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Letter from David S. Hollister, 9 May 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,
Baltimore

City located on north side of Patapsco River about forty miles northeast of Washington DC. Laid out as town, 1729. Received city charter, 1797. Population in 1830 about 80,600. Population in 1840 about 102,300. David S. Hollister wrote to JS from Baltimore...

More Info
, Baltimore Co., MD, 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, 9 May 1844; handwriting and signature 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, docket, and use marks.
Bifolium measuring 9¾ × 7⅞ inches (25 × 20 cm). The pages are ruled with twenty-six horizontal lines printed in black ink. The letter was inscribed on the first three pages. The document was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed. Opening the letter resulted in some loss of text. The letter was later refolded for filing.
The document was docketed by
Thomas Bullock

23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...

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, who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865.
1

Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.


Comprehensive Works Cited

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

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

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...

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, who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) from 1853 to 1859, copied portions of the letter into the manuscript history of the church in 1856.
2

“Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497; JS History, vol. F-1, 62–63.


Comprehensive Works Cited

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

It was also listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office circa 1904.
3

“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [4], 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 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL).
4

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


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

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.

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

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  2. [2]

    “Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497; JS History, vol. F-1, 62–63.

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

  3. [3]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [4], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

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

  4. [4]

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

Historical Introduction

On 9 May 1844,
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
member
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
Baltimore

City located on north side of Patapsco River about forty miles northeast of Washington DC. Laid out as town, 1729. Received city charter, 1797. Population in 1830 about 80,600. Population in 1840 about 102,300. David S. Hollister wrote to JS from Baltimore...

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, reporting on his mission to the eastern city. At a 23 April meeting in the room above
JS’s store

Located in lower portion of Nauvoo (the flats) along bank of Mississippi River. Completed 1841. Opened for business, 5 Jan. 1842. Owned by JS, but managed mostly by others, after 1842. First floor housed JS’s general store and counting room, where tithing...

More Info
, Nauvoo residents had selected Hollister as one of the city’s delegates to both the Whig and Democratic conventions, which were to be held in Baltimore in May. They also selected
Orson Hyde

8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...

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,
Orson Pratt

19 Sept. 1811–3 Oct. 1881. Farmer, writer, teacher, merchant, surveyor, editor, publisher. Born at Hartford, Washington Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Moved to New Lebanon, Columbia Co., New York, 1814; to Canaan, Columbia Co., fall...

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, and
John E. Page

25 Feb. 1799–14 Oct. 1867. Born at Trenton, Oneida Co., New York. Son of Ebenezer Page and Rachel Hill. Married first Betsey Thompson, 1831, in Huron Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Emer Harris, 18 Aug. 1833, at Brownhelm...

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to serve as delegates.
1

JS, Journal, 23 Apr. 1844; Clayton, Journal, 23 Apr. 1844.


Comprehensive Works Cited

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

Both Hyde and Pratt were already in
Washington DC

Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...

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presenting a petition to Congress and a memorial to Congress and President
John Tyler

29 Mar. 1790–18 Jan. 1862. Lawyer, politician. Born on Greenway Plantation, Charles City Co., Virginia. Son of John Tyler and Mary Armistead. Attended College of William and Mary. Following graduation, returned to Greenway, 1807. Served as Virginia state ...

View Full Bio
.
2

Historical Introduction to Authorization for Orson Pratt, 12 Mar. 1844; JS, Journal, 31 Mar. 1844.


Page had been in Washington earlier that year as a missionary but had returned to
Pittsburgh

Also spelled Pittsbourg, Pittsbourgh, and Pittsburg. Major industrial port city in southwestern Pennsylvania. Near location where Monongahela and Allegheny rivers converge to form Ohio River. French established Fort Du Quesne, 1754. British captured fort,...

More Info
to attend to his wife, who was ill.
3

Letter from Orson Hyde, 25 Apr. 1844; Letter from John E. Page, 16 Apr. 1844.


The precise role the delegates were to play at the conventions is unclear.
John Taylor

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...

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reported that they were to “make overtures” to those attending the convention, which may have included efforts to persuade one of the parties to nominate JS for president or to enlist support among individual delegates for his nomination. However, “making overtures” may also have meant that the delegates from Nauvoo were authorized to offer political endorsements to candidates or parties—thereby effectively pledging the votes of church members in the
United States

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

More Info
—in exchange for support of the ongoing efforts to obtain redress for church members’ lost property in
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

More Info
.
4

“Public Meeting,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 24 Apr. 1844, [2].


