, History, Manuscript, ca. 1839; handwriting of ; nineteen pages (several additional leaves missing); CHL.
Historical Introduction
While incarcerated at , Missouri, in March 1839, JS addressed a letter to the Saints and to “ in particular” in which he called for the Saints to gather up “a knoledge of all the facts and sufferings and abuses put upon them” in that they might publish the records “to all the world” and “present them to the heads of the government.” (JS et al., Liberty, MO, to the church members and Edward Partridge, Quincy, IL, 20 Mar. 1839, in Revelations Collection, CHL [D&C 123:1, 6].) Apparently in response to this assignment, Edward Partridge wrote a history that became the first three installments of “A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints in Missouri,” an eleven-part series published in the church’s newspaper, Times and Seasons, between December 1839 and October 1840.
may have intended to tell the entire story himself, but he fell ill shortly after publication began and died 27 May 1840. Partridge’s manuscript, which he did not title, is provided here. The full text of “A History, of the Persecution,” which necessarily relied on other sources following Partridge’s demise, receives comprehensive treatment in volume 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers and is available on this website.
’s history begins with his account of the conflicts in the early 1830s. Partridge was a bishop of the church in Missouri, first in and then in following the Saints’ expulsion from Jackson County. He also served as bishop in after the Saints relocated there from Clay County in 1836. By the time he drafted his account of the Mormon experiences in Missouri, the Saints had been exiled from the state and had relocated to .
’s narrative is based on firsthand observations and may also have relied on other records he kept. It begins, “In presenting to our readers a history of the persecutions,” indicating that Partridge wrote it for publication purposes. However, there are occasionally significant differences between the manuscript version and “A History, of the Persecution” as published.
The early custodial history of the manuscript is somewhat uncertain. However, the manuscript was presumably among materials in the possession of church historian and recorder Joseph Fielding Smith, who held that office from 1921 to 1970 and who had worked in the Church Historian’s Office many years prior. The manuscript became part of the First Presidency’s papers when Smith became church president in 1970, and, with other records (including Revelation Book 1 and two drafts of JS’s history), was transferred from the First Presidency’s office to the Church History Library in 2005.
Page [16]
In a short time after the attor[n]eys left them they were informed by that <the> judge had sent him <word> that the grand juries witnesses nor <&> the guard were <not> wanted there any more <longer> soon paraded his men <as soon &> as well as he could for the crowd and <immediately> marched off immediately the witnesses following <him> as well as they could All hopes were now given up of ever bringing that people to justice. <Their hatred towards the saints seemed to be unabating> they frequently <sent word> over to that they were comeing over to drive the Saints from that place they even went so far as to circulate a paper in they object of which was to obtain volunteers in <there> to assist them in drving the<m> saints away. however in the Jackson mobbers <they> had but a few friends for some time
In 1834 if we mistake not a<n> peaceable inoffensive man br. by the name of <who belonged <among> to the saints> went into to hunt for a lost cow <he was <taken> by the some of the> <some> the ruffians there took him <residing there who> and whipped him unmercifully The same year Mr br. a man of great peaceable man went to to see a man who owed him, on his way he was discovered & overtaken by some few of that lawless banditti <banditti> who beat him with hand spikes no doubt with an intent to kill him but his life was preserved and he escaped out of their hands
Thus have that people unceasingly <abused &> persecuted the saints whenever they could get an opportunity
A wealthy farmer living in who was then friendly to the saints and who was in the habit of sending flour & Whisky into to sell, it generally being higher there than in , sent over his negro & team with a load of of flour & Whisky They were stopped on the road <by some of the good people of > and the flour & whisky barrels cut to pieces with an ax and their contents wasted
appeared willing to guard back the saints <to > at any time when they got ready to go but said that he had not power <authority> to keep a guard their there for their protection They were advised by many <some of the most> influential men <in the upper country> who were friendly towards them though not believers in their faith to have enough of their brn. emigrate to that country <to enable them> (so that they would have strength enough) to maintain their rights should they <mob> ever attempt to trample upon them again and then get the to set them back upon their lands. Accordingly word was sent forth to the churches to that effect and in the summer of 1834 a company <of about 200> came <went> from the eastern churches to for that purpose— but few of them <however> moved their families because that they knew not what the result would be— it was but an experiment [p. [16]]