Footnotes
The page numbers on pages 19–71, 86–90, and 122–125 are in the handwriting of Willard Richards; on pages 72–85, 91–121, 126–167, and 171–477, in the handwriting of William Clayton; and on pages 168–170, in the handwriting of Erastus Derby. There are two pages numbered 453. Pages 476–477 constitute the last leaf of lined paper. The headers generally consist of a year or a month and year. The headers inscribed on pages 26–27, 29–71, 88–95, 119, and 121–126 are in the handwriting of Richards; the headers inscribed on pages 28, 72–87, 96–118, 120, 127–167, and 172–215 are in the handwriting of Clayton; pages 168–171, which were inscribed by Derby, have no headers. A few other pages are missing headers.
This serialized history drew on the journals herein, beginning with the 4 July 1855 issue of the Deseret News and with the 3 January 1857 issue of the LDS Millennial Star.
Most of these now-erased graphite inscriptions are recoverable with bright white light and magnification. Pages 209–215, which were not erased, represent the state of the journal entries generally when they were used for drafting the “History of Joseph Smith.”
Tithing and Donation Record, 1844–1846, CHL; Trustee-in-trust, Index and Accounts, 1841–1847, CHL.
Trustee-in-Trust. Index and Accounts, 1841–1847. CHL.
Historian’s Office, “Inventory. Historian’s Office. 4th April 1855,” [1]; Historian’s Office, “Inventory. Historians Office. G. S. L. City April 1.1857,” [1]; Historian’s Office, “Historian’s Office Inventory G. S. L. City March 19. 1858,” [1]; Historian’s Office, “Historian’s Office Catalogue Book March 1858,” [11], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
Emmeline B. Wells, “Salt Lake Stake Relief Society Conference,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 July 1880, 9:22.
Woman’s Exponent. Salt Lake City. 1872–1914.
“Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970, First Presidency, General Administration Files, CHL.
“Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970. First Presidency, General Administration Files, 1921–1972. CHL.
Letter of transfer, Salt Lake City, UT, 8 Jan. 2010, CHL.
Letter of Transfer, Salt Lake City, UT, 8 Jan. 2010. CHL.
| Date | Manuscript Page | Page in JSP, J2 |
| December 1841 | 26, 31, 33, 36, 39, 43–44 | 10–21 |
| Dec. 1841 | 36 | 16 |
| 11–13 Dec. 1841 | 33 | 14–15 |
| 13 Dec. 1841 | 26, 33 | 10–11, 15–16 |
| 14 Dec. 1841 | 26 | 11 |
| 15–16 Dec. 1841 | 31 | 13–14 |
| 17 Dec. 1841 | 26 | 11 |
| 22 Dec. 1841 | 36 | 16–17 |
| 24–28 Dec. 1841 | 39 | 17–19 |
| 29–31 Dec. 1841 | 43–44 | 19–21 |
| January 1842 | 31, 43–44, 48, 56–60, 66–67 | 14, 21–32, 36–38 |
| 1 Jan. 1842 | 44 | 21 |
| 4 Jan. 1842 | 48 | 23–24 |
| 5 Jan. 1842 | 31, 44 | 14, 21 |
| 6 Jan. 1842 | 57 | 25–26 |
| 12–16 Jan. 1842 | 48 | 24 |
| 15 Jan. 1842 | 58 | 26–27 |
| 16 Jan. 1842 | 48, 58 | 24, 27 |
| 17 Jan. 1842 | 43, 56, 58 | 20–21, 24–25, 27 |
| 18–22 Jan. 1842 | 58 | 27–30 |
| 23 Jan. 1842 | 59, 66 | 30, 36–37 |
| 24 Jan. 1842 | 59 | 30 |
| 25 Jan. 1842 | 59, 66 | 30, 37 |
| 26–27 Jan. 1842 | 59 | 30–31 |
| 28 Jan. 1842 | 59, 67 | 31, 38 |
| 29–31 Jan. 1842 | 60 | 31–32 |
| February–July 1842 | 60–61, 88–95, 122–128 | 32–36, 38–80 |
| August 1842 | 128–135, 164–167, 179–184 | 80–99, 115–124 |
| 3–15 Aug. 1842 | 128–135 | 80–92 |
| 16 Aug. 1842 | 135, 164–165 | 93–96 |
| 17–21 Aug. 1842 | 165–167 | 96–99 |
| Copied Correspondence | 168–178 | 100–114 |
| 23–31 Aug. 1842 | 179–184 | 115–124 |
| September–December 1842 | 184–215 | 124–183 |
Footnotes
One of Richards’s entries records that he was ill “& did not take notes.” Other entries, such as those dictated by JS to William Clayton while in hiding, are clearly copies of previously inscribed notes. (JS, Journal, 17 June 1842; 16 and 23 Aug. 1842.)
Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 16; Brigham Young et al., “Baptism for the Dead,” Times and Seasons, 15 Dec. 1841, 3:626.
Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 18; Clayton, Journal, 10 Feb. 1843.
Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
JS, Kirtland, OH, to William W. Phelps, [Independence, MO], 27 Nov. 1832, in JS Letterbook 1, pp. 1–2 [D&C 85:1–2, 5]; 2 Chronicles 17:9; 34:14; Nehemiah 9:3.
See also the entry for 29 June 1842, in which Richards transferred “this Journal” to his assistant William Clayton.
Pages 207–209, for example, contain such inscriptions. Willard Richards’s entry for 10 March 1842 also indicates contemporaneous inscription.
Brigham Young et al., “Baptism for the Dead,” Times and Seasons, 15 Dec. 1841, 3:626.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
JS, Journal, 8 Aug. 1842; see also Appendix 1.
As trustee-in-trust, JS was legally responsible for all management of church property. (JS, Journal, 1 Oct. 1842; An Act concerning Religious Societies [6 Feb. 1835], Laws of the State of Illinois [1834–1835], p. 148, sec. 3.)
Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835. Vandalia, IL: J. Y. Sawyer, 1835.
Three weeks earlier, JS and others met with attorney Calvin A. Warren regarding their petitions for bankruptcy. (JS, Journal, 7 Nov. 1842.)
According to the provisions of the Nauvoo charter, city aldermen served as justices of the peace within the limits of the city of Nauvoo. (Act to Incorporate the City of Nauvoo, 16 Dec. 1840, sec. 16.)
JS made a complaint against Hunter before Alderman William Marks the previous day. Hunter was delivered into Spencer’s custody on 29 November, after which Spencer issued subpoenas for witnesses. The case was heard by the municipal court, with Alderman Daniel H. Wells presiding pro tem. Hunter pleaded guilty to the charge of “using and making ridiculous and abusive language concerning Joseph Smiths Character . . . contrary to an Ordinance, entitled, ‘an Ordinance in relation to religious Societies.’” The court discharged Hunter “without payment of any fine, except the Fine for Contempt of Court, and full Costs of this Suit,” making eighteen dollars in total. Hunter’s contempt of court was for “using disrespectful and abusive language, & stating that he disregarded the Municipal Court.” (City of Nauvoo v. Hunter [Nauvoo Mun. Ct. 1842], Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 9 [second numbering].)
JS filed another complaint later this same day against Davis for making “indecent, unbecoming, abusive and Ridiculous language concerning the Acts and Character of Deponent” before Alderman William Marks. Davis was brought to trial three days later before Marks. (City of Nauvoo v. Davis [Nauvoo Mun. Ct. 1842], Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 12 [second numbering]; JS, Journal, 3 Dec. 1842.)
Richards recorded a visit on this date to “Mother Angels.” (Richards, Journal, 1 Dec. 1842.)
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
Following the death of Robert B. Thompson on 27 August 1841, Phelps took over the responsibility of writing and compiling the multivolume manuscript JS history. Richards assumed responsibility of the history on 1 December 1842, although Phelps continued to play a role in its development. (Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 464–466; Richards, Journal, 1 Dec. 1842; JS, Journal, 20 Jan. and 7 Nov. 1843.)
Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
TEXT: Possibly “spirits”.
An ordinance passed by the Nauvoo City Council almost two years earlier prohibited selling liquor in small quantities. The ordinance specified that whiskey must be sold at least by the gallon and other spirits by a quart or more, unless by permission of a physician. Davis appealed the decision of the mayor’s court four days later in the Nauvoo Municipal Court. (Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 15 Feb. 1841, 7–8; Davis v. Nauvoo [Nauvoo Mun. Ct. 1842], Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 14–15 [second numbering]; JS, Journal, 6 Dec. 1842.)
Taylor and Woodruff leased the printing office from JS, who had contracted to purchase it from Ebenezer Robinson earlier in the year. Although this entry states that the lease agreement was being prepared on 2 December, and Woodruff’s journal says it was prepared and written on 8, 9, and 10 December, the actual indenture, signed by Taylor, Woodruff, and JS, is dated 1 December 1842. (JS, Journal, 4 Feb. 1842; Woodruff, Journal, 8–10 Dec. 1842; Indenture, JS to John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff, 1 Dec. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.)
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
Davis was charged by JS three days earlier with “indecent, unbecoming, abusive and Ridiculous language.” The court, over which Alderman William Marks presided pro tem, fined Davis fifty dollars and bonded him to the sum of two hundred dollars to keep the peace. (JS, Journal, 30 Nov. 1842; City of Nauvoo v. Davis [Nauvoo Mun. Ct. 1842], Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 12–13 [second numbering].)