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History, circa 1841, draft [Draft 3]

Page 53

Source Note

JS, History, [ca. 1841], draft; handwriting of ; 102 pages and one attached slip; CHL.
inscribed two copies of a new draft of JS’s history in about 1841. The earlier draft copy is the document transcribed herein. At the bottom of page 1 of the later fair copy is an inscription in the handwriting of Howard Coray identifying it as the second copy, and similar inscriptions are found on the last page of each bifolium of the fair copy. In addition to the draft copy and the fair copy, there is a four-page partial copy, also in the handwriting of Howard Coray, that corresponds to text on pages 13–16 of both the draft and fair copies.
The draft copy contains twenty-five bifolia (making one hundred pages) and a final loose leaf. Pages 1–92 measure from 12½ to 12⅝ inches high and 7⅝ inches across (32 × 19 cm); pages 93–102 measure 12 × 7⅝ inches (30 × 19 cm). The larger pages are lined with between thirty-four and thirty-eight blue horizontal lines, and the shorter pages contain thirty-eight blue horizontal lines; most of the ruling throughout the manuscript is now faint or completely faded. Page numbering appears at the top center of each page. Embossed in the upper left corner of the first recto side of many bifolia is a decorative star and “D & J. Ames Springfield”, the insignia of a Springfield, Massachusetts, paper mill firm established by brothers David and John Ames in 1828.
The draft was inscribed in ink that is now brown. It includes several graphite insertions in ’s handwriting. Quill and steel pens were used interchangeably for inscription. The paper is cream colored and yellowed at the edges, with some foxing. The first page and last page of the draft exhibit moderate wear. Ink was spilled on the gutter edge of the stacked manuscript, slightly staining many bifolia. At one time the manuscript was sewn together, as evidenced by a single needle hole in the upper left corner of each bifolium. A slip of paper containing a handwritten insertion was pinned to page 36. The lower left corner of the final leaf (page 101) was torn off, and it was subsequently reattached to the page with a straight pin.
Offsetting, a characteristic of iron gall ink corrosion, is present throughout the manuscript. The offsetting pattern indicates that at some point after the composition process, the bifolia were opened and laid flat on each other, then folded together to form temporary gatherings. The manuscript was put into three such groups, comprising pages 1–60, 61–92, and 93–100. The bifolia were subsequently reordered to create a normal pagination sequence. The purpose of these temporary gatherings is unknown. ’s fair copy of the history has an offsetting pattern comparable to the draft, though pages 9–20 and 81–88 bear sequential offsetting, meaning these pages were not overlaid as elsewhere. The fair copy ends after one hundred pages and does not include the material on pages 101–102 of the draft copy.
’s handwriting style varies throughout both the draft copy and the fair copy. The handwriting varies to such an extent that the manuscripts could be mistaken for the work of two scribes. However, evidence such as letter combinations, letter formation within words and lines of text, and consistent misspelling of specific words indicates that both manuscripts were inscribed entirely by Coray.
The draft copy was created from both dictation and copying. Evidence of dictation, including absence or excess of punctuation as originally inscribed (the latter possibly signaling pauses by the speaker) and misspellings indicative of misheard phonemes, is found on manuscript pages 1–8, 17–22, 27–28, 57–58, and 77–78. At other points in the manuscript, faithfully reproduced paragraph breaks and end-of-sentence blank spaces occurring in the large history volume (his source for the draft), suggesting that these portions of the draft were copied rather than dictated. Where the blank spaces signal breaks in the narrative, they have been transcribed herein as paragraph breaks.
At an unknown time, the draft and the fair copy were gathered with other papers, wrapped in brown paper, and tied with string. The other papers in the bundle included the “Book of Commandments and Revelations” (Revelation Book 1), notes on JS’s boyhood leg operation in the handwriting of , and historical material by , which was situated between the draft and the fair copy of ’s work. It is unclear how or why these different records became associated with each other. At some point, a cream-colored slip of paper measuring 3⅞ × 8 inches (5 × 20 cm) was attached to the bundle. The slip contains a note written in black and red ink by Historian’s Office clerk Robert L. Campbell and signed in red ink by : “Two copies of the first hundred pages of Dft. Mss. History of Joseph Smith[.] These hundred pages of History were written by me, under Joseph the Prophet’s dictation. Dr Miller helped me a little in writing the same. (Historians office, 1869.) H. Coray”. This note was taped over a penciled notation in the handwriting of Joseph Fielding Smith: “Book of Commandments MS Early history (H. Coray) MS”. Smith began working at the Church Historian’s Office in 1901. Other filing notations were made in the mid-1980s to identify and distinguish the various documents in the bundle.
The custodial history of ’s two copies of the 1838–circa 1841 history is uncertain between their creation and the 1846 Latter-day Saint exodus from , Illinois, though they likely remained in the possession of JS, his office staff, and subsequent church leadership. The Church Historian’s Office inventory from 1846 lists “Rough Book.— Revelation History &c.,” possibly referring to the grouping of Revelation Book 1, Coray’s draft and fair copy, and miscellaneous historical material. A “Ms. History of Jos. Smith (2 copies of the first 100 pages)” is listed with the manuscript “Book of Commandments and Revelations” in a Church Historian’s Office inventory from 1858. Both history copies were presumably among manuscript material in the possession of church historian and recorder Joseph Fielding Smith, who held that office from 1921 to 1970, since they became part of the First Presidency’s papers when Smith became president in 1970. Both copies of the history were then transferred, along with Revelation Book 1 and the other historical materials in the bundle, from the First Presidency’s office to the Church History Library in 2005.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    The four-page fragment contains a copy of Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3], and is housed in Revelations Collection, CHL. As explained later, the text in the draft copy and fair copy match page for page, so each page begins at the same point. The fragment is not a page-for-page copy, though the first and third pages begin at the same point as do pages 13 and 15 of the other two copies.

