Letter to John Whitmer, 9 April 1838

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Letter to John Whitmer, 9 April 1838
Source Note

JS and
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,
Far West
Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...
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, Caldwell Co., MO, to
John Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
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, [
Far West
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, Caldwell Co., MO], 9 Apr. 1838; attested by
Ebenezer Robinson
25 May 1816–11 Mar. 1891. Printer, editor, publisher. Born at Floyd (near Rome), Oneida Co., New York. Son of Nathan Robinson and Mary Brown. Moved to Utica, Oneida Co., ca. 1831, and learned printing trade at Utica Observer. Moved to Ravenna, Portage Co....
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. Featured version copied [ca. mid- or late Apr. 1838] in JS, Journal, Mar.–Sept. 1838, p. 28; handwriting of
George W. Robinson
14 May 1814–10 Feb. 1878. Clerk, postmaster, merchant, clothier, banker. Born at Pawlet, Rutland Co., Vermont. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, by 1836. Clerk and recorder for Kirtland high...
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; CHL. Includes use marks. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS, Journal, Mar.–Sept. 1838.

Historical Introduction
On 9 April 1838, JS and
Sidney Rigdon
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wrote to former church historian
John Whitmer
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, requesting that he give them the writings he had been preparing since 1831 for a church history. When asked in 1831 to serve as the church’s historian, Whitmer initially declined. However, after JS dictated a revelation appointing Whitmer to “keep the Church Record & History continually,” Whitmer accepted a formal appointment to perform these duties.
1
Whitmer, History, 24; Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:3]; Minute Book 2, 9 Apr. 1831.
Within a few months of his appointment, Whitmer began writing the history of the church.
2
Whitmer, History, 1.
In late 1832, JS referred to Whitmer in his role of church historian as “the lord[’s] clerk.”
3
Letter to William W. Phelps, 27 Nov. 1832 [D&C 85:1].
Nevertheless, Whitmer remained somewhat uncertain about his roles, and JS had some concerns about Whitmer fulfilling his responsibilities. By the time of his excommunication on 10 March 1838, Whitmer had apparently written eighty-five manuscript pages recounting the history of the church up to that time.
4
See Historical Introduction to Whitmer, History.
These writings placed several revelation texts and other important documents in context and provided firsthand information regarding significant episodes in the church’s history. However, as the 9 April letter suggests, Whitmer’s writings may not have met JS’s expectations.

Following
Whitmer
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’s excommunication, the church needed to fill his roles as church clerk, record keeper, and historian. In a meeting held 6 April 1838, the
Latter-day Saints
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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in
Missouri
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...
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appointed two new historians as well as two clerks.
5
Minutes, 6 Apr. 1838.
This and other business conducted in the meeting organizationally prepared the church for the quarterly conference held over the next two days. Perhaps in response to business conducted at the 7–8 April conference, church leaders wrote letters on 9 April to address administrative matters.
Edward Partridge
27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...
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sent a letter notifying
Oliver Cowdery
3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...
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of his upcoming trial on 12 April, and
John Murdock
15 July 1792–23 Dec. 1871. Farmer. Born at Kortright, Delaware Co., New York. Son of John Murdock Sr. and Eleanor Riggs. Joined Lutheran Dutch Church, ca. 1817, then Presbyterian Seceder Church shortly after. Moved to Orange, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, ca. 1819....
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sent letters to
Lyman Johnson
24 Oct. 1811–20 Dec. 1859. Merchant, lawyer, hotelier. Born at Pomfret, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of John Johnson and Alice (Elsa) Jacobs. Moved to Hiram, Portage Co., Ohio, Mar. 1818. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Sidney Rigdon...
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and
David Whitmer
7 Jan. 1805–25 Jan. 1888. Farmer, livery keeper. Born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Raised Presbyterian. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, shortly after birth. Attended German Reformed Church. Arranged...
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, notifying them of their upcoming trials on 13 April.
6
See Minutes, 12 Apr. 1838; and Minutes, 13 Apr. 1838.
JS and
Rigdon
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wrote the featured letter to Whitmer, criticizing his capabilities and performance as a church historian and requesting that he turn over his historical writing to the church. Whitmer evidently refused to relinquish his writings.
7
Although no written reply from Whitmer exists, his refusal to turn over his history is apparent from subsequent events, including the creation of a substitute history. A few years later, Whitmer offered to sell his history, which he titled the “Book of John Whitmer,” to the church. By the time Whitmer offered to sell his history, JS’s new history was well under way, and Whitmer’s offer was declined. (JS, Journal, 27 Apr. 1838; John Whitmer, Far West, MO, to William W. Phelps, Nauvoo, IL, 8 Jan. 1844, JS Office Papers, CHL; Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to John Whitmer, Far West, MO, 23 Feb. 1844, copy, Willard Richards, Papers, CHL; for an introduction to and a transcript of Whitmer’s history, which is now owned by the Community of Christ church, see Whitmer, History.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490.
By the end of April 1838, JS, Rigdon, and their clerk,
George W. Robinson
14 May 1814–10 Feb. 1878. Clerk, postmaster, merchant, clothier, banker. Born at Pawlet, Rutland Co., Vermont. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, by 1836. Clerk and recorder for Kirtland high...
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, began writing a new history, which included much more detail than Whitmer’s effort did.
Footnotes
[1]
Whitmer, History, 24; Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:3]; Minute Book 2, 9 Apr. 1831.
[2]
Whitmer, History, 1.
[3]
Letter to William W. Phelps, 27 Nov. 1832 [D&C 85:1].
[4]
See Historical Introduction to Whitmer, History.
[5]
Minutes, 6 Apr. 1838.
[6]
See Minutes, 12 Apr. 1838; and Minutes, 13 Apr. 1838.
[7]
Although no written reply from Whitmer exists, his refusal to turn over his history is apparent from subsequent events, including the creation of a substitute history. A few years later, Whitmer offered to sell his history, which he titled the “Book of John Whitmer,” to the church. By the time Whitmer offered to sell his history, JS’s new history was well under way, and Whitmer’s offer was declined. (JS, Journal, 27 Apr. 1838; John Whitmer, Far West, MO, to William W. Phelps, Nauvoo, IL, 8 Jan. 1844, JS Office Papers, CHL; Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to John Whitmer, Far West, MO, 23 Feb. 1844, copy, Willard Richards, Papers, CHL; for an introduction to and a transcript of Whitmer’s history, which is now owned by the Community of Christ church, see Whitmer, History.)
Richards, Willard. Journals and Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter to John Whitmer, 9 April 1838 Journal, March–September 1838 History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838] “History of Joseph Smith”
Page 28
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Far West
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April 9th 1838

