JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, , and Jonathan Grimshaw; 392 pages, plus 11 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fifth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fifth volume covers the period from 1 July 1843 to 30 Apr. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, constitutes the fifth 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 July 1843 to 30 April 1844, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in the mid-1850s.
The material recorded in volume E-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the history and creating a set of draft notes that Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks.
Robert L. Campbell, a recently returned missionary and member of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed ’s notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). The Church Historian’s Office journal entry for 2 May 1855 pinpoints the beginning of his work: “R. L. C. on Book D forenoon, afternoon began book E.” Campbell’s work on the volume apparently concluded on 5 April 1856; entries in the Historian’s Office journal indicate that he then moved on to other assignments while another clerk, Jonathan Grimshaw, began work on volume F-1, the last manuscript in the series. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855; 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.)
Volume E-1 contains 391 pages of primary text and 11 pages of addenda. The initial entry on page 1637 is a continuation of the 1 July 1843 entry that closed volume D-1. The final entry in volume E-1 is for 30 April 1844.
The 391 pages of volume E-1 document a crucial period of JS’s life and the history of the church. Important events recorded here include
• An account of JS’s 2 July 1843 meeting with several Pottawatamie chiefs.
• JS’s 4 July 1843 address regarding his recent arrest, the Legion, and Mormon voting practices.
• JS’s 12 July 1843 dictation of a revelation regarding eternal marriage, including the plurality of wives, in the presence of and .
• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of and revocation of his priesthood license.
• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by .
• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of ’s appointment to a mission to Russia.
• Minutes of a 6–9 October 1843 general conference inserted under the date of 9 October at which pled his case in regard to his 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment and was permitted to continue as counselor in the First Presidency.
• Text of JS’s appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of , inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.
• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by .
• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the .
<November> called ; I laid down and in about 2 hours, he called me and said, ‘he is dying.’ I heard the death-rattle in his throat and sprang up, He had placed his own hands high upon his breast, his left hand clasping his right; he died as he had lived, calm and resigned without a struggle or an emotion.
I never saw a more pleasant corpse in my life, after we had dressed it in a neat burial robe, we wrapt it in a large winding sheet and carried it on deck; a plank was laid in the starboard gangway, on it was prepared a piece of canvass, in this we laid it and sewed it up; to his feet was attached a bag of sand of about 60 lbs. weight. Then the top gallant sails were furled, the courses hauled up, and the main and mizzen top sails were hove aback, the noble ship stopped her headway, and lay in gentle motion, as if to witness the solemn scene. The American flag was hoisted halfmast, as a signal that one of her noble countrymen had gone the way of all the earth. Then her generous crew gathered around and with uncovered heads listened in breathless silence to a very appropriate prayer made by , then they gently raised the end of the plank till the corpse slid off and struck in the water feet foremost. My eyes followed him as he sank, till a white speck vanished in the blue waters below, this was in latitude 21o 34’ north, longitude 26o 11’ west from Greenwich.
Reflections— I believe the weight of sand was sufficient to sink him below the reach of all ravenous fish, and the Salt at that depth strong enough to preserve him from putrefaction, and there he will remain entire and unmolested till the morn of the first resurrection, when he will come forth. My views from recent information are entirely changed from what they used to be respecting burying the dead at sea. From the fabulous stories I used to hear, I did suppose the sharks destroyed every corpse that was put into the ocean. But from my better judgement I know this is erroneous, for sharks are afraid and will flee from any thing white in the water. And if a proper weight is attached to a corpse it will sink it so low that the compression of the water is so great that it will kill any fish to go down to it. One of these whalemen told me he was lancing a whale and he sounded and carried the lance with him, he went to such a depth that the lance pole, which was made of dry ash timber was as completely saturated with water as if it had been in soak for months.
Thus ended an intimacy with one who had rendered himself doubly dear to me by an intimate acquaintance. I have met but few men in my life with whom I could exchange feelings, reciprocate joys and sorrows, as we pass down the step of life more sympathetically than with Brother Hanks. A few days before his death I asked him if I had at any time violated the pledge I made him before we left , (of standing by him as a friend?) he assured me I had not; this to me is a source of satisfaction.
Novr. 6th. We are now running for the Cape de Verde Islands and expect to be there in 2 or 3 days; we expect to touch there and send letters. We have had a remarkable passage thus far; no severe storms, nor calms, and fair winds mostly. The officers say it is the most remarkable one they ever knew, [p. 1764]