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 30> to learn the facts and going away satisfied that the Mormons are not the aggressors.
“You now know our situation, and the request of the council is, [HC 7:147] that the Twelve return to . The lives of twelve more are threatened with deadly threats. It has been suggested by the Council, that if the Twelve approved, Prest , , , and return immediately, and , whose life is threatened, with all the Smiths; , , and spend a little time in publishing the news in the Eastern Cities, and getting as many in the Church as possible. This is for you to decide.
“The Saints have borne this trial with great fortitude and forbearance. They must keep cool at present. We have pledged our faith not to prosecute the murderers at present, but leave it to ; if he fails, time enough for us by and bye: vengeance is in the heavens. We have been in close quarters some time,— money and provisions are scarce. Will the eastern brethren contribute to our relief?
“ has taken away the State arms from the Legion. Your families are well for aught I know. has gone to I suppose. I have not been able to get any means for myself or anybody else.
“The council consider it best for all the travelling elders to stop preaching politics— preach the gospel with double energy, and bring as many to the knowledge of the truth as possible.
“The great event of 1844, so long anticipated has arrived, without a parallel since the birth of Adam.
“ and his gang will try to waylay you coming up the , if not before: look out for yourselves.
“A little while since wrote to about Elder ’ proceedings and teachings in . I heard Joseph tell to let alone, let go back there and make all things right, that had misapprehended some things, and acted in the matter rather injudiciously.
“The Saints have entered into covenants of peace with the and Government officers, not to avenge the blood of the martyrs, but leave it with the , who had pledged the faith of the for their safe keeping. The elders cannot be too careful in all the world, to keep from saying anything to irritate and vex the &c., for at present we must conciliate, it is for our salvation. The has appeared to act with honest intentions: we bring no charge against him— will wait patiently his proceedings in the matter. Let the elders keep cool, vengeance rests in heaven.
Yours as ever
”
A Council was held by the brethren, at which Messrs Wood and Conyers from were present, also Col. Richardson, Lawyer from . The Council again expressed their de[HC 7:148]termination to preserve the peace in the , and requested those gentlemen to use their influence to allay the excitement abroad, [p. 241]