JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. D-1, created 4 July 1845–4 Feb. 1846 and 1 July 1854–2 May 1855; handwriting of , Robert L. Campbell, and ; 275 pages, plus 6 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fourth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fourth volume covers the period from 1 Aug. 1842 to 1 July 1843; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1, constitutes the fourth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 August 1842 to 1 July 1843, and it was compiled after JS’s death.
The material recorded in volume D-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , with the assistance of . After Richards’s death in 1854, continued work on the volume as the new church historian with Bullock’s continued help. The process adopted by Richards and Bullock involved Richards creating a set of rough draft notes and Bullock transcribing the notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). George A. Smith followed a similar pattern, though he dictated the draft notes to Bullock and other scribes.
According to the Church Historian’s Office journal, finished the third volume of the series, volume C-1, on Thursday, 3 July 1845, in , Illinois. He began work on the fourth volume, D-1, the next day, beginning on page 1362 with the entry for 1 August 1842. (The pages in volumes A-1–E-1 were numbered consecutively.) Bullock continued work on the record, drawing upon ’s draft notes, until 3 February 1846—the day before D-1 and the other volumes were packed up in preparation for the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo. At that point he had reached page 1485 with the entry for 28 February 1843. Subsequently, apparently after the collection had arrived in Utah, Bullock added a brief comment beneath that entry: “end of W. Richard’s compiling[.] the books packed Feby. 4— 1846 in Nauvoo[.] Miles Romney— present. The records carried by T Bullock from Winter Quarters to G S L [Great Salt Lake] City in 1848.”
A notation at the top of page 1486 reports that “the books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. J[onathan] Grimshaw & Miles Romney present.” Vertically, in the margin, is a poignant epitaph: “Decr. 1 1853 Dr. Willard Richards wrote one line of History—being sick at the time—and was never able to do any more.” With Richards’s death on 11 March 1854, JS’s cousin was called to the office of church historian. The notation on the top of page 1486 acknowledges this change in officers, noting, “commencement of George A. Smith’s compiling as Historian. April 13. 1854[.] [C]ommenced copying July 1. 1854.” From mid-April to the end of June 1854, George A. Smith, in collaboration with Thomas Bullock, worked on the draft notes for the history before a new scribe, , resumed writing in D-1 on 1 July 1854, beginning with the entry for 1 March 1843.
continued transcribing intermittently into the late fall of 1854, when he was assigned other duties in the Historian’s Office. He had reached page 1546 with the entry for 5 May 1843. Work resumed in February 1855 in the hand of Robert L. Campbell, recently returned from a mission. He concluded volume D-1 on the morning of 2 May 1855 and began writing in E-1 that afternoon.
The 274 pages of volume D-1 contain a record of much that is significant in the life of JS and the development of the church he founded. Among these events are
• JS’s 6 August 1842 prophecy that the Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.
•JS’s 8 August 1842 arrest on a warrant for being “an accessory before the fact” to an attack on former governor .
• ’s 17 August 1842 letter to governor , pleading for the humane treatment of her husband and family.
•JS’s 1 and 6 September 1842 instructions regarding the proper procedures for performing baptisms for the dead.
• JS’s 15 November 1842 “Valedictory” as he stepped down as editor of the Times and Seasons.
• The 26 December 1842 arrest of JS on a “proclamation” by former governor , and subsequent hearing in , Illinois.
• The 7 February 1843 recovery of a volume of patriarchal blessings given by , which had been stolen in , Missouri.
• JS’s 21 February 1843 remarks regarding the and .
• JS’s 2 April 1843 instruction at , Illinois, on the nature of God and other subjects.
• JS’s 16 May 1843 remarks at , Illinois, on the everlasting covenant and eternal marriage.
• The account of JS’s 23 June 1843 arrest and his hearing the following week at .
<June 20> The first great object of the Company was to establish a Pottery, for the Manufacturing of the various kinds of crockery in common use in the Country. Persons were deputed to make the necessary search, whether suitable materials could be obtained. The persons who were employed, in this service were such as had been employed all their lives in the business; their report was favorable, having found, all the materials, of as good a quality as those used in the old world for that purpose, in our immediate vicinity. Efforts were accordingly made to commence the business with as little delay as possible; an elligible situation was obtained, and the work of building commenced. A stone building of sufficient size was put under construction and progressed with much rapidity. Persons professing means felt desirous of investing a part of them at least, in the business. All was prosperous, and all flattering ¶ a considerable amount of land was obtained for agricultural purposes; it being the wish of the Managers, to supply all their workmen, with all their necessaries, as far as could be. Arrangements were making to get stock of the various kinds, for this purpose. The building had progressed nearly to the height of one story, when the electioneering campaign commenced, and it was roundly asserted that if certain persons were elected, all the charters, granted by a previous Legislature to the citizens of , would be repealed. At first the association supposed that, this was merely an electioneering intrigue: but it assumed a formidable appearance, and began to assume the character of a fixed determination to carry the design into execution. The subsequent acts of the Legislature have given but too much evidence, that such was the real intention of a very considerable portion of the members of the last Legislature, if not a majority of them. This in a clique paralyzed the exertions of the Company: many who were about to contribute to the funds of the Society, paused, not knowing what was best; and, in consequence the work stopped. Not that the Company supposed, that there was any such power vested in the Legislature, either in the Constitution or common sense; but they did not know how for a reckless Spirit might lead men in the violation of both. As the matter now stands, those having capital are at a loss whether to invest it in that way or not lest the same reckless Spirit may, inevitably carry the proposed design into effect.
The work has not stopped for want of means, nor materials to carry on the business, as means, materials and workmen of the first order are [HC 5:437] all at hand, but where is the safety, while such doctrines are boldly maintained by our Legislature? All the prospects of the company may be blasted at any stage of their business, by one single act of men who seem to have no interest in the prosperity of the State, nor the citizens thereof, apart from their own political preferment. Pledges can be made, for the sake of preferment, to an ignorant constituency, to commit the most flagrant abuses. [p. 1580]