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Letter from Jacob Scott, 14 December 1841

Source Note

Jacob Scott, Letter, [Appanoose Township, Hancock Co., IL], 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, 14 Dec. 1841; handwriting of Jacob Scott; one page; Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU. Includes address and archival marking.
Single leaf measuring 12¼ × 7⅝ inches (31 × 19 cm). The document was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. There is wafer residue on the verso of the leaf. Wear and moderate damage along the first horizontal fold resulted in some loss of text on the recto and the separation of the top portion of the document from the rest of the sheet. Two small holes on a vertical fold also resulted in the loss of some text.
This document, along with many other personal and institutional documents that
Newel K. Whitney

3/5 Feb. 1795–23 Sept. 1850. Trader, merchant. Born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Moved to Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York, 1803. Merchant at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for...

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kept, was inherited by Newel K. and
Elizabeth Ann Smith Whitney

26 Dec. 1800–15 Feb. 1882. Born at Derby, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Daughter of Gibson Smith and Polly Bradley. Moved to Ohio, 1819. Married Newel K. Whitney, 20 Oct. 1822, at Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio. Shortly after, joined reformed Baptist (later Disciples...

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’s daughter Mary Jane Whitney, who was married to Isaac Groo. The documents were passed down within the Groo family. Between 1969 and 1974 the Groo family donated their collection of Newel K. Whitney’s papers to the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University.
1

Andrus and Fuller, Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 24.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Andrus, Hyrum L., and Chris Fuller, comp. Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers. Provo, UT: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, 1978.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Andrus and Fuller, Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 24.

    Andrus, Hyrum L., and Chris Fuller, comp. Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers. Provo, UT: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, 1978.

Historical Introduction

On 14 December 1841 Jacob Scott wrote 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, requesting that JS visit him at his home, which was in Appanoose Township, five miles northeast of Nauvoo.
1

Scott owned thirty acres of Section 20 in Township 7 North, Range 8 West. (Jacob Scott to “My Dear Children,” 24 Mar. 1842, typescript, CCLA; Hancock Co., IL, Deed Records, 1817–1917, vol. L, pp. 306–307, 10 July 1841, microfilm 954,599, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

In addition, Scott requested that JS repay him for a loan he had given him and sought to repair an unidentified rift in his relationship with JS. The difficulty between JS and Scott may have begun on 1 April 1839, when Scott wrote a letter to JS and other
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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leaders incarcerated in
Liberty

Located in western Missouri, thirteen miles north of Independence. Settled 1820. Clay Co. seat, 1822. Incorporated as town, May 1829. Following expulsion from Jackson Co., 1833, many Latter-day Saints found refuge in Clay Co., with church leaders and other...

More Info
, Missouri.
Hyrum Smith

9 Feb. 1800–27 June 1844. Farmer, cooper. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Randolph, Orange Co., 1802; back to Tunbridge, before May 1803; to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, 1804; to Sharon, Windsor Co...

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described the letter as “Insolent and Saucy.”
2

Hyrum Smith, Diary, [16]. According to the index of JS Letterbook 2, this letter was copied on page 9 of that volume; that page is no longer in the letterbook. (See Index, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 472.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Smith, Hyrum. Diary, Mar.–Apr. 1839, Oct. 1840. CHL. MS 2945.

Three weeks later Scott was excommunicated, along with twenty-nine others, by a
council

A gathering of church leaders assembled “for consultation, deliberation and advice”; also a body responsible for governance or administration. As early as 9 February 1831, a revelation instructed that “the Elders & Bishop shall Council together & they shall...

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in
Far West

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

More Info
, Missouri.
3

Woodruff, Journal, 26 Apr. 1839.


Comprehensive Works Cited

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

Jacob Scott and his wife, Sarah Warnock Scott, moved to the
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
area in summer 1841.
4

Jacob Scott to “My Dear Children,” 24 Mar. 1842, typescript, CCLA.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

As of December 1841 Jacob Scott had not met with JS to discuss his standing in the church, although the family was not shunned in Nauvoo. For example, in August 1841 JS sent his apologies for not attending Sarah Scott’s funeral, explaining that one of his children was sick.
5

Jacob Scott to “My Dear Children,” 24 Mar. 1842, typescript, CCLA. JS’s son Don Carlos Smith died on 16 August 1841.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

This treatment corresponded with sentiments in a letter that church member
William Law

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

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wrote on 29 November 1840 to Isaac Russell, who had been excommunicated with Scott. According to Law, JS disapproved of the
Far West

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

More Info
excommunications “with much warmth and wishes you and the rest to appeal to the general assembly of the Church, you would be received here with open arms were you to come back.”
6

William Law, Nauvoo, IL, to Isaac Russell, Far West, MO, 29 Nov. 1840, Isaac Russell, Correspondence, CHL.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Russell, Isaac. Correspondence, 1837–1840. CHL. MS 6066.

Whether Scott was aware of such assurances is unknown, but in his letter to JS on 14 December, Scott wrote that he was deathly ill and entreated JS to visit him so they could be reconciled before he died.
The letter has no postal markings. Because the post office closest to Scott was 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
, the letter was presumably hand delivered. After JS received the letter, he and
Law

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

View Full Bio
visited Scott.
7

Jacob Scott to Mary Warnock, 28 Feb.–13 Mar. 1843, typescript, CCLA.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

On 24 March 1842 Scott wrote his children: “Joseph and I are now reconciled to each other. He has been out to see me this winter and appeared very friendly. He has paid me part of what he owed me and has promised me more.”
8

Jacob Scott to “My Dear Children,” 24 Mar. 1842, typescript, CCLA.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Scott owned thirty acres of Section 20 in Township 7 North, Range 8 West. (Jacob Scott to “My Dear Children,” 24 Mar. 1842, typescript, CCLA; Hancock Co., IL, Deed Records, 1817–1917, vol. L, pp. 306–307, 10 July 1841, microfilm 954,599, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)

    Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

    U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

  2. [2]

    Hyrum Smith, Diary, [16]. According to the index of JS Letterbook 2, this letter was copied on page 9 of that volume; that page is no longer in the letterbook. (See Index, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 472.)

    Smith, Hyrum. Diary, Mar.–Apr. 1839, Oct. 1840. CHL. MS 2945.

  3. [3]

    Woodruff, Journal, 26 Apr. 1839.

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

  4. [4]

    Jacob Scott to “My Dear Children,” 24 Mar. 1842, typescript, CCLA.

    Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

  5. [5]

    Jacob Scott to “My Dear Children,” 24 Mar. 1842, typescript, CCLA. JS’s son Don Carlos Smith died on 16 August 1841.

    Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

  6. [6]

    William Law, Nauvoo, IL, to Isaac Russell, Far West, MO, 29 Nov. 1840, Isaac Russell, Correspondence, CHL.

    Russell, Isaac. Correspondence, 1837–1840. CHL. MS 6066.

  7. [7]

    Jacob Scott to Mary Warnock, 28 Feb.–13 Mar. 1843, typescript, CCLA.

    Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

  8. [8]

    Jacob Scott to “My Dear Children,” 24 Mar. 1842, typescript, CCLA.

    Hanson, Paul M. Papers. CCLA.

Page [2]

 
Joseph Smith Esqr
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
[p. [2]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Jacob Scott, 14 December 1841
ID #
725
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D9:26–28
Handwriting on This Page
  • Jacob Scott

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