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Letter from Sidney Rigdon, 10 April 1839

Source Note

, Letter, , Adams Co., IL, to JS, , , , and , [, Clay Co., MO], 10 Apr. 1839. Featured version copied [between 22 Apr. and 30 Oct. 1839] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 4–5; handwriting of ; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 2.

Historical Introduction

On 10 April 1839, wrote from to JS and his fellow prisoners in Missouri, updating them on the ’s evolving plans to obtain redress for loss of life and property in Missouri. Rigdon arrived in Illinois from Missouri in mid-February 1839 and rented a farm in Big Neck Prairie, about thirty miles northeast of Quincy, Illinois. Despite the distance, he reportedly preached in Quincy frequently, “always to large audiences.” While there, he also met with prominent citizens, who raised funds for the Latter-day Saint refugees. According to church member Elizabeth Haven, by late February 1839 Rigdon was planning to visit to “plead at the feet of the President according to revelation”—a reference to a revelation JS dictated in 1833. On 23 February, Rigdon wrote to attorney general Felix Grundy, inquiring about initiating a suit in federal court against the state of Missouri and private citizens who committed violence against the Saints in 1838. Rigdon’s 10 April letter to JS and the other prisoners demonstrates that Rigdon’s “plan of operation” had evolved to include not only suing Missouri and sending a delegation to Washington but also assigning Latter-day Saints to lobby state legislatures to support Rigdon’s proposal that the state of Missouri be “impeached” for lacking a republican form of government.
’s 10 April letter was likely a partial response to JS’s general epistle dated 20 March 1839. Rigdon apparently had not written to the prisoners after his departure from the in , Missouri, in early February, causing them “to inquire after Rigdon” and to note that “if he has not forgotten us it has not been signified to us by his scrawl.” In his 10 April letter, Rigdon referenced twice his unfailing friendship with the prisoners, and he emphasized he was busy laboring on behalf of them and the church.
noted that a “Br Mace”—perhaps resident Wandle Mace—would carry the letter to , but it is unknown whether Mace actually did so. About the time that Rigdon completed his letter, word reached Quincy that the prisoners had been moved from the . Rigdon may have waited to send his letter until receiving further news on the prisoners’ location. The original letter is apparently not extant; copied it or a retained copy into JS Letterbook 2 sometime between late April and 30 October 1839.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Editorial, Quincy (IL) Whig, 23 Feb. 1839, [1]; Letter from Elias Higbee, 16 Apr. 1839; Rigdon, “Life Story of Sidney Rigdon,” 153–158; Portrait and Biographical Record of Adams County, Illinois, 180, 278.

    Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

    Rigdon, John Wickliff. “Life Story of Sidney Rigdon,” no date. CHL. MS 3451.

    Portrait and Biographical Record of Adams County, Illinois, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, together with Biographies and Portraits of All the Presidents of the United States. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1892.

  2. [2]

    Asbury, Reminiscences of Quincy, Illinois, 153.

    Asbury, Henry. Reminiscences of Quincy, Illinois, Containing Historical Events, Anecdotes, Matters concerning Old Settlers and Old Times, Etc. Quincy, IL: D. Wilcox and Sons, 1882.

  3. [3]

    “The Mormons,” Quincy (IL) Whig, 16 Mar. 1839, [1]; “Proceedings in the Town of Quincy,” Quincy (IL) Argus, 16 Mar. 1839, [1].

    Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

    Quincy Argus. Quincy, IL. 1836–1841.

  4. [4]

    Elizabeth Haven, Quincy, IL, to Elizabeth Howe Bullard, Holliston, MA, 24 Feb. 1839, Barlow Family Collection, CHL; Revelation, 16–17 Dec. 1833 [D&C 101:88–89].

    Barlow Family Collection, 1816–1969. CHL.

  5. [5]

    Sidney Rigdon, Quincy, IL, to Felix Grundy, [Washington DC], 23 Feb. 1839, Record Group 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, National Archives, Washington DC.

    Record Group 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives / Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents Which Were Referred to the Committee on Judiciary during the 27th Congress. Committee on the Judiciary, Petitions and Memorials, 1813–1968. Record Group 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1789–2015. National Archives, Washington DC. The LDS records cited herein are housed in National Archives boxes 40 and 41 of Library of Congress boxes 139–144 in HR27A-G10.1.

  6. [6]

    Letter to the Church and Edward Partridge, 20 Mar. 1839; Hyrum Smith, Diary, 15 Mar. 1839.

    Smith, Hyrum. Diary, Mar.–Apr. 1839, Oct. 1840. CHL. MS 2945.

  7. [7]

    Mace, Autobiography, 29–30.

    Mace, Wandle. Autobiography, ca. 1890. CHL. MS 1924.

