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Letter from Abraham C. Hodge and Springfield, Illinois, Branch, 25 January 1842

Source Note

and , IL, branch, Letter, , Sangamon Co., IL, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 25 Jan. 1842; handwriting presumably of ; two pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal stamps, postal notation, docket, and notation.
Bifolium measuring 12⅝ × 7⅝ inches (32 × 19 cm). The letter was inscribed on the recto and verso of the first leaf; the recto of the second leaf is blank. The bifolium was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, sealed with a red adhesive wafer—remnants of which are on the recto and verso of the second leaf—and postmarked. At some point the letter was folded again for filing.
The document was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from December 1841 until JS’s death in June 1844 and served as church historian from December 1842 until his own death in March 1854. The notation “Copied by A.J.” was apparently added by a clerk or secretary for Andrew Jenson, who served as assistant church historian from 1897 to 1941. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early docket and notation as well as its inclusion in the JS Collection by 1973 indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

  2. [2]

    Bitton and Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians, 48–55.

    Bitton, David, and Leonard J. Arrington. Mormons and Their Historians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1988.

  3. [3]

    See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.

Historical Introduction

On 25 January 1842 , president of a meeting of members in , Illinois, wrote to JS reporting news of the Springfield ’s reorganization. According to the letter, after the Springfield was disbanded in 1841, the branch’s previous president—a “Br Mariam”—moved to , Illinois. In Mariam’s absence divisions about leadership arose in the branch, resulting in the meeting reported in Hodge’s letter. The letter, apparently written by meeting clerk , began with minutes of the meeting. The meeting made five resolutions, including the selection of prominent Springfield judge as the new branch president. The letter then informed JS of the difficulties that had required a reorganization of the church’s congregation in the state capital, reported the resolutions, and requested a letter of response as to whether JS approved of the meeting’s resolutions.
The letter was postmarked 31 January and would have taken only a few days to reach . Although and requested a response from JS, no reply has been located. Whether explicitly or implicitly, JS apparently approved ’s election as branch president, as Adams seems to have functioned as president of the branch until his death in August of the following year.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Possibly Amasa Mariam, who later lived in Nauvoo. (“Record of the Names of the Members . . . in the Spring of the Year 1842,” [54].)

    Sloan, James, and Willard Richards. “A Record of the Names of the Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Who Have Handed In Certificates, with the Names of the Persons, and Their Office, Who Gave Same, Also the Branch from Which They Came, and Date of Certificate.” Oct. 1841–Jan. 1846. In Far West and Nauvoo Elders’ Certificates, 1837–1838, 1840–1846, 1862. CHL.

  2. [2]

    “Obituary,” Times and Seasons, 1 Aug. 1843, 4:287.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

Page [2]

Sometime after the discontinuation of this , our President (Br Mariam) moved from this place to and took our Records with him, After he left there was some difficulties arose between the two Counselors who <​still​> remained, which was the cause of animosities and hard feelings in the Church to some extent, And as we considered <​it​> our privilege as well as our duty in our then unorganised situation that there should be something done in order to be unitet and receive the blessings of Heaven in as much as the Stake was discontinued and the President had left and taken the Records with him; the two Counselors being divided, and the members being dissatisfied with their holding the station which <​they​> pretended to hold; Under these circumstances we deemed it our duty to call the Church together and choose a leader to preside over us; And at our meeting <​was​> nominated for our president and unanimously chosen with the exception of one vote
The reasons of our ad[o]pting the fifth Resolution was because the list of the names of the members was taken with the Records
We shall expect an a[n]swer from you whether the above proceeings are legal or not
Yours in Brotherly love
. Clerk
By order of the
Clerk
President [p. [2]]
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Source Note

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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Abraham C. Hodge and Springfield, Illinois, Branch, 25 January 1842
ID #
753
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D9:117–119
Handwriting on This Page
  • Ralph J. Coats

Footnotes

  1. [2]

    These early Springfield, Illinois, stake and branch records have not been located.

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