Register to receive periodic emails about news and updates for the Joseph Smith Papers Project

The Joseph Smith Papers: Register for email updates about the project

Timeline of major events mentioned in papers of Joseph Smith. LDS Church history events.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Timeline of Events

See answers to frequently asked questions about the Joseph Smith Papers, such as questions about its size, relationship with the LDS Church, pricing of volumes, and the website

The Joseph Smith Papers: Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

View the original histories, journals, revelations, and other documents of Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Joseph Smith Papers: A comprehensive digital collection of the papers of Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith Papers Media Library: Collection of artwork, photographs, and other media depicting people, places, and events mentioned in Joseph Smith's papers. The library also includes maps, charts, and other reference materials.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Media Library

Learn about the latest updates, new publications, and events for the Joseph Smith Papers Project

The Joseph Smith Papers: News and updates

News | Joseph Smith Papers

Joseph Smith Papers: The people mentioned in the journals and other papers of Joseph Smith.

The Joseph Smith Papers: People of the Time

Joseph Smith Papers: The places mentioned in the papers of Joseph Smith. Historic sites - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Places of the Time

Privacy Policy for the Joseph Smith Papers Project

The Joseph Smith Papers: Privacy Policy

Joseph Smith Papers: View the people, places, events, and topics that appears in the papers of Joseph Smith the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Reference

Rights and Use Information for the Joseph Smith Papers Project

The Joseph Smith Papers: Rights and Use

Search the Joseph Smith Papers for original documents and information about Joseph Smith, Mormonism, and American religious history.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Search

The Joseph Smith Papers: The Papers

Joseph Smith Papers: Definitions for terms appearing in Joseph Smith's papers that have particular meaning in Mormon usage—especially ordinances, offices, andorganizations. Terms are defined as they were used at the time. LDS Topics.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Topics

A comprehensive list of works cited in the Joseph Smith Papers.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Comprehensive List of Works Cited

The Joseph Smith Papers project is the definitive collection of journals, letters, and other documents written by Joseph Smith, the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Joseph Smith Papers: About the project

Contact us if you have comments or questions on the print volumes, website, or the project in general

The Joseph Smith Papers: Contact us

Learn about the editorial method for the Joseph Smith Papers Project, including transcription rules, annotation conventions, and document selection

The Joseph Smith Papers: Editorial Method

Read about endorsements for the Joseph Smith Papers, including an endorsement from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

The Joseph Smith Papers: Endorsements

An introduction to The Joseph Smith Papers, including his origins, initiatives, character, place in history, and records

Joseph Smith and His Papers: An Introduction

An explanation of why document images and transcripts may appear to differ in the online presentation of the Joseph Smith Papers

The Joseph Smith Papers: Note on images

Learn about the Editorial Board, National Advisory Board, historians, editors, and other staff members behind the project

The Joseph Smith Papers: Project team

Order the already-published volumes from each series of the Joseph Smith Papers, including Documents, Journals, Histories, and Revelations and Translations.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Order the print volumes

A collection of scholarly reviews of the Joseph Smith Papers

The Joseph Smith Papers: Reviews

Guidelines for citing or referring to the Joseph Smith Papers, its component series or volumes, or materials on the Joseph Smith Papers website

The Joseph Smith Papers: Style guidelines for referencing the papers

Chronological list of all known Joseph Smith documents, including multiple versions of documents

Letters, revelations, reports of discourses, minutes, etc.

Timeline of major events mentioned in Joseph Smith’s papers. Events include major journeys and migrations, births and deaths of Joseph Smith’s children, selected revelations, essential developments in ecclesiastical organization, and other significant incidents. Future releases will expand the list of events. For more information about an event, click on the event name. Move the “handles” on the blue bar to see a larger or smaller time span. To zoom in to a month-by-month view, move both handles inside a single year span. You can also use the arrows on the left and right side of the bar to move through the timeline. Note that choosing a smaller time span will allow you to see more events. You can also use your mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Hover over an event and roll up once to zoom to a month-by-month view and again for a day-by-day view. Roll down to zoom out.

Early histories and draft material for the later History of the Church

To request a free, softbound copy of the index for Journals, Volume 1: 1832–1839 or Journals, Volume 2: December 1841–April 1843, please complete the following form. When you are ready to submit your request, click "Submit." Please be aware that the information you submit will be shared with Deseret Book Company, the print and distribution partner of the Joseph Smith Papers Project. Your request constitutes permission for the project and Deseret Book Company to send you periodic email updates about the project and its publications. Please select which index you are requesting.

Journals, Volume 1: 1832–1839

Journals, Volume 2: December 1841–April 1843

Request for index

Name:

Selected papers of Joseph Smith's contemporaries

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation

Brief biographical sketches for selected persons mentioned in Joseph Smith’s papers. Names listed in this directory include church leaders and members, Smith family members, people Joseph Smith encountered in his travels, parties involved in legal and business matters, and other acquaintances.

William W. Phelps

Parley P. Pratt

Oliver Cowdery

Geographical descriptions of many of the places mentioned in Joseph Smith’s papers, including towns, villages, counties, states, landforms, waterways, and significant structures.

Early manuscript and printed versions of scriptural works

JSP Index Request

Title

Definitions for terms appearing in Joseph Smith’s papers that have particular meaning in Mormon usage—especially ordinances, offices, and organizations. Terms are defined as they were used at the time.

For more information about the works cited, including a guide to the abbreviations used, see <a href="/articles/introduction-to-works-cited" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Introduction to Works Cited</a>.

List of all sources cited on the Joseph Smith Papers website

Ayer, John Varnum

The Joseph Smith Papers staff has not compiled biographical information about this person.

Ayer, John Varnum

Biography

Links

Request for Documents