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.
<October 15th.> be distinctly understood that this Company were Militia of the County of , acting under , agreeably to the order of , and the brethren were very careful in all their movements to act in strict accordance with the Constitutional laws of the Land. The special object of this march was to protect and repel the attacks of the Mob in Having some property in that County and having a house building there, I went up at the same time. While I was there a number of houses belonging to our people were burned by the [HC 3:162] mob, who committed many other depredations, such as driving off horses, sheep, cattle, hogs &c. A number whose houses were burned down as well as those who lived in scattered and lonely situations, fled into the Town for safety, and for shelter from the inclemency of the weather as a considerable snow storm took place on <17.> the 17th. and 18th.; women and children, some in the most delicate situations, were thus obliged to leave their homes, and travel several miles in order to effect their escape. My feelings were such as I cannot describe when I saw them flock into the village, almost entirely destitute of clothes, and only escaping with their lives. During this state of affairs arrived at , and was at the house of Colonel on the
<18th.> when the intelligence was brought, that the mob were burning houses; and also when women and children were fleeing for safety <page 7 of Addenda X> who held a commission in the 59th. Regiment under his () command, asked what was to be done. He told him that he must immediately, call out his men, and go and put them down. Accordingly a force was immediately raised for the purpose of quelling the mob, and in a short time were on their march with a determiniation to drive the mob, or die in the attempt; as they could bear such— treatment no longer. The mob having learned the orders of , and likewise being aware of the determination of the oppressed, they broke up their encampment and fled. The mob seeing that they could not succeed by force, now resorted to stratagem; and after re[HC 3:163]moving their property out of their houses, which were nothing but log cabins, they actually set fire to their own houses, <fired them>, and then reported to the authorities of the State that the Mormons were burning and destroying all before them.
<19> Elder quit his temporal business in England and gave himself wholly to the Ministry, and soon commenced preaching and baptising in .
As I was driven away from without the privilege of settling my business, I had previous to this employed Colonel as my agent to close all my affairs in the Eastern States; and as I have been accused of “running away, cheating my creditors” &c I will insert a few of the many cards and letters I have received from Gentlemen who have had the best opportunity of knowing my busi[HC 3:164]ness transactions and whose testimony comes unsolicited
“ October 19. 1838.— a card— We the undersigned being personal acquaintances of firmly beleive that the course which he has pursued in settling the claims, accounts &c against the former citizens of , has done much credit to himself, and all others that committed to him the care of adjusting their business with this community, which also furnishes evidence that there was no intention on their part of defrauding their creditors. — ”
<21> About this time William Morgan Sheriff of , , Colonel , Doctor Samuel Venable, Jonathan J. Dryden, James Stone, Thomas J. Martin, made communications or affidavits of the most inflammatory kind, charging upon the Mormons those depradations which had been committed by the Mob endeavoring thereby to raise the anger of those in authority, rally a sufficient force around their Standard, [p. 837]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [657]
See 19 Oct. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [658]
Richards, Journal, 19 Oct. 1838.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
- [659]
Thomas Griffith and John S. Seymour, Letter of Recommendation for Oliver Granger, 19 Oct. 1838, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 40.
- [660]
See 21 Oct. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [661]
Samuel Bogart, Elk Horn, MO, to Lilburn W. Boggs, 21 Oct. 1838; William Morgan, Davies Co., MO, to Lilburn W. Boggs, 21 Oct. 1838; William Penniston, Davies Co., MO, to Lilburn W. Boggs, 21 Oct. 1838; Samuel Venable, Jonathan J. Dryden, James Stone, Thomas J. Martin, Affidavits, 22 Oct. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 41–46.
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.
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