    The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God. Compiled by Joseph Smith. 2nd ed. Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1844. Selections also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).

  2. [2]

    Whiting, “Paper Making in New England,” 309; Gravell et al., American Watermarks, 235.

    Whiting, William. “Paper-Making in New England.” In The New England States: Their Constitutional, Judicial, Educational, Commercial, Professional and Industrial History, edited by William T. Davis, vol. 1, pp. 303–333. Boston: D. H. Hurd, 1897.

    Gravell, Thomas L., George Miller, and Elizabeth Walsh. American Watermarks: 1690–1835. 2nd ed. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2002.

  3. [3]

    Revelation Book 1 is reproduced in JSP, MRB:3–405. Portions of the Partridge materials were published in the 1839–1840 Times and Seasons series “A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints in Missouri,” reproduced in JSP, H2:206–229.

    JSP, MRB / Jensen, Robin Scott, Robert J. Woodford, and Steven C. Harper, eds. Manuscript Revelation Books. Facsimile edition. First volume of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2009.

    JSP, H2 / Davidson, Karen Lynn, Richard L. Jensen, and David J. Whittaker, eds. Histories, Volume 2: Assigned Historical Writings, 1831–1847. Vol. 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City, Church Historian’s Press, 2012.

  4. [4]

    “Schedule of Church Records. Nauvoo 1846,” [1], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  5. [5]

    “Contents of the Historian and Recorder’s Office. G. S. L. City July 1858,” [5], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  6. [6]

    A 1970 inventory confirms that material authored by Howard Coray was grouped with Revelation Book 1 and was in the possession of Joseph Fielding Smith later in his life. (“Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970, First Presidency, General Administration Files, CHL.)

    “Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970. First Presidency, General Administration Files, 1921–1972. CHL.

