Footnotes
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.
See the full bibliographic entry for Helen Vilate Bourne Fleming, Collection, 1836–1963, in the CHL catalog.
Footnotes
Cordon, Reminiscences and Journal, 1839–1840, 14–16; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, 1820–1897, roll 44 (16 Sept. 1840–10 May 1841), Manifest 779, microfilm 2,289, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL. William Clayton noted on 1 July 1840 that he “recieved a bonnet for my little Sarah from E Ravenscroft.” (Clayton, Diary, 1 July 1840.)
Cordon, Alfred. Reminiscences and Journals, 1839–1850, 1868. CHL.
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.
Ravenscroft was baptized by William Clayton in Burslem on 26 July 1839. (Cordon, Reminiscences and Journal, 1839–1840, 16.)
Cordon, Alfred. Reminiscences and Journals, 1839–1850, 1868. CHL.
Cordon, Reminiscences and Journal, 1839–1840, 62–63; Clayton, Diary, 21 Mar. 1840; 18 and 23 Apr. 1840; Needham, Autobiography and Journal, 15–16; Heber C. Kimball, London, England, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, 19 Aug. 1840, Heber C. Kimball, Letters, CHL.
Cordon, Alfred. Reminiscences and Journals, 1839–1850, 1868. CHL.
Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.
Needham, John. Autobiography and Journal, 1840–1842. CHL.
Kimball, Heber C. Letters, 1839–1854. Photocopy. CHL.
Cordon, Reminiscences and Journal, 1839–1840, 21.
Cordon, Alfred. Reminiscences and Journals, 1839–1850, 1868. CHL.
Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, 1820–1897, roll 44 (16 Sept. 1840–10 May 1841), Manifest 779, microfilm 2,289, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL; John Taylor, Liverpool, England, to Leonora Cannon Taylor, Nauvoo, IL, 6 Sept. 1840, John Taylor, Collection, CHL; Clayton, Diary, 8 Sept. 1840.
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.
The remainder of the British group stopped in Kirtland, Ohio. (See Letter to Quorum of the Twelve, 15 Dec. 1840; see also Editorial, Times and Seasons, 1 Dec. 1840, 2:233; and Orson Pratt, Edinburgh, Scotland, to George A. Smith, Burslem, England, 1 Feb. 1841, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.
Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, to Heber C. Kimball, Leek, England, 8 Dec. 1840, photocopy, Vilate Murray Kimball, Letters, CHL. Heber previously wrote to Vilate, “Thare is one sister I Expect will go in the company with Elder Turly if she does she will come to see you her name is Elisebeth Ravencroft she is a fine sister Receive hur into your hous she can tell you much about me.” (Heber C. Kimball, London, England, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, 19 Aug. 1840, Heber C. Kimball, Letters, CHL.)
Kimball, Vilate Murray. Letters, 1840. Photocopy. CHL.
Kimball, Heber C. Letters, 1839–1854. Photocopy. CHL.
Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, to Heber C. Kimball, Leek, England, 8 Dec. 1840, photocopy, Vilate Murray Kimball, Letters, CHL.
Kimball, Vilate Murray. Letters, 1840. Photocopy. CHL.
Heber C. Kimball, London, England, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, 27–29 Jan. 1841, Heber C. Kimball Collection, CHL.
Kimball, Heber C. Collection, 1837–1898. CHL. MS 12476.
William Niswanger et al., Charges against Theodore Turley, 26 Jan. 1841, Nauvoo High Council Papers, CHL.
Nauvoo High Council Papers, 1839–1844. CHL. LR 3102 23.
Though Turley was charged with this impropriety, Turley also attempted, according to William Clayton, to police fraternization between the sailors and the Latter-day Saint women. Clayton wrote that Turley spoke “much concerning the sisters keeping themselves from the sailors.” (Clayton, Diary, 29 Sept. 1840.)
Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.
The toilsome journey from New York City to Nauvoo required unusual sleeping arrangements. William Clayton later commented on some of the immigrants’ accommodations on the road from Chicago to Dixon: “At Dixon we engaged a empty house to sleep in. There was no fire place in the house consequently we had to cook out of doors. The weather was cold, but in other respects favourable. About 70 besides children slept in the same house. At this place as well as all along the way from Chicago the natives manifested a great desire for our young women to remain with them. And at Dixon the whole company was desired to tarry and settle with them.” These unconventional sleeping arrangements as well as the mild disciplinary action taken against Turley make it difficult to determine the extent of Turley’s impropriety. (William Clayton, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Martin, Preston, England, 29 Nov. 1840, Nauvoo Restoration, Incorporated, Collection, CHL.)
Nauvoo Restoration, Incorporated. Collection, 1818–2001. CHL. MS 9622.
William Niswanger et al., Charges against Theodore Turley, 26 Jan. 1841, Nauvoo High Council Papers, CHL; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 6 Feb. 1841.
Nauvoo High Council Papers, 1839–1844. CHL. LR 3102 23.
Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.
It is not clear if the “President” referred to here is Nauvoo stake president William Marks or JS, the president of the church, in whose office the council met. (Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 6 Feb. 1841.)
Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.
Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 6 Feb. 1841.
Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.
Mary Ann Angell Young, Nauvoo, IL, to Brigham Young, New York City, NY, 15 Apr. 1841, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL.
Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.
As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Heber C. Kimball had been serving a mission in the British Isles since 1840. He returned to his home in Nauvoo on 1 July 1841. (Kimball, Journal, 18 Feb.–9 Mar. 1840; Heber C. Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, 4 Aug. 1841, Letter to the Editors, Times and Seasons, 16 Aug. 1841, 2:507–511.)
Kimball, Heber C. Journal, June 1837–Feb. 1838; Feb.–Mar. 1840; May 1846–Feb. 1847. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 3, fd. 2.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
If this indeed refers to Elizabeth Ravenscroft, it appears that Vilate’s influence and counsel helped the young Briton in her faith and activity in the church. Alfred Cordon, a church member in England, remarked in his journal that he received a letter from Ravenscroft on 16 September 1841. Ravenscroft’s letter, according to Cordon, stated that she was “well and enjoying herself” in Nauvoo. Ravenscroft also “wrote concerning the glorious priveledges she had of hearing the word of life, and the Eternal principals of the Gospel of the Son of God, and that she had, had, the priveledge of being baptized for several that are dead.” (Cordon, Reminiscences and Journal, 1841–1844, 9–10.)
Cordon, Alfred. Reminiscences and Journals, 1839–1850, 1868. CHL.