Minutes, 1 March 1841, Copy

Source Note

Nauvoo City Council, Minutes,
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Hancock Co., IL, 1 Mar. 1841. Featured version copied [ca. 1 Mar. 1841] in Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, pp. 11–15; handwriting of
James Sloan
28 Oct. 1792–24 Oct. 1886. City recorder, notary public, attorney, judge, farmer. Born in Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Alexander Sloan and Anne. Married Mary Magill. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder, ...
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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 1841–1845.
Historical Introduction
On 1 March 1841 the
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Illinois, city council met for the fifth time since the council was created. As with previous meetings, the council met at
Amos Davis
Ca. 20 Sept. 1813–22 Mar. 1872. Merchant, farmer, postmaster, tavernkeeper. Born in New Hampshire or Vermont. Son of Wells Davis and Mary. Moved to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, ca. fall 1836. Married first Elvira Hibard, 1 Jan. 1837, in...
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’s house. In all city council meetings to date, JS had played an active role as a city councilor.
1
See, for example, Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.
This 1 March meeting was no different, and these minutes are presented to provide an example of JS’s participation on the council. JS offered one resolution, made two motions respecting city appointments, and presented six city ordinances, all of which passed. Two of the ordinances JS introduced placed particular emphasis on protecting liberties and constitutional rights for people in Nauvoo, something JS and his coreligionists found lacking 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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.
2
For more on the Latter-day Saint experience in Missouri, see “Joseph Smith Documents from February 1838 through August 1839.”
The passage of these ordinances highlights the commitment of the city council to guarantee civil, political, and religious liberty to all in Nauvoo.

James Sloan
28 Oct. 1792–24 Oct. 1886. City recorder, notary public, attorney, judge, farmer. Born in Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Alexander Sloan and Anne. Married Mary Magill. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder, ...
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recorded the minutes of the 1 March 1841 city council meeting in a notebook. Those original minutes were then used by Sloan to record the official minutes in the city council’s ledger. The official minutes are featured here.

Footnotes
1. 1
  See, for example, Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.
2. 2
  For more on the Latter-day Saint experience in Missouri, see “Joseph Smith Documents from February 1838 through August 1839.”

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Colr. J. Smith moved that the Council appoint some person to attend the County Commissioner’s Court to procure an appropriation for Roads in this Section of Country. and it was resolved unanimously that be appointed for that purpose, and that he perform that duty.

A vote of thanks was tendered to, and the freedom of the City of conferred upon, the Hon. Senator, for , by the City Council, unanimously.

Adjourned until 1 oclock P. M. on Monday next March 8th. to meet at the same place

March 1st. 1841.

, Mayor.

, Recorder [p. 15]