Historical Introduction

, a recent convert to Mormonism from Perry, Illinois, met JS while visiting in April 1840. In his autobiography, written in the early 1880s, Coray recalled the clerical work he undertook after meeting JS:
The Prophet, after looking at me a little and asking me some questions, wished to know whether it would be convenient for me to come to , and assist, or rather clerk for him. As this was what I desired, I engaged at once to do so; and, in about 2 weeks thereafter, I was busily employed in his office, copying a huge pile of letters into a book—correspondence with the Elders as well as other persons, that had been accumulating for some time. [. . .]
I finished the job of copying letters. I was then requested by bro. Joseph to undertake, in connection with , the compilation of the Church History. This I felt to decline, as writing books was something, in which I had had no experience. But bro. Joseph insisted on my undertaking it, saying, if I would do so, it would prove a blessing to me as long as I should live. His persuasive arguments prevailed; and accordingly in a short time, bro. Woolley and myself, were busily engaged in compiling the church history. The Prophet was to furnish all the materials; and our business, was not only to combine, and arrange in cronological order, but to spread out or amplify not a little, in as good historical style as may be. Bro. Woolley’s education, not being equal to mine, he was to get the matter furnished him in as good shape as he could; and my part was to go after him, and fix his up as well as I could, making such improvement and such corrections in his grammar and style as I might deem necessary. On seeing his work, I at once discovered, that I had no small job on my hands, as he knew nothing whatever of grammar; however, I concluded to make the best I could of a bad job, and thus went to work upsetting and recasting; as well a[s] casting out not a little. Seeing how his work was handled, he became considerably discouraged; and rather took offence at the way and manner in which I was doing things, and consequently soon withdrew from the business.
Immediately after left, I succeeded in obtaining the services of Dr. Miller, who had written for the press, and was considerably accustomed to this kind of business. Now I got on much better. I continued until we used up all the historical matter furnished us by the Prophet. And, as peculiar circumstances prevented his giving attention to his part of the business we of necessity discontinued our labors, and never resumed this kind of business again.
Although ’s copying work in JS’s 1838–1843 letterbook and other records has long been noted, no manuscript evidence of his work on JS’s history was located until 2005, when two manuscripts in Coray’s hand were identified among documents in the possession of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These two manuscripts consisted of a new draft (here designated Draft 3) of the material and had written in the first sixty-one pages in JS’s large history volume, and a fair copy that incorporated the revisions Coray made in his earlier draft.
However, ’s autobiographical recollection of his work on JS’s history does not seem to match the two manuscripts identified in 2005. Whereas the autobiography refers to “writing books” and to assembling in chronological order a “compilation” of “materials” furnished by JS, the two extant Coray manuscripts are lightly edited copies of work already drafted by and in a single original source. Furthermore, the existing manuscripts do not contain the handwriting of . In producing Draft 3, Coray made some editorial changes to the history, but his work could not be described as “writing books” and certainly not as a “compilation.” Coray’s autobiographical account of his work more likely refers to a different, probably earlier assignment for which no related document has been located. Perhaps the assignment given to Coray, Woolley, and “Dr. Miller” was to create rough draft notes comparable to the outline prepared by Mulholland in Draft 1 and those later prepared by and successors as work on the multivolume manuscript history continued. Coray indicated that work began on the compilation task in about December 1840 and terminated when they exhausted their supply of documents from JS.
In 1869 signed a statement that was later attached to the paper wrapper that enclosed his two drafts: “These hundred pages of History were written by me, under Joseph the Prophet’s dictation. Dr Miller helped me a little in writing the same. (Historians office, 1869).” If by “dictation” Coray meant that he transcribed as JS spoke, it seems more likely to be a description of JS’s involvement in the history draft presented here than of the role JS played in the compilation project Coray described in his autobiography. In the latter project, according to Coray, JS only supplied materials and gave general instructions. If the statement was accurate in that sense, it suggests that JS read aloud from Draft 2 in the large manuscript volume, directing editorial changes as he read. Several passages of Draft 3 contain evidence of dictation, but the history itself includes no indication of who was dictating the text.
’s history draft includes departures from the earlier drafts which, though minor, show an intention to refine the story by imposing certain editorial preferences. Coray deleted passages that seemed to be defensive, to plead the cause of the Saints, or to play on the reader’s sympathies—a list of grievances, for example, or complaints against individuals. The draft often softened wording about the persecution of JS, as can be seen in the omission of the first paragraph of Draft 2. Also, whereas the latter specifies that Methodists and Presbyterians treated JS and other Saints without respect, Coray’s draft avoided naming the denominations. Additionally, Draft 3 employs more moderate language in describing opposition to JS in , avoiding the word “mob” and glossing over accounts of violence. Many times narrative details that added verisimilitude to previous versions were deleted. For example, when Coray copied the section recounting ’s carrying a sample of Book of Mormon characters to , he omitted details such as Harris placing the certificate of authenticity from in his pocket, then retrieving it at Anthon’s request.
The document presented in this volume is the first of two manuscripts completed. This earlier draft shows the original creation as well as revisions Coray made before inscribing the second, cleaner copy. A four-page partial copy, corresponding to text on pages 13–16 of the draft and the fair copy, is also extant. The Coray manuscripts exhibit notable variations in handwriting style. A careful comparison of the style shifts, spelling idiosyncrasies, and letter formations, however, reveal that both the earlier draft and fair copy are entirely in Coray’s handwriting. His work is clearly based on Draft 2; Coray’s versions could not have been written before Draft 2 because he incorporated emendations made in the latter. The fair copy of Coray’s work includes few changes other than those Coray marked in his rough draft, and none are of a substantive nature.
For more information about the relationship between this draft and Drafts 1 and 2, see Introduction to Early Drafts of History, 1838–1856. Note that the transcript includes only annotation that relates to textual aspects of this draft; Draft 2 carries the historical annotation.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Coray, Reminiscences, 17, 19–20.

    Coray, Howard. Reminiscences, ca. 1883. BYU.

