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Letter from David S. Hollister, 8 January 1844

Source Note

David S. Hollister

4 June 1808–after 3 Oct. 1851. Merchant, steamboat owner, ship captain, speculator. Born in Middleburgh, Schoharie Co., New York. Son of Stephen Hollister and Anna Sprague. Moved to Newark, Licking Co., Ohio, ca. 1829. Married Mary Ann Wilson, Oct. 1831, ...

View Full Bio
, Letter,
New Orleans

Settled by French, 1717. Acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803. City, port of entry, and parish seat of justice. Population in 1840 about 100,000. Important trade center on Mississippi River. Branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established...

More Info
, Orleans Parish, LA, to JS,
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL, 8 Jan. 1843 [1844]; handwriting of
David S. Hollister

4 June 1808–after 3 Oct. 1851. Merchant, steamboat owner, ship captain, speculator. Born in Middleburgh, Schoharie Co., New York. Son of Stephen Hollister and Anna Sprague. Moved to Newark, Licking Co., Ohio, ca. 1829. Married Mary Ann Wilson, Oct. 1831, ...

View Full Bio
; three pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal stamp, postal notation, dockets, redactions, and notation.
Bifolium measuring 10 × 7⅞ inches (25 × 20 cm). The recto of the first leaf is ruled with twenty-seven horizontal lines printed in blue ink, now faded, and the verso of the first leaf and the recto of the second leaf are ruled with twenty-nine horizontal lines. An embossed logo for the paper mill “Southworth Co.” appears in the top left corner of the recto of the first leaf. The letter was inscribed in blue ink, trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer, the remnants of which are present on the recto of the second leaf. This leaf has a hole near the centerfold of the bifolium, likely created when the letter was opened, and there is also a tear at the bottom of the leaf. The document was later refolded for filing.
The letter was docketed by
William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

View Full Bio
, who served as scribe to JS from 1842 to 1844,
1

JS, Journal, 29 June 1842; “Clayton, William,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:718.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.

and by
Leo Hawkins

19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...

View Full Bio
, who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) from 1853 to 1859.
2

“Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

A notation was added by Andrew Jenson, who began working in the Church Historian’s Office in 1891 and served as assistant church historian from 1897 to 1941.
3

Jenson, Autobiography, 192, 389; Cannon, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891; Jenson, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891 and 19 Oct. 1897; Bitton and Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians, 47–52.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Jenson, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Jenson: Assistant Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938.

Cannon, George Q. Journals, 1855–1864, 1872–1901. CHL. CR 850 1.

Jenson, Andrew. Journals, 1864–1941. Andrew Jenson, Autobiography and Journals, 1864–1941. CHL.

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

The letter was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office circa 1904.
4

“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [2], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.


Comprehensive Works Cited

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

By 1973 this letter had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL).
5

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


The document’s early dockets and notation, its listing in a circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 29 June 1842; “Clayton, William,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:718.

    Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.

  2. [2]

    “Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  3. [3]

    Jenson, Autobiography, 192, 389; Cannon, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891; Jenson, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891 and 19 Oct. 1897; Bitton and Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians, 47–52.

    Jenson, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Jenson: Assistant Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938.

    Cannon, George Q. Journals, 1855–1864, 1872–1901. CHL. CR 850 1.

    Jenson, Andrew. Journals, 1864–1941. Andrew Jenson, Autobiography and Journals, 1864–1941. CHL.

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

  4. [4]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [2], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

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

  5. [5]

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

Historical Introduction

On 8 January 1844,
David S. Hollister

4 June 1808–after 3 Oct. 1851. Merchant, steamboat owner, ship captain, speculator. Born in Middleburgh, Schoharie Co., New York. Son of Stephen Hollister and Anna Sprague. Moved to Newark, Licking Co., Ohio, ca. 1829. Married Mary Ann Wilson, Oct. 1831, ...

View Full Bio
wrote a letter from
New Orleans

Settled by French, 1717. Acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803. City, port of entry, and parish seat of justice. Population in 1840 about 100,000. Important trade center on Mississippi River. Branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established...

More Info
to JS in
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Illinois, explaining recent difficulties with
Dan Jones

4 Aug. 1811–6 Jan. 1862. Steamboat owner and captain, farmer, mayor. Born in Flintshire, Wales. Son of Thomas Jones and Ruth. Married Jane Melling, 3 Jan. 1837, in Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales. Immigrated to U.S., ca. 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois...

