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 .
<July 7> peculiar religious views, and their different habits of life. that in the summer of 1838, the prejudice of the people against the deponent and his associates became great— that while in the peaceful pursuit of their labors upon their own farms, without any violence or aggression on their part, they were frequently attacked by armed mobs, their houses burned— their cattle stolen, their goods burned and wasted, many inoffensive people murdered— whole families driven out and dispersed over the country, at inclement seasons and every barbarity [HC 5:493] which the ingenuity and malice of a mob could devise, inflicted upon them. These scenes of violence raged unchecked by the civil authorities and many officers of the state of , were open leaders of the mob, and shared in its crimes. The armed Militia of the were arrayed without authority of law, for the purpose of driving the deponent and his inoffencive people out of the or of exterminating them if they should remain within it (For proof of this fact, see the order of , dated Oct 27, 1838, sent herewith) that this deponent and his people received notices, warnings, and orders from the civil and Military officers of , as well as from Mobs who co-operated with them, to leave the , and were threatened with death if they refused. that this deponent, with others was taken prisoner by an armed mob, and oppressed, imprisoned and carried from place to place without authority of law. That his whole people comprising at least fifteen thousand people were driven out like wild beasts— that hundreds were murdured by shooting, stabbing, beating, and by having their brains beaten out with clubs— great numbers were starved to death— many died from fatigue and hardship in the fields— women were ravished— children murdered, and every cruelty inflicted. This Deponent with his comrades were imprisoned about six months, and until nearly all his people had been driven out of the — that they were then by order of the officers of the set at liberty and ordered to flee from the — that after they were released, they were pursued by armed men, who endeavored to shoot them— that they thus were pursued out of the , and were in peril of their lives as long as they remained within its limits.
And this Deponent says that he never committed any crime against the laws of that he never commanded or controlled any Military or other force— that he never left the voluntarily, but hoped to be permitted to enjoy his rights, property and liberty like other peaceable citizens— but that he was driven out by force directed by the officers and approved by the Legislature of — And that the lands and homes which his people had purchased and improved are now in many cases occupied and enjoyed by the very men who composed the mobs, who dispossessed them— and he believes that the desire of plunder was one of the inducements which led to the great wrongs which his people have suffered. And he further says that the recent requisition made upon the of upon which a warrant for his arrest, has been issued has its origin in the proceedings before recited, in which this deponent instead of being a “fugitive” from the Justice of , was driven at the point of the bayonet beyond its borders— and that since such expulsion, he has not been within the limits of . [HC 5:494] Wherefore he prays that upon examination of the premises the of will cause the writ issued by him [p. 1663]