History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
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.
<September 26 Camp> to the man’s word. One of the Platoon Officers said as he passed us, “Well friends we will let you go this time; but the next time we will give you the devil up to the handle” The Bugler gave a blast, and said “You’ll soon reach the promised land, dont you hear Gabriel’ s trump”.
the Camp passed on and crossing Chariton River, pitched their tents. Here they found seven of the nine waggons of the Florence Camp, from Huron which had passed them at— Illinois.
I was about home until ten or eleven o’clock when I rode out, but returned home and spent the evening—
<27> Thursday 27 I was at home and about the City
<(p 7 Addenda note W.)>
<Camp> This morning some of the Wagons left the Camp when it belonged to others to go, which produced confusion all day there was also some murmurings and covetousness and want of liberality to impart to the hungry &c. Passed through Heattsville and— encamped on the East side of Yellow Creek, Eighteen miles where the Council spent the evening in trying to restore order—
<’s Letter> Extract of a letter from to — Dated
“ September 27. 1838. The force under is deemed sufficient to execute the laws and keep the peace in ; things are not so bad in that County as represented by rumor, and in fact from Affidavits I have no doubt your Excellency has been deceived by the exaggerated statements of designing or half crazy men. I have found there is no cause of alarm on account of the Mormons; they are not to be feared; they are very much alarmed.”
<28> Friday 28 I was about home until near Sunset when I rode out—
<Camp> This day the Camp passed but two houses— travelled seventeen miles and tented at Parson’s Creek— Lynn County. This part of the Country is well supplied with Wild Turkies Prairie hens, Quails, Partridges, Wild geese, ducks, snipes, Deer, Raccoon and Squirrel which the brethren sometimes succeeded in getting for food— Green Parrots, Eagles, Owls, Turkey Buzzards and cranes are found here also.
<s Camp> Elder arrived at with his Camp some time this week.
<Camp 29> Saturday 29th. The Camp travelled fifteen miles passed through Chilicothe and encamped on the Prairie one mile west of the Town— and Holmes Waggons upset and hurt several, and several were sick—
I rode out on horseback and returning about 3 P.M. spent the evening at home
<30> Sunday 30— I left home about ten o clock in the morning—
<Camp> The Camp crossed , passed Utica, crossed and tented on the West bank in (fifteen miles) on the farm of Brother Oliver Walker who gave each one a large pumpkin and plenty of shell beans, and the brethren felt as though they had entered the Land of Promise—
<October 1> Monday October 1. I returned home about five o clock in the evening where I tarried the remainder of the evening—
<Camp> The camp travelled twenty miles crossed Brush Creek and encamped on the West Bank, Elder left the Camp this morning and went on towards which the Camp disapproved of by unanimous vote in the evening—
<Mob at > The mob having left (after they were organized into Militia by , and and disbanded) went to Carroll County, and gathered around , threatning vengeance to the Saints, without regard to age sex or condition— So that was for a season freed from those peace disturbers—
<2 Camp Arrived at > Tuesday 2. Volunteers were called for to drive the herd when A. P. Tyler and Aroet Hale offered their Services with a grace becoming riper years, for they were young, and this is recorded of them as a memorial to their praise and an encouragement to others. The Camp passed on towards [p. 830]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [605]
JS, Journal, 26 Sept. 1838.
- [606]
See 27 Sept. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [607]
JS, Journal, 27 Sept. 1838.
- [608]
- [609]
David R. Atchison, Liberty, MO, to Lilburn W. Boggs, 27 Sept. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 34.
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; and the Evidence Given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes against the State. Fayette, MO: Boon’s Lick Democrat, 1841.
- [610]
See 28 Sept. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [611]
JS, Journal, 28 Sept. 1838.
- [612]
- [613]
See 29 Sept. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [614]
- [615]
JS, Journal, 29 Sept. 1838.
- [616]
See 30 Sept. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [617]
JS, Journal, 30 Sept. 1838.
- [618]
- [619]
See 1 Oct. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [620]
JS, Journal, 1 Oct. 1838.
- [621]
- [622]
- [623]
See 2 Oct. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [624]
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