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Letter to Clyde, Williams & Co., 1 August 1843

Source Note

William W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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, on behalf of JS, 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....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL, to Clyde, Williams & Co.,
Harrisburg

City in Pennsylvania on east bank of Susquehanna River about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Founded 1785. Incorporated 1808. Became capital of Pennsylvania, 1812. Dauphin Co. seat. Population in 1840 about 6,000.

More Info
, Dauphin Co., PA, 1 Aug. 1843. Featured version copied [ca. 1 Aug. 1843]; handwriting of
William W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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; one page; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address and notation.
Single leaf measuring 12¼ × 7⅝ inches (31 × 19 cm). The letter was written on the verso of a copy of “A Fac-simile from the Book of Abraham, No. 2.,” a Times and Seasons broadside.
1

See “A Fac-simile from the Book of Abraham, No. 2.,” Second Issue, between ca. 15 Mar. 1842 and 1 Apr. 1843.


It was folded in half and then trifolded twice in letter style and addressed. The letter was later refolded, presumably for filing.
Compression marks on the address panel of the Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between circa 1 and 15 July 1843, indicate that it contained an enclosure at one point. Although the text of that letter does not explicitly identify an enclosure, the compression marks and the comparative size of the address panels for both the Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co. and the featured copy—drafted as a response—suggest the draft was probably housed inside the folded letter and retained in that state among church records. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL).
2

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


The document’s presumed retention in church records and its inclusion in the JS Collection by 1973 suggest continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See “A Fac-simile from the Book of Abraham, No. 2.,” Second Issue, between ca. 15 Mar. 1842 and 1 Apr. 1843.

  2. [2]

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

Historical Introduction

On 1 August 1843,
William W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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wrote a response on JS’s behalf to the publishing firm Clyde, Williams & Co. in
Harrisburg

City in Pennsylvania on east bank of Susquehanna River about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Founded 1785. Incorporated 1808. Became capital of Pennsylvania, 1812. Dauphin Co. seat. Population in 1840 about 6,000.

More Info
, Pennsylvania. The firm wrote to JS in July 1843 soliciting an article “comprising an accurate and impartial account” of the
Latter-day Saint

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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religion.
1

Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between ca. 1 and 15 July 1843.


The article was to be included in the publisher’s upcoming compilation of descriptions and histories of the major religious denominations in 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 ...

More Info
. In this 1 August 1843 letter, JS and Phelps agreed to submit a contribution, which they did six weeks later.
2

JS’s journal records that a letter was sent to Clyde, Williams & Co. “giving a history of the faith of the chu[r]ch for their Book of Denom[i]nations” on 15 September 1843. This letter was a revised version of the 1842 document “Church History” sent to John Wentworth, the owner and publisher of the Chicago Democrat. The article was published in the 1844 book as a chapter titled “Latter Day Saints.” (JS, Journal, 15 Sept. 1843; “Church History,” 1 Mar. 1842; JS, “Latter Day Saints,” 1844; see also William W. Phelps, Historical Article, Sept. 1843, CHL.)


The original letter sent to Clyde, Williams & Co.—presumably written by
Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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—is apparently no longer extant. Phelps made a retained copy of the letter on the back of a Times and Seasons broadside publication of Facsimile 2 from the Book of Abraham.
3

The facsimile was originally included in the second installment of the Book of Abraham. A loose broadside version of Facsimile 2 was later printed. (“The Book of Abraham,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 3:719–722; “A Fac-simile from the Book of Abraham, No. 2.,” Second Issue, between ca. 15 Mar. 1842 and 1 Apr. 1843.)


That version is featured here.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between ca. 1 and 15 July 1843.

  2. [2]

    JS’s journal records that a letter was sent to Clyde, Williams & Co. “giving a history of the faith of the chu[r]ch for their Book of Denom[i]nations” on 15 September 1843. This letter was a revised version of the 1842 document “Church History” sent to John Wentworth, the owner and publisher of the Chicago Democrat. The article was published in the 1844 book as a chapter titled “Latter Day Saints.” (JS, Journal, 15 Sept. 1843; “Church History,” 1 Mar. 1842; JS, “Latter Day Saints,” 1844; see also William W. Phelps, Historical Article, Sept. 1843, CHL.)

  3. [3]

    The facsimile was originally included in the second installment of the Book of Abraham. A loose broadside version of Facsimile 2 was later printed. (“The Book of Abraham,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 3:719–722; “A Fac-simile from the Book of Abraham, No. 2.,” Second Issue, between ca. 15 Mar. 1842 and 1 Apr. 1843.)

