Robert McCorkle, Letter, Yorkville, Dyer Co., Tennessee, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 10 May 1844; handwriting presumably of Robert McCorkle; dockets in handwriting of and unidentified scribe; one page; JS Collection, CHL.
Page [2]
Again, I went to with an honest desire to ascertain whether the virtues of the members of the chu[r]ch of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints were aparantly greater, than are common amongst the different sectarian churches. In this respect I found them, as might have been expected in such a vast net-full, (a promiscuous squad)— One thing candor forces me to say, there is more intelligence among the common people there, than ever I met with before; nor have I ever seen as little immorality exhib[ited] in <any> City, town, or hamlet in which I ever spent the the same leangth of time—
I took with me a searies of enquries with the intention to present them to you, but being debar[re]d from becoming familiar with you, my natural timidity forbade my presenting them— I however shewed them to several of the elders— some thought them deserving an answer; others ran over them rough shod—
I have concluded that in as much as I have an opportunity of sending them to you free of cost, I will submit them to your scrutiny; an answer in poetic form would be thankfully rec’d [received] either privately, or in the Times & Seasons.
I have some enquries to make with regard to locating in, or near to — I am somewhat of a believer in the gathering— but I am desirous to know how as poor a man as I, could make, or secure a comfortable living,
I have a comfortable little home here, have to use industry, and economy in order to get a long well— but by the by, I am not very able to labor; I am no mechanic, and it looks like if I were to move, unless I could sell for a fair price, it would be rather an imprudent act, & to sell appears out of the question— In your wisdom how would you direct that I should procede? would there be any chance to get a small farm, or piece of land from the church near to having any sufficiency of timber on it, by paying two spans of mules or horses, and waggons, by advancing two or three hundred dollars in Tennessee curency— if so, what would be the price of the land, and what might I expect for the property say on an avarage— The scarceity of timber in your country to me, is a great obstacle— I will turn over and write down my honest enquiries [p. [2]]