According to the meeting’s attendance record, those present were city councilors Hyrum Smith, John Taylor, Orson Pratt, William W. Phelps (acting on behalf of Sylvester Emmons), Heber C. Kimball, Daniel Spencer, and Brigham Young; aldermen Orson Spencer, Daniel H. Wells, George A. Smith, and Samuel Bennett; mayor JS; city recorder Willard Richards; and city marshal Henry G. Sherwood. (“The Attendance of the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, Commencing August. 12th 1843,” Nauvoo, IL, Records, CHL.)

Nauvoo, IL. Records, 1841–1845. CHL. MS 16800.

JS apparently missed the beginning of the meeting. He first appears in the minutes during the discussion of where to build the city jail. Following the opening prayer, the review of the previous meeting’s minutes, a committee report regarding the site for a city jail, and a resolution for that committee to select a location, Brigham Young—who was selected at the meeting’s outset as its president pro tem—is referred to in the minutes as “Counsellor Young,” possibly indicating that JS had joined the council by this point. Other records confirm that JS was present at the meeting. (JS, Journal, 21 Dec. 1843; “The Attendance of the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, Commencing August. 12th 1843,” Nauvoo, IL, Records, CHL.)

Nauvoo, IL. Records, 1841–1845. CHL. MS 16800.

The Nauvoo City Council last met on 16 December 1843. At that meeting, the council appointed William W. Phelps as substitute for absent councilor Sylvester Emmons. The council discussed the memorial to Congress that it had assigned a committee to write on 8 December. The council passed two ordinances: “An ordinance regulating Merchants’ and Grocer’s Licences” and “An Ordinance concerning the Landing of Steam Boats in Nauvoo.” It appointed Jonathan Dunham as wharfmaster and voted that Heber C. Kimball replace Charles Warner as city auctioneer. The council also appointed Kimball to obtain a block of land from Davidson Hibbard on which to build a jail—a subject that was addressed again in the 21 December meeting. (Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 16 Dec. 1843, 194–197; Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, 16 Dec. 1843, 27; see also Historical Introduction to Memorial to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, ca. 16 Dec. 1843–12 Feb. 1844.)

Hibbard, a longtime resident of Hancock County and a convert to the church, owned a significant portion of land along the southeast edge of the plat of the city of Nauvoo. The referenced land was in Hibbard’s second addition to the city. (Hancock Co., IL, Plat Books, 1836–1938, vol. 1, p. 52, “Hibard’s Second Addition to Nauvoo,” 2 May 1842, microfilm 954,774, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL; see also map 7.)

U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.