Transcript of Proceedings, , Sangamon Co., IL, ca. 17 July 1852, U.S. v. Joseph Smith III et al. (United States Circuit Court for the District of IL 1852); U.S. District Court for the District of Illinois, Complete Records, 1837–1856, vol. 4, pp. 486–697; handwriting of ; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21, National Archives at Chicago, Chicago.
afterwards said premises were conveyed by said to one and that said conveyed that part of said quarter section which contains the lots aforesaid to then Wife of said Joseph Smith,
But respondant positively denies that said several conveyances were for the use and benefit of said Joseph Smith deceased as in said bill alledged or for the purpose of hindering, delaying or defrauding his creditors or that he furnished the money or any part thereof to pay for said premises as is in said bill charged, and says he is informed and believes and so states the truth to be that said quarter section was purchased of said for the use and benefit of the Community or Church called Mormons and that the title was taken in the manner stated in said bill, because said Church was not organised and legally authorised to hold land and not for the use of said Smith as is in said bill supposed and that the monies which were paid for said premises were not furnished either in whole or in part by said Smith deceased, but were contributed by the other members of said Mormon church for their general benefit and arose from the sale of a part of said land.
Respondant further says, that as to the said South fourteen feet wide of the North fifty seven feet wide of the North East one fourth of lot No. one on Block No. one hundred and thirty nine if the said Joseph Smith ever had any interest either in law or in equity he conveyed the same to one by deed dated the 25th. day of April A. D. 1843, which said deed is recordered in the Recorder’s Office of Illinois on the 4th. day of May A. D. 1843 and No. eight thousand and sixteen of the Records, a copy of which duly certified is herewith filed marked “A” and made a part of this answer: whereby said Smith deceased conveyed all his interest in said premises to said his heirs and assigns forever.
That said conveyed said premises by deed to one said to Cryder and Allen, said Cryder and Allen to one Deviees Sherman and said Deviees Sherman to respondant all of which deeds were made in good faith and for valuable consideration and were recorded in the recorders Office of Illinois before the commencement of this suit and now are ready to be shown to the Court as they may direct.
And this respondant for further answer says, that he knows nothing of the tax sales and purchases in complainants’ bill mentioned other than the following:
One J[ohn] C. Bidamon on the second day of May 1848 at a sale made by the Sheriff of Illinois of lands and town lots in said under and by virtue of the Revenue [p. 594]