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 .
<December 31> of . He then read ’s [HC 5:212] Warrant; Affidavit; ’s requisition on the of ; and the proclamation of , shewing that had made a false statement, as nothing appeared in the Affidavit to show that Smith was in . He also stated that all the authority for transportation of persons from one State to another rests on the Constitution and the law of Congress. We ask for because the papers are false, and because <that> we can prove that Joseph Smith was in this at the time of the commission of the crime. The writ was granted, returned, and served in one minute, and I walked up to the bar. read the Habeas Corpus, and moved the Court to take bail, till I could have a hearing, which was granted: and altho’ it was only a case of misdemeanor, Generals and were bailed for me in the sum of two thousand dollars each, and Monday was set for trial. The Court room was crowded, and on our returning. as came to the top of the Stairs, one of the crowd observed “there goes Smith the Prophet, and a good looking man he is” “and (said another) as damd. a rascal as ever lived” replied “and a good many ditto” “Yes (said the man) ditto, ditto, God dam you; and every one that takes his part is as damd a rascal as he is”. When at the foot of the stairs, said “I am the man and I take his part,” said the man “You are a damd rascal too”. “You are a lying scoundrel” replied , and the man began began to strip off his clothes and ran out in the Street, cursing and swearing, and raising a tumult. when the Marshall interfered and with great exertions quelled the Mob. Much credit is due for his zeal to keep the Peace. When the rowdies had dispersed I went with and to see <who> was sick. He told me he had a requisition from the for a renewal of persecu[HC 5:213]tion in the old case of Treason against , but he happened to know that it was all dead, we dined with at the “American House” where the quartered, after which we returned to the ’s room. In course of conversation he remarked “he was no religionist” I told him I had no creed to—— circumscribe my mind, therefore the people did not like me “Well (said the ) from reports we had reason to think the Mormons were a peculiar people, different from other people, having horns or something of the kind; but I find they look like other people, indeed I think Mr. Smith is a very good looking man”. At 2 P. M. in the evening I returned to and appointed Elders and to preach in the Representatives Hall on the Morrow. stated that it was possible to revoke political charters but not Company charters. I argued that if a legislature has power to grant a charter for ten years, it has no power to revoke it until after the expiration thereof. The same principle will hold good for twenty or one hundred years, and also for a—— perpetual charter, it cannot be revoked in time.
John Darby came in and said he was going to California with . I told him I would say as the Prophet said to Hezekiah “go and prosper, but ye shall not return in peace” may set out for California, but he will not get there unless somebody shall pick him up by the way, feed him, and help him along. showed me the Manuscript he had been writing. I enquired of the Lord, and the Lord told me the book was not true, it was not of him. If God ever called me, or spake by my mouth, or gave me a revelation, he never gave—— revelations to that boy, or any of the race. [HC 5:214]
This afternoon a team ran away, and went past the State House, when the hue and cry was raised “Jo Smithis running away”, which produced great excitement, and a sudden—— adjournment of the House of Representatives. [p. 1432]