Page [1]

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....

More Info
August 1, 1843
Sirs: yours relative to publishing “the whole church in 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 ...

More Info
”
1

The letter of inquiry Clyde, Williams & Co. sent to JS stated that the book would be titled He Pas‘Ecclesia, or The Whole Church of the United States. Upon publication, the book was titled He Pasa Ekklesia. An Original History of the Religious Denominations at Present Existing in the United States. (Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between ca. 1 and 15 July 1843; Rupp, He Pasa Ekklesia, title page.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Rupp, Israel Daniel, ed. He Pasa Ekklesia [The Whole Church]: An Original History of the Religious Denominations at Present Existing in the United States, Contains Authentic Accounts of Their Rise, Progress, Statistics and Doctrines. Written Expressly for the Work by Eminent Theological Professors, Ministers, and Lay-Members, of the Respective Denominations. Projected, Compiled and Arranged by I. Daniel Rupp, of Lancaster, Pa. Philadelphia: J. Y. Humphreys; Harrisburg: Clyde and Williams, 1844.

is received and in answer I have to state <​that​> a suitable article on the subject requested, will be matured and forwarded in season to meet your anticipations.
2

According to the letter of inquiry, Clyde, Williams & Co. anticipated receiving an “account of the Rise and Progress, Faith and Practice” of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between ca. 1 and 15 July 1843.)


Respectfully &c
W[illiam] W Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

View Full Bio
for Joseph Smith
Messrs Clyde Williams & co)
Harrisburgh

City in Pennsylvania on east bank of Susquehanna River about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Founded 1785. Incorporated 1808. Became capital of Pennsylvania, 1812. Dauphin Co. seat. Population in 1840 about 6,000.

More Info
)
pa) [1/4 page blank]
 
(A Copy)
Messrs Clyde Williams & co
Harrisburg

City in Pennsylvania on east bank of Susquehanna River about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Founded 1785. Incorporated 1808. Became capital of Pennsylvania, 1812. Dauphin Co. seat. Population in 1840 about 6,000.

More Info
Pa
 
Answer——
3

The meaning of this notation is unknown. It may refer to this letter being a response, or answer, to the July 1843 missive from publishing firm Clyde, Williams & Co. It may also refer to the letter that was eventually sent to Clyde, Williams & Co. on 15 September 1843, “giving a history of the faith of the chu[r]ch for their Book of Denom[i]nations.” Finally, it may refer to an unlocated or nonextant letter that Clyde, Williams & Co. wrote in response to this letter. (Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between ca. 1 and 15 July 1843; JS, Journal, 15 Sept. 1843.)


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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Clyde, Williams & Co., 1 August 1843
ID #
1622
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D13:5–7
Handwriting on This Page
  • William W. Phelps

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    The letter of inquiry Clyde, Williams & Co. sent to JS stated that the book would be titled He Pas‘Ecclesia, or The Whole Church of the United States. Upon publication, the book was titled He Pasa Ekklesia. An Original History of the Religious Denominations at Present Existing in the United States. (Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between ca. 1 and 15 July 1843; Rupp, He Pasa Ekklesia, title page.)

    Rupp, Israel Daniel, ed. He Pasa Ekklesia [The Whole Church]: An Original History of the Religious Denominations at Present Existing in the United States, Contains Authentic Accounts of Their Rise, Progress, Statistics and Doctrines. Written Expressly for the Work by Eminent Theological Professors, Ministers, and Lay-Members, of the Respective Denominations. Projected, Compiled and Arranged by I. Daniel Rupp, of Lancaster, Pa. Philadelphia: J. Y. Humphreys; Harrisburg: Clyde and Williams, 1844.

  2. [2]

    According to the letter of inquiry, Clyde, Williams & Co. anticipated receiving an “account of the Rise and Progress, Faith and Practice” of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between ca. 1 and 15 July 1843.)

  3. [3]

    The meaning of this notation is unknown. It may refer to this letter being a response, or answer, to the July 1843 missive from publishing firm Clyde, Williams & Co. It may also refer to the letter that was eventually sent to Clyde, Williams & Co. on 15 September 1843, “giving a history of the faith of the chu[r]ch for their Book of Denom[i]nations.” Finally, it may refer to an unlocated or nonextant letter that Clyde, Williams & Co. wrote in response to this letter. (Letter from Clyde, Williams & Co., between ca. 1 and 15 July 1843; JS, Journal, 15 Sept. 1843.)

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