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.
<July 13> and forcibly take, kidnap, and carry this , and said , bound with cords from the said County of , in said State, on the day and year aboveset forth, into the County of Lewis, in the State of ; without having established a claim for such a procedure, according to the Laws of the . states that in a short time after he was taken into the State of , he was put into a room with said , and there kept until about Eleven o’clock the following night: when they were taken out of the room, where they had been confined, into the woods, near at hand by said Tate, a man by the name of Huner and another by the name of Monday and some others, whose names did not learn; they previously placed a rope about the neck of the , Huner and Monday then proceeded to hang the , and did hang him for some time upon a tree, until was nearly strangled, after which they let him down and loosened the rope. Shortly after this heard repeated blows, which others belonging to the same gang of Huner were inflicting upon , and he could hear also the cries of under the pain arising from the blows, after which, and were taken back to the room where they had been confined, in which they found a Man by the name of Rogers and another by the name of Allred. further states that he was kept in imprisonment by the per[HC 4:155]sons heretofore named, and others to him unknown, until Friday evening next ensuing the Tuesday on which and himself were kidnapped when he escaped out of their hands and returned into the State of . has learned that the name of the place, in said County of Lewis, State of Missouri to which he was so taken from the State of is called Tully, to which the said Allensworth, Woodyard Martin, Owsley, Bain, Tate and White, have fled as fugitives from justice, and at which they are now to be found. I hereby certify that the foregoing affidavit, was this day subscribed and duly sworn to before me, by said — — Justice of the Peace— July 13. 1840.”
“State of Illinois, — This day personally appeared before the undersigned an acting Justice of the Peace, in and for said , , a credible witness, who first being duly sworn according to law, deposes and says, that William Allensworth, John H. Owsley, and William Martin on the seventh day of July 1840 within the limits of the said County of , aided by several other persons, to this unknown— forcibly arrested this and one ; whilst and said , were peaceably pursuing their own lawful business, and that the said Allensworth, Owsly, and Martin after said arrest, aided by sundry persons, to this unknown; did forcibly take, kidnap, and carry this and said , from the said County of in the State of Illinois, on the day and year above mentioned, into the State of , without having established a claim for such procedure according to the laws of the . further states that in a short time after he had been so taken into the State of , he was put into a room with said and there kept until some time during the following night, when they were taken out of the room where they were confined into the woods near by, and this was bound by the persons conducting him to a tree, he having been first forcibly stripped by them of every particle of clothing. Those having him in charge [p. 1078]