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Letter from Elias Higbee, 9 March 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?], 9 Mar. 1840. Featured version copied [between Apr. and June 1840] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 104–105; 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 9 March 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 JS a letter 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 sixth in a series of letters apprising JS of the actions 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 for redress to Congress.
1

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


In this letter, Higbee reported that the Senate had not yet reviewed the committee’s report and its recommendation that the Senate no longer consider the memorial. He also updated JS on the whereabouts of various church members then traveling in the eastern
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 ...

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, including several members of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...

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who were preparing to serve their mission in
England

Island nation consisting of southern portion of Great Britain and surrounding smaller islands. Bounded on north by Scotland and on west by Wales. Became province of Roman Empire, first century. Ruled by Romans, through 447. Ruled by Picts, Scots, and Saxons...

More Info
.
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 ...

View Full Bio
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. 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.
2

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]

    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, 9 March 1840 Letterbook 2 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 105

offence towards God in this matter—
14

See Acts 24:16.


The subscription of which the Report makes mention— was on condition, they could not lawfully do any thing for us—
15

“The subscription” refers to the resolution in the report of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. (Report of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 4 Mar. 1840.)


After examination we were to submit and wait untill the great disposer of human events, shall adjust these things, in that place where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest—
16

See Job 3:17.


(This I think is nearly the sentiment, though perhaps not the very worlds words). And I for one hope and pray, the time will soon come, when they will not trouble us in the West as they have hitherto done— There is a man here, <​who​> owns two printing presses, and much Type, reading our Books, (on whom I occasionally call), I will, with the assistance of God, get to come to the West as soon as possible with his press, that you may set him to printing the truth— He told me if we had any printing to do, he would do it cheap; and even go to the West if necessary—
17

In a subsequent letter, Higbee identified the printer mentioned here as William Green. In response to Parley P. Pratt’s request to print the Book of Mormon and other church publications in New York, Hyrum Smith urged Pratt to send to the Commerce area any printers willing to settle there so that the First Presidency could supervise the printing. (Letter from Elias Higbee, 24 Mar. 1840; Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 22 Nov. 1839; Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Parley P. Pratt, New York City, NY, 22 Dec. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 80–81.)


Give my respects to
P. [Orrin Porter] Rockwell

June 1814–9 June 1878. Ferry operator, herdsman, farmer. Born in Belchertown, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Orin Rockwell and Sarah Witt. Moved to Farmington (later in Manchester), Ontario Co., New York, 1817. Neighbor to JS. Baptized into Church of...

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,
Dr. [Robert D.] Foster

14 Mar. 1811–1 Feb. 1878. Justice of the peace, physician, land speculator. Born in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. Son of John Foster and Jane Knibb. Married Sarah Phinney, 18 July 1837, at Medina Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of ...

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and also all the household of faith
18

Rockwell and Foster were part of the group that traveled to the eastern United States with JS, Rigdon, and Higbee. (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 29 Oct. 1839, 66; Historical Introduction to Letter of Introduction from Sidney Rigdon, 9 Nov. 1839.)


E. H.

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 ...

View Full Bio
[p. 105]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 105

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Elias Higbee, 9 March 1840
ID #
525
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D7:223–225
Handwriting on This Page
  • Howard Coray

Footnotes

  1. [14]

    See Acts 24:16.

  2. [15]

    “The subscription” refers to the resolution in the report of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. (Report of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 4 Mar. 1840.)

  3. [16]

    See Job 3:17.

  4. [17]

    In a subsequent letter, Higbee identified the printer mentioned here as William Green. In response to Parley P. Pratt’s request to print the Book of Mormon and other church publications in New York, Hyrum Smith urged Pratt to send to the Commerce area any printers willing to settle there so that the First Presidency could supervise the printing. (Letter from Elias Higbee, 24 Mar. 1840; Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 22 Nov. 1839; Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Parley P. Pratt, New York City, NY, 22 Dec. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 80–81.)

  5. [18]

    Rockwell and Foster were part of the group that traveled to the eastern United States with JS, Rigdon, and Higbee. (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 29 Oct. 1839, 66; Historical Introduction to Letter of Introduction from Sidney Rigdon, 9 Nov. 1839.)

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