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Letter from Martha Lucretia Campbell, 19 December 1843

Source Note

, Letter, , Chemung Co., NY, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 19 Dec. 1843; handwriting and signature presumably of ; three pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, wafer seal, postal stamp, postal notations, and dockets.
Bifolium measuring 9⅞ × 7⅝ inches (25 × 19 cm) and ruled with twenty-seven horizontal lines printed in blue ink, now faded. The letter is inscribed on the verso of the first leaf and the recto and verso of the second leaf. The document was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, sealed with a red adhesive wafer, and postmarked; the addressing is on the recto of the first leaf. The letter was torn when opened, leaving a hole on the first leaf. Wafer residue remains on the verso of the second leaf and recto of the first leaf. At some point, an unidentified person inscribed numbers and calculations on the recto of the first leaf. The letter was later refolded, presumably for filing. The document has undergone conservation.
The letter was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from December 1841 until JS’s death in June 1844 and served as church historian from December 1842 until his own death in March 1854. , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865, docketed the letter a second time. The document was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) circa 1904. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The letter’s early dockets as well as its later inclusion in the JS Collection suggest continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

  2. [2]

    Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  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 19 December 1843, of , New York, wrote a letter to JS at the behest of , JS’s longtime friend who lived about thirty miles east of Elmira in Smithboro, New York. The letter communicated Stowell’s continuing belief in JS’s prophetic calling as well as his interest in with the Saints in , Illinois. Stowell had employed JS briefly in 1825 and testified on his behalf as a witness at trials held in 1826 and 1830 to assess allegations that JS was a “disorderly person.” Stowell was at the Smith home in , New York, when JS arrived with the plates from which he translated the Book of Mormon and was an early member of the , likely having been in 1830 or 1831. Stowell continued to live in southern after joining the church.
Baptized in in 1835, was a thirty-seven-year-old, unmarried woman in 1843. She likely knew through activity in the church. They were two of several Latter-day Saints living in the area, though there was apparently no organized there. Campbell and Stowell shared the cost of a single two-dollar subscription to the Times and Seasons, and Campbell corresponded with Stowell and visited him in Smithboro.
requested that write to JS because Stowell, though in his seventies, considered moving to . Having never joined Latter-day Saint migrations to , , or , he was apparently uncertain about his standing with JS and was anxious to know if JS would “receive him as a brother.” Through Campbell, he reminded JS that he was an ardent early supporter and wanted to renew his fellowship. He asked that church members pray that he would be healthy enough to move to Nauvoo. Stowell also mentioned assets he might use to finance his move and inquired about ways to support himself once in Nauvoo.
explained in the letter that had requested that she and “Sister Demarest” visit him. Stowell likely communicated much of the letter’s content to Campbell during this visit. Her letter also included a brief account of Stowell’s confrontation with a man named Delrimple on the subject of JS’s two trials held in and counties, New York, in 1830. Campbell concluded the letter by expressing the challenges of being a church member in isolation and her own interest in coming to .
The letter was postmarked in on 21 December and mailed to . JS likely received it in early January 1844. requested that JS write to , as “it would be verry consoling to him,” and to direct the letter to her. JS responded to Campbell (presumably including a message to Stowell) on 15 January 1844, but his letter is apparently not extant. Stowell was unable to visit Nauvoo, likely due to his declining health. He died about five months later. Campbell later visited Nauvoo and participated in an ceremony in the Nauvoo on 7 February 1846.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Stowell had apparently lived in Smithboro since 1833. (Porter, “Colesville Branch and the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon,” 376.)

    Porter, Larry C. “The Colesville Branch and the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon.” BYU Studies 10, no. 3 (Spring 1970): 365–385.

  2. [2]

    See Historical Introduction to State of New York v. JS–A; Historical Introduction to State of New York v. JS–B and State of New York v. JS–C; and JS History, vol. A-1, 44–45.

  3. [3]

    In 1840, Martha Campbell lived with Susannah Campbell and Elizabeth Campbell; the women were baptized as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by their relative Daniel Stephens. (Greene, Diary, vol. 4, 1835–1836, 9 Aug. 1835, 8; Evan M. Greene, List of Baptisms, 1835, Evan M. Greene, Papers, 1835–1878, CHL; Daniel Stephens, “To Friends in the East,” Messenger and Advocate, vol. 3, no. 26 [3 Nov. 1836], 3:4134; “List of Letters,” Elmira [NY] Gazette, 10 Apr. 1841, [3].)