Comprehensive Works Cited

Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

Hollister departed Nauvoo by 28 April and arrived in Baltimore on 4 May, two days after the Whig national nominating convention concluded.
5

Hollister stated in his letter to JS that he preached a sermon aboard a steamboat on a Sunday. Between his selection as a delegate in Nauvoo on 23 April and his arrival in Baltimore on 4 May, there was only one Sunday: 28 April.


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 9 May letter to JS described his journey to
Baltimore

City located on north side of Patapsco River about forty miles northeast of Washington DC. Laid out as town, 1729. Received city charter, 1797. Population in 1830 about 80,600. Population in 1840 about 102,300. David S. Hollister wrote to JS from Baltimore...

More Info
, the aftermath of the Whig Party’s nominating convention, and the prospects of the Democratic Party’s national nominating convention. He also shared information in the letter regarding the steamboat Maid of Iowa. Hollister began by describing his interactions with fellow travelers, which included a discourse he gave aboard a steamboat, and his denunciation of a false rumor then circulating in newspapers that JS had abandoned 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
.
6

On 23 April 1844, the St. Louis Republican falsely reported that JS “has turned his wife out of doors.” The claim appears to have been based on a 19 April steamboat trip to St. Louis that Emma Smith made without JS. The Boston Post reprinted the story on 6 May and then, on 16 May, published its own story refuting the rumor. (Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 178.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Newell, Linda King and Valeen Tippetts Avery. Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, Prophet’s Wife, “Elect Lady,” Polygamy’s Foe, 1804–1879. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1984.

Hollister also commented on the loss of items from the Maid of Iowa, which he had leased from JS and Emma in December 1843.
7

Lease to David S. Hollister, 2 Dec. 1843.


Following that transaction, Hollister experienced difficulties with the boat’s co-owner and captain,
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
, exacerbated by the fact that there were several outstanding debts on the boat.
8

Letter from David S. Hollister, 8 Jan. 1844; Letter from Dan Jones, 8 Jan. 1844. In January 1844, a sheriff in New Orleans detained the vessel until unpaid debts, previously contracted in St. Louis, were paid. (See Enders, “Steamboat Maid of Iowa,” 331–335; and Letter from John Cowan, 23 Jan. 1844.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Enders, Donald L. “The Steamboat Maid of Iowa: Mormon Mistress of the Mississippi.” BYU Studies 19, no. 3 (Spring 1979): 321–335.

Finally, Hollister described to JS the atmosphere in Baltimore due to the conventions of the two major political parties.
Postal markings on the letter indicate that
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
mailed it to JS from
Baltimore

City located on north side of Patapsco River about forty miles northeast of Washington DC. Laid out as town, 1729. Received city charter, 1797. Population in 1830 about 80,600. Population in 1840 about 102,300. David S. Hollister wrote to JS from Baltimore...

More Info
on 11 May. Mail from that part of the
United States

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

More Info
typically arrived 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
within three or four weeks.
9

Letters from Washington DC typically arrived in Nauvoo in three or four weeks. The trip from Baltimore to Washington DC could be made in one day. (See Letter from Orson Hyde, 30 Apr. 1844.)


JS presumably received the letter sometime in late May or early June. There is no known reply from JS.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 23 Apr. 1844; Clayton, Journal, 23 Apr. 1844.

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

  2. [2]

    Historical Introduction to Authorization for Orson Pratt, 12 Mar. 1844; JS, Journal, 31 Mar. 1844.

  3. [3]

    Letter from Orson Hyde, 25 Apr. 1844; Letter from John E. Page, 16 Apr. 1844.

  4. [4]

    “Public Meeting,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 24 Apr. 1844, [2].

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  5. [5]

    Hollister stated in his letter to JS that he preached a sermon aboard a steamboat on a Sunday. Between his selection as a delegate in Nauvoo on 23 April and his arrival in Baltimore on 4 May, there was only one Sunday: 28 April.

  6. [6]

    On 23 April 1844, the St. Louis Republican falsely reported that JS “has turned his wife out of doors.” The claim appears to have been based on a 19 April steamboat trip to St. Louis that Emma Smith made without JS. The Boston Post reprinted the story on 6 May and then, on 16 May, published its own story refuting the rumor. (Newell and Avery, Mormon Enigma, 178.)

