The Papers
Browse the PapersDocumentsJournalsAdministrative RecordsRevelations and TranslationsHistoriesLegal RecordsFinancial RecordsOther Contemporary Papers
Reference
PeoplePlacesEventsGlossaryLegal GlossaryFinancial GlossaryCalendar of DocumentsWorks CitedFeatured TopicsLesson PlansRelated Publications
Media
VideosPhotographsIllustrationsChartsMapsPodcasts
News
Current NewsArchiveNewsletterSubscribeJSP Conferences
About
About the ProjectJoseph Smith and His PapersFAQAwardsEndorsementsReviewsEditorial MethodNote on TranscriptionsNote on Images of People and PlacesReferencing the ProjectCiting This WebsiteProject TeamContact Us
Published Volumes
  1. Home > 
  2. The Papers > 

Letter from Joseph Coe, 1 January 1844

Source Note

, Letter, , Lake Co., OH, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 1 Jan. 1844; handwriting of ; three pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal notations, endorsement, and dockets.
Bifolium measuring 12¼ × 8 inches (31 × 20 cm). Each page is ruled with thirty-four lines printed in blue ink. The letter was written in blue ink on the first three pages of the bifolium. The document was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. The second leaf was torn when the letter was opened, resulting in a loss of text on page 3 of the letter. The letter was later refolded for filing.
The document was endorsed by , who served as scribe to JS from 1842 to 1844, and docketed by , who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) from 1853 to 1859. The document was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office circa 1904. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early dockets, its listing in a circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 29 June 1842; “Clayton, William,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:718.

    Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.

  2. [2]

    “Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  3. [3]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [3], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  4. [4]

    See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.

Historical Introduction

On 1 January 1844, former member wrote a letter from , Ohio, to JS in , Illinois, requesting that JS repay him for a debt. In 1835 Coe contributed a large sum of money to the purchase of ancient Egyptian mummies and papyri from , who was touring the exhibiting them. In 1837, during a period of dissension within the church in Kirtland, Coe was excommunicated. The next year, when many Latter-day Saints migrated from Kirtland to church settlements in northwestern , Coe remained. In 1842 Coe began renting JS’s farm in Kirtland.
In his letter to JS, recounted the financial arrangements related to the purchase of the Egyptian mummies and artifacts. He claimed that he had managed the transaction and that he had split the $2,400 payment with Simeon Andrews and a group that included JS. It is unclear how much each party paid at the time, but the payment was not made in full, and Coe recalled that he had issued a series of promissory notes to . Coe claimed that JS did not pay his full portion of his group’s share in 1836 and that Chandler agreed to turn over the promissory notes to JS for $1,000—$300 of which Coe paid by taking out a loan. According to Coe, JS still owed him for his portion of the purchase.
also claimed that after JS left , Coe started to negotiate with JS’s father, , to receive church lands in Kirtland as payment but that those negotiations stalled. In this letter, he attempted to restart such discussions. , JS’s in Kirtland responsible for much of the church’s property there, also wrote to JS on 1 January to express concerns about how Coe was representing his financial claims and caring for JS’s farm and to relate a rumor that Coe was merely trying to acquire the property from JS.
On 2 January, sent the letter to JS by post. JS received it by 17 January. On the morning of 18 January, JS wrote separate replies to and Coe.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    For a more detailed account of dissent and disaffection in spring and summer 1837, see “Part 6: 20 April–14 September 1837”; and Historical Introduction to Revelation, 23 July 1837 [D&C 112].

  2. [2]

    See Letter from Reuben McBride, 1 Jan. 1844.

  3. [3]

    Power of Attorney to Reuben McBride, 28 Oct. 1841; Letter from Reuben McBride, 1 Jan. 1844.

  4. [4]

    Letter to Reuben McBride, 18 Jan. 1844; Letter to Joseph Coe, 18 Jan. 1844. JS likely received the letter on 17 January at the same time he received the letter from McBride, which McBride also sent from Kirtland on 2 January. (Letter from Reuben McBride, 1 Jan. 1844.)

Page [1]

Lake Co Ohio Jan. 1st 1844
Mr Joseph Smith
I have for a long time been anxious to receive some communication from you in relation to my interest in the Mummies &c. but having failed hitherto of learning any<​thing​> Satisfactory on the subject I have thot proper to drop you a line as the most ready means of exchanging sentiments on this subject. Permit me here to sketch the history of the purchase &.c. in order to bring the subject fresh to your recollection. When the subject of purchasing that concern came up I was some-what involved, and unable to sustain a heavier burthen any great length of time. but having all confidence in the utility of the collection, and being assured by yourself that the burthen would be but temporary; that the profits arising from the work when translated would be more than adequate to the defraying all the expence which might accrue by the purchase. I therefore managed the business in relation to the purchase with the same confidence that I had previously done business which I thought would result in the good of the . Previous to closing the contra[c]t with I made arangements with S[imeon] Andrews for to take one third part and yourself & Co. one third leaving one third to be borne by myself. Andrews soon paid his $800 I took $800 out of which paid a large portion of my share; but yours together with the interes[t] remained until the Spring of 1836 if I mistake not. when by an arangement with he agreed to take 1000 dollars and give up my notes; if the raise could be made on short notice [p. [1]]
View entire transcript

|

Cite this page

Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [1]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Joseph Coe, 1 January 1844
ID #
1238
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Joseph Coe

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    According to William W. Phelps, JS told him of his intention to publish a translation of the papyri in 1835. Phelps did not mention a plan to profit from the sale of the translation. (William W. Phelps, Kirtland, OH, to Sally Waterman Phelps, 19–20 July 1835, in Phelps, “Letters of Faith from Kirtland,” 529; see also “Book of Abraham and Related Manuscripts.”)

    Phelps, Leah Y. “Letters of Faith from Kirtland.” Improvement Era 45, no. 8 (Aug. 1942): 529.

  2. [2]

    The Bank of Geauga was in nearby Painesville, Ohio. In 1835 it was one of nearly fifty banks operating in the state. (“Ohio Bank Note Table,” Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette, 31 July 1835, [1].)

    Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette. Columbus. 1825–1837.

© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UseUpdated 2021-04-13Privacy NoticeUpdated 2021-04-06