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Letter from Joseph L. Heywood, 23 October 1843

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Letter from Joseph L. Heywood, 23 October 1843

Source Note

, Letter, , Adams Co., IL, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 23 Oct. 1843; handwriting and signature of ; two pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, enclosure, wafer seal, and dockets. Included enclosure (not extant).
Bifolium measuring 9¾ × 7¾ inches (25 × 20 cm). The bifolium appears to have been manufactured specially for letter writing; the recto of the first leaf is ruled with twenty-six lines printed in blue ink with header space, the verso of the first leaf and the recto of the second are ruled with twenty-eight printed lines with no header space, and the verso of the second leaf was left blank for addressing. The letter was inscribed on the recto and verso of the first leaf; the recto of the second leaf is blank. The document was folded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. There is a hole on the second leaf, probably from when the letter was opened, and wafer residue remains. The bifolium was later refolded for filing. The letter apparently also included two enclosures: a copy of a letter from to Franklin H. Elmore (not extant) and a circular promoting ’s presidential campaign, bifolium measuring 9¾ × 7⅞ inches (20 × 25 cm).
’s letter was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from December 1841 until JS’s death in June 1844 and served as church historian from December 1842 until his own death in March 1854. , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865, docketed the letter a second time. The document was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) circa 1904. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The letter’s early dockets, its listing in a circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Jacob Bond I’On et al., Charleston, SC, to “Dear Sir,” 23 Sept. 1843, in JS Office Papers, CHL. Frierson’s letter was later printed in the Nauvoo Neighbor. (John Frierson, Quincy, IL, to Franklin H. Elmore, 12 Oct. 1843, in Nauvoo Neighbor, 5 June 1844, [2]–[3].)

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  2. [2]

    JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

  3. [3]

    Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  4. [4]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [3], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  5. [5]

    See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.

Historical Introduction

On 23 October 1843, member wrote a letter from , Illinois, to JS in , Illinois, encouraging him to enlist the aid of surveyor Colonel , a Quincy resident with political connections in , in the Latter-day Saints’ efforts to petition Congress for reparations for their expulsion from in 1838 and 1839. Heywood had resided in Quincy, where he worked in the mercantile business, since 1839. In 1842, he was after hearing JS preach in Nauvoo. While in Quincy, Heywood conversed with Frierson about the Saints’ plight, and Frierson proved sympathetic. With this letter to JS, Heywood began to act as a liaison between Frierson and JS. Heywood introduced Frierson, sent political documents, and suggested that JS and the Saints utilize Frierson and his connections to present a new memorial to Congress to gain redress for suffering and property losses in Missouri.
The Saints had sought redress from government officials since 1833, when they were violently forced from their lands in , Missouri. After the Saints experienced more difficulties in that state and while he was imprisoned in March 1839, JS instructed the Saints to collect affidavits of their “suffering and abuses” as well as property losses and submit their case to the “ Court.” The Saints eventually wrote hundreds of affidavits that were presented to the federal government. In June 1839, JS crafted his “Bill of Damages,” claiming $100,000 worth of lost property and other expenses. JS and others went to in late 1839 to present their case to federal government officials. They were rebuffed by President , and their first memorial to Congress sat unconsidered in a legislative committee. In January 1842, Latter-day Saints again petitioned Congress for reparations but were again unsuccessful. Heywood’s letter suggested it was time to petition again.
’s 23 October 1843 letter bears no postal markings and was likely hand delivered. Along with this missive, Heywood forwarded a copy of a letter from to former congressman Franklin H. Elmore and a circular supporting ’s presidential campaign.
JS discussed these letters at a meeting with other church leaders in on 2 November before responding to that day. In his reply, JS informed Heywood that the three documents were received and “duly considered.” He also accepted Heywood’s proposition to enlist ’s assistance. In response, Heywood helped arrange Frierson’s visit to Nauvoo in late November 1843.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 25 Nov. 1843.

  2. [2]

    “Heywood, Joseph Leland,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:646.

    Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.

  3. [3]

    See, for example, Historical Introduction to Letter, 30 Oct. 1833; and Revelation, 16–17 Dec. 1833 [D&C 101:76–88].

  4. [4]

    Letter to Edward Partridge and the Church, ca. 22 Mar. 1839; Letter to Emma Smith, 21 Mar. 1839.

  5. [5]

    Bill of Damages, 4 June 1839.

  6. [6]

    “Part 2: 8 November 1839–25 January 1840”; “Part 3: 27 January–8 April 1840”; Memorial to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, ca. 30 Oct. 1839–27 Jan. 1840.

  7. [7]

    Elias Higbee et al., Memorial to Congress, 10 Jan. 1842, photocopy, Material Relating to Mormon Expulsion from Missouri, CHL; compare Edward Partridge, Memorial to U.S. Congress, ca. Jan. 1839, Edward Partridge, Papers, CHL.

    Material Relating to Mormon Expulsion from Missouri, 1839–1843. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2145.

    Edward Partridge, Papers, 1818–1839. CHL. MS 892.

