Letter from Sidney Rigdon, circa 13 February 1843

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Letter from Sidney Rigdon, circa 13 February 1843
Source Note

Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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, Letter, [
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], to JS, [
Nauvoo
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, Hancock Co., IL, ca. 13 Feb. 1843]. Featured version copied [ca. 13 Feb. 1843] in JS, Journal, bk. 1, 21 Dec. 1842–10 Mar. 1843, p. [189]; handwriting of Willard Richards; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS, Journal, 1842–1844.

Historical Introduction
Around 13 February 1843,
Sidney Rigdon
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wrote a brief letter to JS at
Nauvoo
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, Illinois, forwarding a copy of a petition requesting that Rigdon be retained as Nauvoo city postmaster. The petition was written to counter efforts to replace Rigdon with businessman
William Rollosson
8 Jan. 1820–9 Oct. 1864. Merchant, politician, military officer. Born in Williamsburg, James City and York counties, Virginia. Attended Williams College, 1837–1839, in Williamstown, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, ca....
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as Nauvoo’s postmaster. Rigdon hoped that JS would approve of the petition and assist him in obtaining additional signatures before sending it to John A. Bryan, second assistant postmaster general for the
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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.

Neither the letter nor the petition bears a date, but both were likely written on or around 13 February. On that day,
Henry G. Sherwood
20 Apr. 1785–24 Nov. 1867. Surveyor. Born at Kingsbury, Washington Co., New York. Son of Newcomb Sherwood and a woman whose maiden name was Tolman (first name unidentified). Married first Jane J. McManagal (McMangle) of Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland, ca. 1824...
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informed JS of
Rollosson
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’s efforts to get control of the
Nauvoo post office
First post office located in area known as Venus, near west end of present-day Parley Street, 1830–1834. Name changed to Commerce post office, 11 Oct. 1834. Renamed Nauvoo post office, 21 Apr. 1840, with George W. Robinson appointed postmaster. Robinson operated...
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, stating that
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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member
Robert D. Foster
14 Mar. 1811–1 Feb. 1878. Justice of the peace, physician, land speculator. Born in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. Son of John Foster and Jane Knibb. Married Sarah Phinney, 18 July 1837, at Medina Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of ...
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, whose relationship with JS was growing increasingly strained, supported Rollosson.
1
Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 13 Feb. 1843, 17.
Though JS was opposed to Rollosson assuming the position, he had also criticized
Rigdon
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’s management of the post office in 1842. JS formalized his complaints about Rigdon in November, signing and supporting a petition for Rigdon’s removal and for JS’s appointment to the position.
2
JS also expressed frustration with the way Rigdon and his son-in-law, George W. Robinson, ran the Nauvoo post office in letters he wrote in 1842. (Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 8 Sept. 1842; Letter to George W. Robinson, 6 Nov. 1842.)
Earlier in February 1843, JS had asked Senator
Richard M. Young
20 Feb. 1798–28 Nov. 1861. Attorney, judge, politician. Born in Fayette Co., Kentucky. Moved to Jonesboro, Union Co., Illinois Territory. Admitted to Illinois bar, 1817, in Jonesboro. Served as state representative from Union Co., 1820–1822. Married Matilda...
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for an update regarding the November petition, noting that he was “extremely anxious to learn something on the subject.”
3
Letter to Richard M. Young, 9 Feb. 1843.
Rigdon may have hoped that the February 1843 efforts to replace him with Rollosson would be of greater concern to JS than Rigdon’s continuation in that position and that therefore JS would drop his own efforts to supplant Rigdon.

