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.”
After a few days I again returned to in company with for the purpose of confirming those whom we had been compelled to abandon for a time
We had sca[r]cely arrived at when the mob commenced gathering together to oppose us and we thought it wisdom to leave the place which we did without even taking refreshment of any kind. Our enemies pursued us and it was with much difficulty that we eluded them and arrived at home after travelling almost all night
How long shall men be persecuted on account of their religious faith in a country the constitution of which guarantees to every man the right [to] worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience and by men too who profess to be servants of the most High who are not backward to assert their own rights yet with avidity and eagerness deprive others of the rights of conscience. For instance a Presbyterian of high standing was one of the principal instigators of this persecution who told me he considered me guilty without Judge or jury. The celebrated also a Presbyterian was another instigator of these deeds of violence. And a young man by the name of of the same denomination impiously swore out the first warrant against me.
But during all this persecution and rage of our enemies we had much to console and strengthen us in our faith The church at were very anxious that we should again visit them and (wife of ) had a dream which enabled her to say that we would visit them that day which actually came to pass for, <in> a few hours <afterwards> after, we arrived. This circumstance served to confirm us in our faith concerning dreams and visions in the last days as foretold by the Prophet Joel. And although we were compelld to fly from our enemies yet we felt confident that we should come off victorious [p. 81]