Letter from George Fidler, 23 March 1842
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Source Note
, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 23 Mar. 1842; handwriting presumably of ; four pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, dockets, and notation.Bifolium measuring 12½ × 7½ inches (32 × 19 cm). Fidler inscribed the letter on all four pages; on the last page, he left space in the middle for an address panel. The bifolium was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. When the letter was opened, the wafer tore two holes in the second leaf; wafer residue appears on both sides of the leaf. The letter was refolded for filing.The document was docketed by , who served as scribe to JS from 1842 to 1844 and as temple recorder from 1842 to 1846. Another docket was inscribed by , who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) from 1853 to 1859. The document was listed in an inventory produced by the Church Historian’s Office circa 1904. A graphite notation of unknown significance and in unidentified handwriting appears above the address block: “Clarrissa Marvel”. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early dockets as well as its inclusion in the circa 1904 inventory and in the JS Collection by 1973 indicate continuous institutional custody.
Footnotes
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1
JS, Journal, 29 June 1842; “Clayton, William,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:718; Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 18, 30–31.
Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.
Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.
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2
“Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497.
Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.
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3
“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [2], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
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4
See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.
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1
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Historical Introduction
On 23 March 1842 member wrote a letter to JS from , Illinois, about concerns that he had lost JS’s confidence because he had failed to repay a debt. JS had hired Fidler, a recent immigrant from , as a clerk. Although Fidler’s specific assignment is unknown, JS apparently dismissed him before he finished his work. Fidler suspected that , a in Nauvoo, had encouraged JS to take that action.left JS’s employ believing that JS was satisfied with his work. Sometime later JS made comments to Fidler’s mother suggesting he no longer held him in high esteem, and Fidler became troubled. Fidler believed he had upset JS because he had taken out a debt that exceeded his salary. He wrote JS a private letter to explain why he was unable to repay the debt, stating that all of his money had gone toward providing his family with necessities.The lack of postal markings, together with the fact that wrote the letter in , indicates that the letter was hand carried rather than mailed. JS evidently received this letter, as indicated by a docket by . If JS responded, the response is no longer extant.
Footnotes
Document Transcript
Footnotes
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1
Fidler resided in Nauvoo Second Ward. His home was located on the north half of block 81 in Kimball’s first addition. (“List of Property in the City of Nauvoo,” 1841, Hiram Kimball’s Addition, block 81, lot 1; “Collectors Tax List for A. D. 1842. for the 2nd Ward in the City of Nauvoo,” 6, Nauvoo, IL, Records, CHL; “Nauvoo Ecclesiastical Wards, 1843–1844,” and “Nauvoo Plats, Blocks, and Lots, 27 June 1844.”.)
Nauvoo, IL, Records, 1841–1845. CHL.
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2
Fidler was married to Alivia (or Eliza) Fidler. (Platt, Nauvoo, 41; Maughan, Autobiography, [41].)
Platt, Lyman De. Nauvoo: Early Mormon Records Series, 1839–1846. Vol. 1. Highland, UT, 1980.
Maughan, Mary Ann Weston. Autobiography, 1894–1898. CHL. MS 6402.
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3
William and Wilson Law ran a general store in Nauvoo. A notice in the 15 January 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons stated that they had recently “entered into negociations with Mr. Isaac Hill, a gentleman of experience and skill, for the making of bricks.” (Editorial, Times and Seasons, 15 Jan. 1842, 3:664.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
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4
Millikin was married to Lucy Smith Millikin, JS’s sister. (Hancock Co., IL, Marriages, 1829–1849, p. 32, entry no. 376, microfilm 229,486, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL; Marriage License and Certificate for Arthur Millikin and Lucy Smith, 3 June 1840.)
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
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5
JS’s general store opened on 5 January 1842. (Letter to Edward Hunter, 5 Jan. 1842.)
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6
TEXT: “estab[page torn]hment.” Missing text in this document has been supplied from context.
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7
TEXT: “satisfi[page torn]”.