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Mayor’s Order to John P. Greene, 17 June 1844

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Mayor’s Order to John P. Greene, 17 June 1844

Source Note

JS, Mayor’s Order, to , , Hancock Co., IL, 17 June 1844. Featured version copied [ca. 17 June 1844]; handwriting of ; one page; JS Office Papers, CHL. Includes docket and notations.
Single leaf measuring 9 × 7⅝ inches (23 × 19 cm). Both sides of the leaf are ruled with twenty-four horizontal lines printed in blue ink. The right side of the recto was irregularly cut, which suggests that the leaf was removed from a book or larger sheet. The document was later trifolded and folded in half for filing.
The order 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. The document was possibly listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office (now CHL) 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. In 2012 the document was cataloged as part of the JS Office Papers. The document’s early docket, its possible listing in the circa 1904 inventory, its notation, and its later inclusion in the JS Office Papers 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. “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [4], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL. This inventory lists two undated letters to the city marshal under the year 1844. One of these could be referring to the order featured here. However, JS wrote to Greene, the city marshal, on more than two occasions in 1844.

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

  3. 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.

  4. This collection comprises correspondence addressed to JS’s clerks, correspondence to other recipients that was forwarded to JS for his perusal, copies of miscellaneous documents created by JS’s clerks, and miscellaneous financial documents. (See “Introduction to Joseph Smith’s Office Papers.”)

Historical Introduction

Acting as mayor of , Hancock County, Illinois, JS issued an order on 17 June 1844 to the city marshal, , instructing him to use the police and the to keep the peace in the city. During the week following the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor’s press on 10 June, JS received multiple reports that mobs were organizing in . On 12 and 13 June, some of the county’s residents held meetings in and , Illinois, in which they approved a series of resolutions against JS and the . One of these resolutions advocated that “the adherents of Smith, as a Body, should be driven from the surrounding settlements, into Nauvoo.” It also demanded the surrender of JS “and his miscreant adherents” or else “a war of extermination should be waged” against the Saints. The Warsaw Signal subsequently published these resolutions in a 14 June extra. This extra also indicated that Hancock County residents were to gather on 19 June in various “places of Rendez[v]ous” where they could “be ready when called upon for efficient action.”
On 15 June messengers from southern informed JS that , a local militia colonel, had demanded that church members in that area surrender their weapons. JS also received reports of men drilling in and weapons arriving in . observed that “various reports have come stating that the Warsawites have ordered the Saints to leave forthwith & threatening pretty bad.” On 16 June church member Thomas Wilson, a resident of southern Hancock County, swore out an affidavit stating, among other things, that a mob, which was said to include 1,500 Missourians, planned to march to Nauvoo on 20 June and demand the surrender of JS, his brother , and the City Council. If they were not surrendered, then the mob “would blow up the city and kill and exterminate all the Inhabitants.”
The prospect of an attack on led JS to take action to defend the city. On 16 June he addressed thousands of Latter-day Saint men and “inst[r]ucted them to keep cool” and “prepare their arms for def[e]nce of the city.” The next day, , one of JS’s trusted associates, swore out an affidavit stating that “from the public papers, especially the papers, and from reports from the various precincts, a mob may be expected to make an immediate attack” on “the citizens and city of Nauvoo.” Markham also noted that there were “gather[in]gs at the various precincts, and threats to exterminate the Latter day Saints.” Rather than describing an incident he personally witnessed, Markham’s affidavit essentially summarized the various reports that JS had received, probably to provide justification for mustering the to protect the city. JS employed a similar process in December 1843 when he sought to use the Nauvoo Legion to protect Nauvoo’s citizens in the wake of the kidnappings of two residents who were taken to . Citing Markham’s affidavit, JS used his power as the mayor of Nauvoo to issue the order to , which was labeled a proclamation, instructing him to protect the city and informing him that acting major general was ordered to cooperate with him. Greene probably received the original copy of this order, which was written by , the same day it was sent.
The original order is apparently not extant, but JS’s clerk made a copy of it at some point, which was retained among JS’s office papers. The retained copy is featured here.

Footnotes

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

  2. Warsaw (IL) Signal, Extra, 14 June 1844, [1].

    Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.

  3. JS, Journal, 15 June 1844; Clayton, Journal, 15 June 1844; see also William Clayton, Daily Account of JS’s Activities, 14–22 June 1844.

