The Papers
Reference
About
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
Source Note
Source Note
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
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 .
Footnotes
<May 27> but has gone contrary to it, no one is safe in his hands, he calls an old Granny and slanders every body, he says there is a contradiction between and the there is no contradiction between and the Twelve: Is there brother ? ( answered No,) after closed, President J. Smith said he would give us a little Council if we saw fit to accept it, he thought it proper for us to silence , take his , and have him bring his family to , and if he would not do that let him go out of the ; it was then moved and seconded that be silenced and give up his license and come with his family to which was carried unanimously.
Brother Joseph then addressed the Twelve and said that in all our Councils especially while on trial of any one, we should see and observe all things appertaining to the subject and discern the Spirit by which either party was governed, we should be in a situation to understand every Spirit and judge righteous judgment, and not be asleep, we should keep order and not let the Council be imposed upon by unruly conduct. The Saints need not think because I am familiar with them, and am playful and cheerful that I am ignorant of what is going on, iniquity cannot be retained in the church of any kind, and it will not fare well where I am, for I am determined, while I do lead the church to lead them right. Brother Joseph further remarked concerning that he had given satisfaction to him concerning the thing whereof he was [HC 5:411] accused, he had confessed all wherein he had done wrong and had asked for mercy, and he had taken the right course to save himself that he would now begin anew in the church. after much instruction was given from Joseph the Council adjourned.”
I then instructed the Twelve to investigate the condition of the whole Church while in Council.
Voted that the following persons be assisted to emigrate from viz. Mrs. Elizabeth Pixton, Mrs. Sarah Taylor, Jeremiah Taylor, Mrs. Mary Greenhalgh Mrs. Elizabeth Clayton and two children, Hugh Patrick and family, Mrs. Ann Farrar and 3 children, Maria Barrows and children, Alice Bailey and 2 children, William Player’s family, Prudence Parr and 6 children, Rebecca Partington.
A tremendous rain storm all day commencing with thunder in the morning.
450,000 persons met at Nenagh, Ireland to Petition for a repeal of the Parliamentary Union.
<28> Cold rainy day.
5 p.m. I met with Brother , , , and .—— —— in the to attend to , and counseling; prayed that might be delivered from his enemies, and that might be delivered from prison; and that the be prospered in collecting means to build the
<Of the first Twelve Apostles chosen in and ordained under the hands of , , and myself, there have been but two, but what have lifted their heel against me, namely and .> [p. 1563]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [696]
See 28 May 1843 entry in History Draft.
- [697]
JS, Journal, 28 May 1843, in JSP, J3:24–25.
Insertion in handwriting of Thomas Bullock.