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
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.
<Note P> October 2nd. 1836 brother returned to having been absent nearly five months during which time he baptized thirty <persons> into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints— this being in fulfillment of a blessing that I had Conferred upon his head before he started on his mission (page. 750
<Note Q> May 10th. brother came to me for counsel to know whether he should go into the vineyard to proclaim the gospel or go to school. I told him he might do Either, that he should choose, for the Lord will bless you, or you shall be blessed, he chose to go into the vineyard, he likewise immediately started and went down through the state of , into the state of , to his native country where he was born he stopped a short time, and then returned back to the City of Ogdensburg on the St. Lawrence River, where he built up a Church of twenty members, when about leaving that place my and Uncle , came to him and blessed the church with Patriarchal Blessings when they came to they were much depressed in spirits as when they came thro the Town of their brother Jesse Smith, having a spite against them, in consequence of their religion, swore out an against my , and levied upon his horse and waggon, and to settle the affair and get out of his Clutches, my Uncle (who had returned to that place on private business) stept forward and paid fifty dollars, in order that they might pursue their journey home (page 733
<Note R> May 16th. 1836 My Cousin arrived from New York, with the information that his father and family & and family were on their way to and that my Grandmother was at . May 17th. I went in Company with my brother in a carriage to , and brought home my Grandmother Mary Smith Aged 93 Years. She had not been baptized, on account of the opposition of of Jesse Smith her oldest son, who has always been an enemy to the work. She had come 500 miles to see her children, and knew all of us she had ever seen; was much pleased at being introduced to her great grandchildren, and expressed much pleasure and gratification on seeing me. My Grandfather Asael Smith long ago predicted that there would be a prophet raised up in his family, and my Grand Mother was fully satisfied that it was fulfilled in me. My Grand Father Asael, Died in East Stockholm St Lawrence Co New York, after having received the Book of Mormon, and read it nearly through, and he declared that I was the very prophet that he had long known, would come in his family. on the 18th. my Uncle & family arrived from the East. My three of his brothers and their Mother met the first time for many years. It was a happy day for we had long prayed to see our Grandmother & Uncles in the church. on May 27th. After a few days visit with her children, which she enjoyed— extremely well, My Grand Mother fell asleep without sickness, pain, or regret; She breathed her last about Sun set. (She had buried one [p. 5 [addenda]]