, History, Manuscript, ca. 1839; handwriting of ; nineteen pages (several additional leaves missing); CHL.
Historical Introduction
While incarcerated at , Missouri, in March 1839, JS addressed a letter to the Saints and to “ in particular” in which he called for the Saints to gather up “a knoledge of all the facts and sufferings and abuses put upon them” in that they might publish the records “to all the world” and “present them to the heads of the government.” (JS et al., Liberty, MO, to the church members and Edward Partridge, Quincy, IL, 20 Mar. 1839, in Revelations Collection, CHL [D&C 123:1, 6].) Apparently in response to this assignment, Edward Partridge wrote a history that became the first three installments of “A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints in Missouri,” an eleven-part series published in the church’s newspaper, Times and Seasons, between December 1839 and October 1840.
may have intended to tell the entire story himself, but he fell ill shortly after publication began and died 27 May 1840. Partridge’s manuscript, which he did not title, is provided here. The full text of “A History, of the Persecution,” which necessarily relied on other sources following Partridge’s demise, receives comprehensive treatment in volume 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers and is available on this website.
’s history begins with his account of the conflicts in the early 1830s. Partridge was a bishop of the church in Missouri, first in and then in following the Saints’ expulsion from Jackson County. He also served as bishop in after the Saints relocated there from Clay County in 1836. By the time he drafted his account of the Mormon experiences in Missouri, the Saints had been exiled from the state and had relocated to .
’s narrative is based on firsthand observations and may also have relied on other records he kept. It begins, “In presenting to our readers a history of the persecutions,” indicating that Partridge wrote it for publication purposes. However, there are occasionally significant differences between the manuscript version and “A History, of the Persecution” as published.
The early custodial history of the manuscript is somewhat uncertain. However, the manuscript was presumably among materials in the possession of church historian and recorder Joseph Fielding Smith, who held that office from 1921 to 1970 and who had worked in the Church Historian’s Office many years prior. The manuscript became part of the First Presidency’s papers when Smith became church president in 1970, and, with other records (including Revelation Book 1 and two drafts of JS’s history), was transferred from the First Presidency’s office to the Church History Library in 2005.
Page [2]
confusion among themselves <than to do more> than to have a few knockdowns after taking a plentiful supply of whisky.
The result of this meeting may be attrebited in part to the influence of certain patriotic individuals among whom Genl. Clark a Sub. Indian agent may be considered as principal, he hearing of the meeting came from his agency <or home> some 30 or 40 miles <distant,> a day or two before the meeting He appeared quite indignant at the idea of having the laws and Constitution <Constitution> and laws trampled <troddon> under foot, by the strong trampling upon the weak. He went to certain influential mob characters and offered to decide our case with them in single combat. He said that it would be better for one or two individuals to die than for hundreds to be put to death
Although the meeting had broken up without doing any thing, yet the hostile spirit of individuals were <was> no less abated. Such was their thirst for the destruction of the Saints that they, that same fall, shot into <the houses of> certain individuals. in the night One house had a blanket ball in particular lodged in the a log near the head of the owner of the house as he lay in bed.
During the winter and Spring of 1833 the mob spirit spread <itself> though in a measure secretly, but in the forepart of summer it began to show itself openly by <in> the stoning of houses and other insults. Some time in July we saw the unparalleled declaration of the people of made its appearance. in which they charged <seemed to have tried their best to defame> our people with a charging them with crime at the same time they acknowledged that the laws of the land would not reach <our people> us, which was evidently the case, for they administered held the reins of goverment or in other [p. [2]]