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.
<October 28> and Caroline, and of 6 princes, 11 Dukes, 7 Dutchesse<s> 1 Marquiss, 7 Lords, 3 Viscounts, 8 Countesses, 3 Barons, 16 Earls, 11 Admirals, 10 Generals, 5 Colonels, 3 Majors, 10 Captains, 4 Lieutenants, 16 Bishops, 6 Divines, 15 Doctors, 52 <Knights,> 152 Gentlemen, and 48 Ladies, making 421 persons who have been deposited in vaults in this Abbey, and monuments erected to their memory. We saw the full stature and perfect likeness of Queens Elizabeth, Mary and Anne, Lord Nelson, Pitt and others. We sat in the Coronation chair in which Queen Victoria was crowned, and all the Kings and Queens in England for the last 800 years, it is covered with gold tissue, and <has> — — — a stone under the seat, upon which <it is said> all the Scottish — — — — — — Kings were crowned ever since they were a nation or people; they have a tradition among them — — — — it is Jacobs Pillar. In walking through the Abbey, we see frequent marks of violence from Oliver Cromwell in defacing some of the tombs, monuments and brass work with which some of the abbey was adorned. Here we behold the art of man with all its combined force and power, spun to the finest thread, and expanded to the fullest extent, in the building and finishing of this abbey as a general whole, but more especially; that part called Henry the seventh’s chapel; and a visit to this chapel is not only worthy the attention of all travellers, but to occupy a place in the Journal of any historian — — — — — — — interested in British antiquities. While speaking upon this subject, we would not pass over our visit to the House of Parliament, which is but a few rods from the abbey. As we entered the House of Lords (now occupied by the Commons) we did not behold so much to interest the sight of the eye as the meditation of the mind, however we had the privilege of resting ourselves, by sitting in the chair in which the Speaker of the House of Lords had sat for many years. In this <Building> all the speeches were made by — — — — — —. <Chatham> while advocating the American cause before the Revolution. In this <Hall the General> laws were made that now govern and control near 200,000,000, human beings— The House of Commons <having> been burnt down several years since they now occupy this room, and another one is erected for the House of Lords. Some might suppose, that a house of Parliament fitted up to contain Kings, Lords and Commons, would be extra grand and expensive, but we found it quite the reverse: It is — — — — — plain and undecorated. On entering the room, one would — — — — think he was in an American School House rather than in a House of Lords and Commons. While retiring from this scenery we had a view of — — — — — — British soldiers, or foot guards while on parade in St. James Park, accompanied by a full band of music: also of the Queen’s horse guards, well mounted upon black horses, the bodies of the men covered with steel which was glistening in the Sun. We had a view of the <Duke of York’s Monument> — — — — — — — — — — — which is 135 feet in height, and of the <residence of the> Queen Dowager— — — — St. James’ Park is surrounded with dwellings, mansions, — — — and Palaces of the first class, as to size, splendor, and note of any in [p. 1122]