, “Brief History,” Manuscript, ca. 6 April 1838– ca. 26 January 1839; handwriting of and an unidentified scribe; seventy pages numbered 20–90, plus three unnumbered pages; John Fletcher Darby Papers, Missouri History Museum Archives, St. Louis.
, a careful observer, had enjoyed a close association with Mormon leaders, and consequently his account provides valuable insights into the development and structure of the early church. He summarized many of the doctrines taught by JS and provided a detailed description of the conflict between the Latter-day Saints and other settlers. But his chronicle also related the story of a personal spiritual journey into and then out of the church as came to disapprove of the church’s course in 1838 in Missouri. Yet despite his estrangement from the church and his excommunication in 1839, he retained a degree of sympathy for the Saints and maintained some contact.
apparently began compiling portions of his account while serving as an officially appointed church historian in . He probably completed his narrative by 11 February 1839, when he secured a copyright with the district federal copyright office. He arranged for Thomas Watson & Son of to print A Brief History. The entire print run may have included up to twelve hundred copies.
The document presented here, ’s circa 1838–1839 rough draft of his history, is incomplete. It includes the title page, copyright notice, and preface but is missing twenty-one pages, including the nineteen pages that constitute chapters 1 through 6. The manuscript is almost entirely in Corrill’s handwriting, though some of the chapter summaries (added after he drafted the narrative) were written in a different hand, possibly that of the printer.
’s published version of A Brief History receives comprehensive treatment in volume 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers and is available on this website as part of the history series.
Page 32
families that were put to it <found it difficult> to get shelters. forFor The number driven out, was about twelve hundred. Sometime in the winter of 1833 & ’4, the ordered the criminal acts of the people to be complained of and laid before the Grand Jury of . For this purpose, he ordered with his company of Blues, to guard the witnesses over to the trial, which he did, much to the satisfaction of the witnesses. The also requested the Attorney General to go and assist, but after getting there and seeing the situation of things, and the spirit of the people, he advised the witnesses to go home and not try to do any thing about it, for they would be unable to get justice. They took his advise and returned with the guard.
and visit . Strength of the Lord’s house— proceed to — Their intentions— The Cholera— Dispersion— — — Description Elders gather at — Learning sought for— Solem assembly and its effects— Dedication— Book of articles and covenants adopted— atuthorities organised
About this time, and went to , and after seeing Smith, who resided there, and consulting on the subject, they received a revelation to gather up (the strength of the Lord’s house and go up to relieve their brethren, who had been driven out of Zion. Accordingly, they gathered up) about two hundred and fifty men, who armed themselves, and with Smith at their head, marched to , where they arrived sometime in July, AD 1834. Meanwhile, the Mormons [p. 32]