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  2. Documents, Volume 8, Part 3 Introduction: 3 July–30 September 1841

Part 3: 3 July–30 September 1841

With tuberculosis and malaria spreading through the area, the summer months of 1841 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....

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, Illinois, were marked by the deaths of several people close to JS. In the midst of mourning, JS continued to correspond widely and respond to the multiplying concerns of the city’s citizens. The documents for July through September 1841 include eighteen letters covering financial, ecclesiastical, and organizational matters. The letters reveal ongoing negotiations with
Connecticut

Originally inhabited by native Algonquin tribes. Among first thirteen colonies that formed U.S., southernmost state in New England. First permanent European settlements established by members of Massachusetts Bay Colony, ca. 1635. Population in 1820 about...

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creditors
Horace Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

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and
Smith Tuttle

12 Mar. 1795–7 Mar. 1865. Shipping merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Christopher Tuttle and Abigail Luddington. Moved to Wallingford, New Haven Co., by 1810. Married first Rachel Gillett. Married second Amarilla...

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, reports from missionaries proselytizing abroad, and several inquiries involving land transactions. The letters also continue negotiations with
John M. Bernhisel

23 June 1799–28 Sept. 1881. Physician, politician. Born in Sandy Hill, Tyrone Township, Cumberland Co. (later in Perry Co.), Pennsylvania. Son of Samuel Bernhisel and Susannah Bower. Attended medical lectures at University of Pennsylvania, 1818, in Philadelphia...

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over parcels of land he wanted JS to purchase on his behalf.
1

For more information on the Hotchkiss purchase, see Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 24 July 1841; Letter from William Smith, 5 Aug. 1841; and Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841. For missionary letters, see Letter from Orson Hyde, 17 July 1841; and Letter from John E. Page, 1 Sept. 1841. For various land dealings, see Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 12 July 1841; Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 8 Sept. 1841; and Letter from Robert Peirce, 20 Aug. 1841.


In August, JS mourned the death of his brother
Don Carlos Smith

25 Mar. 1816–7 Aug. 1841. Farmer, printer, editor. Born at Norwich, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, 1816–Jan. 1817. Moved to Manchester, Ontario Co., 1825. Baptized into Church of Jesus...

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. A week later, JS’s infant son, also named
Don Carlos

13 June 1840–15 Aug. 1841. Born in Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois. Son of JS and Emma Hale. Died in Nauvoo.

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, died as well.
2

Minutes, 16 Aug. 1841.


Robert B. Thompson

1 Oct. 1811–27 Aug. 1841. Clerk, editor. Born in Great Driffield, Yorkshire, England. Methodist. Immigrated to Upper Canada, 1834. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Parley P. Pratt, May 1836, in Upper Canada. Ordained an elder by...

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, a clerk for JS, and
Oliver Granger

7 Feb. 1794–23/25 Aug. 1841. Sheriff, church agent. Born at Phelps, Ontario Co., New York. Son of Pierce Granger and Clarissa Trumble. Married Lydia Dibble, 8 Sept. 1813, at Phelps. Member of Methodist church and licensed exhorter. Sheriff of Ontario Co. ...

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, JS’s primary
agent

A specific church office and, more generally, someone “entrusted with the business of another.” Agents in the church assisted other ecclesiastical officers, especially the bishop in his oversight of the church’s temporal affairs. A May 1831 revelation instructed...

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, both died in August, leading JS to ruminate on the escalating death toll.
3

See Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 25 Aug. 1841; and Letter to Oliver Granger, 30 Aug. 1841.


During a special
conference

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

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on 16 August, the
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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approved JS’s proposal that the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...

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“stand in their place next to the
first presidency

The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...

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.”
4

Discourse, 16 Aug. 1841.


The shift was meant to alleviate JS’s temporal responsibilities so that he could attend more to spiritual matters, while the Twelve were to manage the business of the church and “the affairs of the kingdom.”
5

Minutes, 16 Aug. 1841.


Beyond letters and minutes, part 3 of this volume also includes a discourse on patriotism given to the
Nauvoo Legion

A contingent of the Illinois state militia provided for in the Nauvoo city charter. The Nauvoo Legion was organized into two cohorts: one infantry and one cavalry. Each cohort could potentially comprise several thousand men and was overseen by a brigadier...

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and the Saints 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....

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, as well as a revelation for apostle
Brigham Young

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

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.
6

See Account of Meeting, 3 July 1841; and Revelation, 9 July 1841 [D&C 126].


  1. 1

    For more information on the Hotchkiss purchase, see Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 24 July 1841; Letter from William Smith, 5 Aug. 1841; and Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841. For missionary letters, see Letter from Orson Hyde, 17 July 1841; and Letter from John E. Page, 1 Sept. 1841. For various land dealings, see Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 12 July 1841; Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 8 Sept. 1841; and Letter from Robert Peirce, 20 Aug. 1841.

  2. 2

    Minutes, 16 Aug. 1841.

  3. 3

    See Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 25 Aug. 1841; and Letter to Oliver Granger, 30 Aug. 1841.

  4. 4

    Discourse, 16 Aug. 1841.

  5. 5

    Minutes, 16 Aug. 1841.

  6. 6

    See Account of Meeting, 3 July 1841; and Revelation, 9 July 1841 [D&C 126].

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