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> deputized a Committee of their leading men to make terms of peace with their Fellow Citizens of . An interview took place between them and a Committee of Citizens, at which it was agreed that [HC 4:27] the Mormons should leave the County of , and that the Citizens of should buy their lands. These terms were complied with. The Mormons removed to, and settled in the County of , and the Citizens never paid them value for their lands, many received nothing at all for their land— The Mormons by this removal sacrificed much both of money and feeling, but the sacrifice was made upon the altar of duty, for the peace of the Community— your memorialists would <17 June 1854 , commenced revising for publication see Deseret News Vol 4 No. 16> beg here to give what they believe a just explanation of the causes of the prejudice and persecution against the Mormons related above, and which will follow that there might have been some unworthy members among them cannot be denied. but many aver that as a community they were as moral, as upright, and as observant of the laws of the land as any body of people in the world. why then this prejudice and persecution? An Answer they trust will be found in the fact that they were a body of people distinct from their fellow Citizens in religious opinions, in their habits <&> in their associations. They were numerous enough to make the power of their numerical and moral force a matter of anxiety and dread to the political and religious parties by which they were surrounded, which arose not from what the Mormons had done, but from the fear of what they might do. In addition the Mormons have purchased of the settlers or of the Government <or> obtained by pre-emption the best lands in all those regions of the , and <at> the times of speculation, the Cupidity of many was aroused to possess those lands by driving off the Mormons and taking forcible possession, or constraining them to sell through fear and coercion at a price merely nominal. After the Mormons removed from , they settled in the County of as aforesaid— Your Memorialists do not deem it necessary for their purpose to detail the history of the progress, the cares and anxieties of the Mormons from the time they settled in in the year 1836 until the fall of the year 1838. They would however state, during all that time they deported themselves as good Citizens obeying the laws of the land, and the moral and religious duties enjoined by their faith. That there might have been some faithless among the faithful is possible. They would not deny that there might have been some who were a scandal to their brethren, and what society they would ask has not some unworthy member? Where is the sect? where the Community in which there cannot be found some, who trample under foot the laws of God and Man? They believe the Mormon community to have as few such as any other association, religious or political. Within [HC 4:28] the above period the Mormons continued to increase in wealth and numbers, until in the fall of the year 1838 they numbered — — — — — — — — — — about 15,000 souls— They purchased of the Government or of the Citizen, or held by pre-emption almost all the lands in the County of , and a portion of the lands in and Carroll. The County of was settled almost entirely by Mormons, and Mormons were rapidly filling up the Counties of [p. 978]