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Historian’s Office, Martyrdom Account, Draft
Source Note
Source Note
Historian’s Office, martyrdom account, draft; handwriting of Jonathan Grimshaw, , and ; 57 pages plus several inserted pages; CHL.
For more information on the History Drafts, see Introduction to History Drafts, 1844–1856.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
The “Historian’s Office, Martyrdom Account, Draft,” and the “Historian’s Office, Martyrdom Account” are the two complete, extant iterations of efforts by later church historians to record the murder of JS and , including the events leading up to their deaths and the immediate aftermath. As stated at the beginning of both accounts, the information was compiled from a number of different sources, including other journals, letters, and various other documents. It was put into a cohesive narrative during the 1850s by Church Historian’s Office clerks , Jonathan Grimshaw, and , presumably under the direction of the church historian, .
was the initial scribe for approximately the first half of “Historian’s Office, Martyrdom Account, Draft,” and Grimshaw was the primary scribe for the remainder. Sometimes slips of paper were attached to pages of the draft with additional or alternative text to be included with a specific page. Page 12 of the draft has a notation by Grimshaw indicating that previously drafted text was to be added to the draft; instead of copying the text, he simply inserted a whole leaf into the draft. This leaf, in ’s handwriting, contains various numbered vignettes. It appears to be part of a larger collection of vignettes, as it is paginated “5” and “6,” and is likely the surviving portion of an earlier iteration of the martyrdom account by Thomas Bullock. The remainder of Bullock’s effort is not extant.
“Historian’s Office, Martyrdom Account,” which is a more final copy written primarily by Grimshaw in the mid-1850s, similarly has slips of papers attached. It also includes several leaves that were physically removed from “Martyrdom Account, Draft”; these leaves were renumbered to match the pagination of the copy: pages 7–10 in the draft became pages 11–14 in the more final copy; pages 13–14 became 19–20; most extensively, pages 19–52 became 27–60; and finally, page 57, the last page of the draft, became page 73 in the new version. Although these leaves are cataloged with the more final copy, this website presents the pages both in the draft, as originally paginated, and in the more final copy, with the new pagination. Two additional items were added at the end of the more final copy. A bifolium paginated as “75” and “2” and written on the back of a printed Utah Territory legal form gives an account of the arrival of the bodies of JS and Hyrum Smith in Nauvoo as well as the funeral and burial. It was written by Grimshaw and edited by from information given by . On the final leaf, which is torn and is paginated “76,” Bullock drafted an introduction to a passage from ’s History of Illinois, with instructions to include the passage from Ford’s history in the martyrdom account.
Both the draft and the more final copy were edited by , Grimshaw, and . It is not clear when the edits were made. The more final copy of the account appears to be what was used in 1856 when the final version was copied into the last volume of the Joseph Smith’s multivolume manuscript history (JS History, vol. F-1, 147, 151–204).
<June 24 midnight No.21 > while passing the public square to Hamilton’s tavern, the same <many> of the troops made use of the following expressions; which was re echoed in the ears of the , & hundreds of others, “Where is the damd prophet?” Stand away you McDonough troops boys & let us shoot the damd Mormons— clear the way & let us have a view of Joe Smith the prophet of God— he’s seen the last of — we’ll use him up now” while the above expressions were shouted, the put his head out of the window and very meekly said “Gentlemen I know your great anxiety to see Mr. Smith, which is natural enough, but it is quite too late to night for you to have that opportunity, but I assure you Gentlemen that you shall have that privilege tomorow morning as I will cause him to pass before the troops upon the Square and I now wish you, with this assurance quietly & peaceably to return to your quarters” when this declaration was made there was a faint “hurra for ”—
There was a Co of Apostates also quartered at Hamiltons Hotel viz & (formerly Prest. of the Elders quorum) who stated to “that it was determined to shed the blood of Joseph Smith whether he was cleard by the law or not” by not only himself & the mob generally, but by the Laws, Higbees, Fosters & others”, told what had said, but he treated it with perfect indifference.
No 22 The Carthage Greys refused to receive them by that introduction, but some of the officers threw up their Hats, drew their swords, & said they would introduce themselves to the damned Mormons in a different style— the mildly entreated them <not> to act so rudely, but it increased & the whole Company was ordered under arrest. <the however succeeded in pacifying them, by making a speech, & promising them that they should have “full satisfaction”.>
<12a> No. 23 Several of the officers <of the troops in > and curious other gentn. curious to see the prophet visited his room, to gratify a propensity to see the Elephant. Joseph asked them if there was anything in his appearance that indicated he was the desperate character his enemies represented him to be, and he asked them to give him their honest opinion on the subject, the reply was “No <Sir,> General Smith your appearance would indicate the very contrary”, but we cannot see what is in your heart, neither can we tell what are your intentions” to which Joseph replied “very true gentn. you can not see what is in my heart and you are therefore unable to judge me or my intentions, but I can see what is in your hearts and will tell you what I see. I can see you thirst for blood & nothing but my blood will satisfy you, it is not for crime <of any description> that I and my brethren are thus continually persecuted & harassed by our enemies, but there are other motives & some of them I have expressed so far as relates to myself & inasmuch as you & the people thirst for blood, I prophecy in the name of the Lord that you shall witness scenes of blood & sorrow to your entire satisfaction, your souls shall be perfectly satiated with blood & many of you who are now present shall have an opportunity to front <face> the Cannon’s mouth from sources you think not of, & the people that desire this great evil upon me and my brethren, shall be filled with regret & sorrow because of the scenes of desolation & distress that await them, they shall seek for peace & shall not be able to find it. Gentlemen you will find what I have told you to be true”—
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
Inserted page in the handwriting of Thomas Bullock. This page was apparently part of an earlier draft where Bullock noted specific incidents in the history. On page 12, Jonathan Grimshaw indicated that the section labeled “No. 23” should be inserted in that place on page 12. The other text on this inserted page is not related to this draft manuscript.
Jonathan Grimshaw inserted “12a” in the left margin, indicating that this section should be inserted on page 12.
Insertion probably in the handwriting of Jonathan Grimshaw.