  8. [8]

    Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1017; Jacob Bond I’On et al., Charleston, SC, to “Dear Sir,” 23 Sept. 1843, in JS Office Papers, CHL. The Elmore letter is not extant, but it was reprinted in the Nauvoo Neighbor. (John Frierson, Quincy, IL, to Franklin H. Elmore, 12 Oct. 1843, in Nauvoo Neighbor, 5 June 1844, [2]–[3].)

    Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–1989: The Continental Congress September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and the Congress of the United States from the First through the One Hundredth Congresses March 4, 1789, to January 3, 1989, Inclusive. Edited by Kathryn Allamong Jacob and Bruce A. Ragsdale. Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1989.

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  9. [9]

    The other men present at the meeting were Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, John Taylor, and William Clayton. (JS, Journal, 2 Nov. 1843.)

  10. [10]

    Letter to Joseph L. Heywood, 2 Nov. 1843.

  11. [11]

    JS, Journal, 25 and 26 Nov. 1843.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter from Joseph L. Heywood, 23 October 1843
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

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Oct 23 1843
Genl. Jos. Smith
Dr Sir
In a conversation with of this place a short time since. he expressed in very warm terms, feelings of sympathy for the wrongs yourself & Bretheren suffered in , as well as his sense of the vindictive feelings the authorities of that still manifested towards you personally.
has not yet had the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with yourself altho, he says he had the pleasure of meeting your at her sister’s residence on . has been written by the Hon B. [Robert Barnwell] Rhett of upon the subject of the Persecution & thinks of all men he would be the best qualified to present a petition in our behalf— & says should such an arrangement meet your approbation he will use his influence in favor of a petition & says he knows of some Honorable men in whom he has no doubt are anxious to wipe off the stain that rests upon them by some just— [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Joseph L. Heywood, 23 October 1843
ID #
1186
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D13:216–220
Handwriting on This Page
  • Joseph L. Heywood

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    These “wrongs” experienced in Missouri roughly began with the destruction of the Saints’ printing press in Independence in 1833 and concluded with their expulsion from Missouri in 1839. JS was imprisoned in Missouri from late 1838 until April 1839. Frierson was sympathetic to the Saints, whom he viewed as victims of Missourians’ aggression. “These Mormons,” Frierson observed in October 1843, “have been, and still are, pursued with a fiendish malignity by the people of Missouri.” For more on the Saints’ experience in Missouri, see “A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints in Missouri,” serialized in the Times and Seasons. (John Frierson, Quincy, IL, to Franklin H. Elmore, 12 Oct. 1843, in Nauvoo Neighbor, 5 June 1844, [2], italics in original; “A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints in Missouri,” Dec. 1839–Oct. 1840; see also “Joseph Smith Documents from February 1838 through August 1839”.)

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  2. [2]

    Missouri officials tried to extradite JS from Illinois every year from 1841 to 1843. (See Editorial, Times and Seasons, Sept. 1840, 1:169–170; “Joseph Smith Documents from February through November 1841”; Appendix 1: Missouri Extradition Attempt, 1842–1843, Selected Documents; Editorial Note; JS, Journal, 16, 18, 23, 25, 29, and 30 June 1843; 1 July 1843; and “Part 4: June–July 1843”.)

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  3. [3]

    In a 12 October 1843 letter to Franklin H. Elmore, Frierson also stated that he had not yet met JS. (John Frierson, Quincy, IL, to Franklin H. Elmore, 12 Oct. 1843, in Nauvoo Neighbor, 5 June 1844, [3].)

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  4. [4]

    Emma Smith’s sister Elizabeth Hale Wasson lived in Amboy Township, Lee County. It is possible that Rock River, which flows through Lee County, was a geographical reference that included Amboy Township. History of Lee County, for instance, indicates that JS visited “Rock river” in June 1843 during the same trip that the Smiths visited Emma’s “relations” in Lee County. (Chase, “Township of Amboy,” 57–58; History of Lee County, 18–19, 308–309; see also “Missouri vs Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 1 July 1843, 4:242.)

    Chase, D. G. “Township of Amboy.” In Recollections of the Pioneers of Lee County, [edited by Seraphina Gardner Smith], 9–157. Dixon, IL: Inez A. Kennedy, 1893.

    The History of Lee County, Iowa, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c., a Biographical Directory of Citizens. . . . Chicago: Western Historical Co., 1879.

  5. [5]

    Rhett served as a representative from South Carolina from 1837 to 1849. Frierson believed that Rhett would be an ideal spokesman because he would neither be influenced by Missouri nor require the Latter-day Saint vote. “He lives in a remote section of the country,” Frierson stated, “where no excitement against the Mormons prevails and consequently him self and his constitnents could examine all the testimony on both sides, with calmness.” Frierson also deemed Rhett qualified because he represented South Carolina, which according to Frierson was the only state that had not been “disgraced” by mob violence. Regarding the Saints’ difficulties in Missouri, Rhett opined that “Missouri had held the hot end of the branding iron in that affair.” (John Frierson, Quincy, IL, to Franklin H. Elmore, 12 Oct. 1843, in Nauvoo Neighbor, 5 June 1844, [3], italics in original; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1802.)

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

    Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–1989: The Continental Congress September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and the Congress of the United States from the First through the One Hundredth Congresses March 4, 1789, to January 3, 1989, Inclusive. Edited by Kathryn Allamong Jacob and Bruce A. Ragsdale. Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1989.

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