<​4 Joseph’s Bill of Damages in ​> “ June 4. 1839 Bill of Damages against the State of on account of the Sufferings & losses sustained therein March 12th. 1838. I with my family arrived in , Caldwell County, after a journey of one thousand miles, being 8 weeks on my Journey enduring great affliction in consequence of prosecution &c and expending two or three hundred dollars. Soon after my arrival at that place I was informed that a number of men living in (on the Grindstone Forks) had offered the sum of one thousand dollars for my scalp. Persons to whom I was an entire stranger & of whom I had no knowledge. In order to attain their end, the roads were frequently waylaid for <​me​> &c at one time in particular, when watering my horse on I distinctly heard 3 or 4 guns snapt at me. I was credibly informed also that of the Fifth Judicial Circuit gave encouragement to individuals to carry into effect their diabolical designs, and has frequently stated, that I ought to be beheaded on account of my Religion, In consequence of such expressions from and others in authority, my enemies endeavored to take every advantage of me, and heaping abuse, getting up vexatious law suits, and stirring up the minds of the people against me and the people with whom I was connected, altho’ we had done nothing to deserve such treatment but were busily engaged in our several avocations & desirous to live on peaceable & friendly terms with all men. In consequence of such threats and abuse which I was continually subject to, my family were kept in continual state of alarm, not knowing any morning what [HC 3:368] would befal me from day to day particularly when I went from home: On the latter part of Sept. 1838 I went to the lower part of the County of for the purpose of selecting a location for a town when on my journey I was met by one of our Friends with a Message from in Carrol County stating that our Brethren who had settled in that place were, & had for some time been, surrounded by a mob, who [p. 948]