Letter to William Clayton, 7 October 1842

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Letter to William Clayton, 7 October 1842
Source Note

JS, Letter, [
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Hancock Co., IL], to
William Clayton
17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...
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, [
Nauvoo
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, Hancock Co., IL], 7 Oct. 1842; handwriting of JS; one page; International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Pioneer Memorial Museum, Salt Lake City. Transcription from a digital color image made of the original in 2009.

Single leaf, measuring 8½ × 7⅞ inches (22 × 20 cm). The letter was trifolded for transmission and later folded again for filing. It was adhered to cardboard, and markings on the cardboard’s verso indicate that the letter was framed at one time. An archival marking is inscribed in the upper left corner of the cardboard’s verso in graphite. The letter was conserved in 2012, with the letter being removed from the cardboard, washed, repaired with Japanese paper, and encapsulated.

The document’s custodial history is unknown.
Historical Introduction
On 7 October 1842, JS responded to a note he had received from
William Clayton
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, apparently approving of a plan Clayton had proposed.
1
The note from Clayton that elicited this reply is apparently not extant.
JS wrote the letter in an intentionally cryptic manner, which makes its meaning unclear. JS had gone into hiding in
Nauvoo
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, Illinois, and was considering leaving the city for a short time because of imminent searches of the city by
Illinois
Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...
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state officials and others seeking to arrest him and extradite him to
Missouri
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...
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. On either 7 or 8 October, he left Nauvoo in the company of
John Taylor
1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...
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,
Wilson Law
26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....
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, and
John D. Parker
22 Nov. 1799–26 Feb. 1891. Farmer, wainwright. Born in Saratoga, Saratoga Co., New York. Son of Abel Parker and Mary Davies. Served in War of 1812 as teamster in General John E. Wool’s company, 1813–1814. Married Harriet Sherwood. Moved to Galway, Saratoga...
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and traveled about thirty miles northeast to the home of
James Taylor
21 June 1783–27 May 1870. Government excise worker, farmer, joiner, carpenter. Born in Ackenthwaite, Westmoreland, England. Son of Edward Taylor and Elizabeth Saul. Christened Anglican. Moved to Lancaster, Lancashire, England, before 1805. Married Agnes Taylor...
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in Henderson County, Illinois.
2
JS, Journal, 7 Oct. 1842; Eliza R. Snow, Journal, 9 Oct. 1842.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Snow, Eliza R. Journal, 1842–1844. CHL. MS 1439.

In this holograph letter, JS compared himself to the biblical David and
Clayton
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to the biblical Jonathan, likely in reference to their close friendship.
3
According to the Old Testament, Jonathan and David had a deep and committed friendship, one in which Jonathan pledged to warn David of any approaching dangers. (See 1 Samuel 18:1; 20:18–23.)
JS likely wrote the letter in
Nauvoo
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and had it delivered to Clayton before leaving the city. Clayton presumably received the letter in Nauvoo on the same day it was written. No written response is extant.
Footnotes
[1]
The note from Clayton that elicited this reply is apparently not extant.
[2]
JS, Journal, 7 Oct. 1842; Eliza R. Snow, Journal, 9 Oct. 1842.
Snow, Eliza R. Journal, 1842–1844. CHL. MS 1439.
[3]
According to the Old Testament, Jonathan and David had a deep and committed friendship, one in which Jonathan pledged to warn David of any approaching dangers. (See 1 Samuel 18:1; 20:18–23.)
Page [1]
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Oct— 7th 1842 in Solitude for love of <Truth>

Brother [William] Clayton
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Dear Sir

I recieved your short note I reply in short be shure you are right and then go ahead David Crocket like
1
JS used this phrase earlier in the year in a letter to Wilson Law. Alluding to the legendary frontiersman and folk hero David “Davy” Crockett, who died at the Battle of the Alamo, the phrase served as a charge for church members to exhibit bravery and a willingness to lay down their lives, if necessary, to defend JS, the city of Nauvoo, and the church from enemies. The phrase appears to have been quite common in the United States during the 1830s and 1840s, derived from a quote that appeared on the title page of Crockett’s best-selling autobiography. (Letter to Wilson Law, 14 Aug. 1842; Crockett, Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, i.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Crockett, David. A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, of the State of Tennessee. Philadelphia: E. L. Carey and A. Hart, 1834.
and now Johnathan what shall I write more only that I <am> well and <am> your best Friend

Joseph Smith

or David

or his mark

——X——

to
William Clayton
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) [1/2 page blank] [p. [1]]
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Source Note
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Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to William Clayton, 7 October 1842
ID #
2223
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D11:132–134
Handwriting on This Page
Joseph Smith Jr.
Footnotes
[1]
JS used this phrase earlier in the year in a letter to Wilson Law. Alluding to the legendary frontiersman and folk hero David “Davy” Crockett, who died at the Battle of the Alamo, the phrase served as a charge for church members to exhibit bravery and a willingness to lay down their lives, if necessary, to defend JS, the city of Nauvoo, and the church from enemies. The phrase appears to have been quite common in the United States during the 1830s and 1840s, derived from a quote that appeared on the title page of Crockett’s best-selling autobiography. (Letter to Wilson Law, 14 Aug. 1842; Crockett, Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, i.)
Crockett, David. A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, of the State of Tennessee. Philadelphia: E. L. Carey and A. Hart, 1834.