History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of and ; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war at , Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1. ’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and , assisted by , resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, , and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1, and chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death, , , , and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—, Ohio, and northwest —during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.
<August 27> Monday 27. The Camp made out five furlongs and nine rods of turnpike and expect to start on the 28th. but deferred it till tomorrow
| “(State of Missouri ) | ss. |
| (County of ) |
<28> Before me, William Dryden, one of the Justices of the Peace of said , personally came , who being duly sworn according to Law, deposeth and saith: that on or about the 8th. day of August, 1838, in the County of , there came an armed force of men, said to be 154, to the best of my information and surrounded his house and family, and threatened him with instant death if he did not sign a certain instrument of writing, binding himself as a Justice of the Peace for said County of , not to molest the people called Mormons, and threatened the lives of myself and other— individuals, and did say they intended to make every Citizen sign such obligation, and further said they intended to have satisfaction for abuse they had received on Monday previous, and they would not submit to the laws; and further saith, that from the best information and his own personal knowledge, that , , Ephraim Owens, , , A. Brown, [HC 3:64] , , John Woods, H. Redfield, Riley Stuart, James Whitacre, Andrew Thor, Amos Tubbs, Dr. Gourze and Abram Nelson was guilty of aiding and abetting in commiting and perpetrating the above offence— Sworn to and subscribed this 28th. day of August 1838. — W. Dryden Justice of the Peace of the County aforesaid”
This document with that of said of the Eighth of August shews him in his true light, a detestable unprincipled Mobocrat, and perjured Man—
<29> Wednesday 29. at three o clock the Trumpet of the Camp sounded, it being one hour earlier than usual to give time to prepare for the journey. every heart leaped for joy and even the children were so delighted, that they appeared like a lot of playful lambs. The divisions moved off 4. 3. 2. 1. (i.e.) in transposition, and at nine in the morning the encampment was vacated which had been occupied for one month. Elder was left at , sick. The Brethren received the “credit of making their turnpike better than any other company. And that the whole Camp did not cause so much trouble in the neighborhood as two Irishmen who had worked in that place six weeks.” They passed through Montgomery into Jackson township, travelled Eighteen miles, and tented in the Road two hundred and seventy Miles from
<30> Thursday 30. Camp travelling through Libertyville and Preble County seat, to the line of and Indiana and encamped within twenty rods of the place where the Camp tented, that went up to in 1834— two hundred and ninety two miles from . Elder Shumway’s child died.
This day issued the following order to
“Head Quarters of the Militia, Adjutant General’s Office August 30. 1838 Gen 3rd. Div. Mi[litia]. Sir:— Indications of Indian disturbances on our immediate frontier and the recent civil disturbances in the Counties of , and Carroll, render it necessary, as a precautionary measure, that an effective force of the Militia be held in readiness, to meet either contingency. The Commander in Chief, therefore orders, that you cause to be raised immediately, within the limits of your divison, to be held in readiness, and subject to further orders, four hundred mounted men, armed and equipped as infantry or riflemen, and formed into Companies according to law, under officers already in Commission.
The Commander in Chief suggests the propriety of your causing the above order to be carried into effect, in a manner calculated to produce as little excitement as possible, and report your proceedings to him through the Adjutant General— By order of the Commander in Chief. B. M. Lisle. Adjutant General a similar letter was also addressed to Major Generals , , David Willock, Lewis Bolton, Henry W. Crowther, and Thomas D. Grant.” [p. 817]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [521]
See 27 Aug. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [522]
See 28 Aug. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [523]
Adam Black, Statement, Davies Co., MO, 28 Aug. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 15.
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; and the Evidence Given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes against the State. Fayette, MO: Boon’s Lick Democrat, 1841.
- [524]
See 29 Aug. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [525]
- [526]
See 30 Aug. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [527]
B. M. Lisle, Jefferson City, MO, to David R. Atchison, Richmond, MO, 30 Aug. 1838, Mormon War Papers, MSA.
Mormon War Papers, 1838–1841. MSA.
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