, “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.
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the book of Mormon which declared that God worketh not by in secret and all such as did should be destroyed. Many were opposed to this society, but such was their determination and such also their threatnings <against them,> that those opposed dare not speak their minds on the subject.
They said they meant to cleanse their own members first and then the church. In order to carry on their operations they organized themselves into companies of fifties and tens, with a captain to each company, that they might be ready to act <in concert> on any occasion. It was supposed by the church at large, that this organization was for the purpose of resisting a mob, if any should arise against them, and many of this secret society itself did not understand the true intention of their leaders. Who first started this society I know not; but Doctor was the most prominent leader and instructor, and was assisted by others. The first presidency did not seem to have much to do with it at first. They would, however, go into their meetings occasionally, and sanction their doings. was very forward and indefatiguable in accomplishing their purposes; for he devoted his whole talents to it, and spared no pains, and I thought was as grand a villian as his wit and ability would admit of. How much he was assisted by the presidency, I know not, for they stood behind the curtain as it were. but I thought that they stood as wire workers behind the curtain. Be this as it may, they run into awful extremes [p. 56]