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  2. Documents, Volume 11, Part 1 Introduction: 1 September–31 October 1842

Part 1: 1 September–31 October 1842

In September and October 1842, JS attended to his
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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and municipal responsibilities while also eluding officers of the law who were attempting to arrest him and extradite him to
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

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. Despite claims from JS and other church members that the attempted extradition was illegal,
Illinois

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

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governor
Thomas Carlin

18 July 1789–14 Feb. 1852. Ferry owner, farmer, sheriff, politician. Born in Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of Thomas Carlin and Elizabeth Evans. Baptist. Moved to what became Missouri, by 1803. Moved to Illinois Territory, by 1812. Served in War of 1812. Married...

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was relentless in his efforts to apprehend JS and send him to Missouri to face charges that he had been an accessory to the attempted assassination of
Lilburn W. Boggs

14 Dec. 1796–14 Mar. 1860. Bookkeeper, bank cashier, merchant, Indian agent and trader, lawyer, doctor, postmaster, politician. Born at Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of John M. Boggs and Martha Oliver. Served in War of 1812. Moved to St. Louis, ca...

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in May 1842. JS feared that his enemies would kill him if he returned to Missouri, so he spent much of these two months in hiding in and around
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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, Illinois.
1

See “Joseph Smith Documents from September 1842 through February 1843.”


When
James Pitman

5 Nov. 1813–24 Feb. 1879. Lumber dealer, real estate broker, housing contractor, railroad director, prison warden. Born at St. Charles Co., Missouri. Son of Richard Berry Pittman and Lucinda Hutchings. Adhered to Quaker faith. Moved to Quincy, Adams Co., ...

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, constable of
Adams County

Situated in western Illinois; bounded on west by Mississippi River. Organized from Pike Co., 1825. Quincy established as county seat, 1825. Population in 1830 about 2,200. Population in 1840 about 14,500. Latter-day Saint exiles from Missouri found refuge...

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, Illinois, and two other law officers surprised him at his home on 3 September, JS successfully avoided arrest by fleeing out the back door and through his garden to the home of
Newel K. Whitney

3/5 Feb. 1795–23 Sept. 1850. Trader, merchant. Born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Moved to Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York, 1803. Merchant at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for...

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. Later that day, he moved to the home of
Edward Hunter

22 June 1793–16 Oct. 1883. Farmer, currier, surveyor, merchant. Born at Newtown Township, Delaware Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Edward Hunter and Hannah Maris. Volunteer cavalryman in Delaware Co. militia, 1822–1829. Served as Delaware Co. commissioner. Moved...

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. Meanwhile, Adams County undersheriff
Thomas King

25 July 1806–17 Apr. 1854. Merchant. Born in Virginia. Lived at Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, by Jan. 1832. Served as constable, beginning Aug. 1835. Married Juliett Ann McDade, 9 June 1836, in Adams Co. Served as Adams Co. coroner, by Aug. 1836. Served as...

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, Pitman, and about fifteen other men searched unsuccessfully for JS in and around his home and eventually left
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
empty handed.
2

JS, Journal, 3 Sept. 1842.


JS emerged from hiding on 10 September and stayed at his home for the remainder of the month.
3

JS, Journal, 10–30 Sept. 1842.


Fearing capture, however, he kept a low profile, skipping many church meetings and other public gatherings that he normally would have attended.
4

On 10 September, for example, the Nauvoo Legion conducted training maneuvers, an event that typically drew large crowds from outside Nauvoo. JS’s journal records that JS “kept very close and still; lest on account of the quantity of people passing two and fro he should accidently be discovered.” On the following day, JS stayed home from a church meeting, opting to send a letter to be read to those in attendance rather than to preach in person. (JS, Journal, 10–11 Sept. 1842; Letter to the Church, 7 Sept. 1842 [D&C 128].)


Toward the end of September,
Emma Smith

10 July 1804–30 Apr. 1879. Scribe, editor, boardinghouse operator, clothier. Born at Willingborough Township (later in Harmony), Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania. Daughter of Isaac Hale and Elizabeth Lewis. Member of Methodist church at Harmony (later in Oakland...

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became gravely ill, and JS spent the first week of October by his wife’s side, attending to her needs.
5

JS, Journal, 29 Sept.–7 Oct. 1842.


On 19 and 20 September 1842,
Carlin

18 July 1789–14 Feb. 1852. Ferry owner, farmer, sheriff, politician. Born in Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of Thomas Carlin and Elizabeth Evans. Baptist. Moved to what became Missouri, by 1803. Moved to Illinois Territory, by 1812. Served in War of 1812. Married...

View Full Bio
and
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

More Info
governor
Thomas Reynolds

12 Mar. 1796–9 Feb. 1844. Attorney, politician, judge. Born at Mason Co. (later Bracken Co.), Kentucky. Son of Nathaniel Reynolds and Catherine Vernon. Admitted to Kentucky bar, 1817. Moved to Illinois, by 1818. Served as clerk of Illinois House of Representatives...

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each issued a formal proclamation promising a reward of $200 and $300, respectively, for the capture of either JS or
Orrin Porter Rockwell

June 1814–9 June 1878. Ferry operator, herdsman, farmer. Born in Belchertown, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Orin Rockwell and Sarah Witt. Moved to Farmington (later in Manchester), Ontario Co., New York, 1817. Neighbor to JS. Baptized into Church of...

