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 .
<June 11> iron bedstead; if he was too long they would cut him off, if he was too short they would stretch him out; and again he said it made him think of the old Indian’s < tree which> stood so straight, that it leaned a little the other way, and the best way was to stand just erect.
In the after part of the day, he renewed the subject by saying, that he did not wish to have any one take any advantage of what he had said, for he spoke on general terms, but said that he had always obeyed the word of wisdom and wanted every Saint to observe the same; he said when he was in he only taught it once or twice in public, and the Saints saw his example and followed it; so likewise the Elders go to preach, if they will observe the word of wisdom, all of those will, whom they bring into the kingdom; but if they do not, they cannot expect their children will, but they will be just like themselves for every Spirit begets its own; neither will such Elders be able to do much good, for the Holy Ghost will not dwell in them, neither will the Father, nor the Son, for they will not dwell where the Holy Ghost will not, and neither of them will dwell in unholy temples. [HC 5:428] He said that he wanted wise and honorable men to fill responsible offices who are worthy. He then closed this subject by recommending the Saints to observe the Counsel of . He made some very appropriate remarks with regard to the and .
Elder William Curtis was appointed to go with Elder Aaron M. York to the State of . [HC 5:429]
<June 12> At the morning and afternoon, and approved of the Resolutions of a Court Martial of the passed June 10. 1843 as follows
[“]1 Resolved. That an Arsenal be built in the city of to be located in any part of the , where the Lieutenant and Major Generals may direct who are also authorized to make, or cause to be made a draft of the same, and also to purchase any piece of ground for the aforesaid purpose, which they may deem proper.
2 Resolved. That Col. , be and is hereby appointed Agent for the Legion, to superintend the business of the building of the aforesaid arsenal, and that he be allowed one Dollar and forty cents per day for his services while employed in that business, to be paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and that he be armourer of said Arsenal when completed; and that he be allowed such remuneration for said services as may be hereafter fixed by Law; also, that he be required to give bonds to the amount of five thousand dollars with approved securities before entering upon the duties of said office. [HC 5:430]
3 Resolved. That any Constable or Collector of fines, be and is hereby authorized, if he cannot obtain money, to take property in payment of fines at a fair valuation, at his discretion, and make returns thereof to the proper officers as in other cases.
4. Resolved that be and is hereby authorized [p. 1576]