JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, , and Jonathan Grimshaw; 392 pages, plus 11 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fifth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fifth volume covers the period from 1 July 1843 to 30 Apr. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, constitutes the fifth 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 July 1843 to 30 April 1844, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in the mid-1850s.
The material recorded in volume E-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the history and creating a set of draft notes that Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks.
Robert L. Campbell, a recently returned missionary and member of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed ’s notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). The Church Historian’s Office journal entry for 2 May 1855 pinpoints the beginning of his work: “R. L. C. on Book D forenoon, afternoon began book E.” Campbell’s work on the volume apparently concluded on 5 April 1856; entries in the Historian’s Office journal indicate that he then moved on to other assignments while another clerk, Jonathan Grimshaw, began work on volume F-1, the last manuscript in the series. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855; 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.)
Volume E-1 contains 391 pages of primary text and 11 pages of addenda. The initial entry on page 1637 is a continuation of the 1 July 1843 entry that closed volume D-1. The final entry in volume E-1 is for 30 April 1844.
The 391 pages of volume E-1 document a crucial period of JS’s life and the history of the church. Important events recorded here include
• An account of JS’s 2 July 1843 meeting with several Pottawatamie chiefs.
• JS’s 4 July 1843 address regarding his recent arrest, the Legion, and Mormon voting practices.
• JS’s 12 July 1843 dictation of a revelation regarding eternal marriage, including the plurality of wives, in the presence of and .
• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of and revocation of his priesthood license.
• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by .
• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of ’s appointment to a mission to Russia.
• Minutes of a 6–9 October 1843 general conference inserted under the date of 9 October at which pled his case in regard to his 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment and was permitted to continue as counselor in the First Presidency.
• Text of JS’s appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of , inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.
• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by .
• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the .
The Mayor said to the Police; ‘On conditions <I have had no> private conversation with any of you, rise up and change the breech of your guns upwards’, when all arose and changed the position of their guns as indicated.
Counselor considered the matter very alarming when he heard it,— he referred to Dr. and John Carl’s treachery and false swearing in and rehearsed what was said by the Mayor to the Police in the former Council. [HC 6:163]
The Mayor said;
‘The reason why I made the remarks I did, was on account of the reports brought from Missouri Jail by — that my enemies were determined to get me into their power and take my life in order to <and thereby thought they would> accomplish the overthrow of Mormonism, and to enable them to effect this they had secured the services of some of my most confidential friends whom I did not suspect, and who were living in , to deliver me into their hands, so that they might organize <their religious> organize <organizations> upon their old principles <might stand,> for they feared that the Mormonism would destroy their present religious creeds, organizations and orthodox systems. They did not design to try me, but hang me,— or take my life anyhow— that they had a man in our midst who would fix me out, if they could not get me into their power without.’
He then referred to his remarks at the previous Council.
Minutes of last Council being called for, were then read.
Eli Norton sworn.
Question. By the Mayor— Did say, I had administered a private oath? Norton, No! Did not say much about , did not say you had ever administered any private oath, never intimated to me that must be put out of the way,— did not call ’s name nor any other name— did not say, the policemen had received a private oath— understood to say they had received private instructions, and if a man could not keep a secret he was not worthy of a place in the church— did not say the Mayor had given him a private charge,— did not tell where the danger was expected to come from, told me there were dough heads about— did not say the doughheads were in danger, but the Mayor was in danger from the doughheads.
Question by . Did you not understand from that he was suspicious of some person near Joseph being a doughhead and that that person was myself?
Answer. He mentioned a doughhead as being very near Joseph and he guessed you was the man, and I thought it might be that Danites <Daniteism> was not done with.
Mayor. Tell what you know that made you so alarmed about .
Answer. There was no chain to the conversation but I drew the inference that was the doughhead from ’s conversation; but did not name .
was sworn said.
‘I told brother Norton that certain men had been counselled by the Prophet to invest their means in the publishing the new Translation of the Bible, and they instead of obeying that Counsel, had used their [p. 1852]