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History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. D-1, created 4 July 1845–4 Feb. 1846 and 1 July 1854–2 May 1855; handwriting of , Robert L. Campbell, and ; 275 pages, plus 6 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fourth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fourth volume covers the period from 1 Aug. 1842 to 1 July 1843; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1, constitutes the fourth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 August 1842 to 1 July 1843, and it was compiled after JS’s death.
The material recorded in volume D-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , with the assistance of . After Richards’s death in 1854, continued work on the volume as the new church historian with Bullock’s continued help. The process adopted by Richards and Bullock involved Richards creating a set of rough draft notes and Bullock transcribing the notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). George A. Smith followed a similar pattern, though he dictated the draft notes to Bullock and other scribes.
According to the Church Historian’s Office journal, finished the third volume of the series, volume C-1, on Thursday, 3 July 1845, in , Illinois. He began work on the fourth volume, D-1, the next day, beginning on page 1362 with the entry for 1 August 1842. (The pages in volumes A-1–E-1 were numbered consecutively.) Bullock continued work on the record, drawing upon ’s draft notes, until 3 February 1846—the day before D-1 and the other volumes were packed up in preparation for the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo. At that point he had reached page 1485 with the entry for 28 February 1843. Subsequently, apparently after the collection had arrived in Utah, Bullock added a brief comment beneath that entry: “end of W. Richard’s compiling[.] the books packed Feby. 4— 1846 in Nauvoo[.] Miles Romney— present. The records carried by T Bullock from Winter Quarters to G S L [Great Salt Lake] City in 1848.”
A notation at the top of page 1486 reports that “the books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. J[onathan] Grimshaw & Miles Romney present.” Vertically, in the margin, is a poignant epitaph: “Decr. 1 1853 Dr. Willard Richards wrote one line of History—being sick at the time—and was never able to do any more.” With Richards’s death on 11 March 1854, JS’s cousin was called to the office of church historian. The notation on the top of page 1486 acknowledges this change in officers, noting, “commencement of George A. Smith’s compiling as Historian. April 13. 1854[.] [C]ommenced copying July 1. 1854.” From mid-April to the end of June 1854, George A. Smith, in collaboration with Thomas Bullock, worked on the draft notes for the history before a new scribe, , resumed writing in D-1 on 1 July 1854, beginning with the entry for 1 March 1843.
continued transcribing intermittently into the late fall of 1854, when he was assigned other duties in the Historian’s Office. He had reached page 1546 with the entry for 5 May 1843. Work resumed in February 1855 in the hand of Robert L. Campbell, recently returned from a mission. He concluded volume D-1 on the morning of 2 May 1855 and began writing in E-1 that afternoon.
The 274 pages of volume D-1 contain a record of much that is significant in the life of JS and the development of the church he founded. Among these events are
• JS’s 6 August 1842 prophecy that the Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.
•JS’s 8 August 1842 arrest on a warrant for being “an accessory before the fact” to an attack on former governor .
• ’s 17 August 1842 letter to governor , pleading for the humane treatment of her husband and family.
•JS’s 1 and 6 September 1842 instructions regarding the proper procedures for performing baptisms for the dead.
• JS’s 15 November 1842 “Valedictory” as he stepped down as editor of the Times and Seasons.
• The 26 December 1842 arrest of JS on a “proclamation” by former governor , and subsequent hearing in , Illinois.
• The 7 February 1843 recovery of a volume of patriarchal blessings given by , which had been stolen in , Missouri.
• JS’s 21 February 1843 remarks regarding the and .
• JS’s 2 April 1843 instruction at , Illinois, on the nature of God and other subjects.
• JS’s 16 May 1843 remarks at , Illinois, on the everlasting covenant and eternal marriage.
• The account of JS’s 23 June 1843 arrest and his hearing the following week at .
Footnotes
<June 23> and team to carry them, for they had run their horses almost to death. they arrived at Mr. [Benjamin] Wasson’s while the family were at dinner, about 2 P.M. they came to the door, said they were Mormon and wanted to see brother Joseph. I was in the yard going to the Barn, when stepped to the end of the house and saw me; he accosted me in a very uncouth ungentlemanly manner, when stept up to me, collared me, when both of them presented cocked pistols to my breast, without shewing any writ or serving any process. cried out “God d—n you, if you stir I’ll shoot, God d—n you if you stir one inch I’ll shoot you, God d—n you be still, or I’ll shoot you by God,” I enquired what is the meaning of all this? “I’ll shew you the meaning by God, and if you stir one inch I’ll shoot you God d—n you”. I answered I am not afraid of your shooting I am not afraid to die, I then bared my breast and told them to shoot away, I have endured so much oppression, I am weary of life, and kill me if you please. I am a strong man however, and with my own natural weapons, could soon level both of you, but if you have any legal process to serve, I am at all times subject to Law, and shall not offer resistance. replied God damn you if you say another word we’ll shoot you by God.” I answered shoot away I am not afraid of your Pistols. By this time walked deliberately towards us, when they saw him coming, they turned their pistols from me to him, and threatened his life if he came any nearer, but he paid no attention to their threats, <and> continued to advance nearer. They then turned their Pistols on me again, jamming them against my side, with their fingers on the triggers, and ordered to stand still or they would shoot me through. As was advancing [HC 5:440] rapidly towards me, I said. You are not going to resist the officers, are you brother ? he replied No, not if they are officers. I know the law too well for that. they then hurried me off, put me in a Wagon without serving any process, and were for hurrying me off without letting me see, or bid farewell to my family or friends, or even allowing me time to get my hat or clothes, or even suffer my wife or children to bring them to me. I then said Gentlemen if you have any legal process I wish to obtain a writ of and was answered “God d—n you, you shant have one”. <They> still continuing their punching me on both sides <with their pistols>. then sprung and seized the horses by the bits and held them, until my wife could bring my hat and coat. and again threatening to shoot , who said there is no law on earth that requires a Sheriff to take a prisoner without his clothes. fortunately at this moment, I saw a man passing, and told him these men are kidnapping me, and I wish a writ of Habeas Corpus to deliver myself out of their hands, but as he did not appear to go, I told to go, who immediately proceeded to on horseback where the also proceeded with me at full speed without even allowing me to [p. 1582]
Source Note
Source Note
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Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
Insertion in handwriting of Thomas Bullock.