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.
And state that by said inventories filed in the proper Court of Probate Jurisdiction <of said County of > the assets, personal, of the estate of said Smith amount to a large sum to wit:
To more than the sum of ten thousand dollars as by the records thereof does appear.
Answer to Interrogatory in said Bill No. 5.
These respondants say:—
That they have no knowledge or belief of any of the matters in the said interrogatories referred to nor of any sale or pretended sale by said in said bill mentioned.
These respondants further answering as to Interrogatory No. 6 in said bill saith:—
That they are informed and believe it to be true that divers persons in possession claiming title to some of the premises in complainants’ bill mentioned have permitted the same to go to sale and acquired tax titles thereon but to what particular lots and premises or for what purpose they have no knowledge or belief
But deny as they are informed and believe that such sales were permitted for the purposes in complainants’ bill alledged,
And these respondants further answering as to Interrogatory No. 7 in said bill propounded saith:—
That they do not know whether said Joseph Smith purchased and conveyed the lands in said bill described in Illinois or the North East qr. of sec. 8, 6 North 8 West in manner and for the purposes in said bill alledged, and concerning the same they know nothing.
But as to said South East quarter of sec. 2 town 6 North, Range 9 West, they answering say:
That they have no personal knowledge of any transaction concerning the same prior to 1846,
That they had no information concerning the conveyances relating thereto in said bill alledged until within the last past six months,
That they are now informed and believes it to be true that said did convey said qr. section of land to said and that said did convey all except Block 155 and a part of Block no. 156 in said to said , and that said together with said Joseph Smith did attempt to convey the same by their deed to said Joseph Smith as sole trustee in trust for the said Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the times in said bill mentioned.
But these respondants know nothing of the recording or execution or of any assignment of the said bond from the said in said bill mentioned nor have they any knowledge [p. 558]