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Letter from James B. Nicholson, 25 January 1842

Source Note

James B. Nicholson

28 Jan. 1820–4 Mar. 1901. Bookbinder. Born in St. Louis. Son of John Nicholson and Eliza Lowry. Moved to Pittsburgh, ca. 1821. Moved to Philadelphia, by 1840. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 May 1840, in Philadelphia. Appointed...

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, Letter,
Philadelphia

Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...

More Info
, Philadelphia Co., PA, 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], 25 Jan. 1842; handwriting of
James B. Nicholson

28 Jan. 1820–4 Mar. 1901. Bookbinder. Born in St. Louis. Son of John Nicholson and Eliza Lowry. Moved to Pittsburgh, ca. 1821. Moved to Philadelphia, by 1840. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 May 1840, in Philadelphia. Appointed...

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; one page; Helen Vilate Bourne Fleming, Collection, CHL. Included enclosures (not extant); includes address, dockets, and notations.
Bifolium measuring 9¾ × 7⅝ inches (25 × 19 cm). When the bifolium is folded so that the letter appears on the recto of the first leaf, the address appears on the recto of the second leaf. The letter included an enclosure of twenty-eight dollars (not extant). The letter was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. The second leaf was torn when the letter was opened, and its verso contains wafer residue. It was later refolded for filing. Separations along the folds have been repaired.
After the letter was received, notations and two dockets were inscribed by
Willard Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

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, who served as JS’s scribe from December 1841 until JS’s death in June 1844 and served as church historian from December 1842 until his own death in March 1854.
1

JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].


Comprehensive Works Cited

Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

This letter was in a collection of papers held by Helen Vilate Bourne Fleming, a descendant of
Heber C.

14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...

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and
Vilate Murray Kimball

1 June 1806–22 Oct. 1867. Born in Florida, Montgomery Co., New York. Daughter of Roswell Murray and Susannah Fitch. Moved to Bloomfield, Ontario Co., New York, by 1810. Moved to Victor, Ontario Co., by 1820. Married Heber Chase Kimball, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon...

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. The collection was passed down to Fleming’s descendant Helen Marian Fleming Petersen. Shortly after Petersen’s death in February 1988, one of her children found this letter and other items in a box in her home. By December 1988 the materials had been donated to the Church Historical Department (now CHL).
2

See the full bibliographic entry for Helen Vilate Bourne Fleming, Collection, 1836–1963, in the CHL catalog.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

  2. [2]

    See the full bibliographic entry for Helen Vilate Bourne Fleming, Collection, 1836–1963, in the CHL catalog.

Historical Introduction

On 25 January 1842
James B. Nicholson

28 Jan. 1820–4 Mar. 1901. Bookbinder. Born in St. Louis. Son of John Nicholson and Eliza Lowry. Moved to Pittsburgh, ca. 1821. Moved to Philadelphia, by 1840. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 May 1840, in Philadelphia. Appointed...

View Full Bio
wrote to JS from
Philadelphia

Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...

More Info
, enclosing money to repay a debt. Members of the Philadelphia
branch

An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...

View Glossary
were sending the money as their final payment to
Leonard Soby

Ca. 1810–14 Dec. 1892. Tobacco merchant. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of David Soby. Married Helen. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by June 1840. Received elder’s license, 6 Dec. 1840...

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, who had loaned them $125 for a meeting space. The payments were made directly to 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
and credited on Leonard Soby’s tithing account as donations toward the construction of 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
, Illinois,
temple

Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...

More Info
. In addition to explaining the enclosed payment of $28, Nicholson listed the previous payments and asked for a receipt of the final payment.
A note on the letter indicates
Samuel Bennett

Ca. 1810–May 1893. Market inspector, barometer manufacturer, physician. Born in England. Married Selina Campion, 9 Aug. 1836. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by 1839, in U.S. Ordained an elder, 23 Dec. 1839, in Philadelphia. Served...

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carried it to
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
. He delivered the letter by 26 February 1842, as indicated in one of
Willard Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

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’s notations, at which time Richards recorded the donation in the Book of the Law of the Lord.
1

Book of the Law of the Lord, 84. The entry in the Book of the Law of the Lord reads, “Received of Leonard Soby pr hand Dr. Samuel Bennett Cash pr Letter $28. on tithing.”


On the verso of the second leaf, Richards inscribed information about the five banknotes sent as payment, providing the name of the issuing institution, the denomination, and the serial number of each note. No response to this letter has been located, perhaps because JS stopped issuing receipts around this time.
2

On 24 February 1842 JS explained in a letter to George Boosinger, who had sent notice of donations for the temple, that receipts were no longer being issued for tithing received but that the temple recorder noted all such donations in the Book of the Law of the Lord. (Letter to George Boosinger, 24 Feb. 1842.)


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Book of the Law of the Lord, 84. The entry in the Book of the Law of the Lord reads, “Received of Leonard Soby pr hand Dr. Samuel Bennett Cash pr Letter $28. on tithing.”

  2. [2]

    On 24 February 1842 JS explained in a letter to George Boosinger, who had sent notice of donations for the temple, that receipts were no longer being issued for tithing received but that the temple recorder noted all such donations in the Book of the Law of the Lord. (Letter to George Boosinger, 24 Feb. 1842.)

Page [1]

Philadelphia

Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...

