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  2. Officers of Church-Affiliated Organizations in Nauvoo, Illinois, August–December 1843

Officers of Church-Affiliated Organizations in Nauvoo, Illinois, August–December 1843

Temple Building Committee
In 1840, a general conference of the church resolved to “build a house for the worship of God” in , Illinois, and appointed , , and as a committee to oversee its construction. These men continued to act as the until 8 June 1843, when Elias Higbee passed away. was appointed to the temple committee on 10 October 1843, and officially “entered on the duties of his office” on 23 October.
August–23 October 1843 23 October–December 1843
 
Temple Recorder
In December 1841, JS appointed to serve as “Recorder. for the Temple” in , Illinois. Later that month, JS explained that as a part of that office, Richards would “receive all property devoted to the building of the and enter the same, at the in the lower room of the new .” Richards entered donations into the Book of the Law of the Lord. Because of the large number of contributions needing to be entered into the Book of the Law of the Lord, began assisting Richards with the duties of the recorder’s office in February 1842. In June 1842, JS called Richards “to go to the East to fetch his family.” Later that month, Richards transferred custody of the Book of the Law of the Lord “and books belonging to the Temple” to Clayton. While in hiding in September 1842, JS requested that Clayton take on the role of temple recorder and “take care of the records and papers.” In connection with Clayton’s appointment, JS assigned him to record any revelations JS had following that time. Clayton continued to serve as the temple recorder throughout the period covered by this volume.
August–December 1843
 
Nauvoo House Association
In January 1841, JS dictated a revelation commanding the Latter-day Saints to build a boardinghouse—later referred to as the —for visitors to , Illinois. In February 1841, in a meeting of the Nauvoo House’s stockholders, was appointed president of the association and was appointed clerk. Later that month, the state legislature approved the incorporation of the , which was responsible for managing construction of the building, selling stock to fund its construction, and employing laborers on the project. The association’s charter named four men—Miller, Snider, , and —as trustees of the association. In March 1841, JS dictated a revelation appointing and as agents to assist the trustees by selling Nauvoo House stock. Although it is unclear when was appointed to be the architect of the Nauvoo House, records indicate that he was likely acting in that position by April 1841. In addition, in spring 1843, the and a few other individuals were authorized to act as agents in collecting donations for the Nauvoo House. These individuals continued to act in these roles during the period covered by this volume.
August–December 1843
Trustees , president
, clerk
Agents
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
(apostle)
Architect
 
The was organized in March 1842. The twenty women in attendance at that meeting elected as the organization’s first president. Smith then chose and as her counselors. The society selected and Phebe Bartholomew Wheeler as secretary and assistant secretary, respectively, and as treasurer.
Though these women composed the presidency during the period covered by this volume, three of them did not actively participate in recorded Relief Society meetings during this same period. and her husband, , had moved away from in May 1843. had temporarily moved to the , located thirty miles south of Nauvoo, in July 1843; Wheeler kept the minutes of the society in her stead. Though was present in Nauvoo for most of the period between August and December 1843, she did not attend any recorded meetings; presided over nearly all of the society’s meetings in her stead.
August–December 1843
, president
, counselor
, counselor (moved)
, secretary (moved)
Phebe Bartholomew Wheeler, assistant secretary
, treasurer
  1. 1

    Minutes and Discourse, 3–5 Oct. 1840. During the six months before this announcement, JS periodically referenced plans to construct a temple in Nauvoo. (“A Glance at the Mormons,” Alexandria [VA] Gazette, 11 July 1840, [2]; Discourse, ca. 19 July 1840; Letter to Saints Scattered Abroad, Sept. 1840.)

    Alexandria Gazette. Alexandria, VA. 1834–1877.

  2. 2

    JS, Journal, 8 June 1843.

  3. 3

    Clayton, History of Nauvoo Temple, 42; JS, Journal, 10 Oct. 1843; Book of the Law of the Lord, 366.

    Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.

  4. 4

    JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841.

  5. 5

    JS, “To Whom It May Concern,” Times and Seasons, 15 Dec. 1841, 3:638.

  6. 6

    Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 18.

    Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.

  7. 7

    Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 30–31.

    Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.

  8. 8

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:56–60].

  9. 9

    Minutes, 5 Feb. 1841.

  10. 10

    An Act to Incorporate the Nauvoo House Association [23 Feb. 1841], Laws of the State of Illinois [1840–1841], pp. 131–132; see also “Charter for the Nauvoo House,” Times and Seasons, 1 Apr. 1841, 2:370–371.

    Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Twelfth General Assembly, at Their Session, Began and Held at Springfield, on the Seventh of December, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty. Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1841.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  11. 11

    An Act to Incorporate the Nauvoo House Association [23 Feb. 1841], Laws of the State of Illinois [1840–1841], p. 131, sec. 2.

    Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Twelfth General Assembly, at Their Session, Began and Held at Springfield, on the Seventh of December, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty. Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1841.

  12. 12

    Revelation, 20 Mar. 1841.

  13. 13

    Council of Fifty, Minutes, 22 Mar. 1845; Nauvoo House Association, Agreement and Specifications, 26 Apr. 1841.

    Nauvoo House Association. Agreement and Specifications, 26 Apr. 1841. CHL.

  14. 14

    Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843; Authorization for Brigham Young, 1 June 1843.

  15. 15

    Minutes and Discourse, 17 Mar. 1842. Elvira Cowles married Jonathan Holmes on 1 December 1842. (Nauvoo, IL, Recorder, Marriage Record, 6.)

  16. 16

    Sarah M. Cleveland, Letter to the Nauvoo Female Relief Society, May 1, 1843, First Fifty Years, p. 146; see also “To the Presidency, and Ladies of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo,” Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, 4:187.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  17. 17

    Eliza R. Snow, Journal, 20 Jul. 1843–14 Apr. 1844; Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book, 16 June 1843–14 Oct. 1843, [90–121].

    Snow, Eliza R. Journal, 1842–1844. CHL. MS 1439.

  18. 18

    Though Emma Smith was not present for any of the society’s meetings between 16 June and 14 October 1843, Whitney indicated on several occasions that she was actively receiving instructions from Smith. ( Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book, 16 June 1843–14 Oct. 1843, [90–121].)

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