Mr
J[ohn] Whitmer
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Sir. We were desireous of honouring you by giving publicity to your notes on the history of the
Church of Latter day Saints
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...
View Glossary
,
1
Besides his historical notes and manuscript history, Whitmer apparently had letters, membership rosters, minutes of meetings, and other documents. (Historical Introduction to Whitmer, History.)
after such corrections as we thaught would be necessary; knowing your incompetency as a historian, and that your writings coming from your pen, could not be put to the press, without our correcting them, or elce the Church must suffer reproach; Indeed Sir, we never supposed you capable of writing a history; but were willing to let it come out under your name notwithstanding it would realy not be yours but ours.
2
Decades later, Ebenezer Robinson recounted that the church attempted to obtain Whitmer’s historical writings and other church records before JS and Rigdon wrote the letter but that Whitmer refused to relinquish the items. This failed attempt, which may have influenced the insulting tone of the subsequent letter from JS and Rigdon, may have been made by Ebenezer Robinson or George W. Robinson after the Zion high council meeting held on 6 April. (Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” Return, Sept. 1889, 133.)
The Return. Davis City, IA, 1889–1891; Richmond, MO, 1892–1893; Davis City, 1895–1896; Denver, 1898; Independence, MO, 1899–1900.
We are still willing to honour you, if you can be made to know your own interest and give up your notes, so that they can be corrected, and made fit for the press.
3
When a mob razed the Mormon print shop in Independence, Missouri, in 1833, the church formed a new printing establishment in Kirtland, Ohio. Now that JS was living in Far West and loyal Saints in Kirtland were preparing to follow him, he may have planned to reestablish the church’s printing operations in Missouri. (See Crawley, Descriptive Bibliography, 1:17–20.)
Crawley, Peter. A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church. 3 vols. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997–2012.
But if not, we have all the materials for another, which we shall commence this week to write
4
When JS, Rigdon, and Robinson started writing a new history, they had access to copies of JS’s revelations, correspondence, and other documents, some of which were later incorporated in the history. (JS, Journal, 27 Apr. 1838; Historical Introduction to History Drafts, 1838–ca. 1841.)

your humble Servents

Attest Joseph Smith Jr

E[benezer] Robinson
25 May 1816–11 Mar. 1891. Printer, editor, publisher. Born at Floyd (near Rome), Oneida Co., New York. Son of Nathan Robinson and Mary Brown. Moved to Utica, Oneida Co., ca. 1831, and learned printing trade at Utica Observer. Moved to Ravenna, Portage Co....
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Sidney Rigdon
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Clerk
5
Ebenezer Robinson had recently been appointed “Church Clerk and Recorder for this stake of Zion and Clerk for the high Council.” (Minutes, 6 Apr. 1838.)

Presidents
An organized body of leaders over priesthood quorums and other ecclesiastical organizations. A November 1831 revelation first described the office of president over the high priesthood and the church as a whole. By 1832, JS and two counselors constituted ...
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of the whole

Church of Latterday Saints

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Footnotes
[1]
Besides his historical notes and manuscript history, Whitmer apparently had letters, membership rosters, minutes of meetings, and other documents. (Historical Introduction to Whitmer, History.)
[2]
Decades later, Ebenezer Robinson recounted that the church attempted to obtain Whitmer’s historical writings and other church records before JS and Rigdon wrote the letter but that Whitmer refused to relinquish the items. This failed attempt, which may have influenced the insulting tone of the subsequent letter from JS and Rigdon, may have been made by Ebenezer Robinson or George W. Robinson after the Zion high council meeting held on 6 April. (Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” Return, Sept. 1889, 133.)
The Return. Davis City, IA, 1889–1891; Richmond, MO, 1892–1893; Davis City, 1895–1896; Denver, 1898; Independence, MO, 1899–1900.
[3]
When a mob razed the Mormon print shop in Independence, Missouri, in 1833, the church formed a new printing establishment in Kirtland, Ohio. Now that JS was living in Far West and loyal Saints in Kirtland were preparing to follow him, he may have planned to reestablish the church’s printing operations in Missouri. (See Crawley, Descriptive Bibliography, 1:17–20.)
Crawley, Peter. A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church. 3 vols. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997–2012.
[4]
When JS, Rigdon, and Robinson started writing a new history, they had access to copies of JS’s revelations, correspondence, and other documents, some of which were later incorporated in the history. (JS, Journal, 27 Apr. 1838; Historical Introduction to History Drafts, 1838–ca. 1841.)
[5]
Ebenezer Robinson had recently been appointed “Church Clerk and Recorder for this stake of Zion and Clerk for the high Council.” (Minutes, 6 Apr. 1838.)