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License for Edward Partridge, circa 4 August 1831–circa 5 January 1832

Source Note

Bishop’s license, [, MO], for , [ca. 4 Aug. 1831–ca. 5 Jan. 1832]; handwriting of ; signatures of , JS, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and ; one page; JS Collection, CHL. Includes docket and archival marking.
One leaf, measuring 9½ × 7¾ inches (24 × 20 cm). The main body of the document and the signatures are on the front. The back is blank, except for two inscriptions that were added later. The document was folded for filing and added a docket: “Bishops licence”. The back of the document also bears the notation “1831” in unidentified handwriting in graphite. This appears to be a later archival note written on the unfolded document.
This document was in the Partridge family’s possession until at least the mid-1880s, sometime after which it came into the possession of the Church Historian’s Office.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Whitney, “Aaronic Priesthood,” 5–6.

    Whitney, Orson F. “The Aaronic Priesthood.” Contributor, Jan. 1885, 121–123.

Historical Introduction

The purpose of this document—which attests that was duly appointed and as a of the church in February 1831—is uncertain, and neither the date nor the place of its creation is given. The document itself, which was written by and signed by him and JS, states that it is from “the church of Jesus christ” and that its audience is “all to whom these presents may come.” At some point, Partridge wrote “Bishops ” on the back of the document, indicating that, at least at the time he made the notation, he regarded the document as a license, which was an official record issued to an officer in the church showing that he had the necessary authority to “perform the duty of his calling.” This document provided such authority, but its wording—especially its designation as coming from the church itself—does not follow the language of other extant early licenses, including a December 1830 license signifying that Partridge was an in the church. Other early licenses were signed either by JS and (as the first and second elders in the church, respectively) or by those who performed the ordination to the office, but this document was eventually signed by twenty elders, many of whom did not add their signatures until months after Partridge’s appointment as bishop. The format of the signatures on the page—in two distinct columns, with an empty third one between—suggests that it may have been intended that even more elders would sign the document.
The document may be related to instructions given in a 6 June 1831 revelation requiring JS, , and others to travel to . This revelation commanded that “my Servent Joseph & & Edward [Partridge] take with them a recomend from the Church & let there be one obtained for my Servent also.” The revelation did not explain why the recommends were needed. , who traveled to Missouri at this time, later stated that “a commandment” had instructed Cowdery and others to procure “a written recommendation, signed by the Elders, for the purpose of presenting it to the Indian agent, in order to obtain permission from him, to visit the Indians in their settlements.” Whether Cowdery’s recommend or the other recommends mentioned in this revelation were related to that purpose is not clear, but Booth’s reference to a recommend “signed by the Elders” suggests something similar to Partridge’s document. Partridge was responsible for land purchases in Missouri, and the recommend from the church may have been intended to facilitate his transaction of business on behalf of the church. Neither the document itself nor other contemporaneous documents speak of its original purpose.
The circumstances of the document’s production are also difficult to ascertain. The document as it was originally written is undated. The date “1831” is inscribed on the back, but that inscription is in unidentified handwriting and appears to have been added later. The only date in the document’s body is the notation that was “appointed Bishop of this church on the fourth of February one thousand eight hundred and thirty one.” If created the document as a license in connection with Partridge’s ordination as bishop, the document could have been created as early as 4 February 1831. If Rigdon produced the document as a recommend in response to the instructions given in the 6 June 1831 revelation, he could not have written it before 6 June—and may have done so much later. Since most of the signatures appear to have been affixed in , Missouri, in August 1831, the document was created at least by that time.
concluded the main body of the document by stating that in order to attest to ’s church position “we have here unto set our hands”—indicating the original intention for multiple signatories. JS may have signed at the same time as Rigdon. Since had been away from since fall 1830, his first chance to sign the document in 1831 would have been after JS, Rigdon, and Partridge arrived in in July, assuming that one of the three had the document with him at that time. Cowdery and the six signatories who signed below his name were all present (as were JS and Rigdon) at a 4 August 1831 conference held in , Missouri, and probably signed the document at that time. The next seven signatories all attended a 24 August conference in Kaw Township, which occurred after JS, Rigdon, Cowdery, , , , , and had left for Ohio, and likely signed at that conference. When the next three signatories, , , and , signed the document is not as clear, but they apparently did so before October 1831, when Pratt and Dodds left Missouri for Ohio. , the final signatory, could not have signed the document before 5 January 1832, when he reached Missouri.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:64]; see also Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:11].

  2. [2]

    See License for John Whitmer, 9 June 1830; License for Joseph Smith Sr., 9 June 1830; License for Christian Whitmer, 9 June 1830; and Elder’s Certificate for Edward Partridge, 15 Dec. 1830, Edward Partridge, Papers, CHL.

    Partridge, Edward. Papers, 1818–1839. CHL. MS 892.

  3. [3]

    License for John Whitmer, 9 June 1830; License for Joseph Smith Sr., 9 June 1830; License for Christian Whitmer, 9 June 1830.

  4. [4]

    Elder’s Certificate for Edward Partridge, 15 Dec. 1830, Edward Partridge, Papers, CHL.

    Partridge, Edward. Papers, 1818–1839. CHL. MS 892.

  5. [5]

    Partridge was appointed bishop by a 4 February 1831 revelation. Not all of the signatories were even members of the church in February 1831. Neither William W. Phelps nor William E. McLellin, for example, was baptized until summer 1831. (Revelation, 4 Feb. 1831 [D&C 41:9]; William W. Phelps, “Letter No. 6,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1835, 1:97; McLellin Journal, 20 Aug. 1831.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

    McLellin, William E. Journal, 18 July–20 Nov. 1831. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 1. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).

  6. [6]

    Revelation, 6 June 1831 [D&C 52:41].

  7. [7]

    Ezra Booth, “Mormonism—Nos. VIII—IX.,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 8 Dec. 1831, [1].

    Ohio Star. Ravenna. 1830–1854.

  8. [8]

    See Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57:4–7]; Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:51].

  9. [9]

    Minutes, 4 Aug. 1831.

  10. [10]

    Minute Book 2, [24] Aug. 1831; McLellin Journal, 24 Aug. 1831.

    McLellin, William E. Journal, 18 July–20 Nov. 1831. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 1. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).

  11. [11]

    “History of Orson Pratt,” 12, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, ca. 1858–1880, CHL. All three may have signed the document at the same time; analysis shows that it is at least probable that Pratt and Dodds signed in similar ink.

    Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.

  12. [12]

    Whitmer, Daybook, 5 Jan. 1832. Ink analysis indicates that the body of the document and Rigdon’s and JS’s signatures were inscribed in the same ink, whereas the signatures beginning with Oliver Cowdery’s and ending with Joseph Coe’s were inscribed with a single ink, different from the one used by JS and Rigdon. Analysis further indicates that Simeon Carter and those who followed him signed the document with ink different from that used by earlier signatories. It appears, therefore, that Oliver Cowdery, William W. Phelps, Martin Harris, Isaac Morley, Peter Whitmer Jr., Sidney Gilbert, and Joseph Coe all signed the document at the same time, sometime after its original creation.

    Whitmer, John. Daybook, 1832–1878. CHL. MS 1159.

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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
License for Edward Partridge, circa 4 August 1831–circa 5 January 1832
ID #
61
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D2:24–29
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