Footnotes

1. [1]

   The two most prominent disaffected members of the Rigdon family were Nancy Rigdon and her brother-in-law, George W. Robinson. John C. Bennett and Robinson both claimed that Nancy’s disaffection from the church resulted from JS’s marriage proposal. A later account from 1845, by Orson Hyde, implies that Nancy’s disaffection instead developed after JS reproved her for immoral behavior. (See George W. Robinson, “Letter from Nauvoo,” Quincy [IL] Whig, 23 July 1842, [2]; JS, Journal, 21 Aug. 1842; John C. Bennett, Carthage, IL, 2 July 1842, Letter to the Editor, Sangamo Journal [Springfield, IL], 15 July 1842, [2]; and Bennett, History of the Saints, 243–248; see also Letter to Nancy Rigdon, ca. Mid-Apr. 1842; and Speech of Orson Hyde, 27–28.)  

   Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

   Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

   Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

   Speech of Elder Orson Hyde, Delivered before the High Priest’s Quorum in Nauvoo, April 27th, 1845, upon the Course and Conduct of Mr. Sidney Rigdon, and upon the Merits of His Claims to the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1845. Copy at CHL.

2. [2]

   See JS, Journal, 12–13 May 1842. This correspondence is no longer extant.  

3. [3]

   See JS, Journal, 13 May 1842; John C. Bennett, Carthage, IL, 2 July 1842, Letter to the Editor, Sangamo Journal [Springfield, IL], 15 July 1842, [2]; and Bennett, History of the Saints, 44–45, 248–249.  

   Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

   Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

4. [4]

   Bennett’s excommunication from the church apparently occurred in May 1842, but it was not made public until June 1842. (See Notice, 11 May 1842; and Letter to James Sloan, 17 May 1842.)  

5. [5]

   See John C. Bennett, Nauvoo, IL, 27 June 1842, Letter to the Editor, Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 8 July 1842, [2]. Oliver Olney and John W. Rigdon, Nancy’s younger brother, related stories similar to those told by Bennett. Both, however, wrote their accounts after Bennett and may have simply followed his account of the proposal. (See Olney, Absurdities of Mormonism Portrayed, 16; and John W. Rigdon, Affidavit, Salt Lake Co., UT, 28 July 1905, pp. 6–8, Joseph F. Smith, Affidavits about Celestial Marriage, CHL.)  

   Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

   Olney, Oliver H. The Absurdities of Mormonism Portrayed. Hancock Co., IL: By the author, 1843.

   Smith, Joseph F. Affidavits about Celestial Marriage, 1869–1915. CHL. MS 3423.

6. [6]

   See John C. Bennett, Carthage, IL, 2 July 1842, Letter to the Editor, Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 15 July 1842, [2].  

   Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

7. [7]

   Letter to Nancy Rigdon, ca. Mid-Apr. 1842.  

8. [8]

   JS, Journal, 28 June 1842.  

9. [9]

   There is no journal entry for 1 July, and the 2 July entry states that JS looked at land in the city with William Clayton, then visited Hezekiah Peck’s home with Emma Smith and other unidentified individuals. (JS, Journal, 2 July 1842.)  

10. [10]

    See George W. Robinson, Nauvoo, IL, to John C. Bennett, 3 July 1842, in Bennett, History of the Saints, 44–45. Although potentially useful context, Robinson’s account of JS’s remarks is suspect not only because of his own bias but because he was not there himself, and the only extant source for Robinson’s letter is Bennett’s History of the Saints. William Clayton noted in JS’s journal that JS preached “on the ancient order of things &c” on 3 July. Wilford Woodruff wrote in his journal that JS read from the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel and “explained about the Kingdom of God set up in the last days.” Neither account includes the remarks Robinson alluded to in his letter. (JS, Journal, 3 July 1842; Woodruff, Journal, 3 July 1842.)  

    Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

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

11. [11]

    See JS, Journal, 21 Aug. 1842.  

12. [12]

    See Discourse, 29 Aug. 1842.