, 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 [17]
As Whilst this company was forming and going up <to > rumor with her ten thousand tongues was busy<ly> <engaged> <in> circulating falsehoods about them insomuch that before they arrived at there was <considerable> agreat excitement <even there> the<People from> people cominggoing <went> over <in>to and <called held> holding a meeting and raised <stirred up> all the feelings <there that> they could against the saints The anger of the <people of> fearnot rose to a great pitch but <and> many in <the> counties adjoining them on the south side of the were determined that the saints should not be set <go> back upon their lands <The people of> had furnished themselves with <a number of> cannon and their n[e] ighbors from the adjoining counties volunteered <by hundreds> to assist them provided <that> the should attempt to set the saints back <again> into
The Co. from the east arrived in and their <gentle manners &> peaceable deportment soon convinced the people of <that> Co. of the false reports which had been circulated about them the excitement was done away in a very few days and the people appeared more friendly than before
After the arrival of the brn. from the east a council was held and it was concluded that considering the great wrath of the people south of the that it would not be wisdom to ask the to <set> them back at that time
The people of were mostly friendly to the saints but there were a few exceptions Nothing of importance occurred till the summer of 1836 <however for some time> a few threats and insults from those who were disaffected was all the hostility manifested till the summer of 1836 * That summer the mob hostile party strengthened it self <& became <quite> bold they whipped some & one day some> untill It was manifest that from their threatenings and actions that they were determined to fall upon the saints and drive them out of the if they could. <some 60 or 70 of them assembled one day rode off a few miles & stopped a Co. of movers & turned them back> <they also whipped some> It was equally <also equally> manifest that they saints were disposed to defend themselves against mobs <even to the shedding of blood. At that time> The most inteligent & respectable citizens of the saw plainly that if some thing were not done to stop it blood would be shed, (for the mob party were determined on driving & the saints were <as much> determined not to be <driven> drove <by them> without first trying their strength). They had <They therefore> <Therefore called> a meeting of those who were friendly to the Saints in which they appointed a [p. [17]]