  2. [2]

    See Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 452–453, 463.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

  3. [3]

    Coray, Reminiscences, 19. In Coray’s account, he was assigned to the history after he completed an assignment to copy correspondence. The last two items in Coray’s handwriting found in JS’s letterbook were a 19 October 1840 letter and an undated letter most likely written in early December 1840. (JS Letterbook 2, pp. 188–196.)

    Coray, Howard. Reminiscences, ca. 1883. BYU.

    JS Letterbook 2 / Smith, Joseph. “Copies of Letters, &c. &c.,” 1839–1843. Joseph Smith Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155, box 2, fd. 2.

  4. [4]

    The identity of “Dr. Miller,” mentioned in this note and in Coray’s autobiography, is unknown. It is possible Coray misidentified the “doctor” who assisted in writing the history. (Coray, Reminiscences, 19.)

    Coray, Howard. Reminiscences, ca. 1883. BYU.

  5. [5]

    See Revelation, July 1828, in Revelations Collection, CHL [D&C 3]. The four-page fragment implements corrections made to both the draft and fair copies, but the punctuation more closely matches the latter. Unlike page endings in the fair copy, the page endings in the fragment do not match those of the draft copy.

    Revelations Collection, 1831–ca. 1844, 1847, 1861, ca. 1876. CHL. MS 4583.

  6. [6]

    Examples of emendations made in the large history volume that also appear in Coray’s adaptation include revisions regarding JS’s marriage to Emma Hale; Martin Harris’s explanation to Anthon that the plates were sealed and that he was forbidden to bring them, and Mulholland’s loose note, later pinned into the large history volume, giving JS’s description of the hill where the gold plates were obtained.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, April 1830–C [D&C 23:4] *Appendix 5: Testimony of Eight Witnesses, Late June 1829 *Appendix 4: Testimony of Three Witnesses, Late June 1829 *Revelation, October 1830–A [D&C 32] *Revelation, April 1829–A [D&C 6] *Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4] *Revelation, April 1830–A [D&C 23:1–2] *Revelation, June 1829–C [D&C 15] *Revelation, June 1829–E [D&C 17] *Revelation, April 1830–E [D&C 23:6–7] *Revelation, July 1830–C [D&C 25] *Revelation, June 1829–D [D&C 16] *Revelation, July 1830–B [D&C 26] *Revelation, March 1829 [D&C 5] *Revelation, May 1829–B [D&C 12] *Revelation, 6 April 1830 [D&C 21] *Revelation, September 1830–C [D&C 30:1–4] *Revelation, September 1830–D [D&C 30:5–8] *Revelation, September 1830–F [D&C 31] *Account of John, April 1829–C [D&C 7] *Revelation, April 1829–D [D&C 9] *Revelation, April 1830–B [D&C 23:3] *Revelation, 16 April 1830 [D&C 22] *Revelation, April 1830–D [D&C 23:5] *Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24] *Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18] *Revelation, May 1829–A [D&C 11] *Revelation, Spring 1829 [D&C 10] *Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3] *Revelation, circa Summer 1829 [D&C 19] *Revelation, September 1830–A [D&C 29] *Revelation, September 1830–E [D&C 30:9–11] *Revelation, April 1829–B [D&C 8] *Title Page of Book of Mormon, circa Early June 1829 *Revelation, circa August 1835 [D&C 27] *Revelation, June 1829–A [D&C 14] *Revelation, September 1830–B [D&C 28] *Revelation, circa August 1830 [D&C 27] *Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830 [D&C 20]

Page 13

stated, that the translation was <​more​> correct. more so than any he had before seen. translated from the Egytian. I then showed him those which were not translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldean, Assyric, &and Arabic, and that they were true characters.
He gave me a cirtificate. that they were true characters, and that the translation was correct.— I took the certificate and was leaving the house, when <​he​> called me back, and asked me how the Young man. ascertained that the gold plates, were in the place where he found them. I answered that an Angel of God had revealed it to him. He then said, let me see that certificate; I accordingly gave it to him; when he tore it in pieces. saying, there is now no such thing. as the ministering of Angles, and that if I would bring the plates to him. he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them.— He replied. “I cannot read a sealed book”.— I left him, and went to , who sanctioned, all that had said. respecting the characters & translations of the plates. having returned from his tour, went home to . and arranged his affairs, and returned again about the twelvth of April, 1828. and commenced writing, while I translated: which we continued, until the 14th of June; at having written. 216—pages of manuscript, on fools cap paper—
Sometime after began to write, for me he requested me to give him liberty. [p. 13]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
History, circa 1841, draft [Draft 3]
ID #
7090
Total Pages
103
Print Volume Location
JSP, H1:186–463
Handwriting on This Page
  • Howard Coray

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