JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. F-1, created 9 Apr.–7 June 1856 and 20 Aug. 1856–6 Nov. 1856; handwriting of and Jonathan Grimshaw; 304 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the final volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This sixth volume covers the period from 1 May to 8 Aug. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1 through E-1, go through 30 Apr. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838-1856, volume F-1, constitutes the last 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 May 1844 to the events following his 27 June 1844 death, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in 1856.
The material recorded in volume F-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin, and also assistant church historian . Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the volume and creating a set of draft notes, which Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks. Woodruff gathered additional material concerning the death of Joseph Smith as a supplement to George A. Smith’s work recording that event. Jonathan Grimshaw and , members of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed the draft notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents.
According to the Historian’s Office journal, Jonathan Grimshaw initiated work on the text of volume F-1 on 9 April 1856, soon after Robert L. Campbell had completed work on volume E-1. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.) Grimshaw’s scribal work begins with an entry for 1 May 1844. Unlike previous volumes in which the numbering had run consecutively to page 2028, Grimshaw began anew with page 1. He transcribed 150 pages by June 1856, and his last entry was for 23 June 1844. Though more of his writing does not appear in the volume, he continued to work in the office until 2 August, before leaving for the East that same month. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 and 10 Aug. 1856.)
assumed the role of scribe on 20 August 1856. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 20 Aug. 1856.) He incorporated ’s draft notes for the period 24–29 June 1844 on pages 151–189, providing an account of JS’s death and its immediate aftermath. He next transcribed a related extract from ’s 1854 History of Illinois on pages 190–204. Pages 205–227 were left blank.
provided the notes for the final portion of the text. This account begins with an entry for 22 June 1844 and continues the record through 8 August 1844, ending on page 304. (The volume also included ten pages of addenda.) The last specific entry in the Historian’s Office journal that captures at work on the history is for 6 November 1856. A 2 February 1857 Wilford Woodruff letter to indicates that on 30 January 1857, the “presidency sat and heard the history read up to the organization of the church in , 8th. day of August 1844.” (Historian’s Office, Journal, 6 Nov. 1856; Wilford Woodruff, Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to George A. Smith, 2 Feb. 1857, Historian’s Office, Letterpress Copybooks, vol. 1, p. 410; see also Wilford Woodruff, Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Amasa Lyman and Charles C. Rich, 28 Feb. 1857, Historian’s Office, Letterpress Copybooks, vol. 1, pp. 430–431.)
The pages of volume F-1 contain a record of the final weeks of JS’s life and the events of the ensuing days. The narrative commences with and arriving at , Illinois, on 1 May 1844 from their lumber-harvesting mission in the “” of Wisconsin Territory. As the late spring and summer of 1844 unfold, events intensify, especially those surrounding the suppression of the Nauvoo Expositor in mid-June. Legal action over the Expositor leads to a charge of riot, and subsequently JS is charged with treason and is incarcerated at the jail in , Illinois. The narrative of volume F-1 concludes with an account of the special church conference convened on 8 August 1844 to consider who should assume the leadership of the church.
<June 17> saith that from the public papers, especially the papers, and from reports from the various precincts, a mob may be expected to make an immediate attack upon the citizens and City of , on account of the gatherings at the various precincts, and threats to exterminate the Latter day saints.
.
“Sworn and subscribed to before me this 17th day of June, 1844
, Recorder of the City of .” [HC 6:492]
As soon as this affidavit came to my knowledge, I issued the following:—
“Proclamation!
“, June 17th, 1844.
“To , Marshal of the City of ; &c,
Sir:— Complaint having been made to me on oath, that a mob is collecting at sundry points to make an attack on this , you will therefore take such measures as shall be necessary to preserve the peace of said , according to the provisions of the Charter, and the laws of the ; and with the police and Legion, see that no violent act is committed. is hereby instructed to co-operate with the in keeping the peace according to law.
Joseph Smith, Mayor.”
And also:—
“Headquarters, Nauvoo Legion, June 17th, 1844
“To Major Gen. in command, ;
“Complaint having been made on oath that a mob is preparing to make an attack upon this and citizens of , and having directed the to keep the peace, you are hereby commanded to order the Nauvoo Legion to be in readiness to assist said in keeping the peace, and doing whatever may be necessary to preserve the dignity of the and .
Joseph Smith
Lieut. Gen. N. L.”
Also:—
“Head Quarters, Nauvoo Legion, June 17th, 1844.
“To Major Gen. in Command, ;
“You are hereby instructed to execute all orders of the , and perform all services with as little noise and confusion as possible, and take every precaution to prevent groups of citizens &c from gathering on the bank of the on the landing of boats or otherwise, and allay every cause and pretext of excitement as well as suspicion, and yet let your operations be efficient and decided.
Joseph Smith,
Lieut. Gen. N. L.”
I also issued an order to Col. to call out [HC 6:493] my guard and staff immediately to my head quarters, and I also ordered the Legion to parade tomorrow at 10 A M:—
“Head Quarters, Nauvoo Legion, Lieut. Genl’s. Office, June 17th, 1844.
“To Col. ,
“You are hereby commanded to notify the <my> guard and staff, to appear at Head Quarters, without delay, armed and equipped according to law for military duty and inspection, with powder and ball.