Letter from Jacob W. Jenks, 31 December 1839

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Letter from Jacob W. Jenks, 31 December 1839
Source Note

Jacob W. Jenks
13 June 1806–22 June 1862. Boat captain. Born in Massachusetts. Likely son of Wanton Jenks and Ruby Hodges. Married Sarah A. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by Dec. 1839. Lived at Sing Sing (later Ossining), Westchester Co., New...
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, Letter,
Sing Sing
Village located on east bank of Hudson River, approximately 33 miles north of New York City. Population in 1850 about 3,000. Branch of church established in village, spring 1838, while Parley P. Pratt served mission in area.
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, Westchester Co., NY, to JS, [
Washington DC
Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...
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], 31 Dec. 1839. Featured version copied [between Apr. and June 1840] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 117–118; handwriting of
Howard Coray
6 May 1817–16 Jan. 1908. Bookkeeper, clerk, teacher, farmer. Born in Dansville, Steuben Co., New York. Son of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens. Moved to Providence, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, ca. 1827; to Williams, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania, by 1830; and...
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; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 2.

Historical Introduction
On 31 December 1839,
church
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
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member
Jacob W. Jenks
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wrote a letter inviting JS to eastern
New York
Located in northeast region of U.S. Area settled by Dutch traders, 1620s; later governed by Britain, 1664–1776. Admitted to U.S. as state, 1788. Population in 1810 about 1,000,000; in 1820 about 1,400,000; in 1830 about 1,900,000; and in 1840 about 2,400,...
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. Jenks wrote the letter from
Sing Sing
Village located on east bank of Hudson River, approximately 33 miles north of New York City. Population in 1850 about 3,000. Branch of church established in village, spring 1838, while Parley P. Pratt served mission in area.
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, New York, a town approximately thirty miles north of
New York City
Dutch founded New Netherland colony, 1625. Incorporated under British control and renamed New York, 1664. Harbor contributed to economic and population growth of city; became largest city in American colonies. British troops defeated Continental Army under...
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, and likely sent it to
Washington DC
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, unaware that JS had left the national capital for
Philadelphia
Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...
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about ten days earlier.
1
JS arrived in Philadelphia by rail on 21 December 1839. (Orson Pratt to Sarah Marinda Bates Pratt, 6 Jan. 1840, in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, 1:61; Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 21 Dec. 1839, 70.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
The letter encouraged the delegation in Washington in its efforts to obtain redress for losses church members earlier suffered in
Missouri
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...
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and also expressed the desire of the Saints in Sing Sing and New York City to have JS visit them.
2
The Sing Sing branch of the church was established in spring 1838 while Parley P. Pratt was a missionary in that area. (Pratt, Autobiography, 188; see also Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 22 Nov. 1839.)
Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.
Aware of JS’s debts and lack of funds, Jenks warned JS regarding New York’s strict laws against debtors and poor transients and offered to pay JS’s travel expenses to Sing Sing and New York City.

It is unknown whether the post office forwarded the letter to JS in
Philadelphia
Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...
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or if JS received the letter upon returning to
Washington
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.
3
Some of the mail sent to JS while he was in Philadelphia was forwarded to him by the Washington DC post office, and some of it was retained in the capital awaiting his return. (See, for example, Letter from Emma Smith, 6 Dec. 1839; and Letter from Edward Partridge, 3 Jan. 1840.)
If JS responded to
Jenks
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, that letter has not been located. Jenks’s original letter is apparently not extant, but
Howard Coray
6 May 1817–16 Jan. 1908. Bookkeeper, clerk, teacher, farmer. Born in Dansville, Steuben Co., New York. Son of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens. Moved to Providence, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, ca. 1827; to Williams, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania, by 1830; and...
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copied the letter into JS Letterbook 2 sometime between April and June 1840.
4
Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.
Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.
Footnotes
[1]
JS arrived in Philadelphia by rail on 21 December 1839. (Orson Pratt to Sarah Marinda Bates Pratt, 6 Jan. 1840, in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, 1:61; Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 21 Dec. 1839, 70.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
[2]
The Sing Sing branch of the church was established in spring 1838 while Parley P. Pratt was a missionary in that area. (Pratt, Autobiography, 188; see also Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 22 Nov. 1839.)
Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.
[3]
Some of the mail sent to JS while he was in Philadelphia was forwarded to him by the Washington DC post office, and some of it was retained in the capital awaiting his return. (See, for example, Letter from Emma Smith, 6 Dec. 1839; and Letter from Edward Partridge, 3 Jan. 1840.)
[4]
Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.
Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from Jacob W. Jenks, 31 December 1839 Letterbook 2
Page 118
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Bro. Joseph, I desires your prayers to Almighty God in my behalf, and wish you to enquire of the Lord & write concerning me.

I remain your affectionate Brother in the Bonds of the Gospel

Jacob W. Jenks
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[p. 118]
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Source Note
Document Transcript
Page 118
Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Jacob W. Jenks, 31 December 1839
ID #
503
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D7:93–95
Handwriting on This Page
Howard Coray