View Full Bio
regarding the steamboat Maid of Iowa. JS and Jones, who was the boat’s captain, became co-owners of the vessel in June 1843.
1

See JS, Journal, 12 May and 2 June 1843; and Clayton, Journal, 10 May and 2–3 June 1843. Apparently, JS and Jones made their agreement in May 1843 and finalized it the next month. Within weeks of the agreement between JS and Jones and before it was finalized, James Adams deeded land to JS in exchange for half of JS’s half interest in the boat. (See Historical Introduction to Letter and Pay Order to Lucian Adams, 2 Oct. 1843.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

The following month, JS deeded his share of the boat to his wife
Emma Smith

10 July 1804–30 Apr. 1879. Scribe, editor, boardinghouse operator, clothier. Born at Willingborough Township (later in Harmony), Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania. Daughter of Isaac Hale and Elizabeth Lewis. Member of Methodist church at Harmony (later in Oakland...

View Full Bio
.
2

Clayton, Journal, 15 July 1843.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

The Maid of Iowa operated on the
Illinois River

Largest river in Illinois, formed from Fox and Des Plaines rivers in Wisconsin and Kankakee River in Indiana. Traverses about four hundred miles to empty into Mississippi River about twenty miles above junction with Missouri River. Flows southwest through...

More Info
in September and October 1843,
3

Clayton, Journal, 28 Sept.–5 Oct. 1843.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

but the river’s rising water level, which allowed larger vessels to travel the river, and the prejudice the Maid of Iowa faced because of its affiliation with the
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
led Jones to consider running the boat in Louisiana instead. There he would supposedly face little competition. By the time he arrived, however, others had already “secured the winter trade.” Frustrated in his design, Jones instead “took a load of Indian traffic” up the
Red River

Once major tributary of Mississippi River, rising at base of Rocky Mountains near present-day Santa Fe, New Mexico. Winds through rich prairies with red soil, lending river its color and name. Flows southeast from present-day New Mexico and through Texas ...

More Info
and “a load of cotton down to New Orleans.”
4

Jones, “Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith,” [22]; Letter from Erastus Derby, 9 Oct. 1843. The Red River originates in New Mexico and northern Texas and runs through northern Louisiana. Historically, it flowed into the Mississippi River. (See Lloyd, Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory, 163.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Dennis, Ronald D. “The Martyrdom of Joseph Smith and His Brother Hyrum.” BYU Studies 24 (Winter 1984): 78–109.

Lloyd, James T. Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory, and Disasters on the Western Waters, Containing the History of the First Application of Steam, as a Motive Power. . . . Cincinnati: James T. Lloyd, 1856.

This trip, which took place sometime between October and December 1843,
5

When Erastus Derby wrote JS on 9 October 1843, the Maid of Iowa was still on the Illinois River. By 25 December 1843, the boat had arrived in New Orleans. (Letter from Erastus Derby, 9 Oct. 1843; “Marine News,” Daily Picayune [New Orleans], 26 Dec. 1843, [3].)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Daily Picayune. New Orleans, LA. 1837–1914.

proved disastrous, as the Maid of Iowa was badly damaged. Meanwhile, in December 1843, JS and Emma Smith leased Emma’s interest in the ship to Hollister for one year in return for $600.
6

Lease to David S. Hollister, 2 Dec. 1843; see also Clayton, Journal, 2–3 Dec. 1843. JS may have decided to lease the boat to Hollister in response to a 9 October 1843 letter from Erastus Derby, in which Derby concluded that “thare are more debts against her than She can pay this fall, with the best of management that Brother Clayton knows some thing about.” Derby advised JS that “if you want to get your money out of this boat you must get it in different hands.” (Letter from Erastus Derby, 9 Oct. 1843.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

Soon after, Hollister set out to examine his new investment. Once he found the Maid of Iowa, he and Jones quarreled over the steamboat’s management, which apparently prompted both Jones and Hollister to write separate letters to JS on 8 January 1844.
7

Letter from Dan Jones, 8 Jan. 1844.


Hollister

4 June 1808–after 3 Oct. 1851. Merchant, steamboat owner, ship captain, speculator. Born in Middleburgh, Schoharie Co., New York. Son of Stephen Hollister and Anna Sprague. Moved to Newark, Licking Co., Ohio, ca. 1829. Married Mary Ann Wilson, Oct. 1831, ...

View Full Bio
’s letter to JS recounted his efforts to find the steamboat, which he finally did in
New Orleans

Settled by French, 1717. Acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803. City, port of entry, and parish seat of justice. Population in 1840 about 100,000. Important trade center on Mississippi River. Branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established...

