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 .
<December 21> in dungeons, and finally hung by the neck without any legal process whatever. We have memorialized the former executive of this , upon these lawless outrages committed upon our citizens, but he rendered us no protection. receiving no check in her murderous career continues her depredations. Again and again kidnapping [HC 6:128] our citizens and robbing us of our property. While others who fortunately survived the of her bloody edicts are again and again demanded by the Executive of that on pretence of some crime said to have been committed by them during the exterminating expedition against our people. As an instance, Gen. Joseph Smith one of your Memorialists, has been three times demanded, tried and acquitted by the Courts of this , upon investigation under writs of once by the court for the district of , again by the Circuit court of the State of , and lastly by the Municipal court of the city of , when at the same time a had been entered by the Courts of , upon all the cases of that against Joseph Smith and others. Thus the said Joseph Smith has been several times tried for the same alleged offence, put in jeopardy of life and limb contrary to the fifth article of the amendments to the Constitution of these , and thus we have been continually harassed and robbed of our money to defray the expences of these vexatious prosecutions— And what at the present time seems to be still more alarming, is, the hostility manifested by some of the authorities and citizens of this , conventions have been called, Inflammatory speeches made and many unlawful and unconstitutional resolutions adopted, to deprive us of our rights, our liberties, and the peaceable enjoyment of our possessions. From the present hostile aspect and from bitter experience in the State of it is greatly feared lest the barbarous scenes acted in that will be re-acted in this. If goes unpunished, others will be greatly encouraged to follow her murderous examples. The afflictions of your Memorialists have already been overwhelming, too much for humanity too much for American citizens to endure without complaint— We have groaned under the Iron hand of tyranny and oppression these many years— We have been robbed of our property to the amount of two millions of dollars. We have been hunted as Wild Beasts of the forest— We have seen our aged fathers who fought in the revolution and our innocent children alike slaughtered by our persecutors. We have seen the fair daughters of American citizens insulted and abused in the most inhuman manner, and finally we have seen fifteen thousand souls, men, women, and children, driven by force of arms during the severities of winter from their sacred homes and fire sides to a land of strangers, penniless and unprotected— Under all these afflicting circumstances we imploringly stretch forth [HC 6:129] our hands towards the highest Councils of our nation, and humbly appeal to the illustrious Senators and Representatives of a great and free people for redress and protection. Hear, O hear the Petitioning voice of many thousands of American citizens, who now groan in exile on Columbia’s free soil. Hear, o Hear the weeping and bitter lamentations of Widows and orphans, whose husbands and fathers have been cruelly martyred in the Land where the proud Eagle exultingly floats. Let it not be recorded in the archives of the nations, that Columbia’s exiles sought protection and redress at your hands [p. 1815]