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 28> aforesaid , here the kidnappers eat and drank, and after they had unbound me, for they had bound me so tight that I was in great pain, I was also suffered to partake.
They then put me upon the horse again, and bound me, and started for the , the said schoolmaster leading the horse, when we came near a school house where there was a meeting they came to a halt; sent Messengers to the meeting, and in the course of half an hour they returned with an armed mob, with rifles and other weapons, sufficient to make the whole company number about 20. Being all on horse back they formed a circle, with your affiant in the center, (who, up to this time had acquainted every man he saw that “they were kidnapping him”,) and marched in that order to a house on the point below , and as I was very cold from being bound, they took me into the house to warm. I now called for a trial, as I had told them all the way that I never resisted legal authority. They said they were hunting a Magistrate: says I “I understand you, you mean to force me into ”. McCoy returned, and said we are ready— It was about midnight. We went about 300 yards up the to a skiff. I refused to cross as they had promised me a trial. They forced me into the Skiff and bound me, and five men put me across. Their names so far as I could ascertain, are William Middleton, William Clark, Joseph McCoy, and Charles Coolidge. They landed at the tavern on the South side of the , and took me into a back room; threw down a Buffalo robe for my bed, but as my arms were bound so tight that I could not rest I complained; told Middleton that was not the way he was used at my house. They felt at my arms and exclaimed: By God they <are> not too tight. I begged to have one arm liberated, and finally they untied both, and I slept (under guard) on the buffalo <robe> before the fire.
About noon they got ready and started with me guarded upon a horse; for McCoy’s in Clark County Missouri, about 12 miles dis[HC 6:146]tant. It being night when we arrived, and I unwell through fatigue and confinement <and the abuses before received,> I went to bed. They had sent runners a head and after I had been in bed awhile the Sheriff came up from Waterloo, the county seat, a distance of about 2 miles to arrest me and take me before a magistrate that night. but Middleton and McCoy objected as I was sick. The Sheriff however executed his writ and left me in their care till morning. It being late before we breakfasted, he came in the morning and made the second scope of his authority and took me. He quized me the night before to draw something out for testimony but as innocence can not be affected with truth, he was as wise at one end of the story as the other
At Waterloo I was examined by a Magistrate who committed me upon the substance of an affidavit made by my in duress with a bowie knife at his breast. and upon a promise that he should be liberated from Monticello Jail where he was confined after being kidnapped some three or four weeks previous. My bonds were fixed at $1000 and, as I had no bail in such a strange place I was started for Palmyra Jail in Marion County. The Deputy Sheriff took me to <Musgrove the Sheriff> a distance of 10 miles. Here I sued out a writ of , but the Judge remanded me to prison. At Monticello my chains were taken off and I was at liberty(!) in the midst of a strong guard to view the town. Here a lawyer agreed to take me and my son through court (as the Missourians say) for a horse. Saw [p. 1832]