More Info
Jany. 25/42
To the President of the
Church of Christ

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
.
1

When organized in 1830, the church was denominated the “Church of Christ.” In 1834 the name was changed to “Church of the Latter Day Saints,” and an April 1838 revelation incorporated both previous names: “For thus shall my Church be called in the Last days even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” (“Communicated,” The Evening and the Morning Star, May 1834, 160; Revelation, 26 Apr. 1838 [D&C 115:4].)


Comprehensive Works Cited

The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

I enclose the sum of twenty eight dollars. being the balance of the debt due to
Bro [Leonard] Soby

Ca. 1810–14 Dec. 1892. Tobacco merchant. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of David Soby. Married Helen. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by June 1840. Received elder’s license, 6 Dec. 1840...

View Full Bio
. by the Church in
Philadelphia

Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...

More Info
and which was donated for the
Temple

Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...

More Info
, upon my first being appointed one of the committe[e] of Finance.
2

On 22 October 1840 James B. Nicholson, Jacob Baker, Jesse Price, William West, and William Wharton were “appointed a Committee to have the care of the financial affairs of the Church” in Philadelphia. (Philadelphia, PA, Minutes and Records, 22 Oct. 1840, 8.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Philadelphia, PA, Minutes and Records, 1840–1854. CCLA.

I was informed that
Bro Soby

Ca. 1810–14 Dec. 1892. Tobacco merchant. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of David Soby. Married Helen. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by June 1840. Received elder’s license, 6 Dec. 1840...

View Full Bio
had in the commencement of the work in this
city

Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...

More Info
, loaned the sum of 125 dollars for the purpose of fitting up a place of Meeting,
3

The “place of Meeting” was likely the branch’s original meeting space in the Marshall Institute building in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. (See Historical Introduction to Petition from James B. Nicholson et al., 22 Apr. 1842.)


we have endeavored as fast as possible to discharge this as fast debt, 75. dollars we sent out by the hands of
Pres.t

The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...

View Glossary
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...

View Full Bio
.
4

Hyrum Smith helped “more extensively” organize the branch on 6 April 1841 and solicited donations at that time to build the Nauvoo temple. (Philadelphia, PA, Minutes and Records, 6 Apr. 1841, 16, 19.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Philadelphia, PA, Minutes and Records, 1840–1854. CCLA.

5 dollars we gave to
Bro Soby

Ca. 1810–14 Dec. 1892. Tobacco merchant. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of David Soby. Married Helen. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by June 1840. Received elder’s license, 6 Dec. 1840...

View Full Bio
whilst he was in the
city

Port city founded as Quaker settlement by William Penn, 1681. Site of signing of Declaration of Independence and drafting of U.S. Constitution. Nation’s capital city, 1790–1800. Population in 1830 about 170,000; in 1840 about 260,000; and in 1850 about 410...

More Info
, 17. dollars we sent out by the hands of
Elder

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

View Glossary
Samuel Parker, who said you had authorised him to collect funds for the
temple

Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...

More Info
. we have their several receipts for the sums we have already paid. you will please write a line acknowledging the receipt of this, in order to have data to show for this money. as we have borrowed it for this purpose.
Bishop [Jacob] Syfritt

26 May 1803–before 1860. Born in Philadelphia. Son of Frederick Syfritt and Euphaninah. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 15 June 1840, in Philadelphia. Appointed to serve mission, 18 Oct. 1840. Ordained a bishop, 6 Apr. 1841, in ...

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has requested me to say that he would feel grateful for a reply to his. letter,
5

No letter to Syfritt has been located.


so that if misrepresentations have been made. they may be made known.
I remain yours &c
J[ames] B Nicholson

28 Jan. 1820–4 Mar. 1901. Bookbinder. Born in St. Louis. Son of John Nicholson and Eliza Lowry. Moved to Pittsburgh, ca. 1821. Moved to Philadelphia, by 1840. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 May 1840, in Philadelphia. Appointed...

View Full Bio
118. N 7th. St. [p. [1]]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [1]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from James B. Nicholson, 25 January 1842
ID #
1479
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D9:119–122
Handwriting on This Page
  • James B. Nicholson

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    When organized in 1830, the church was denominated the “Church of Christ.” In 1834 the name was changed to “Church of the Latter Day Saints,” and an April 1838 revelation incorporated both previous names: “For thus shall my Church be called in the Last days even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” (“Communicated,” The Evening and the Morning Star, May 1834, 160; Revelation, 26 Apr. 1838 [D&C 115:4].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  2. [2]

    On 22 October 1840 James B. Nicholson, Jacob Baker, Jesse Price, William West, and William Wharton were “appointed a Committee to have the care of the financial affairs of the Church” in Philadelphia. (Philadelphia, PA, Minutes and Records, 22 Oct. 1840, 8.)

    Philadelphia, PA, Minutes and Records, 1840–1854. CCLA.

  3. [3]

    The “place of Meeting” was likely the branch’s original meeting space in the Marshall Institute building in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. (See Historical Introduction to Petition from James B. Nicholson et al., 22 Apr. 1842.)

  4. [4]

    Hyrum Smith helped “more extensively” organize the branch on 6 April 1841 and solicited donations at that time to build the Nauvoo temple. (Philadelphia, PA, Minutes and Records, 6 Apr. 1841, 16, 19.)

    Philadelphia, PA, Minutes and Records, 1840–1854. CCLA.

  5. [5]

    No letter to Syfritt has been located.

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