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Letter to Thomas Ford, 23 June 1844

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Letter to Thomas Ford, 23 June 1844

Source Note

JS and , Letter, “Bank of the ,” [, Iowa Territory], to , , Hancock Co., IL, 23 June 1844. Featured version drafted [23 June 1844]; handwriting of ; two pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, dockets, notations, redactions, use marks, and archival marking.
Bifolium measuring 9⅝ × 8 inches (24 × 20 cm). The letter was trifolded twice in letter style and addressed. It was subsequently refolded for filing.
The letter was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from December 1841 until JS’s death in June 1844 and served as church historian from December 1842 until his own death in March 1854. It was also docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865. The letter was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) circa 1904. The graphite notation “A.J.” was added to the document by Andrew Jenson, who began working in the Church Historian’s Office in 1891 and served as assistant church historian from 1897 to 1941. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The letter’s early dockets, its listing in the circa 1904 inventory, its notation, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

  2. Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

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

  3. “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [4], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  4. Jenson, Autobiography, 192, 389; Cannon, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891; Jenson, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891 and 19 Oct. 1897; Bitton and Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians, 47–52.

    Jenson, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Jenson: Assistant Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938.

    Cannon, George Q. Journals, 1855–1864, 1872–1901. CHL. CR 850 1.

    Jenson, Andrew. Journals, 1864–1941. Andrew Jenson, Autobiography and Journals, 1864–1941. CHL.

    Bitton, David, and Leonard J. Arrington. Mormons and Their Historians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1988.

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

Historical Introduction

At two o’clock in the afternoon on 23 June 1844, on the west bank of the in , JS and composed a letter to governor , then headquartered at , Illinois, expressing their willingness to surrender themselves to the governor’s posse the following day. While in , Illinois, the previous day, 22 June, at about ten o’clock in the evening, JS had received a lengthy letter from Ford in which the governor instructed JS and others to come to Carthage and submit to the law for their roles in the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor’s press. Ford warned that if they did not comply, he would be forced “to call out the Militia to prevent a civil war.” Moreover, Ford expressed his concern that he would not be able to prevent the militia from destroying Nauvoo. JS responded around midnight, stating that while he and others would not hesitate to stand another trial, as Ford wished, they were nevertheless fearful that their “lives would be in danger” if they went to Carthage. Furthermore, JS expressed his and others’ intentions to leave Nauvoo and lay their grievances “before the federal goverment,” if possible, at . Around two o’clock in the morning on 23 June, JS crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa Territory along with Hyrum Smith, , and to escape arrest and conveyance to Carthage and presumably to take a roundabout route to Washington DC that did not pass through Illinois.
Sometime in the morning or early afternoon of 23 June, JS sent a letter to his wife sharing his intention “to get to the city of .” Around midday, a party including , , and other from visited JS—reportedly at the behest of Emma Smith—and urged him to come back. Although not a member of the group, later recalled that the group was asked to tell JS that “the had promised that he should have a fair trial & the Gard to protect him” and urge him “to remember his covenants that he . . . [had] made to live & die for the Saints.”
After consulting with the group, JS and dictated to a letter to . They explained that the governor’s letter of the previous day had seemed unduly harsh and that they had felt concerned for their safety but that after receiving an explanation of Ford’s letter, they agreed to surrender themselves for trial at . Needing time to collect witnesses and prepare a defense, they proposed to meet Ford’s posse the following day at two o’clock in the afternoon “at or near the Mound,” a large earthen mound four or five miles east of . Evidently expecting that this document would be sent to Ford, Richards included addressing on the final page.
JS and returned to later in the day on 23 June, at approximately five thirty in the evening. Around that time, JS apparently decided to change the time of his rendezvous with ’s posse the following day from two in the afternoon to ten o’clock in the morning. A new copy of this letter to Ford, reflecting the time change, was presumably written at Nauvoo shortly after JS’s return to the city, and JS assigned and to deliver the letter. Turley initially objected to the assignment on the grounds that he believed JS would be going to his death, but he and Grant carried the letter from Nauvoo to on 23 June. They evidently arrived in Carthage late in the evening and personally delivered the letter to Ford. They returned early the next morning with a response from Ford, who insisted that JS, Hyrum Smith, and the others named in the arrest warrant meet his posse without a protective guard. Because the sent copy of the letter is not extant, ’s original draft is featured here.

