Letter from Robert D. Foster, 24 December 1839

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Letter from Robert D. Foster, 24 December 1839
Source Note

Robert D. Foster
14 Mar. 1811–1 Feb. 1878. Justice of the peace, physician, land speculator. Born in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. Son of John Foster and Jane Knibb. Married Sarah Phinney, 18 July 1837, at Medina Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of ...
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, Letter,
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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, to JS,
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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, Philadelphia Co., PA, 24 Dec. 1839. Featured version copied [between Apr. and June 1840] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 119–122; 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 24 December 1839,
Robert D. Foster
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wrote a letter from
Washington DC
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to JS, who was then visiting the
Saints
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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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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and surrounding areas. Though Foster was traveling with the church’s delegation to the federal government, he was not an official member of that group.
1
Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.
Instead, he had been asked to accompany
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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, who was recovering from malaria.
2
Historical Introduction to Letter of Introduction from Sidney Rigdon, 9 Nov. 1839; Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 31 Oct.–3 Nov. 1839, 66.
Foster wrote in a later reminiscence that after JS and
Elias Higbee
23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...
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left for Philadelphia, Foster remained in Washington in order “to take care of Mr. Rigdon; and also to wait upon every preacher in the city.”
3
Robert D. Foster, “A Testimony of the Past,” True Latter Day Saints’ Herald, 15 Apr. 1875, 227.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Saints’ Herald. Independence, MO. 1860–.
In this letter, Foster briefly updated JS on Rigdon’s health and described his own proselytizing efforts, including an encounter with Reverend George G. Cookman, a prominent Methodist minister in the city.
4
The English-born Cookman immigrated to the United States in 1825 and in 1838 moved to Washington DC, where he led the congregation at Wesley Chapel. Seven days after Foster wrote this letter, the United States Senate appointed Cookman as its chaplain, a position he held until he perished at sea in March 1841. (Ridgaway, Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman, 19–20, 31, 63, 65, 72–76, 81; Journal of the Senate of the United States, 26th Cong., 1st Sess., 31 Dec. 1839, 68.)
Ridgaway, Henry B. The Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman; with Some Account of His Father, the Rev. George Grimston Cookman. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1873.
Journal of the Senate of the United States of America, Being the First Session of the Twenty-Sixth Congress, Begun and Held at the City of Washington, December 2, 1839, and in the Sixty-Fourth Year of the Independence of the Said United States. Washington DC: Blair and Rives, 1839.

JS received the letter a few days after
Foster
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sent it and responded on 30 December.
5
Letter to Robert D. Foster, 30 Dec. 1839.
Foster’s original letter is not extant.
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 version featured here into JS Letterbook 2 sometime between April and June 1840.
6
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]
Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.
[2]
Historical Introduction to Letter of Introduction from Sidney Rigdon, 9 Nov. 1839; Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 31 Oct.–3 Nov. 1839, 66.
[3]
Robert D. Foster, “A Testimony of the Past,” True Latter Day Saints’ Herald, 15 Apr. 1875, 227.
Saints’ Herald. Independence, MO. 1860–.
[4]
The English-born Cookman immigrated to the United States in 1825 and in 1838 moved to Washington DC, where he led the congregation at Wesley Chapel. Seven days after Foster wrote this letter, the United States Senate appointed Cookman as its chaplain, a position he held until he perished at sea in March 1841. (Ridgaway, Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman, 19–20, 31, 63, 65, 72–76, 81; Journal of the Senate of the United States, 26th Cong., 1st Sess., 31 Dec. 1839, 68.)
Ridgaway, Henry B. The Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman; with Some Account of His Father, the Rev. George Grimston Cookman. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1873.
Journal of the Senate of the United States of America, Being the First Session of the Twenty-Sixth Congress, Begun and Held at the City of Washington, December 2, 1839, and in the Sixty-Fourth Year of the Independence of the Said United States. Washington DC: Blair and Rives, 1839.
[5]
Letter to Robert D. Foster, 30 Dec. 1839.
[6]
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 Robert D. Foster, 24 December 1839
Letterbook 2
Page 119
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Washington City
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Dec 24th. 1839

Dear Brother

Since you left this
city
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1
It is unclear when JS departed Washington DC, but he arrived in Philadelphia on 21 December 1839. (Orson Pratt to Sarah Marinda Bates Pratt, 6 Jan. 1840, in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, 1:60–61.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
I have been endeavoring to magnify my calling in some measure, and have succeeded so far in my work, by the assistance of God as to show to the Satisfaction of all the inmates of the house where you left me boarding
2
Possibly the same boardinghouse at which JS and Higbee stayed. They described that boardinghouse, located on the corner of Missouri Avenue and Third Street, as the cheapest available in the capital. (Letter to Hyrum Smith and Nauvoo High Council, 5 Dec. 1839.)
that Mormonism is no bugbear but the truths of Jesus Christ, as testifyed by Paul, Peter and all the Apostles and inspired writers, You are aware that the Lady. Mrs. Baker was very hostile when you left, but her proud heart has come down, and she now says she was once afraid to have me in the house, but is now willing I should stay. The day you left and the next day I kept preaching in the chimney corner, and to Mrs. Baker, who acted as though she was possessed of Seven Devils,
3
See Luke 8:2.
but I kept a steady hand. Last night I got up and preached till 11½ P.M., and they listened, said they believd us verily, but they have not courage to come out; they are going to invite their relatives & friends so, as to give me a fair chance to preach; they say I am the greatest preacher they ever heard: God blessed me more in that endeavour than I can express, yea Brothe[r] <my> very heart glorifies God for his goodness. what was said I dont know, but I do know I had a feast, and to morrow they are going to have three friends come and see me; that girl says she wants to be
baptized
An ordinance in which an individual is immersed in water for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon explained that those with necessary authority were to baptize individuals who had repented of their sins. Baptized individuals also received the gift of...
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; though her Bro. is coming <to> see her in regard to it as he is her guardian. I pray that you would lend me your special prayers in this matter & and verily believe you will. As I was agoing to say they all listened attentively, and after this I asked God to add his blessings to what had been done and said, and they all responded amen; they then [p. 119]
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Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Robert D. Foster, 24 December 1839
ID #
502
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D7:85–89
Handwriting on This Page
Howard Coray
Footnotes
[1]
It is unclear when JS departed Washington DC, but he arrived in Philadelphia on 21 December 1839. (Orson Pratt to Sarah Marinda Bates Pratt, 6 Jan. 1840, in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, 1:60–61.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
[2]
Possibly the same boardinghouse at which JS and Higbee stayed. They described that boardinghouse, located on the corner of Missouri Avenue and Third Street, as the cheapest available in the capital. (Letter to Hyrum Smith and Nauvoo High Council, 5 Dec. 1839.)
[3]
See Luke 8:2.