More Info
. He noted the ship’s damaged condition and described the debt and legal entanglements that threatened the boat with insolvency. In addition, Hollister complained about the lack of cooperation from
Jones

4 Aug. 1811–6 Jan. 1862. Steamboat owner and captain, farmer, mayor. Born in Flintshire, Wales. Son of Thomas Jones and Ruth. Married Jane Melling, 3 Jan. 1837, in Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales. Immigrated to U.S., ca. 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois...

View Full Bio
and his wife,
Jane Melling Jones

Jan. 1819–24 Feb. 1861. Born at Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales. Daughter of John Melling and Anne. Married Dan Jones, 3 Jan. 1837, at Denbigh. Immigrated to U.S., ca. 1840. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, June 1844. Went with her ...

View Full Bio
, and explained the arrangements that he had made to try to save the boat from its mounting debts. Hollister closed his letter expressing his anxiousness to receive JS’s response.
The letter was postmarked from
New Orleans

Settled by French, 1717. Acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803. City, port of entry, and parish seat of justice. Population in 1840 about 100,000. Important trade center on Mississippi River. Branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established...

More Info
on 11 January. A docket on the letter by
William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

View Full Bio
, JS’s private clerk, indicates that the letter was received in JS’s
office

Term usually applied to JS’s private office, which was located at various places during JS’s lifetime, including his home. From fall 1840 until completion of JS’s brick store, office was located on second floor of a new building, possibly on Water Street ...

More Info
. There is no known response from JS.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See JS, Journal, 12 May and 2 June 1843; and Clayton, Journal, 10 May and 2–3 June 1843. Apparently, JS and Jones made their agreement in May 1843 and finalized it the next month. Within weeks of the agreement between JS and Jones and before it was finalized, James Adams deeded land to JS in exchange for half of JS’s half interest in the boat. (See Historical Introduction to Letter and Pay Order to Lucian Adams, 2 Oct. 1843.)

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

  2. [2]

    Clayton, Journal, 15 July 1843.

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

  3. [3]

    Clayton, Journal, 28 Sept.–5 Oct. 1843.

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

  4. [4]

    Jones, “Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith,” [22]; Letter from Erastus Derby, 9 Oct. 1843. The Red River originates in New Mexico and northern Texas and runs through northern Louisiana. Historically, it flowed into the Mississippi River. (See Lloyd, Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory, 163.)

    Dennis, Ronald D. “The Martyrdom of Joseph Smith and His Brother Hyrum.” BYU Studies 24 (Winter 1984): 78–109.

    Lloyd, James T. Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory, and Disasters on the Western Waters, Containing the History of the First Application of Steam, as a Motive Power. . . . Cincinnati: James T. Lloyd, 1856.

  5. [5]

    When Erastus Derby wrote JS on 9 October 1843, the Maid of Iowa was still on the Illinois River. By 25 December 1843, the boat had arrived in New Orleans. (Letter from Erastus Derby, 9 Oct. 1843; “Marine News,” Daily Picayune [New Orleans], 26 Dec. 1843, [3].)

    Daily Picayune. New Orleans, LA. 1837–1914.

  6. [6]

    Lease to David S. Hollister, 2 Dec. 1843; see also Clayton, Journal, 2–3 Dec. 1843. JS may have decided to lease the boat to Hollister in response to a 9 October 1843 letter from Erastus Derby, in which Derby concluded that “thare are more debts against her than She can pay this fall, with the best of management that Brother Clayton knows some thing about.” Derby advised JS that “if you want to get your money out of this boat you must get it in different hands.” (Letter from Erastus Derby, 9 Oct. 1843.)

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

  7. [7]

    Letter from Dan Jones, 8 Jan. 1844.

Page [4]

<​25​>

Postage in unidentified handwriting.


<​
NEW ORLEANS

Settled by French, 1717. Acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803. City, port of entry, and parish seat of justice. Population in 1840 about 100,000. Important trade center on Mississippi River. Branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established...

More Info
La. JAN 11​>

Circular postmark stamped in blue ink.


President Joseph Smith
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
Hancock Co
Illinois [p. [4]]
View entire transcript

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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [4]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from David S. Hollister, 8 January 1844
ID #
966
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Unidentified
  • Printed text
  • David S. Hollister

Footnotes

  1. new scribe logo

    Postage in unidentified handwriting.

  2. new scribe logo

    Circular postmark stamped in blue ink.

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