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.
<December 16> contagious diseases into the City, to make Quarantine laws for that purpose, and enforce the same. Sec. 5 To appropriate and provide for the payment of the debt and expences of the . Sec. 6. To establish hospitals and make regulations, for the government of the same. Sec. 7. To make regulations to secure the general health of the inhabitants, to declare what shall be a nuisance, and to prevent and remove the same. Sec. 8. To provide the City with Water, to dig wells and erect pumps in the Streets for the extinguishment of fires, and convenience of the inhabitants. Sec. 9. To open, alter, widen, extend, establish, grade, pave, or otherwise improve and keep in repair streets, avenues, lanes and alleys. Sec. 10. To establish, erect, and keep in repair, bridges. Sec. 11. To divide the into Wards, and specify the boundaries thereof, and create additional wards, as the occasion may require. Sec. 12. To provide for lighting the Streets and erecting lamp posts. Sec. 13. To establish, support, and regulate night watches. Sec. 14. To erect Market houses, establish markets, and market places, and provide for the government and regulation thereof. Sec. 15. To provide for erecting all needful buildings for the use of the . Sec. 16. To provide for enclosing, improving and regulating all public grounds belonging to the . Sec. 17. To license, tax, and regulate auctioneers, merchants and retailers, grocers, taverns, ordinaries, hawkers, pedlars, brokers, pawn brokers, and money changers Sec. 18. To license, tax and regulate hackney carriages, waggons, carts, and drays, and fix the rates to be charged for the carriage of persons, and for the waggonage, cartage and drayage of property. Sec. 19. To license and regulate porters and fix the rates of porterage. Sec. 20. To license and regulate theatrical and other exhibitions, shows and amusements. Sec. 21. To tax, restrain, prohibit, and suppress tippling houses, dram shops, gaming houses, bawdy and other disorderly houses. Sec. 22. To provide for the prevention and extinguishment of fires, and to organize and establish fire Companies. Sec 23. To regulate the fixing of chimneys and the flues thereof, and stove pipes. [HC 4:246] Sec. 24. To regulate the storage of Gunpowder, tar, pitch, rosin, and other combustible materials. Sec. 25. To regulate and order parapet walls, and partition fences. Sec. 26. To establish standard weights and Measures, and regulate the weights and measures to be used in the , in all other cases not provided for by law. Sec. 27. To provide for the inspection and measuring of lumber and other building materials: and for the measurement of all kinds of mechanical work. Sec. 28. To provide for the inspection and weighing of hay, lime, and stone coal, the measuring of charcoal, fire wood and other fuel, to be sold or used within the . Sec. 29. To provide for and regulate the inspection of tobacco, and of beef, pork, flour, meal and whiskey in barrels. Sec. 30. To regulate the weight, quality, and price of bread sold and used in the . Sec 31. To provide for taking the enumeration of the inhabitants of the . Sec 32. To regulate the election of City Officers, and provide for removing from office any person holding an office created by ordinance. Sec 33. To fix the compensation of all City Officers and regulate the fees of jurors, witnesses and others, for services rendered under this act or any ordinance. Sec. 34. To regulate the police of the , to impose fines and forfeitures and penalties, for the breach of any [p. 1129]