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History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of and ; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war at , Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1. ’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and , assisted by , resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, , and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1, and chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death, , , , and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—, Ohio, and northwest —during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.
<x> Lord has appointed for your safety.” .” [HC 3:54] See B. page 807.
(C.) <refer back to 807 page>
<August. 6.> In the afternoon the citizens of assembled in the and organized the meeting by calling Judge to the chair and appointing Secretary, I stated to the meeting that the time had come when it was necessary that we <Weekly Newspaper> should have a Weekly Newspaper to unite the people, by giving the News of the day &c when it was unanimously agreed that such a Paper be established and that President <Petition for Removal of the County Seat to .> should be the Editor. It was also voted that a Petition be circulated to remove <locate> the County Seat to . I addressed the meeting on the propriety of the measure and also on the duty <Living in cities> of the brethren to come into Cities to build and live and carry on their farms out of the Cities according to the order of God— and spoke upon the same subject— Some two weeks previous to this who lived at Mill Port informed <Mob> and , that it was determined by the mob to prevent the Mormons <Election at > from voting at the Election on the sixth day of August and thereby elect Colonel who led the mob in . He also advised them to go prepared for an attack to stand their ground and have their rights— The brethren hoping better things gave little heed to ’s friendly Counsel, and repaired to the Polls at , the shire town of without weapons. About Eleven o’clock A.M. ascended the head of a barrel and harangued the Electors for the pur[HC 3:56]pose of exciting them against the Mormons, saying that the Mormon Leaders were “a set of horse thieves, Liars, Counterfeiters” &c and you “know they profess to heal the sick, cast out devils &c and you all know that is a damned lie,” that the Members of the Church were dupes, and not too good to take a false oath on any common occasion; that they would steal and did not conceive property safe where they were; that he was opposed to their settling there; and if they suffered the Mormons to vote, the people would soon loose their suffrage; and said he addressing the Saints “I headed a mob to drive you out of , and would not prevent your being mobbed now;” when Richard (called Dick) Welding, the mob bully, just drunk enough for the occasion, began a discussion with Brother by saying the mormons were not allowed to vote in , no more than the damned negroes, and attempted to strike who gradually retreated, parrying the blow with his Umbrella, while Welding continued to press upon him, calling him a damned liar &c. and while attempting to repeat the blow on , attempted to suppress the difficulty by holding Dick’s arm, when five or six of the Mobbers seized and commenced beating him with Clubs, Boards &c and crying “kill him, kill him, God dam him, kill him,” when a general scuffle commenced with fists and clubs, the mobbers being about ten to one of the Saints, Abraham Nelson was knocked down, and had his clothes torn off, and while trying to get up was attacked again, when his brother ran in amongst them and knocked the Mobbers down with the Butt of his Whip— Riley Stewart struck Dick Welding on the head, which brought him to the ground. The mob cried out “Dick Weldin’s dead by God. Who killed Dick?” and fell upon Riley, knocked him down, kicked him, and hollered ”kill him, God dam him, kill him, shoot him by God” and would have killed him, had not [HC 3:57] sprung in amongst them and knocked them down— During about five minutes it was one continued knock down, when the Mob dispersed to get fire arms. Very few of the Brethren voted. Riley succeeded in escaping across the River, had his wounds dressed and returned home. called the Brethren together and made a speech saying “We are American Citizens; our Fathers fought for their liberty, and we will maintain the same principles &c.— when the authorities of the came to them, and requested them to withdraw, stating that it was a premeditated thing to prevent the Mormons voting. The Brethren held a Council about one fourth of a mile out of town, where they saw Mobbing recruits coming in, in small parties from five and ten to twenty five in number armed with [p. 812]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
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Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [473]
See 6 Aug. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [474]
TEXT: Insertion in graphite.
- [475]
JS, Journal, 6 Aug. 1838.
Willard Richards handwriting ends; Thomas Bullock begins.
- [476]
John D. Lee and Levi Stewart, Statement, ca. 1844–1845, Historian’s Office, JS History Documents, ca. 1839–1856, CHL.
Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Documents, 1839–1860. CHL. CR 100 396.