Footnotes

  1. For more information on the destruction of the Expositor, see “Joseph Smith Documents from 16 May through 28 June 1844.”

  2. Letter from Thomas Ford, 22 June 1844.

  3. Letter to Thomas Ford, 22–23 June 1844.

  4. Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844; JS History, vol. F-1, 147.

  5. Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844; Letter to Emma Smith, 23 June 1844.

  6. Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844; Theodore Turley, San Bernardino, CA, to Hosea Stout, 28 Oct. 1855, [2]–[3], Historian’s Office, JS History Documents, ca. 1839–1860, CHL. Both contemporary and reminiscent accounts indicate that JS’s absence resulted in insecurity and tension in Nauvoo. Vilate Murray Kimball noted that upon hearing that JS had left for Iowa, “some were tryed almost to death to think Joseph should leve them in the hour of danger.” She expressed her belief that JS and Hyrum Smith giving themselves up was the only thing that would “save our city from destruction.” In a later account, Lucien Woodworth stated that there was a general feeling among residents of Nauvoo that JS should return. In addition to the account by Turley, reminiscent accounts written by Woodworth and Stephen Markham describe different groups who met with JS in an effort to persuade him to do so. In his account, Woodworth related a discussion between JS and Hyrum, with Hyrum “in favor of going back”—apparently sharing “the opinion of the rest”—while JS was “determi[n]ed not to go back.” (Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, to Heber C. Kimball, Baltimore, MD, 9, 11, and 24 June 1844, [3], Kimball Family Correspondence, CHL; Lucien Woodworth, San Bernardino, CA, to Hosea Stout, Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, 29 Oct. 1855, [1]; Stephen Markham, Fort Supply, Utah Territory, to Wilford Woodruff, Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, 20 June 1856, [2], Historian’s Office, JS History Documents, ca. 1839–1860, CHL.)

    Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Documents, 1839–1860. CHL. CR 100 396.

    Kimball Family Correspondence, 1838–1871. CHL. MS 6241.

  7. Hosea Stout placed their return at “about half past five o’clock P.M.,” though William Clayton recorded that they returned at around five o’clock. (Hosea Stout, Miscellaneous Notes on Nauvoo Legion History, 23 June 1844, Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, CHL; Clayton, Journal, 23 June 1844.)

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

  8. Letter to Henry T. Hugins, 23 June 1844; see also Letter to Edward Johnstone, 23 June 1844; and Letter to John R. Wakefield, 23 June 1844. At some point, presumably either JS or Ford changed the meeting place from the mound to the Albert and Sally Hanford Fellows farm, about four miles west of Carthage. (Historical Introduction to Letter to Thomas Ford, 24 June 1844.)

  9. Following JS’s request that he deliver the letter to Ford, Turley recollected that he asked, “Br Joseph will you go Seeing God has told you to flee if not they will kill you he replyed if my life tis of no Benef[it] to my Bretheren it is of no Value to me go tell him I will meet him on the Mound tomorow.” (Theodore Turley, San Bernardino, CA, to Hosea Stout, 28 Oct. 1855, [3], Historian’s Office, JS History Documents, ca. 1839–1860, CHL.)

    Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Documents, 1839–1860. CHL. CR 100 396.

  10. Hosea Stout, Miscellaneous Notes on Nauvoo Legion History, 23–24 June 1844, Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, CHL; Theodore Turley, San Bernardino, CA, to Hosea Stout, 28 Oct. 1855, [3], Historian’s Office, JS History Documents, ca. 1839–1860, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Documents, 1839–1860. CHL. CR 100 396.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter to Thomas Ford, 23 June 1844
History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

