The Papers
Browse the PapersDocumentsJournalsAdministrative RecordsRevelations and TranslationsHistoriesLegal RecordsFinancial RecordsOther Contemporary Papers
Reference
PeoplePlacesEventsGlossaryLegal GlossaryFinancial GlossaryCalendar of DocumentsWorks CitedFeatured TopicsLesson PlansRelated Publications
Media
VideosPhotographsIllustrationsChartsMapsPodcasts
News
Current NewsArchiveNewsletterSubscribeJSP Conferences
About
About the ProjectJoseph Smith and His PapersFAQAwardsEndorsementsReviewsEditorial MethodNote on TranscriptionsNote on Images of People and PlacesReferencing the ProjectCiting This WebsiteProject TeamContact Us
Published Volumes
  1. Home > 
  2. The Papers > 

Letter from Reuben Hedlock, 10–21 January 1844

Source Note

, , Lancashire, England, to JS and the , [, Hancock Co., IL], 10–21 Jan. 1844; handwriting of ; twenty-four pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes docket.
Originally six bifolia measuring 9⅞ × 8 inches (25 × 20 cm). The pages are hand paginated, usually in the upper outside corners. The letter was apparently trifolded twice in letter style and later folded in various ways. The central folds of the first and third bifolia are completely separated, resulting in four individual leaves. The document has undergone conservation. There is some loss of text from holes and tears along folds.
The document was docketed by , who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) from 1853 to 1859. The letter was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office circa 1904. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early docket, its listing in a circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    “Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  2. [2]

    “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.

  3. [3]

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

Historical Introduction

From 10 to 21 January 1844, , president of the ’s British mission, drafted a letter to JS and the in , Illinois, to report on happenings within the mission. Missionaries first arrived in Great Britain in 1837, and Hedlock had previously served there from 1840 to 1841. In May 1843, Hedlock was appointed to preside over the British mission with and as counselors. Clark had been in Great Britain as a missionary since 1842, and Ward, a native Englishman, had helped publish the church newspaper there. Ward also presided over the mission from late 1842 until Hedlock replaced him. After Hedlock reached , England, in September 1843, he estimated that church membership in the British Isles had grown to between eight and nine thousand.
began his letter to JS and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on 10 January 1844, writing from the mission office in . In this letter, Hedlock recounted his activities since arriving in Great Britain, starting with his attendance at regional church in Glasgow and Edinburgh in November 1843 and a trip to . While in London, Hedlock learned of two separate drowning incidents that took place during the performance of in November 1843. The victims were Sarah Cartwright, who was swept into a brook near Coppenhall, England, after her baptism, and a Latter-day Saint who was administering baptisms in Sheffield, England. Hedlock stated that the drownings stirred up negative perceptions of the church, and he recounted the criminal trial held for Jonathan Pugmire, the who baptized Cartwright, and her husband, Thomas Cartwright, who tried to rescue his wife. Pugmire and Thomas Cartwright were ultimately acquitted for want of available witnesses for the prosecution and substantial evidence.
As the of the British mission, oversaw the use of church funds and facilitated the migration of British Saints to via passage across the Atlantic Ocean. In his letter to JS and the apostles, Hedlock detailed some recent expenditures of church funds, including the payment of taxes and fare for British converts traveling to Nauvoo, and asked for more direction from church leaders on how to sustain the church’s finances in Great Britain. The previous year, church leaders had instructed mission leaders to halt publication of the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, the church’s newspaper printed in . During his travels among the British Saints, Hedlock learned that many members had been confused by the shutdown of the paper, and he planned to circulate the Millennial Star again, in part to advertise upcoming ship departures to the .
finished the letter on 21 January and sent it to JS and the apostles in by way of Latter-day Saint William Kay, who left for the on 23 January with over two hundred Saints aboard the Fanny. Kay reached in early March and then boarded the Maid of Iowa, which arrived in Nauvoo on 13 April 1844. JS greeted these immigrants in person, but it is not known when or to whom Kay delivered the letter. As the letter was addressed to JS first, he presumably read it sometime in mid-April. In addition to also addressing the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the letter singled out president and apostle . The response to Hedlock’s letter, possibly assigned by JS, was written by Young and Richards on 3 May 1844. Young and Richards counseled Hedlock to raise as much money as he could through publishing church materials. They also advised him not to use the church’s resources to fund any more emigration expenses. Hedlock’s original letter is featured here.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Historical Introduction to Recommendation for Heber C. Kimball, between 2 and 13 June 1837.

