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Letter to Orville Browning, 27 June 1844

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Letter to Orville Browning, 27 June 1844

Source Note

JS, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to , , Adams Co., IL, 27 June 1844; handwriting of ; signatures of JS in handwriting of ; one page; JS Materials, CCLA. Includes address.
Bifolium measuring 9⅝ × 7¾ inches (24 × 20 cm). The recto of the first leaf was ruled with twenty-seven printed horizontal lines. The letter was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer, remnants of which are on the verso of the second leaf. The edge of the second leaf was torn when the seal was opened. The letter was refolded, possibly for filing. The document was encapsulated in mylar and pages [2] and [3] were not visible for inspection.
The early custodial history of the document is unknown. By 1896 the letter was in the possession of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ). In 1966 the Presiding Bishopric of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints transferred ownership of the letter to the church’s archive (now Community of Christ Library-Archives).

Footnotes

  1. See History of the Reorganized Church, 2:771.

    The History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 8 vols. Independence, MO: Herald Publishing House, 1896–1976.

  2. Accession Registration and Disposition Form, 4 Nov. 1966, CCLA.

    Accession Registration and Disposition Form, 4 Nov. 1966. CCLA.

Historical Introduction

On 27 June 1844, JS wrote a letter from the jail, in , Illinois, to attorney in , Illinois, requesting his legal services. JS and his brother had been committed to the jail on the evening of 25 June after being charged with . Their hearing on this charge was originally scheduled for 27 June but was postponed until 29 June.
In anticipation of this examination, JS enlisted , his private secretary, to write to requesting that he assist in the prisoners’ legal defense. Browning represented JS in 1841 during the state of ’s first attempt to extradite JS on charges stemming from the 1838 conflict between the and their neighbors in northwestern Missouri. JS insisted in his letter that he and his brother were innocent but also emphasized the importance of Browning coming to their aid. Richards kept a draft of the letter as a retained copy and prepared a final version to send to Browning.
Apparently , a Latter-day Saint attorney who was visiting JS in the jail, gave the final version to to deliver. Jones recalled that the guards at the jail mistook JS’s letter for an order for the to come to and rescue JS. As a result, some of the men in Carthage insisted that Jones surrender the letter, which he refused to do. While the men argued about whether to kill Jones or expel him from Carthage, Jones escaped on horseback and made his way to . He then took a steamboat downriver to . When the boat stopped along the way in , Illinois, Jones heard the news that JS and had been murdered. Despite this, he continued his journey to Quincy, although it is unclear whether he delivered JS’s letter to . The final version of the letter, which was sent with Jones, is featured here. No response from Browning is known to exist.

Footnotes

  1. Warrant, 24 June 1844.

  2. Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844; James W. Woods, Statement, Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 30 June 1844, [1]; James W. Woods, Statement, Times and Seasons, 1 July 1844, 5:564.

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  3. JS, Journal, 21 Dec. 1842; Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844.

  4. “The Late Proceedings,” Times and Seasons, 15 June 1841, 2:447–449; “Letter from the Editor,” Times and Seasons, 15 June 1841, 2:449; see also Historical Introduction to Extradition of JS et al. for Treason and Other Crimes.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  5. JS, Carthage, IL, to Orville Browning, [Quincy, IL], 27 June 1844, copy, JS Collection, CHL.

  6. While Jones seemed to indicate that Richards gave him the letter, JS’s journal, which Richards kept, suggests that Babbitt brought it to Jones. (Jones, “Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith,” 13; Jones and Dennis, “Martyrdom of Joseph Smith and His Brother Hyrum,” 91; Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844.)

    Jones, Dan. The Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, 1855. CHL. MS 153.

    Dennis, Ronald D. “The Martyrdom of Joseph Smith and His Brother Hyrum.” BYU Studies 24 (Winter 1984): 78–109.

  7. While Jones noted that he left Quincy “having accomplished my mission thereto,” he never directly stated that he delivered the letter. (Jones, “Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith,” 13–18.)

    Jones, Dan. The Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, 1855. CHL. MS 153.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. Letter to Orville Browning, 27 June 1844, Draft *Letter to Orville Browning, 27 June 1844 History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Orville Browning, 27 June 1844
ID #
2239
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Willard Richards
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