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, who was charged with shooting
Boggs

14 Dec. 1796–14 Mar. 1860. Bookkeeper, bank cashier, merchant, Indian agent and trader, lawyer, doctor, postmaster, politician. Born at Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of John M. Boggs and Martha Oliver. Served in War of 1812. Moved to St. Louis, ca...

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.
6

JS, Journal, 2 Oct. 1842; Thomas Carlin, Proclamation, 20 Sept. 1842; see also Thomas Reynolds, Requisition, 22 July 1842.


Word of the proclamations reached
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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by 2 October.
7

JS, Journal, 2 Oct. 1842.


On or around 7 October, JS determined that he must leave Nauvoo “for a short season untill there should be some change in the proceedings of our enemies.”
8

JS, Journal, 7 Oct. 1842; Eliza R. Snow, Journal, 9 Oct. 1842.


Comprehensive Works Cited

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

Accordingly, he traveled in the dark of night to the home of church member
James Taylor

21 June 1783–27 May 1870. Government excise worker, farmer, joiner, carpenter. Born in Ackenthwaite, Westmoreland, England. Son of Edward Taylor and Elizabeth Saul. Christened Anglican. Moved to Lancaster, Lancashire, England, before 1805. Married Agnes Taylor...

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in Henderson County, Illinois, approximately thirty miles northeast of Nauvoo. Though JS visited Nauvoo briefly on 20 October to see
Emma

10 July 1804–30 Apr. 1879. Scribe, editor, boardinghouse operator, clothier. Born at Willingborough Township (later in Harmony), Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania. Daughter of Isaac Hale and Elizabeth Lewis. Member of Methodist church at Harmony (later in Oakland...

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, he returned to Taylor’s home the next day and remained in Henderson County until 28 October, when he returned to Nauvoo.
9

JS, Journal, 7, 20–21, and 28 Oct. 1842.


While in hiding, JS relied on couriers and bodyguards to relay messages and keep him abreast of developments in
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
.
10

JS, Journal, 10 and 15 Oct. 1842; Woodruff, Journal, 12 Oct. 1842.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

In his absence, much of his personal, financial, and ecclesiastical business was handled by
William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

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, one of his clerks.
11

See, for example, Deed to Sarah Ann Whitney, 6 Sept. 1842; Bond from Samuel Bent, 11 Oct. 1842; Notice, 11 Oct. 1842; and Land Transaction with Chauncey Robison, 22 Oct. 1842.


In at least one instance, a church member writing a letter to JS addressed it to Clayton knowing he could transmit the letter’s content to JS.
12

Letter from George Miller, 4 Sept. 1842.


Part 1 of this volume comprises thirty-five documents. Among them are letters JS exchanged with individual church members and other associates throughout the
United States

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

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regarding church concerns, particularly
John C. Bennett

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

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’s ongoing public attack on JS and the church. In addition, this part includes letters JS wrote to the church explaining why he had gone into hiding and giving instructions on the practice of
baptism

An ordinance in which an individual is immersed in water for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon explained that those with necessary authority were to baptize individuals who had repented of their sins. Baptized individuals also received the gift of...

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for the dead. Letters from missionaries, church members, and others in Great Britain regarding the church there are also featured, as are selections of editorial content from four issues of the Times and Seasons, of which JS was the editor.
  1. 1

    See “Joseph Smith Documents from September 1842 through February 1843.”

  2. 2

    JS, Journal, 3 Sept. 1842.

  3. 3

    JS, Journal, 10–30 Sept. 1842.

  4. 4

    On 10 September, for example, the Nauvoo Legion conducted training maneuvers, an event that typically drew large crowds from outside Nauvoo. JS’s journal records that JS “kept very close and still; lest on account of the quantity of people passing two and fro he should accidently be discovered.” On the following day, JS stayed home from a church meeting, opting to send a letter to be read to those in attendance rather than to preach in person. (JS, Journal, 10–11 Sept. 1842; Letter to the Church, 7 Sept. 1842 [D&C 128].)

  5. 5

    JS, Journal, 29 Sept.–7 Oct. 1842.

  6. 6

    JS, Journal, 2 Oct. 1842; Thomas Carlin, Proclamation, 20 Sept. 1842; see also Thomas Reynolds, Requisition, 22 July 1842.

  7. 7

    JS, Journal, 2 Oct. 1842.

  8. 8

    JS, Journal, 7 Oct. 1842; Eliza R. Snow, Journal, 9 Oct. 1842.

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

  9. 9

    JS, Journal, 7, 20–21, and 28 Oct. 1842.

  10. 10

    JS, Journal, 10 and 15 Oct. 1842; Woodruff, Journal, 12 Oct. 1842.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  11. 11

    See, for example, Deed to Sarah Ann Whitney, 6 Sept. 1842; Bond from Samuel Bent, 11 Oct. 1842; Notice, 11 Oct. 1842; and Land Transaction with Chauncey Robison, 22 Oct. 1842.

  12. 12

    Letter from George Miller, 4 Sept. 1842.

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