Bifolium measuring 11 × 9 inches (30 × 23 cm) and ruled with thirty-three horizontal gray lines, now faded. The document was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. The letter was later refolded for filing.

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. After the letter was refolded for filing, another docket was added by , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865. The letter was copied into the manuscript history of the church by , who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) from 1853 to 1859. Hawkins may have added use marks at this time. 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 letter’s early dockets, its inclusion in the manuscript history, its listing in a circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.