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 .
or deputy for any criminal, or supposed criminal matter shall not be removed from said Prison or custody into any Prison or custody unless it be by , or by an Order of the Municipal Court, or in case of sudden Fire infection or other necessities; if any Person or Persons shall after such commitment as aforesaid, make out, sign, or countersign any Warrant or Warrants for such removal, then he or they shall forfeit to the Prisoner, or Prisoners aggrieved, a sum not exceeding five hundred Dollars, to be recovered by the Prisoner or Prisoners aggrieved in the manner hereinafter mentioned.
Section. 10. If any Member of the Municipal Court, or the Clerk of said Court shall corruptly refuse or neglect to issue Writs of Writs of Habeas Corpus when legally applied to, in a case where such Writ or Writs may lawfully issue, or who shall for the purpose of oppression unreasonably delay the isuing of such Writ or Writs, shall for every such offence forfeit to the Prisoner or Prisoners, party or Parties aggrieved a sum not less than five hundred Dollars and not exceeding one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned for six months Section. 11. If any Officer, Sheriff, Jailor, Keeper, or other Person or Persons upon whom any such writ shall be served, shall neglect or refuse to make the returns as aforesaid, or to bring the Body of the Prisoner or Prisoners according to the command of the said Writ within the time required by this ordinance, all and every such officer, Sheriff, Jailor, Keeper, or other Person or Persons shall be guilty of a contempt of the Municipal Court who issued said Writ; whereupon the said Court may and shall issue an against said Officer, Sheriff, Jailor, Keeper, or other Person or Persons and cause him or them to be committed to [HC 5:190] the City or County Jail, as provided for by the City Charter of the City of ; there to remain without bail or mainprize, until he or they shall obey the said Writ; such Officer, Sheriff, Jailor, Keeper, or other Person or Persons shall also forfeit to the Prisoner or Prisoners, party or parties aggrieved a sum not exceeding One thousand dollars and not less than five hundred dollars. Sec. 12. Any person or persons having a Prisoner or Prisoners in his or their custody, or under his or their restraint, power or control, for whose relief a Writ or Writs of Habeas Corpus is issued, who with intent to avoid the effect of such Writ or Writs, shall transfer such Person or Persons to the custody of, or place him, her or them under the control of any other Person or Persons, or shall conceal him, her, or them, or change the place of his, her, or their confinement, with intent to avoid the operation of such Writ or Writs, or with intent to remove him her or them out of the , shall forfeit for every such offence One thousand dollars, & may be imprisoned not less than one year, nor more than five years. In any prosecution for the penalty incurred under this section, it shall not be necessary to shew that the Writ or Writs of Habeas Corpus had issued at the time of the removal, transfer or concealment therein mentioned, if it be proven that the acts therein forbidden were done with the intent to avoid the operation of such Writ or Writs. Sec. 13. Any Sheriff or his deputy any Jailor or Coroner having custody of any Prisoner or Prisoners committed on any civil or criminal Process, of any Court or Magistrate, who shall neglect to give such Prisoner or Prisoners, a copy of the Process, order or commitment by virtue of which he, she or they are imprisoned, within six hours after demand made by said Prisoner or Prisoners, or any one on his, her, or their behalf, shall forfeit five hundred dollars. Sec 14. Any person who knowing that another has been discharged by order of the Municipal Court, on a Habeas Corpus shall contrary to the provisions of this Ordinance, arrest or detain him or her again for the same cause, which was shewn on return if such Writ, shall forfeit one thousand dollars, for the first offence, and two thousand dollars for every subsequent one. Sec 15. All the pecuniary forfeitures incurred under this ordinance shall be and inure to the use of the Party for whose benefit the Writ of Habeas Corpus was issued, and shall be sued for and recovered with Costs, by the City Attorney, in the name of the , by information, and the amount when recovered, shall without any deduction, be paid to the parties entitled thereto. Sec 16. In any action or suit for any offence against the provisions of this ordinance, the Defendant or Defendants may plead the general issue, and give the special matter in evidence. [HC 5:191] Sec. 17. The recovery of said Penalties shall be no bar to a civil suit for damages. Sec. 18. The Municipal Court upon issuing a Writ of Habeas Corpus, may appoint any suitable Person to serve the same, other than the Marshall, and shall endorse the appointment on the back if said Writ. Sec 19. This ordinance to take effect, and be in force from and after its passage, any act heretofore to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding, Passed Novr. 14, 1842— Recorder— Joseph Smith Mayor—[”]
Many other bills were discussed on this and previous days. [HC 5:192] [p. [1420]]