    Newell, Linda King and Valeen Tippetts Avery. Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, Prophet’s Wife, “Elect Lady,” Polygamy’s Foe, 1804–1879. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1984.

  7. [7]

    Lease to David S. Hollister, 2 Dec. 1843.

  8. [8]

    Letter from David S. Hollister, 8 Jan. 1844; Letter from Dan Jones, 8 Jan. 1844. In January 1844, a sheriff in New Orleans detained the vessel until unpaid debts, previously contracted in St. Louis, were paid. (See Enders, “Steamboat Maid of Iowa,” 331–335; and Letter from John Cowan, 23 Jan. 1844.)

    Enders, Donald L. “The Steamboat Maid of Iowa: Mormon Mistress of the Mississippi.” BYU Studies 19, no. 3 (Spring 1979): 321–335.

  9. [9]

    Letters from Washington DC typically arrived in Nauvoo in three or four weeks. The trip from Baltimore to Washington DC could be made in one day. (See Letter from Orson Hyde, 30 Apr. 1844.)

Page [1]

Baltimore

City located on north side of Patapsco River about forty miles northeast of Washington DC. Laid out as town, 1729. Received city charter, 1797. Population in 1830 about 80,600. Population in 1840 about 102,300. David S. Hollister wrote to JS from Baltimore...

More Info
May 9th 1844
Dear Brother Joseph
From the time of my departure <​to​> that of my arival here on Saturday last
1

4 May 1844.


I was blessed with prosperity The feelings manifested by the passenge[rs] on the Boat to
St Louis

Located on west side of Mississippi River about fifteen miles south of confluence with Missouri River. Founded as fur-trading post by French settlers, 1764. Incorporated as town, 1809. First Mississippi steamboat docked by town, 1817. Incorporated as city...

More Info
were quite favourable. at
St Louis

Located on west side of Mississippi River about fifteen miles south of confluence with Missouri River. Founded as fur-trading post by French settlers, 1764. Incorporated as town, 1809. First Mississippi steamboat docked by town, 1817. Incorporated as city...

More Info
I embarked on bord the Steamer Vally Forge
2

The steamboat Valley Forge, completed in Pittsburgh in 1839, was the first iron steamboat built in the United States. (“Iron Steam-Boat,” Alton [IL] Telegraph, 14 Mar. 1840, [2]; Hunter, Steamboats on the Western Rivers, 114–115.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Alton Telegraph and Democratic Review. Alton, IL. 1841–1850.

Hunter, Louis C. Steamboats on the Western Rivers: An Economic and Technological History. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1949.

with about 125 cabin passengers I gradually introduced myself to those whose faces gave indication of honest hearts and inteligent minds: on Sunday
3

28 April 1844.


I was invited to give in a publick discourse <​the​> points of difference betwen the faith of the
Latter day Saints

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
and other proffissors [professors] of the Christian religion. There was a methodist preacher on board with whome arangements was made to follow me and blow Mormonism to the four winds. well I led off in a discourse of an hour and a half, after dinner the Methodist tride [tried] to rally their preacher but he could not be induced to under take the fulfilment of <​his​> engagemint I spent <​the time​> in convirsing with groop of enquirers and giving further information to those who saught it. after tea the Methodist Priest was by mutch pursuation [persuasion] induced to preach but to the astonishment of all he never once mentioned Mormonism by the by we had a beautiful Specimen of
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

More Info
treatment on <​to​> the Saints on bord: whil[e] I was speaking I refered to the many false Statements which found thier way to the public th[r]ough the papers, a case in point was that of Joseph Smith having just discarded his
wife

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
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from David S. Hollister, 9 May 1844
ID #
1352
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • David S. Hollister

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    4 May 1844.

  2. [2]

    The steamboat Valley Forge, completed in Pittsburgh in 1839, was the first iron steamboat built in the United States. (“Iron Steam-Boat,” Alton [IL] Telegraph, 14 Mar. 1840, [2]; Hunter, Steamboats on the Western Rivers, 114–115.)

    Alton Telegraph and Democratic Review. Alton, IL. 1841–1850.

    Hunter, Louis C. Steamboats on the Western Rivers: An Economic and Technological History. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1949.

  3. [3]

    28 April 1844.

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