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.
<See Taylor’s pge 39> and that the Legion had been called out for the protection of the , while it was threatened with immediate hostilities by an infuriated mob, until his could afford relief, and not for the purpose of invasion. The seemed to be satisfied that this was the truth, but still he did not interfere in their illegal imprisonment. Joseph adverted to all the leading causes which gave rise to the difficulties under consideration in a brief, but lucid, energetic and impressive manner. The said he was satisfied it was the truth. General Smith then read copies of the orders and proceedings of the City Council of , concerning the destruction of the “Expositor Press,” and of the correspondence forwarded to his , in relation thereto; and also informed him concerning the calling out of the Legion, and the position they occupied of absolute necessity,— not to make war upon, or invade the rights of any portion of the citizens of the ; but it was the last resort, and only defence, in the absence of executive protection, against a large, organized military and mobocratic foe. General Smith reminded his that the question in dispute was a civil matter, and to settle which needed no resort to arms, and that he was ready at any time, and had aways been ready to answer any charge that might be preferred against him, either as the Lieut. General of the Legion, the Mayor of the , or as a private individual, in any court of Justice, <which> was unintimimadated by a mob or military array; and make all the satisfaction that the law required, if any &c. The said he had not called out this force; [HC 6:577] but found it assembled in military array, without his orders, on his arrival in ; and that the laws must be enforced, but that the prisoners must and should be protected. <and he again pledged his word, and the faith & honor of the that they should be protected.> He also stated that he intended to march his forces (that is, those who had assembled for mobocratic purposes; and whom he had mustered into his service) to , to gratify them, and that the prisoners should accompany them, and then return again to attend the trial before the said magistrate, which he said had been postponed for the purpose of making this visit. -[]- Joseph alluded to the coming of when he gave himself up, also to his offer to go before “any other Justice of the Peace.” and called upon some twenty bystanders to witness that he submitted to the writ, but for fear of his life if he went to he had preferred to go before Esq. , a gentleman of high legal attainments, who is in no way connected with the Mormon Church.
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go on prairie to Appenoose,
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Habeas Corpus
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that he had sent frequent expresses and letters to the ; that Dr. , Dr and Mr. also had written letters to the ; that he had written another letter to the which was sent on the 15th June by ; that he had written again on the 16th. June, enclosing affidavits, and sent them by Messrs. , and . He also read ’s certificate of the proceedings of the Mob at ; also his Proclamation, his orders as Lieunenant General to , the proceedings of the City Council of , and [p. 163]