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Historian’s Office, Martyrdom Account, Draft

Source Note

Historian’s Office, martyrdom account, draft; handwriting of Jonathan Grimshaw,
Leo Hawkins

19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...

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, and
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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; 57 pages plus several inserted pages; CHL.
For more information on the History Drafts, see Introduction to History Drafts, 1844–1856.

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
Hyrum Smith

9 Feb. 1800–27 June 1844. Farmer, cooper. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Randolph, Orange Co., 1802; back to Tunbridge, before May 1803; to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, 1804; to Sharon, Windsor Co...

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, 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
Leo Hawkins

19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...

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, Jonathan Grimshaw, and
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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, presumably under the direction of the church historian,
George A. Smith

26 June 1817–1 Sept. 1875. Born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York. Son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Joseph H. Wakefield, 10 Sept. 1832, at Potsdam. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio,...

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.
Hawkins

19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...

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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
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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’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
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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from information given by
Dimick B. Huntington

26 May 1808–1 Feb. 1879. Farmer, blacksmith, shoemaker, constable, coroner, deputy sheriff, Indian interpreter. Born at Watertown, Jefferson Co., New York. Son of William Huntington and Zina Baker. Married Fannie Maria Allen, 28 Apr. 1830. Baptized into Church...

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. On the final leaf, which is torn and is paginated “76,” Bullock drafted an introduction to a passage from
Thomas Ford

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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’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
Hawkins

19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...

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, Grimshaw, and
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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. 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).

Page 6

above <​those​>

Unless otherwise specified, all insertions and cancellations on this page are in the handwriting of Jonathan Grimshaw.


expressions were shouted, the
Governor

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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put his head out of the window and very meekly said “Gentlemen I know your great anxiety to see MrSmith, 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 tomorrow morning, as I will cause him to pass before the troops upon the square, and I now wish you, with this assurance, quietly and peaceably to return to your quarters.” When this declaration was made, there was a faint “Hurrah for
Tom Ford

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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”. <​& they instantly obeyed the
Governor

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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’s wish.​>

Insertion in the handwriting of Thomas Bullock.


<​
Wheelock

28 Feb. 1813–11 Oct. 1894. Steamboat captain, farmer, lawyer, minister. Born in Henderson, Jefferson Co., New York. Son of Asa Wheelock and Lucy Hibbard. Lived in Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., 1820. Moved to Lyme, Jefferson Co., by 1830. Married Olive Parrish...

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​>

Insertion written vertically over five lines of text in the center of the page; handwriting of Leo Hawkins.


There was a company of apostates <​also quartered at​>

Insertion in the handwriting of Leo Hawkins.


at Hamilton’s Hotel, viz:
William

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

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and
Wilson Law

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

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, <​the Higbees and Fosters​> <​
Augustin[e] Spencer

22 Dec. 1788–after 1860. Land speculator, laborer. Born in West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Daniel Spencer and Chloe Wilson. Married Eliza Brown, ca. 1816. Signed redress petition for wrongs committed against Latter-day Saints in Missouri...

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,
Henry O. Norton

Dec. 1822–8 June 1896. Carpenter, miller, township officer. Born in New York. Moved to Canada as a teenager. Witness at trial concerning destruction of Nauvoo Expositor press, 17 June 1844, in Hancock Co., Illinois. Married first Lucinda O. Wells, 6 Jan. ...

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&​>
John A. Hicks

?–Dec. 1897. Likely born in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland. Son of Robert Hicks and Frances Armstrong. Likely immigrated to Canada with his family, ca. 1820. Married first Margaret Wilson, 20 Mar. 1834, in Upper Canada. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter...

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(formerly President of the Elders Quorum) <​and others.
Hicks

?–Dec. 1897. Likely born in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland. Son of Robert Hicks and Frances Armstrong. Likely immigrated to Canada with his family, ca. 1820. Married first Margaret Wilson, 20 Mar. 1834, in Upper Canada. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter...

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​> who stated to
C. H. Wheelock

28 Feb. 1813–11 Oct. 1894. Steamboat captain, farmer, lawyer, minister. Born in Henderson, Jefferson Co., New York. Son of Asa Wheelock and Lucy Hibbard. Lived in Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., 1820. Moved to Lyme, Jefferson Co., by 1830. Married Olive Parrish...

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, that it was determined to shed the blood of Joseph Smith whether he was cleared by the law or not, by not only himsself, and the mob generally, but by <​but by and​> the Laws, Higbees, Fosters, <​Jackson​> and <​many​> others. <​whether he was cleared by the law or not.​> <​He talked freely and unreservedly on that subject, as thought he had was discoursing upon the most common occurence of his life; said he “you will find me a true prophet in this respect.”​>
Wheelock

28 Feb. 1813–11 Oct. 1894. Steamboat captain, farmer, lawyer, minister. Born in Henderson, Jefferson Co., New York. Son of Asa Wheelock and Lucy Hibbard. Lived in Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., 1820. Moved to Lyme, Jefferson Co., by 1830. Married Olive Parrish...

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told
Ford

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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what
Hicks

?–Dec. 1897. Likely born in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland. Son of Robert Hicks and Frances Armstrong. Likely immigrated to Canada with his family, ca. 1820. Married first Margaret Wilson, 20 Mar. 1834, in Upper Canada. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter...

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said; but he treated it with perfect indifference, <​and <​suffered​>
Hicks

?–Dec. 1897. Likely born in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland. Son of Robert Hicks and Frances Armstrong. Likely immigrated to Canada with his family, ca. 1820. Married first Margaret Wilson, 20 Mar. 1834, in Upper Canada. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter...

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and his associates were suffered to run at large to mature their murderous plans.​>
A writ was <​also​>

Insertion in the handwriting of Leo Hawkins.


issued by R[obert] F. Smith against
Joseph W. Coolidge

31 May 1814–13 Jan. 1871. Carpenter, miller, merchant. Born in Bangor, Hancock Co., Maine. Son of John Kittridge Coolidge and Rebecca Stone Wellington. Moved to Cincinnati, by 1817. Moved to area of Mackinaw, Tazewell Co., Illinois, 1834. Married Elizabeth...

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, on complaint of
Chauncey L. Higbee

7 Sept. 1821–7 Dec. 1884. Lawyer, banker, politician, judge. Born in Tate Township, Clermont Co., Ohio. Son of Elias Higbee and Sarah Elizabeth Ward. Lived in Fulton, Hamilton Co., Ohio, 1830. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1832...

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, charging him [p. 6]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 6

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Historian’s Office, Martyrdom Account, Draft
ID #
8641
Total Pages
72
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Leo Hawkins
  • Jonathan Grimshaw
  • Thomas Bullock

Footnotes

  1. new scribe logo

    Unless otherwise specified, all insertions and cancellations on this page are in the handwriting of Jonathan Grimshaw.

  2. new scribe logo

    Insertion in the handwriting of Thomas Bullock.

  3. new scribe logo

    Insertion written vertically over five lines of text in the center of the page; handwriting of Leo Hawkins.

  4. new scribe logo

    Insertion in the handwriting of Leo Hawkins.

  5. new scribe logo

    Insertion in the handwriting of Leo Hawkins.

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