, “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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militia between the parties, visited both and required them to disperse. I was told submitted and said he would be governed by the authorities. The troops from dispersed and went home; but Austins company did not disperse under two or three days, and then with such reluctance, that it was thought necessary to leave a company of militia for thirty days to keep <the> peace. A little previous <to> this the citizens of Carol county had called meetings and resolved to drive the Mormons from that county. Several of the citizens of Carol went to assist the people of , but after they were dispersed from they commenced gathering against the Mormons in . They The number collected was about three hundred and they also appointed Doctor Austin to be their commander. The Mormons though weak in that place prepared themselves for defence, and were commanded by . When they got this news at they turned out about one hundred in number and went to assist their brethren at . Smith and went along. of with two companies of militia went to the scene of difficulty, but had not force enough to disperse them. Some of the citizens near sent a petition to the pray<ing> the dispersion of <the> mob as I was informed, but the Mormons were informed that the said they must take care of themselves. This the has since told me was a mistake; for he [p. 64]