Extant records do not indicate how JS responded to
Rigdon
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’s letter and petition. Furthermore, it is unclear whether Rigdon ever forwarded the petition to the office of the postmaster general. The original copy of this letter is no longer extant. Around 13 February 1843,
Willard Richards
24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...
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copied the letter into JS’s journal for that date, and that copy is featured here.
Footnotes
[1]
Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 13 Feb. 1843, 17.
[2]
JS also expressed frustration with the way Rigdon and his son-in-law, George W. Robinson, ran the Nauvoo post office in letters he wrote in 1842. (Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 8 Sept. 1842; Letter to George W. Robinson, 6 Nov. 1842.)
[3]
Letter to Richard M. Young, 9 Feb. 1843.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from Sidney Rigdon, circa 13 February 1843 Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 1, 21 December 1842–10 March 1843 History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith”
Page [189]
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To the Hon Mr Bryant [John A. Bryan] 2d asst P. M. [postmaster] General
1
At the time Rigdon wrote this letter, Bryan was responsible for the United States Appointment Office. Accordingly, all “complaints about postmasters” were directed to him. (Blain, Table of Post-Offices in Ohio, 70.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Blain, John T. A Table of Post-Offices in Ohio, Arranged by Counties, Townships, and Towns; As They Were, January 1, 1843. . . . Columbus, OH: Wright and Legg, 1843.
we your petitioners beg leave respectfully to submit that as an attempt is now being made by certain individuals being made. to place the
Post office
First post office located in area known as Venus, near west end of present-day Parley Street, 1830–1834. Name changed to Commerce post office, 11 Oct. 1834. Renamed Nauvoo post office, 21 Apr. 1840, with George W. Robinson appointed postmaster. Robinson operated...
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in this place into hands of
William H. Rollinson [Rollosson]
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a strangir in our place.
2
Rollosson moved to Nauvoo around 1840 and operated a grocery firm known as Finch & Rollosson with John Finch. (Gregg, History of Hancock County, Illinois, 938, 944–945.)
Gregg, Thomas. History of Hancock County, Illinois, Together with an Outline History of the State, and a Digest of State Laws. Chicago: Charles C. Chapman, 1880.
and one whose conduct since he came here, has been such as to forbid our having confidence in him. and we do hope. and pray. both for our sakes. and that. of the public. that he may not recive the appointme[n]t of Post Master in
Nauvoo
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Ills. but that the present post master
3
Sidney Rigdon. (U.S. Post Office Department, Record of Appointment of Postmasters, reel 28, vol. 12B, p. 514; Robert Johnston to Richard M. Young, 21 Apr. 1840, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 135.)
U.S. Post Office Department. Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832–September 30, 1971. National Archives Microfilm Publications, microcopy M841. 145 microfilm reels. Washington DC: National Archives, 1977.
may continue to hold the office—

Bro J. Smith. If the foregoing can have a number of respectable subscribers I believe
Rollison
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cannot get the office. I should like to have it so as to send it out on Thursdays
4
TEXT: Possibly “Shundays”. During the nineteenth century, mail was commonly delivered on Sundays. Accordingly, the mail day referred to above would have been either Thursday, 16 February 1843, or Sunday, 19 February 1843. (See “Review of Reports on Sunday Mails,” 149–159.)
“Review of Reports on Sunday Mails.” Christian Spectator Quarterly 1, no. 1 (Mar. 1829): 149–175.
mail. Resp[ectful]ly
Sidney Rigdon
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[p. [189]]
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Page [189]
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Footnotes
[1]
At the time Rigdon wrote this letter, Bryan was responsible for the United States Appointment Office. Accordingly, all “complaints about postmasters” were directed to him. (Blain, Table of Post-Offices in Ohio, 70.)
Blain, John T. A Table of Post-Offices in Ohio, Arranged by Counties, Townships, and Towns; As They Were, January 1, 1843. . . . Columbus, OH: Wright and Legg, 1843.
[2]
Rollosson moved to Nauvoo around 1840 and operated a grocery firm known as Finch & Rollosson with John Finch. (Gregg, History of Hancock County, Illinois, 938, 944–945.)
Gregg, Thomas. History of Hancock County, Illinois, Together with an Outline History of the State, and a Digest of State Laws. Chicago: Charles C. Chapman, 1880.
[3]
Sidney Rigdon. (U.S. Post Office Department, Record of Appointment of Postmasters, reel 28, vol. 12B, p. 514; Robert Johnston to Richard M. Young, 21 Apr. 1840, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 135.)
U.S. Post Office Department. Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832–September 30, 1971. National Archives Microfilm Publications, microcopy M841. 145 microfilm reels. Washington DC: National Archives, 1977.
[4]
TEXT: Possibly “Shundays”. During the nineteenth century, mail was commonly delivered on Sundays. Accordingly, the mail day referred to above would have been either Thursday, 16 February 1843, or Sunday, 19 February 1843. (See “Review of Reports on Sunday Mails,” 149–159.)
“Review of Reports on Sunday Mails.” Christian Spectator Quarterly 1, no. 1 (Mar. 1829): 149–175.