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Appendix 2: Council of Fifty, Minutes, 27 February 1845

Source Note

Council of Fifty, Minutes,
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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, IL, 27 Feb. 1845; handwriting of
Thomas Bullock

23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...

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; six pages; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 1839–1877, CHL. Includes redactions. Three loose leaves, measuring 5⅞ × 8 inches (15 × 20 cm); 7¼ × 7¾ inches (18 × 20 cm); and 6½ × 8 inches (17 × 20 cm), respectively. Bullock’s docket on page 6 reads: “Feb 27. 1845 | Meeting of the Twelve & others | in the Recorder’s office”.

Historical Introduction

On 27 February 1845 the council convened to discuss the group of Mormons that had followed
James Emmett

22 Feb. 1803–28 Dec. 1852. Farmer, policeman, explorer, miner. Born at Boone Co., Kentucky. Son of Silas Emmett and Elizabeth Trowbridge. Married Phebe Jane Simpson, 13 Apr. 1823. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1831, in Boone Co...

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west from
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
and into
Iowa Territory

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803. First permanent white settlements established, ca. 1833. Organized as territory, 1838, containing all of present-day Iowa, much of present-day Minnesota, and parts of North and South Dakota. Population in...

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. A member of Emmett’s company, Moses Smith, had recently returned to Nauvoo bearing information about the company, and
Willard Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

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recorded that “the Twelve & others, mostly of the Council repaird to my office” with him.
1

Richards, Journal, 27 Feb. 1845. In his journal Heber C. Kimball erroneously dated this meeting to 28 February but recorded, “Held a council at Elder Richards on the case of Emit and Smith.” (Kimball, Journal, 28 Feb. 1845.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

Kimball, Heber C. Journals, 1837–1848. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL.

Since council clerk
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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was ill,
Thomas Bullock

23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...

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, a church clerk who was not a member of the council, recorded the minutes featured here. Because these minutes were kept separately, they were never copied into the Council of Fifty record books kept by Clayton, nor does it appear that Clayton used these minutes when providing a summary of the meeting in the record books. For the historical context in which these minutes were recorded, see the entry for 27 February 1845 in the main body of this volume.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Richards, Journal, 27 Feb. 1845. In his journal Heber C. Kimball erroneously dated this meeting to 28 February but recorded, “Held a council at Elder Richards on the case of Emit and Smith.” (Kimball, Journal, 28 Feb. 1845.)

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

    Kimball, Heber C. Journals, 1837–1848. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL.

Page 2

no man was ever spoken to plainer than
Emmett

22 Feb. 1803–28 Dec. 1852. Farmer, policeman, explorer, miner. Born at Boone Co., Kentucky. Son of Silas Emmett and Elizabeth Trowbridge. Married Phebe Jane Simpson, 13 Apr. 1823. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1831, in Boone Co...

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was— I advised a man to fetch his wife & property— Suffycools wife
8

Likely Elizabeth Suffycool, wife of Samuel Suffycool. (Record of Seventies, bk. B, 4 Feb. 1846.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “General Record of the Seventies Book B. Commencing Nauvoo 1844,” 1844–1848. Bk. B. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 2, fd. 1.

was decoyed away & went part of the way, but came back, if there are men who want to abide by council, I say save them— If a man wont abide council here, he wont abide a 1000 miles if any man wont support our
Prest.

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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— I wont help that man any how— my Spirit is aroused when I see men decoying others away— recollect
Emmett

22 Feb. 1803–28 Dec. 1852. Farmer, policeman, explorer, miner. Born at Boone Co., Kentucky. Son of Silas Emmett and Elizabeth Trowbridge. Married Phebe Jane Simpson, 13 Apr. 1823. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1831, in Boone Co...

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s pledge— he has broke it— he has decoyed man— when the proper time comes, let such men go as are councilled to go— at a time when we needed all the help we could get— he went away— & “unless that man comes back & humbles himself we will not fellowship them” if you have done wrong, you can but be right & be saved & your posterity & if you dont do it you will all be d—d together— if he has a mind to be d—d he can— it makes no difference to us— we will make our calling & our election sure—
9

See 2 Peter 1:10.


we will set men at it, in whom we can confide, let me have men who have faith & humility— & I will risk all—
H[eber] C. Kimball

14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...

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I wod. rather see Br Smith with us than away from us— I am not suspicious of my Brethren— I look with suspicion upon strangers— the course
Emmett

22 Feb. 1803–28 Dec. 1852. Farmer, policeman, explorer, miner. Born at Boone Co., Kentucky. Son of Silas Emmett and Elizabeth Trowbridge. Married Phebe Jane Simpson, 13 Apr. 1823. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1831, in Boone Co...

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has taken has been in direct violation of the Council of Pres. [Joseph] Smith— he was “not to take a man from this
City

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
”, after all, it came to our ears that he had got about 50 men— we went in pursuit—
Emmett

22 Feb. 1803–28 Dec. 1852. Farmer, policeman, explorer, miner. Born at Boone Co., Kentucky. Son of Silas Emmett and Elizabeth Trowbridge. Married Phebe Jane Simpson, 13 Apr. 1823. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1831, in Boone Co...

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was called to acc[oun]t. & was rebuked by Pres. Smith— he sd. dont take the Indians from Augusta—
10

Likely Augusta, Iowa Territory, where at least fifty members of the church lived by 1841. (“Minutes of a Conference,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1841, 2:547–548.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

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

he had no authority to even take his family— in violation to every covenant made to the Prophet, & that was the reason why he was dropt [p. 2]
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Source Note

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Page 2

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Appendix 2: Council of Fifty, Minutes, 27 February 1845
ID #
11610
Total Pages
6
Print Volume Location
JSP, CFM:527–534
Handwriting on This Page
  • Thomas Bullock

Footnotes

  1. [8]

    Likely Elizabeth Suffycool, wife of Samuel Suffycool. (Record of Seventies, bk. B, 4 Feb. 1846.)

    Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “General Record of the Seventies Book B. Commencing Nauvoo 1844,” 1844–1848. Bk. B. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 2, fd. 1.

  2. [9]

    See 2 Peter 1:10.

  3. [10]

    Likely Augusta, Iowa Territory, where at least fifty members of the church lived by 1841. (“Minutes of a Conference,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1841, 2:547–548.)

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

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