See also source note for JS History, circa 1841, draft.
Historical Introduction
was a recent convert to Mormonism when he visited in 1840. There he was immediately engaged by JS as a clerk at his office. Coray later reminisced in his autobiography that after he completed his initial assignment, JS requested that he “undertake, in connection with , the compilation of the Church History.”
At the time received his charge, JS’s and the church’s “history” had been an ongoing project for a decade. Several early attempts had apparently fallen short and been abandoned. However, JS and ’s 1838 effort initiated with , and JS’s ensuing collaboration with , had begun to bear fruit. Unfortunately, Mulholland had died 3 November 1839 after inscribing fifty-nine pages of text in a large record book subsequently designated as volume “A-1” of the manuscript history of the church. was appointed “general church clerk” in October 1840 and succeeded Mulholland as scribe for A-1.
Meanwhile, JS assigned and to draft additional historical material, using sources JS provided. Woolley eventually withdrew from the project and was replaced by a “Dr. Miller,” who remains unidentified. Their work evidently resulted in two different kinds of drafts. According to Coray’s later reminiscences, the first grew out of instructions “not only to combine, and arrange in cronological order, but to spread out or amplify not a little, in as good historical style as may be.” No manuscript matching this description has survived, but their work may have provided the basis for material subsequently copied into the history by other scribes.
did, however, produce an edited version of the narrative inscribed in the large history volume (A-1). According to Coray’s later account, JS was directly involved in this reworking of the history, reading aloud and dictating revisions from the large volume. Two drafts of this work have survived. However, the main history endeavor continued in the large history volume, and there is no indication that either draft was used in subsequent compiling or in publication of the history. Though a short-lived effort, Coray’s manuscript represents the intention to revise the history, suggesting that JS had not yet settled on a final historical product even after he had directed scribes to begin inscribing the history in the large, more permanent volume in 1839.
’s history draft includes departures from the material recorded in A-1 which, though minor, show an intention to refine the story. Coray deleted passages that seemed to be defensive, to plead the cause of the Saints, or to play on the reader’s sympathies—a list of grievances, for example, or complaints against individuals. The draft often softened wording about the persecution of JS and employed more moderate language in describing opposition, avoiding the word “mob” and glossing over accounts of violence.
’s work on JS’s history was not located until 2005, when two manuscripts in Coray’s hand were identified among documents in the possession of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These two manuscripts consisted of a lightly edited draft of the material and had written in the large history volume, and a fair or clean copy of that material that incorporated the revisions Coray made in his earlier draft. The first draft was published in volume 1 of the Histories series of the The Joseph Smith Papers. (See History Drafts, 1838—ca. 1841.) The second or “fair copy” of the two drafts is the document herein featured. An inscription in Coray’s handwriting at the bottom of the first page of this document identifies it as the second copy. In 1869 Coray signed a statement that was later attached to the paper wrapper that enclosed the two drafts: “These hundred pages of History were written by me, under Joseph the Prophet’s dictation. Dr Miller helped me a little in writing the same.”
the arguments of the prosecution and in a masterly and able manner convinced the court of thire utter futility and inapplicability inapplication
They then proceeded to scrutinize the testimony and each thanked God that he was engaged in such a good cause inasmuch as they were defending a man whose character stood the test of such a strict examination.
In fact these men although not regular Lawyers were able to put to silence two able Lawyers and convince the court of the innocense of their client. They spoke like men inspired from on high and those arrayed against me trembled and quailed before them like criminals at the bar of justice
The majority of the multitud now began to find that nothing could be sustained against me and even the constable who arrested me came and apologised, asking my forgivness for the wrongs he had done me.
He informed me that the mob were determined, if the court acquitted me to take justice into their own hands or in other words tar and feather and ride me on a rail but that he would lead me out in safety by a private way.
I was at length acquitted by the court to the great satisfaction of my friends and disappointment of my enemies. Through the instrumentality of my new friend the constable I escaped the hands of a ruthless and cowardly mob and arrived safely at my home. In this transaction talent as well as civil and moral power aided by physical force were brought in array against me to blast my reputation and a member of society— to convince community of the falsity and dangerous tendencies of the doctrines I taught yet the results were such as to convince the publick that I sustained an unimpeachable moral character and the honestinheart that I was no fanatick that my doctrines were those of the Apostles and ancient christians [p. 80]