Footnotes

1. [1]

   Revelation, 12 Jan. 1838–C.

2. [2]

   JS History, vol. B-1, 780.

3. [3]

   Hyrum Smith, Commerce, IL, to “the Saints Scattered Abroad,” Dec. 1839, in Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, 1:21; O’Driscoll, Hyrum Smith, 167–170.

   Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

   O'Driscoll, Jeffrey S. Hyrum Smith: A Life of Integrity. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003.

4. [4]

   See, for example, JS History, vol. A-1, 477–479, addenda, 6–12; Travel Account and Questions, Nov. 1837; Hyrum Smith, Commerce, IL, to “the Saints Scattered Abroad,” Dec. 1839, in Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, 1:21; George A. Smith, Autobiography, 14–36; and Kirtland Camp, Journal, 6 July–2 Oct. 1838; see also Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 15, [3]–[6]; and Plewe et al., Mapping Mormonism, 38–39.

   Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

   Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.

   Kirtland Camp. Journal, Mar.–Oct. 1838. CHL. MS 4952.

   Plewe, Brandon S., S. Kent Brown, Donald Q. Cannon, and Richard H. Jackson, eds. Mapping Mormonism: An Atlas of Latter-day Saint History. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 2012.

5. [5]

   The Camp of Israel traveled nearly the same route, crossing the Wabash River about fifteen miles north of Terre Haute; the Kirtland Camp traveled through Terre Haute. It took the Camp of Israel seventeen days to travel from Norton Township to the Wabash River, while it took the Kirtland Camp twenty-eight days to travel from Norton to Terre Haute—not counting the days the camp members stopped to work for wages along the way.a The Camp of Israel spent eleven days traveling from the Wabash River to the Mississippi River, while the Kirtland Camp spent thirteen days traveling from Terre Haute to the Mississippi River.b Lucy Mack Smith recollected that her daughter Katharine Smith Salisbury gave birth after they crossed the Mississippi River; additional sources recall the birth as occurring 7 June.c This collection of information suggests that the Smith party—departing from Norton on 7 May and arriving at the Mississippi River by 7 June—would have reached Terre Haute before 25 May and would have left by 27 May. The letter was written “Nine Miles from Terre Haute”—either to the east or the west—adding approximately one day on either side.

   (^aJS History, vol. A-1, 478–479, addenda 8n4; “Camp of Israel Route, May–June 1834”; Kirtland Camp, Journal, 11 July–7 Sept. 1838. ^bJS History, vol. A-1, 483, addenda 8n4; Kirtland Camp, Journal, 7–20 Sept. 1838. ^cLucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 15, [4]; Solomon J. Salisbury, “Reminiscences of an Octogenarian,” Journal of History, Jan. 1922, 18; “Records of Early Church Families,” Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Oct. 1935, 152.)

   Kirtland Camp. Journal, Mar.–Oct. 1838. CHL. MS 4952.

   Journal of History. Lamoni, IA, 1908–1920; Independence, MO, 1921–1925.

   “Records of Early Church Families.” Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine 26 (Oct. 1935): 145–192.

6. [6]

   Mail between Kirtland and western Missouri generally required three to four weeks of travel time. (Hartley, “Letters and Mail between Kirtland and Independence,” 176.)

   Hartley, William G. “Letters and Mail between Kirtland and Independence: A Mormon Postal History, 1831–33.” Journal of Mormon History 35, no. 3 (Summer 2009): 163–189.

7. [7]

   Years later, the Latter-day Saints working on the history JS initiated in 1838 implied that both letters were received the same day. This assumption was likely based on the placement of the letters in JS’s journal, not knowledge of when the letters arrived in Far West. However, both letters may well have arrived in the same delivery of mail. (JS History, vol. B-1, 801.)

8. [8]

   JS, Journal, 4–8 and 26–31 July 1838.

9. [9]

   JS was met in Huntsville, Missouri, by John Barnard, who had been sent from Caldwell County with money to assist JS and those with him in completing their journey. (See Historian’s Office, Brigham Young History Drafts, 17; and JS, Journal, Mar.–Sept. 1838, p. 16.)

   Historian’s Office. Brigham Young History Drafts, 1856–1858. CHL. CR 100 475, box 1, fd. 5.

10. [10]

    Don Carlos Smith, who went ahead of the main group, arrived in Far West by 8 July 1838, as did his wife, Agnes Coolbrith Smith, and possibly other members of the party. (Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 15, [5]–[6]; Deed to Samuel F. Whitney, 8 July 1838.)