JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of , , Jonathan Grimshaw, and ; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “’s forces” at , Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop at , Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.
Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author. , , , and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.
The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in by the and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to ; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch ; the establishment of the city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo ; the expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.
<November 28 Petition to Congress> beyond which endurance ceases to be a virtue. The worm when trampled upon will turn upon its oppressor. A company of about thirty Mormons fell in with twice that Number of the Mob, engaged in the destruction of Mormon property, when a battle ensued in which one mormon was killed, and two or three of the Mob; acting in Concert with the officer who commanded the Mob was , Lieutenant Governor of the State of . when the noise of the battle was spread abroad the public mind became much inflamed. The Militia collected in arms from all Quarters, and in great numbers, and inflamed to fury— they demanded that the Mormons should surrender up all their arms, and immediately quit the . compelled by overpowring numbers the Mormons submitted. They surrendered up Fifty one guns which have never been returned, or paid for. The next day parties of the Mob went from house to house threaten[HC 4:26]ing women and children with death, if they did not immediately leave their homes. Imagination cannot paint the terror which now pervaded the Mormon Community. The weather was intensely cold, and women and children abandoned their homes and fled in every direction, without <sufficient> clothing to protect them from the piercing cold, Women gave birth to children in the woods and <on the> prairies. One hundred and twenty women and children for the space of ten days with only three or four men in company concealed themselves in the woods in hourly expectation and fear of massacre until they finally escaped into . The Society of Mormons after the above disturbances removed to the County of where they were kindly received by the Inhabitants and their wants administered to by their Charity. In the mean time the houses of the Mormons on the County of amounting to about two hundred were burned down or otherwise destroyed by the Mob, as well as much of their crops, furniture and Stock. The damage done to the property of the Mormons by the Mob in the County of as above related as near as they can ascertain would amount to the sum of one hundred and seventy five thousand dollars. The Number of Mormons thus driven from the County of amounted to about twelve hundred souls. For the property thus destroyed they have never been paid.
After the expulsion of the Mormons from the County of as above related they removed to and settled in the County of . They there purchased out some of the former Inhabitants and entered at the land office wild lands offered for sale by the General Government. The most of them became Freeholders owning each an Eighty or more of Land. The Mormons lived peaceably in the County of for about three years, and all that time increased rapidly in numbers by emigration, and also in wealth by their industry. After they had resided in that about three years, the Citizens not connected with them began to look upon them with Jealousy and alarm, Reports were again put in circulation against them. Public meetings were held in the Counties of and , at which violent resolutions were passed against the Mormons, and rumors of Mobs began again to spread alarm among the Mormons, At this Juncture the Mormons desirous of avoiding all conflict with their fellow Citizens, and anxious to preserve the peace and harmony of the Society around them as well as their own, [p. 977]