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Letter from Elias Higbee, 22 February 1840

Source Note

Elias Higbee

23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...

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, Letter,
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 ...

More Info
, to JS, [
Commerce

Located near middle of western boundary of state, bordering Mississippi River. European Americans settled area, 1820s. From bank of river, several feet above high-water mark, ground described as nearly level for six or seven blocks before gradually sloping...

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL?], 22 Feb. 1840. Featured version copied [between Apr. and June 1840] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 111–115; handwriting of
Howard Coray

6 May 1817–16 Jan. 1908. Bookkeeper, clerk, teacher, farmer. Born in Dansville, Steuben Co., New York. Son of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens. Moved to Providence, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, ca. 1827; to Williams, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania, by 1830; and...

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; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 2.

Historical Introduction

On 22 February 1840,
Elias Higbee

23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...

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wrote a letter to JS from
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 ...

More Info
, the fourth in a series of seven extant letters written to inform JS of the proceedings of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which was considering 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...

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’s memorial.
1

See Historical Introduction to Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 Feb. 1840–A.


In this letter, Higbee continued to recount the testimonies given to the committee by Senator
Lewis F. Linn

5 Nov. 1795/1796–3 Oct. 1843. Physician, politician. Born near Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky. Son of Asahel Linn and Nancy Hunter. Served in War of 1812. Studied medicine in Louisville and Philadelphia. Established medical practice, 1816, in Sainte ...

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and Representative
John Jameson

6 Mar. 1802–24 Jan. 1857. Farmer, lawyer, politician. Born in Mount Sterling, Montgomery Co., Kentucky. Moved to Callaway Co., Missouri, 1825. Served in Missouri House of Representatives, 1830–1836, and served as Speaker of the House, 1834, 1836. Served in...

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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 ...

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(both of whom had also testified on 21 February), as well as that of a Mr. Corwin, whom Higbee described in this letter as a former newspaper editor from
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...

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. Higbee responded to Linn’s and Jameson’s respective testimonies—which depicted church members and JS negatively—and suggested that the church prepare several men to travel to Washington as witnesses if the committee decided that the church’s memorial should be considered in an additional investigation.
Higbee

23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...

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presumably sent this letter by post to
Commerce

Located near middle of western boundary of state, bordering Mississippi River. European Americans settled area, 1820s. From bank of river, several feet above high-water mark, ground described as nearly level for six or seven blocks before gradually sloping...

More Info
, Illinois, and JS presumably received it after he returned to Commerce by 29 February 1840.
2

John Smith, Journal, 1836–1840, 29 Feb. 1840, [58].


Comprehensive Works Cited

Smith, John (1781-1854). Journal, 1833–1841. John Smith, Papers, 1833-1854. CHL. MS 1326, box 1.

The original letter is not extant.
Howard Coray

6 May 1817–16 Jan. 1908. Bookkeeper, clerk, teacher, farmer. Born in Dansville, Steuben Co., New York. Son of Silas Coray and Mary Stephens. Moved to Providence, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, ca. 1827; to Williams, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania, by 1830; and...

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copied the version featured here into JS Letterbook 2 sometime between April and June 1840.
3

Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Historical Introduction to Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 Feb. 1840–A.

  2. [2]

    John Smith, Journal, 1836–1840, 29 Feb. 1840, [58].

    Smith, John (1781-1854). Journal, 1833–1841. John Smith, Papers, 1833-1854. CHL. MS 1326, box 1.

  3. [3]

    Coray, Autobiographical Sketch, 17, 19.

    Coray, Howard. Autobiographical Sketch, after 1883. Howard Coray, Papers, ca. 1840–1941. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2043, fd. 1.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from Elias Higbee, 22 February 1840 Letterbook 2 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 115

then observed that there was a minority in the Legislature,
25

Likely a reference to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, but possibly refers to the Missouri state legislature.


much in our favor, which seemed to please him, as they attended several times to it. The cause of my being so particular is to show you the whole ground I have taken in this matter, that there may be no inconsistency. If [I] have erred in this matter it is my head and not my heart
E. Higbee

23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...

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.
<​Note​> This letter should should have been inserted immediately af[ter] the letter of
Jud[g]e Higbee

23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...

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. dated Feb 21st. 1840 [p. 115]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 115

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Elias Higbee, 22 February 1840
ID #
517
Total Pages
5
Print Volume Location
JSP, D7:193–198
Handwriting on This Page
  • Howard Coray

Footnotes

  1. [25]

    Likely a reference to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, but possibly refers to the Missouri state legislature.

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