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

  4. Thomas Wilson, Affidavit, Nauvoo, IL, 16 June 1844, fair copy, JS Office Papers, CHL.

  5. Discourse, 16 June 1844–B; see also William Clayton, Daily Account of JS’s Activities, 14–22 June 1844.

  6. Stephen Markham, Affidavit, Nauvoo, IL, 17 June 1844, JS Office Papers, CHL; JS, Journal, 17 June 1844.

  7. Willard Richards and Philip B. Lewis, Affidavit, Nauvoo, IL, 8 Dec. 1843, JS Office Papers, CHL; Mayor’s Order to Henry G. Sherwood, 8 Dec. 1843; Requisition from Henry G. Sherwood, 8 Dec. 1843; Military Order to Wilson Law, 8 Dec. 1843; Willard Richards, Affidavit, Nauvoo, IL, 18 Dec. 1843, JS Office Papers, CHL; Military Order to Wilson Law, 18 Dec. 1843–B.

  8. Richards, Journal, 17 June 1844.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

  9. Richards also made copies of this order. In addition, he wrote what might be an early draft of JS’s order to Greene. It read: “Complaint having been made to me on oath that a mob is preparing to make an attack upon the citizens and city of Nauvoo. you will therefore make the proper requisition to keep the peace of said city. according to law.” (JS to John P. Greene, Order, Nauvoo, IL, 17 June 1844, copies, JS Office Papers, CHL; JS to Nauvoo City Marshal [John P. Greene], Order, Nauvoo, IL, 17 June 1844, JS Collection [Supplement], CHL.)

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. Mayor’s Order to John P. Greene, 17 June 1844, Willard Richards Draft
*Mayor’s Order to John P. Greene, 17 June 1844
Mayor’s Order to John P. Greene, 17 June 1844, Willard Richards First Copy Mayor’s Order to John P. Greene, 17 June 1844, Willard Richards Second Copy History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

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Proclamation!
June 17 1844
To marshal of the city of .—
Sir complaint having been made to me on oaths that a Mob is collecting at sundry points to make an attack on this you <​will​> therefore take such measures as shall <​be​> necessary to preserve the peace of said according to the provisions of the cha[r]ter and the laws of the , and with the police and , see that no violent act is committed. is hereby instructed to cooperate with the in keeping the peace according to Law.
Joseph Smith
Mayor [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Mayor’s Order to John P. Greene, 17 June 1844
ID #
3033
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • William W. Phelps

Footnotes

  1. Copies of this order made by Nauvoo have the singular “oath” instead of “oaths.” This refers to the affidavit made by Stephen Markham the same day. (JS to John P. Greene, Order, Nauvoo, IL, 17 June 1844, copies, JS Office Papers, CHL; Stephen Markham, Affidavit, Nauvoo, IL, 17 June 1844, JS Office Papers, CHL.)

  2. The 14 June extra of the Warsaw Signal listed Warsaw, Carthage, Green Plains, Spilman’s Landing, Chili, and La Harpe as gathering places for the forces hostile to the Latter-day Saints. (Warsaw [IL] Signal, Extra, 14 June 1844, [1].)

    Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.

  3. The act incorporating Nauvoo, or Nauvoo charter, stated that “the Mayor and Aldermen shall be conservators of the peace within the limits of said city.” A contemporary legal dictionary explained that “all judges, justices, sheriffs and constables are conservators of the peace, and are bound, ex officio, to be aiding and assisting in preserving order.” Nauvoo’s city marshal was “the principal ministerial officer” in Nauvoo, meaning that he was entrusted with executing the law. (Act to Incorporate the City of Nauvoo, 16 Dec. 1840; “Conservator,” in Bouvier, Law Dictionary, 1:313; “Ministerial,” in American Dictionary [1841], 2:132.)

    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.

    An American Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibit, I. the Origin, Affinities and Primary Signification of English Words, as far as They Have Been Ascertained. . . . Edited by Noah Webster. New York: S. Converse, 1828.

  4. JS issued two orders to Dunham on 17 June instructing him to cooperate with Greene to defend the city. (Military Order to Jonathan Dunham, 17 June 1844; JS to Jonathan Dunham, Military Order with Instructions to Execute Marshal’s Orders, [Nauvoo, IL], 17 June 1844, JS Collection, CHL.)

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