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Letters from Hugh T. Reid and James W. Woods, 24 June 1844

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Letters from Hugh T. Reid and James W. Woods, 24 June 1844

Source Note

, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 24 June 1844, with appended Letter from , , Hancock Co., IL, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 24 June 1844; handwriting and signatures presumably of and ; two pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, dockets, and redaction.
Bifolium measuring 12⅜ × 7½–7¾ inches (31 × 19–20 cm). These irregular dimensions resulted from either a manufacturing defect or later trimming. The recto and verso of each leaf are ruled with thirty-four horizontal lines printed in blue ink. The top left corner of the first page contains a decorative oval embossment surrounding the name “J. AMES”. The letter was trifolded twice in letter style and addressed. It was later folded in half twice horizontally for storage. At some point, an unknown scribe made a redaction in graphite.
The document 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 document was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) circa 1904. By 1973 it had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early dockets, its listing in the circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection suggest continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. The paper likely came from one of the Massachusetts or Connecticut paper mills owned by David and John Ames. (Gravell et al., American Watermarks: 1690–1835, 235; Weeks, History of Paper-Manufacturing in the United States, 124–126.)

    Gravell, Thomas L., George Miller, and Elizabeth Walsh. American Watermarks: 1690–1835. 2nd ed. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2002.

    Weeks, Lyman Horace. A History of Paper-Manufacturing in the United States, 1690–1916. New York: Lockwood Trade Journal, 1916.

  2. 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–.

  3. 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.

  4. “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [3], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL. The inventory lists a copy of an undated document identified as “H. T. Reid and James M. Woods to” under the year 1844.

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

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

Historical Introduction

In the afternoon on 24 June 1844, JS’s attorneys— and —wrote letters from , Hancock County, Illinois, to JS in , Hancock County, requesting documents and witnesses to demonstrate that the Nauvoo Expositor’s press was destroyed on 10 June without . In the wake of the of the press, antagonism had intensified between the and their opponents in the county. Recognizing that this tension could lead to armed conflict, governor found it necessary to intervene and traveled to , arriving in Carthage, the county seat, on 21 June. Ford wrote to JS requesting that representatives from Nauvoo travel to Carthage and relate their “version of the matter.” That same day, James W. Woods, presumably at the request of JS, traveled from , Iowa Territory, to Nauvoo, arriving around nine o’clock at night. The next day, 22 June, he met with JS and and later traveled to Carthage with church member , who was carrying affidavits intended for Governor Ford. In Carthage, Woods spoke with Ford, defending JS’s character and claiming that Nauvoo was peaceful.
That same day, sent a letter to JS insisting that he appear in to answer a charge of riot stemming from his participation in the destruction of the Expositor. JS eventually conceded to Ford’s demand, which led him to seek out legal assistance. JS wrote to several individuals, including , an attorney in , Iowa Territory. Johnstone responded that he was unable to assist but would send someone in his place, presumably his law partner, , who ultimately served as one of JS’s attorneys. , who returned to on the evening of 23 June, left again for Carthage the next morning. Both Woods and Reid reached Carthage before JS, who arrived sometime close to midnight on 24 June. Reid and Woods lodged at ’s in Carthage.
In his 24 June letter, begun at 5:00 p.m., requested that JS furnish either an official or a published copy of the City Council’s order to destroy the press and JS’s order to the city marshal to carry out the press’s destruction. He also asked JS to provide witnesses who could testify that it was not conducted in a riotous manner. then added his own letter to Reid’s on the same document, approving of Reid’s requests and assuring JS that would protect him. He also explained why Reid was representing JS instead of .
The document’s addressing indicates that an “Elder Cohoon,” possibly , was to deliver the letters to JS in . Cahoon apparently did not leave for Nauvoo until 25 June. Moreover, JS departed Nauvoo for on 24 June, making it unclear when and where he might have received the letters and even whether he received them before his death on 27 June. If JS did not receive the letters, he may have learned of their contents from or after he arrived in Carthage.

Footnotes

  1. “Joseph Smith Documents from 16 May through 28 June 1844”.

  2. Letter from Thomas Ford, 21 June 1844.

  3. James W. Woods, Statement, Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 30 June 1844, [1]; James W. Woods, Statement, Times and Seasons, 1 July 1844, 5:563; JS, Journal, 21–22 June 1844; William Clayton, Daily Account of JS’s Activities, 14–22 June 1844. In his 1844 statement about the murders of JS and Hyrum Smith, Woods never explained what caused him to leave Burlington, but in an 1882 recollection of these events, he mentioned twice that JS requested him to travel to Nauvoo. JS may have been acquainted with Woods as early as May 1843. (Stiles, Recollections and Sketches, 268; JS, Journal, 4 May 1843.)

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

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

    Stiles, Edward H. Recollections and Sketches of Notable Lawyers and Public Men of Early Iowa. Des Moines, IA: Homestead Publishing, 1916.

  4. James W. Woods, Statement, Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 30 June 1844, [1].

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  5. Letter from Thomas Ford, 22 June 1844; Letter to Thomas Ford, 23 June 1844; Letter to Edward Johnstone, 23 June 1844; Letter to Henry T. Hugins, 23 June 1844; Letter to John R. Wakefield, 23 June 1844.

  6. Letter from Edward Johnstone, 23 June 1844; see also Stiles, Recollections and Sketches, 269, 326, 328; and Hugh T. Reid, “Statement of Facts!,” Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 30 June 1844, [1]; Hugh T. Reid, “Statement of Facts!,” Times and Seasons, 1 July 1844, 5:561.

    Stiles, Edward H. Recollections and Sketches of Notable Lawyers and Public Men of Early Iowa. Des Moines, IA: Homestead Publishing, 1916.

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

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

  7. Hugh T. Reid, “Statement of Facts!,” Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 30 June 1844, [1]; Hugh T. Reid, “Statement of Facts!,” Times and Seasons, 1 July 1844, 5:562; James W. Woods, Statement, Nauvoo Neighbor, Extra, 30 June 1844, [1]; James W. Woods, Statement, Times and Seasons, 1 July 1844, 5:563; Willard Richards, Journal Excerpt, 23–27 June 1844.

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

  8. William Clayton’s journal entry for 25 June reads: “Er Cahoon returned from Carthage & said they wanted some papers which I got & sent out by A.P. Rockwood.” These papers might relate to Reid and Woods’s request for more documents. (Clayton, Journal, 25 June 1844.)

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

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] *Letters from Hugh T. Reid and James W. Woods, 24 June 1844 History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”
you will have as impartial an investigation as could be Expected from those opposed to you, the Excitement— is much allayed and your opponants <​those who wish to make capital out of you​> do not want you to come to had gone East, & that will account for s being here
Respectfully your Obt Svt
24th. June 1844 [22 lines blank] [p. [2]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letters from Hugh T. Reid and James W. Woods, 24 June 1844
ID #
1445
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • James W. Woods

Footnotes

  1. In a later reminiscence, Johnstone indicated that he intended to travel to Pennsylvania. (“The Prophet’s Last Written Word,” in Caleb Forbes Davis, Scrapbooks, 8:327, State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.)

    Davis, Caleb Forbes. Scrapbooks, 1882–1898. 10 vols. Special Collections, State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.

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