  8. [8]

    After Mary Fielding Smith completed a letter to her husband, Hyrum Smith, on 11 April 1839, she attempted to send the missive with a courier, but it was returned because it was not known where the prisoners would be. After the letter was given back to her, she added a postscript, presumably on or soon after 11 April, explaining the situation. (Mary Fielding Smith, [Quincy, IL], to Hyrum Smith, 11 Apr. 1839, Mary Fielding Smith, Collection, CHL.)

    Smith, Mary Fielding. Collection, ca. 1832–1848. CHL. MS 2779.

  9. [9]

    Mulholland began to “write for the Church” on 22 April 1839, and Rigdon’s letter was one of the first documents Mulholland inscribed in Letterbook 2.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from Sidney Rigdon, 10 April 1839 Letterbook 2 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 5

which should be favorable to our people. He is also getting papers prepared, signed by all the noted men in this part of the country to give us a favourable reception at , whither we shall repair forthwith after having visited the of of whose friendship we have the strongest testimonies.
We leave this day to visit him. Our plan of operation is to impeach the State of on an item of the Constitution of the ; That the general government shall give to each State a Republican form of government. Such a form of Government does not exist in and we can prove it.
and his Lady enter with all the enthusiasm of their natures into this work, having no doubt but we can accomplish this object.
Our plan of operation in this work is to get all the Governors in their next messages to have the subject brought before the legislatures and we will have a man at the Capital of each State to furnish them with the testimony on the subject; and we design to be at to wait upon Congress and have the action of that body on it also; all this going on at the same time, and have the action of the whole, during one session.
Br will be engaged all the time between this and the next sitting of the Legislatures in taking affidavits and preparing for the tug of war, while we will be going from State to State visiting the respective Governors to get the case mentioned in their messages to legislatures so as have the whole going on at once. You will see by this that our time is engrossed to overflowing.
The of the are required to ride and visit all scattered abroad, and collect money to carry on this great work. Be assured brethren that operations of an all important character are under motion, and will come to an issue as soon as possible.
Be assured that our friendship is unabated for you and our desires for your deliverance intense. May God hasten it speedily is our prayer day and night.
Yours in the bonds of affliction
J Smith Jr
[p. 5]
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Source Note

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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Sidney Rigdon, 10 April 1839
ID #
434
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D6:406–409
Handwriting on This Page
  • James Mulholland

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Samuel Holmes et al., Letter of Introduction, Quincy, IL, for Sidney Rigdon, 8 May 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 44; and Samuel Leech, Letter of Introduction, Quincy, IL, for Sidney Rigdon, 10 May 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 44.

  2. [2]

    The governor of Iowa Territory, Robert Lucas, served as governor of Ohio when the church was headquartered in Kirtland, Ohio. In early March 1839, Rigdon learned of a letter that land speculator Isaac Galland wrote to church member David W. Rogers on 26 February, in which Galland reported that Lucas believed the Latter-day Saints “were good Citizens of the State of Ohio” and that they should be treated as such. (Isaac Galland, Commerce, IL, to David W. Rogers, [Quincy, IL], 26 Feb. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 1; Minutes, 9 Mar. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 49.)

  3. [3]

    Presumably as a result of a mid-April 1839 meeting with church leaders in Burlington, Iowa Territory, Governor Lucas wrote Rigdon two letters of introduction dated 22 April 1839, both of which were for Rigdon to use when lobbying in Ohio and Washington DC. (Robert Lucas, Burlington, Iowa Territory, to Sidney Rigdon, 22 Apr. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 42; Robert Lucas, Letter of Introduction, Burlington, Iowa Territory, for Sidney Rigdon, 22 Apr. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 42–43; Robert Lucas, Letter of Introduction, Burlington, Iowa Territory, for Sidney Rigdon, 22 Apr. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 43.)

  4. [4]

    See U.S. Constitution, art. 4, sec. 4.

  5. [5]

    That is, Rebecca Hewitt Carlin. (Madison Co., IL, Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1813–1916, Marriage Record, bk. 6, p. 1, microfilm 1,306,457, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)

    U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

  6. [6]

    Rigdon was perhaps alluding to the instructions in JS’s circa 22 March 1839 general epistle that the Saints should document and publicize their losses in Missouri. Robinson, who was Rigdon’s son-in-law, was probably conducting these activities in his capacity as general church clerk and recorder as well as secretary to the First Presidency. Rigdon may have also referenced Robinson’s activities as an indirect response to the prisoners’ complaint in JS’s 20 March 1839 general epistle that Robinson had not written to them following his departure from Missouri. (Letter to Edward Partridge and the Church, ca. 22 Mar. 1839; Letter to the Church and Edward Partridge, 20 Mar. 1839.)

  7. [7]

    That is, Newel K. Whitney, Edward Partridge, and presumably Vinson Knight; the latter served as an acting bishop in 1838.

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