Minutes, 1 March 1841, Copy

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Minutes, 1 March 1841, Copy
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Nauvoo City Council, Minutes,
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, 1 Mar. 1841. Featured version copied [ca. 1 Mar. 1841] in Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, pp. 11–15; handwriting of
James Sloan
28 Oct. 1792–24 Oct. 1886. City recorder, notary public, attorney, judge, farmer. Born in Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Alexander Sloan and Anne. Married Mary Magill. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder, ...
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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 1841–1845.

Historical Introduction
On 1 March 1841 the
Nauvoo
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, Illinois, city council met for the fifth time since the council was created. As with previous meetings, the council met at
Amos Davis
Ca. 20 Sept. 1813–22 Mar. 1872. Merchant, farmer, postmaster, tavernkeeper. Born in New Hampshire or Vermont. Son of Wells Davis and Mary. Moved to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, ca. fall 1836. Married first Elvira Hibard, 1 Jan. 1837, in...
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’s house. In all city council meetings to date, JS had played an active role as a city councilor.
1
See, for example, Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.
This 1 March meeting was no different, and these minutes are presented to provide an example of JS’s participation on the council. JS offered one resolution, made two motions respecting city appointments, and presented six city ordinances, all of which passed. Two of the ordinances JS introduced placed particular emphasis on protecting liberties and constitutional rights for people in Nauvoo, something JS and his coreligionists found lacking in
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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.
2
For more on the Latter-day Saint experience in Missouri, see “Joseph Smith Documents from February 1838 through August 1839.”
The passage of these ordinances highlights the commitment of the city council to guarantee civil, political, and religious liberty to all in Nauvoo.

James Sloan
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recorded the minutes of the 1 March 1841 city council meeting in a notebook. Those original minutes were then used by Sloan to record the official minutes in the city council’s ledger. The official minutes are featured here.
Footnotes
[1]
See, for example, Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.
[2]
For more on the Latter-day Saint experience in Missouri, see “Joseph Smith Documents from February 1838 through August 1839.”
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. Minutes, 1 March 1841 Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, February–December 1841 *Minutes, 1 March 1841, Copy Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 1841–1845
Page 12
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Colr. J. Smith moved an Ordinance, to divide the
City
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into 4 Wards, and appoint the Aldermen and Colrs. to their Respective Wards, the Bill received 3 readings and passed. Entitled— An ordinance dividing the
City
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into Wards
4
The ordinance to divide the city into four wards was introduced at the prior city council meeting. The formal passage of the ordinance occurred at this 1 March 1841 meeting. (Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 22 Feb. 1841, 9–10.)

See This Ordinance, on Page 9.
5
A cross-reference to the ordinance’s text as entered by the scribe, James Sloan, in the official city council proceedings for 22 February 1841. (See Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 22 Feb. 1841, 9.)

Colr. J. Smith brought forward an ordinance relative to public Meetings which was read 3 times and Passed, to Wit:

An Ordinance in Relation to public Meetings.

Sec. 1. Be it Ordained by the City Council of the City of
Nauvoo
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, That in order to guarantee the Constitutional right of free discussion upon all subject, the Citizens of this
City
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, may from time to time, peaceably assemble themselves together for all peaceable, or lawful purposes whatever; and should any person be guilty of disturbing, or interrupting, any such Meeting or assemblage, he shall on Conviction thereof before the Mayor, or Municipal Court be considered a disturber of the public peace, and fined in any sum not exceeding five hundred Dollars, or imprisoned not exceeding six Months or both, at the discretion of said Mayor, or Court.

Sec. 2. Should any person be guilty of exciting the people to riot, or rebellion or of participating in a mob or any <other> unlawful riotous or tumultuous assemblage of the people, or of refusing to obey any civil officer executing the ordinances of the
City
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, or the general Laws of the
State
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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or
United States
North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...
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, or of neglecting or refusing to obey, promptly, any military order for the due execution of said, Laws or ordinances, he shall on Conviction thereof as aforesaid, be fined, or imprisoned; or both as aforesaid.

Sec. 3. This ordinance to take effect and be in force from and after its Passage.

Passed March 1st. 1841.

John C. Bennett
3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...
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, Mayor.

James Sloan
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, Recorder.

Colr. [p. 12]
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Page 12
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes, 1 March 1841, Copy
ID #
10302
Total Pages
5
Print Volume Location
JSP, D8:49–55
Handwriting on This Page
James Sloan
Footnotes
[4]
The ordinance to divide the city into four wards was introduced at the prior city council meeting. The formal passage of the ordinance occurred at this 1 March 1841 meeting. (Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 22 Feb. 1841, 9–10.)
[5]
A cross-reference to the ordinance’s text as entered by the scribe, James Sloan, in the official city council proceedings for 22 February 1841. (See Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 22 Feb. 1841, 9.)