JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. D-1, created 4 July 1845–4 Feb. 1846 and 1 July 1854–2 May 1855; handwriting of , Robert L. Campbell, and ; 275 pages, plus 6 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fourth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fourth volume covers the period from 1 Aug. 1842 to 1 July 1843; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1, constitutes the fourth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 August 1842 to 1 July 1843, and it was compiled after JS’s death.
The material recorded in volume D-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , with the assistance of . After Richards’s death in 1854, continued work on the volume as the new church historian with Bullock’s continued help. The process adopted by Richards and Bullock involved Richards creating a set of rough draft notes and Bullock transcribing the notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). George A. Smith followed a similar pattern, though he dictated the draft notes to Bullock and other scribes.
According to the Church Historian’s Office journal, finished the third volume of the series, volume C-1, on Thursday, 3 July 1845, in , Illinois. He began work on the fourth volume, D-1, the next day, beginning on page 1362 with the entry for 1 August 1842. (The pages in volumes A-1–E-1 were numbered consecutively.) Bullock continued work on the record, drawing upon ’s draft notes, until 3 February 1846—the day before D-1 and the other volumes were packed up in preparation for the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo. At that point he had reached page 1485 with the entry for 28 February 1843. Subsequently, apparently after the collection had arrived in Utah, Bullock added a brief comment beneath that entry: “end of W. Richard’s compiling[.] the books packed Feby. 4— 1846 in Nauvoo[.] Miles Romney— present. The records carried by T Bullock from Winter Quarters to G S L [Great Salt Lake] City in 1848.”
A notation at the top of page 1486 reports that “the books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. J[onathan] Grimshaw & Miles Romney present.” Vertically, in the margin, is a poignant epitaph: “Decr. 1 1853 Dr. Willard Richards wrote one line of History—being sick at the time—and was never able to do any more.” With Richards’s death on 11 March 1854, JS’s cousin was called to the office of church historian. The notation on the top of page 1486 acknowledges this change in officers, noting, “commencement of George A. Smith’s compiling as Historian. April 13. 1854[.] [C]ommenced copying July 1. 1854.” From mid-April to the end of June 1854, George A. Smith, in collaboration with Thomas Bullock, worked on the draft notes for the history before a new scribe, , resumed writing in D-1 on 1 July 1854, beginning with the entry for 1 March 1843.
continued transcribing intermittently into the late fall of 1854, when he was assigned other duties in the Historian’s Office. He had reached page 1546 with the entry for 5 May 1843. Work resumed in February 1855 in the hand of Robert L. Campbell, recently returned from a mission. He concluded volume D-1 on the morning of 2 May 1855 and began writing in E-1 that afternoon.
The 274 pages of volume D-1 contain a record of much that is significant in the life of JS and the development of the church he founded. Among these events are
• JS’s 6 August 1842 prophecy that the Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.
•JS’s 8 August 1842 arrest on a warrant for being “an accessory before the fact” to an attack on former governor .
• ’s 17 August 1842 letter to governor , pleading for the humane treatment of her husband and family.
•JS’s 1 and 6 September 1842 instructions regarding the proper procedures for performing baptisms for the dead.
• JS’s 15 November 1842 “Valedictory” as he stepped down as editor of the Times and Seasons.
• The 26 December 1842 arrest of JS on a “proclamation” by former governor , and subsequent hearing in , Illinois.
• The 7 February 1843 recovery of a volume of patriarchal blessings given by , which had been stolen in , Missouri.
• JS’s 21 February 1843 remarks regarding the and .
• JS’s 2 April 1843 instruction at , Illinois, on the nature of God and other subjects.
• JS’s 16 May 1843 remarks at , Illinois, on the everlasting covenant and eternal marriage.
• The account of JS’s 23 June 1843 arrest and his hearing the following week at .
<January 30> such condition as to be considered unsafe, to be without delay, at the expence of the owner thereof, or occupant thereof, put in such condition as not to be dangerous in causing or promoting fires.
Section 3. If any person shall obstruct or hinder any person under the direction of the Warden aforesaid, in the performance of his duty under the preceding section, such person shall for every such offence forfeit the penalty of twenty five dollars.
Fifth Division
of the City Watch.
Section 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of , that there be established in said , a night watch, or patrol, to be composed of a Captain of the Police, and such watchmen, as may from time to time be appointed by the City Council; and who shall be governed by such laws and regulations, and endowed with such powers and authority, as may be given or imposed upon them by the City Council.
Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Captain of the Police to keep a general superintendance of the Watch; direct the manner of keeping watch, and the times and rounds of the Watchmen; and to perform such duties as are necessary and proper for the discharge of his duty and office; he shall keep a Register of the Watchmen, and have a house or building for the use of the same, and shall appoint a Lieutenant who shall discharge his duties in his absence.
Section 3. To the said Watch shall be intrusted the peace and safety of the during the night, and they shall arrest all persons who may be found in said at unusual hours, and under suspicious circumstances, and bring such Person or Persons before the Captain of the Police, who may in his discretion detain such Person or Persons, until such time as the Mayor or some Alderman can examine into the nature of the charges against him or them: they shall also stop all riotous or improper noises during the night, and may arrest offenders as aforesaid, and exercise such a discretion in preserving the peace and quiet of the , as may be proper and salutary; and for such or other services there shall be allowed them such reasonable compensation as the Council may agree upon.
Sixth Division
Public Market.
Section 1. All persons keeping fresh Meat or fish in this , shall at all times keep the building in which such meat or fish is exposed for sale, clean, and free from any disagreeable smell; and any Person neglecting to comply with this or the next succeeding Section, shall for each offence forfeit and pay the sum of five dollars.
Section 2.It shall be the duty of the Supervisor of Streets, to inspect the state of all places within this , in which fresh meat or fish is exposed for sale, once in each Month, between the first of November and the first of April, and once in each week between the first of April and the first of November, and if he shall find the foregoing Section to be not complied with he shall order the said buildings to be cleansed; and it shall be the duty of the Person of Persons in charge of said building or buildings to facilitate such examination, and when directed as aforesaid, to cause such place or places to be cleansed and put in a healthy condition. Passed Jany. 30th. 1843 Joseph Smith Mayor— Recorder—[”]
<February 2> Thursday February 2. Spent the day at home, the weather extremely cold— towards evening I rode on to the hill to enquire about the Caucus which was there held the previous evening— [p. 1463]