James 2:5.
[11]
A January 1841 revelation called for the building of a temple at Nauvoo and instructed the Saints to gather there with “all your precious things of the earth” to assist in construction. Later epistles from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles specified that the temple was to be financed using tithing or consecrations to the church. (Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:27]; Brigham Young et al., “Baptism for the Dead,” Times and Seasons, 15 Dec. 1841, 3:625–627; Brigham Young et al., “An Epistle of the Twelve,” Times and Seasons, 2 May 1842, 3:767–769.)
[12]
Wight had recently passed through the region while on a mission to some of his relatives living in upstate New York. He likely informed James M. Adams that he was planning to return to Nauvoo the next year. (Lyman Wight, Mountain Valley, TX, to Wilford Woodruff, [Salt Lake City, Utah Territory], 24 Aug. 1857, p. 12, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861, CHL; “Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 15 Nov. 1842, 4:15; see also Letter from Lester Brooks, 7 Nov. 1842.)
Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.
[13]
“Fulled cloth” could refer either to cloth that had been cleaned or to cloth that had been thickened. (“Fulled,” in American Dictionary, 727.)
An American Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibit, I. the Origin, Affinities and Primary Signification of English Words, as far as They Have Been Ascertained. . . . Edited by Noah Webster. New York: S. Converse, 1828.