Letter from Robert Peirce, 28 February 1842
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Source Note
, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to JS, [, Hancock Co., IL], 28 Feb. 1842. Featured version published in Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, vol. 3, no. 9, 715. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
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Historical Introduction
On 28 February 1842 , a recent convert from , wrote JS a letter stating that JS had paid him in full on a spring 1841 land transaction. In March 1841 Peirce sold land in , Pennsylvania, to in return for a note that he could redeem for property in , Illinois. This was part of a larger church effort to acquire land in Pennsylvania and from migrating Latter-day Saints in exchange for land in Nauvoo.Although the original note is no longer extant, JS’s journal states that church agents promised Peirce $5,000. This debt was repaid over the course of several months, mainly through deeded property. On 20 August 1841 requested that JS provide William Gheen, a convert migrating from , with “some property there on my account” and arrange for “Brother Whitesides,” also from Pennsylvania, to receive payment for a debt that Peirce owed him. On 28 February 1842 JS and deeded Peirce three lots on the plat as the final installment of the original transaction. Peirce then wrote this letter, intending it to be published in the Times and Seasons as proof “to all my old friends and enemies in Pennsylvania” that the church fulfilled its obligations to him. According to JS’s journal, “the Bond was cancelled. & given up. & Bro Peirce expressed his satisfaction of the whole proceedings in the Times & Seasons.”This letter was published in the 1 March 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons. The original document is no longer extant.
Footnotes
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1
The original transaction occurred between Peirce and church agent Almon Babbitt on 30 March 1841, but Isaac Galland was deeded the property the following month. (Chester Co., PA, Deeds, 1688–1903, vol. U-4, pp. 82–83, 30 Mar. 1841; pp. 185–187, 8 Apr. 1841, microfilm 557,205, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
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2
See Authorization for Hyrum Smith and Isaac Galland, 15 Feb. 1841.
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4
Letter from Robert Peirce, 20 Aug. 1841. In May 1841 JS and Emma Smith transferred $1,550 worth of land to Peirce, which might have also been an installment on the debt to Peirce. (JS and Emma Smith to Robert Peirce, Indenture, 29 May 1841, Hancock Co., IL, Deed Records, 1817–1917, vol. I, pp. 330–331, microfilm 954,598, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)
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