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<​Copy—​>
Bank of the
Sunday June 23d 1844. 2 P.M.
His Excellency
Sir: I wrote you a long communication at 12 last night, expressive of my vi[e]ws of your ’s communication of yesterday. I thought your Letter rather severe, but, one of my friends has just come to me with an explanation of from the captiain of your possie which softened the subject matter of your communication, And gives me us greater assurance of protection, and that your has succeeded in bringing in subjection the spirits, which surround your , to some extent. And I declare again the only obj[e]ction I ever had or ever made to trial by my country at any time was what I have made in my last letter— on account of, assassins. <​&​> reason I have to fear deathly consequnces from your hand <​their hands.​> But from the Explanation I now offer to come to you at on the morrow. as early as shall be conv[en]ient for your possie to escirt me <​us​> in to Head Quarters, provided I <​we​> can have a fair trial. <​which we​> not be abused, nor have my witneses abused. and have all things done in due form of law. witho[u]t Partiality, and you may depend on my honour without the show of a great armed force to produce excitemnt in the minds of the timid.
<​We​> I will meet your possie <​if this letter is satisfactory, if not inform me,​> at or near the Mound at or about two oclock tomorrow afternoon, which [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Thomas Ford, 23 June 1844
ID #
1436
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Willard Richards

Footnotes

  1. This notation may have mistakenly indicated that this document was a copy or it may indicate that a copy of this letter was made.

  2. Letter to Thomas Ford, 22–23 June 1844; see also Letter from Thomas Ford, 22 June 1844.

  3. Others perceived Ford’s letter similarly. William Clayton called it “a most outrageous letter” and explained that it was “the reason why Joseph & others went away.” Vilate Murray Kimball, wife of church apostle Heber C. Kimball, called it “a saucy letter.” (Clayton, Journal, 23 June 1844; Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, to Heber C. Kimball, Baltimore, MD, 9, 11, and 24 June 1844, [3], Kimball Family Correspondence, CHL.)

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

    Kimball Family Correspondence, 1838–1871. CHL. MS 6241.

  4. The captain of Ford's posse was Christopher Yates, who, along with John Taylor and John M. Bernhisel, delivered Ford’s letter to JS on 22 June. In his later recollection of events, Taylor consistently referred to Yates as “Captain Yates.” (John Taylor, Statement, 23 Aug. 1856, 25, 28, Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, CHL.)

  5. In his personal journal, Willard Richards recorded that “ab[o]ut noon Dr Bernshiel [John M. Bernhisel] came. &—— [Reynolds] cahoon and explid [explained] govern[or’s] Letter.” (Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844.)

  6. John Bouvier’s law dictionary defined “trial by the country” as a trial “by a jury.” However, JS here appears to have been referring to submitting himself for a hearing in Carthage, Illinois, rather than to a trial by jury in general. In a 14 June letter to Ford, JS stated that if Ford was “not satisfied” with JS’s explanation of the abatement of the Nauvoo Expositor, he was willing to submit to a hearing on the matter “before Judge [Nathaniel] Pope or any legal tribunal at the Capital.” He expressed similar feelings in another letter to Ford on 22 June, stating that he had “never in the least offered any resistance to law, or lawful process” and was anxious to have the governor “come to Nauvoo and investigate the whole matter.” Writing to Ford on the night of 22–23 June, JS declared, “We would not hisstitate [hesitate] to stand another trial according to your Excellencys wish, were it not that we are confident our lives would be in danger, we dare not come.” (“Pais, or Pays,” in Bouvier, Law Dictionary, 2:259; Letter to Thomas Ford, 14 June 1844; Letter to Thomas Ford, 22 June 1844; Letter to Thomas Ford, 22–23 June 1844.)

    Bouvier, John. A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America, and of the Several States of the American Union; With References to the Civil and Other Systems of Foreign Law. 2 vols. Philadelphia: Deacon and Peterson, 1854.

  7. While JS was staying at Artois Hamilton’s hotel in Carthage, Illinois, on 27 May, Charles A. Foster informed JS of a conspiracy against his life, stating that some in the town were determined that he should not leave Carthage alive. Several affidavits collected by JS and others between 16 and 22 June underscored the reality of threats made against JS’s life. (JS, Journal, 27 May 1844; Minutes, 21 June 1844; Letter to Thomas Ford, 22 June 1844.)

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