    Greene, Evan Melbourne. Diaries, 1833–1852. CHL. MS 1442.

    Greene, Evan M. Papers, 1833–1881. CHL. MS 789.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

    Elmira Gazette. Elmira, NY. 1828–1891.

  4. [4]

    In April 1843, Robert D. Foster and Jonathan Allen were sent to “build up churches” in Candor, Tioga County, about thirty miles northeast of Elmira. (“Elder’s Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 Apr. 1843, 4:157.)

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

  5. [5]

    Sister Demarest is probably “E. Demarest” from Elmira, New York, who was listed as a subscriber to the Times and Seasons in 1841. The 1840 United States Census (which includes only the names of heads of households) does not list a Demarest in Chemung County. She may have been an unmarried adult woman boarding in another household. (List of Receipts, Times and Seasons, 15 July 1841, 2:485.)

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

  6. [6]

    JS, Journal, 15 Jan. 1844.

  7. [7]

    Temple Records Index Bureau, Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register, 333.

    Temple Records Index Bureau of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register, 10 December 1845 to 8 February 1846. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1974.

Page [2]

immediately he thinks your prayrs will do him good he neesd [needs] the milk of the it is his request you should wright to him immediately do wright to him it would be verry consoling to him he wishes if you wright you would direct it to Chemung Co NY I shall have an opportunity almost any day to send it to him he wishes me to say to you that he takes the times & sea[so]ns with me we each sent a dollar he gave me strict chure [charge] to say to you his faith is good concerning the work o[f] the Lord he has ever manifested good feelings toward you & your s family & also the Church sent for Sister Demarest & myself to come & see him wee had not ben there long before Delrimple (formerly from Binghamton) came in & a member with him & soon the convesation turned upon what the world Calls Mormonism & the Lord filled the mouths of those present untill the Old adversary began to spout & rail & Delrimple said you ought to be in States prison & said he <​you​> would have ben there had it not ben for him & he wondered why he did not send you said he knew verry well why he did not because you had him before Esq [Joseph] Chamberlin three days & you could not make out the first thing that the Law could take hold of him for I mention this so you may know the feelings of the s says he cannot see anything why <​the work​> it is not true I do not recollect the old gentlemans given name but I suppose you will know as he was a friend of yours in Binghamton [p. [2]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Martha Lucretia Campbell, 19 December 1843
ID #
1233
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D13:403–407
Handwriting on This Page
  • Martha Lucretia Campbell

Footnotes

  1. [3]

    Likely Ephraim Dalrimple, who lived in Bainbridge, New York, in 1830. Dalrimple is listed immediately before the trial judge Joseph Chamberlin in the 1830 census of Bainbridge. Based on Campbell’s letter, Dalrimple apparently participated in some capacity in JS’s July 1830 trial in South Bainbridge, New York, before Justice Joseph Chamberlin. The names of the prosecuting attorneys, complainants, and witnesses at the trial are not known. It is possible Dalrimple was involved in one of these capacities. (1830 U.S. Census, Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY, 4; Historical Introduction to State of New York v. JS–B and State of New York v. JS–C.)

    Census (U.S.) / U.S. Bureau of the Census. Population Schedules. Microfilm. FHL.

  2. [4]

    Stowell conflated two trials. The trial before Justice of the Peace Chamberlin in Chenango County in late June 1830 lasted one day. However, JS was immediately arrested and made to stand trial in Broome County before Justice of the Peace Joel K. Noble. This second trial lasted two days. In both instances, JS was evidently charged with being a “disorderly person” based on his prior use of a seer stone in the counties, allegedly with the intent to deceive and defraud others. Stowell testified before each justice, attesting to JS’s good character. Evidence suggests that JS was acquitted at both trials. (Historical Introduction to State of New York v. JS–B and State of New York v. JS–C; Joel K. Noble, Minutes, 28 Aug. 1832, in “Mormonism,” Boston Christian Herald, 19 Sept. 1832, [2]; “Some of the Remarks of John S. Reed, Esq., as Delivered before the State Convention,” Times and Seasons, 1 June 1844, 5:549–552; JS History, vol. A-1, 44–47.)

    Boston Christian Herald. Boston. 1829–1833.

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

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