  2. [2]

    “Extracts from the Record of the Twelve, for the Use and Benefit of Elder Reuben Hedlock, and through Him to the Parties Concerned,” ca. 28 June 1843, pp. 1–3, copy, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL; see also Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 11 and 23 May 1843; and “Editorial,” Millennial Star, Oct. 1843, 4:94.

    Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

    Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  3. [3]

    “Extract from Elder Hiram Clark’s Journal, and Address to the Saints in the British Islands,” Millennial Star, Feb. 1844, 4:147–148; Church of England, Parish Church of Ludlow, Shropshire, England, Bishop’s Transcripts, 1661–1853, Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1754–1817, microfilm 1,593,872, British Isles Record Collection, FHL; Masthead, Millennial Star, Jan. 1844, 4:144; Letter from Reuben Hedlock, 4 Oct. 1843; “Ward, Thomas,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 4:320.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

    British Isles Record Collection. FHL.

    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.

  4. [4]

    Letter from Reuben Hedlock, 4 Oct. 1843. Hedlock departed New York City aboard the Columbus and arrived in Liverpool on 30 September 1843.

  5. [5]

    “Extracts from the Record of the Twelve, for the Use and Benefit of Elder Reuben Hedlock, and through Him to the Parties Concerned,” ca. 28 June 1843, p. 3, copy, Willard Richards, Journals and Papers, CHL; see also Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 23 May 1843.

    Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL.

    Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.

  6. [6]

    Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 23 May 1843; see also Letter from Thomas Ward and Hiram Clark, 3 Oct. 1843; and Letter from Reuben Hedlock, 4 Oct. 1843.

    Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.

  7. [7]

    Kay was baptized in England in August 1837. Before emigrating to Nauvoo, he served a mission in his home country and presided over the Herefordshire conference. (“Kay, William, jun.,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 4:549; “Manchester Conference,” Millennial Star, Feb. 1843, 3:175.)

    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.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  8. [8]

    Reuben Hedlock, Liverpool, England, to Brigham Young and Willard Richards, [Nauvoo, IL], 1 and 9 Feb. 1844, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL; William Kay, New Orleans, LA, to Reuben Hedlock et al., Liverpool, England, 9 Mar. 1844, in Millennial Star, Apr. 1844, 4:202.

    Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  9. [9]

    William Kay, New Orleans, LA, to Reuben Hedlock et al., Liverpool, England, 9 Mar. 1844, in Millennial Star, Apr. 1844, 4:202; JS, Journal, 13 Apr. 1844. Passengers aboard the Maid of Iowa experienced significant delays because the shaft of the waterwheel broke three times due to the vessel being overloaded. (James Jones, “near Nauvoo,” Hancock Co., IL, to Henry Jones, [England], 10 June 1844, typescript, Henry Jones, Correspondence, CHL.)

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

    Jones, Henry. Correspondence, 1844–1895. CHL.

  10. [10]

    JS, Journal, 13 Apr. 1844.

  11. [11]

    Brigham Young and Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to Reuben Hedlock, Liverpool, England, 3 May 1844, draft, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL.

    Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

Page 3

at 5, O Clock P. M. it was a cold windy night I sufered much with the cold and when I arived in site of the Scoch coast the Barren hills Were covered with snow but how Dieferent was my landing hear at this time to what it was when I first Landed in the on Scotias Shores in <​on​> the 26 of may 1840 then Not <​but one​> in Glasgow to Welcom me to that great city but now 262 the faces of some I never saw before Welcomend me with tears of Joy and after an absence from them of two years and Eight months I felt as though it I <​was​> paid <​Rewarded​> me better than I deserved for all my <​the​> sacrafise that ever I made and all my persecution with the saints in the west in one day With those who were once Strangers to me and the Gospel of christ but were <​are​> now Rejoicing with all their harts in the same <​​> I found some faithful laborers in the Glasgow When I left scotland to Return home there was only 6 of the church in the Conference comprising 368 members it now numbers 14 Branches 768 members in good standing. Bisides many that have Removed <​making an increase of 400 members in two years and seven months——​> I met With the saints in a Conference meeting on the 6th. of Nov 1843 Where the following Branches were Represented
M[embers]
Glasgow—— 4 10 4 4 262
Paisley & Neilston— 2 4 4 4 67
Johnston & Eldersley— 3 3 — 1 33
Bridge of Weire—— 2 1 1 1 38
Greenock & Helensbourgh [Helensburgh]— 3 2 3 2 57
Bonhill—— 1 3 2 2 30
Balfron—— — 1 1 — 12
Kilbernie [Kilbirnie]—— — 1 2 3 1 47
Irvine Dalry & Kilmernock [Kilmarnock] — 1 — — 18
Thorny Bank [Thornliebank] & Tolock Shaws [Pollokshaws] 3 4 2 2 62
A[i]rdrie—— 4 5 6 3 100
Campsie—— 3 1 2 — 21
Renfrew—— 3 3 1 1 1 — 21
Total number 28 38 28 20 766
at this conference 1 4 Elders 6 Priests 1 teacher 6 3 many calls for preaching in Diferent towns adjoineg [adjoining] a disposission ammong the Elders and Priest to attnd the calls a great Desier among the saints to Emigrate the church in Glasgow was united memb united with there had Been considerable many cut of[f] from the Paisley Branch and much Dissadisfaction among the Saints against their I thought it Wisdom for Elder to perside over the Paisley Branch at present Late news from there informes me of a number of baptisms and good feelings Restored in Paisley [p. 3]
View entire transcript

|

Cite this page

Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 3

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Reuben Hedlock, 10–21 January 1844
ID #
1247
Total Pages
24
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Reuben Hedlock

Footnotes

  1. [9]

    Hedlock first arrived in Liverpool with Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, and George A. Smith in April 1840. In a July 1840 letter, Kimball reported that Hedlock had traveled to Scotland, having organized the Bridge of Weir branch on 6 June. Hedlock endured poor health in Glasgow and by January 1841 wanted to return to Nauvoo before the end of the year. He left Great Britain in April 1841. (Letter from Heber C. Kimball, 9 July 1840; Bridge of Weir Branch, British Mission, Minutes, 25 June 1840; Allen et al., Men with a Mission, 85, 213; John Taylor, Liverpool, England, to George A. Smith, Burslem, England, 14 Jan. 1841, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL; “Hedlock, Reuben,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 4:314.)

    Bridge of Weir Branch, British Mission. Minutes, 25 June 1840. CHL.

    Allen, James B., Ronald K. Esplin, and David J. Whittaker. Men with a Mission, 1837–1841: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the British Isles. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1992.

    Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.

    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.

  2. [10]

    Hedlock was one of many Latter-day Saints driven out of Caldwell County, Missouri. In May 1839, he signed an affidavit claiming that the state owed him $1,105 for loss of property and relocation costs associated with the Saints’ expulsion. (Reuben Hedlock, Affidavit, Quincy, IL, 7 May 1839, Mormon Redress Petitions, 1839–1845, CHL.)

    Mormon Redress Petitions, 1839–1845. CHL. MS 2703.

  3. [11]

    See Book of Mormon, 1840 ed., 143, 284, 329 [Jarom 1:2; Alma 24:14; 42:5]; and Old Testament Revision 1, p. 14 [Moses 6:62].

  4. [12]

    The Paisley branch of the church was the first branch organized in Scotland. (Reuben Hedlock, Glasgow, Scotland, to George A. Smith, London, England, 17 Sept. 1840, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL.)

    Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.

© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UseUpdated 2021-04-13Privacy NoticeUpdated 2021-04-06