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Letter from John C. Bennett, 15 August 1840

Source Note

John C. Bennett

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

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, Letter,
Fairfield

Town in southern Illinois, approximately 150 miles southeast of Springfield. County seat. Laid out, 1819. John C. Bennett lived in town when he began corresponding with JS, July 1840.

More Info
, Wayne Co., IL, to JS, and
Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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, [
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], 15 Aug. 1840. Featured version copied [probably ca. late Aug. 1840] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 171–172; 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

John C. Bennett

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

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wrote to JS and
Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

View Full Bio
on 15 August 1840, his fourth letter to them in three weeks.
1

Letters from John C. Bennett, 25, 27, and 30 July 1840.


JS had responded to Bennett’s three previous letters on 8 August 1840, but Bennett had not received the response before writing this letter.
2

Letter to John C. Bennett, 8 Aug. 1840. Fairfield, Illinois, from where Bennett was writing, is a city in the southeastern part of the state. Given the distance and usual travel routes between Nauvoo and Fairfield, Bennett likely received JS’s response shortly after sending this 15 August letter.


Bennett reiterated that he intended to move to
Hancock County

Formed from Pike Co., 1825. Described in 1837 as predominantly prairie and “deficient in timber.” Early settlers came mainly from mid-Atlantic and southern states. Population in 1835 about 3,200; in 1840 about 9,900; and in 1844 at least 15,000. Carthage ...

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, Illinois, and to become a
Latter-day Saint

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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himself. He predicted that he would arrive 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, in about two weeks, a timetable that considerably accelerated his original plan to join with the Saints early the following year.
3

Letter from John C. Bennett, 25 July 1840.


No response from JS has been located, perhaps because Bennett reached Nauvoo before JS had the opportunity to respond; Bennett arrived within a couple weeks of when JS would have received this letter.
4

Bennett wrote in 1842 that he moved to Nauvoo in September 1840. (Bennett, History of the Saints, 18.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

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...

View Full Bio
copied the letter into JS Letterbook 2, probably soon after JS received it.
5

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.

The original letter has not been located.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Letters from John C. Bennett, 25, 27, and 30 July 1840.

  2. [2]

    Letter to John C. Bennett, 8 Aug. 1840. Fairfield, Illinois, from where Bennett was writing, is a city in the southeastern part of the state. Given the distance and usual travel routes between Nauvoo and Fairfield, Bennett likely received JS’s response shortly after sending this 15 August letter.

  3. [3]

    Letter from John C. Bennett, 25 July 1840.

  4. [4]

    Bennett wrote in 1842 that he moved to Nauvoo in September 1840. (Bennett, History of the Saints, 18.)

    Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

  5. [5]

    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 John C. Bennett, 15 August 1840
Letterbook 2 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 171

Fairfield

Town in southern Illinois, approximately 150 miles southeast of Springfield. County seat. Laid out, 1819. John C. Bennett lived in town when he began corresponding with JS, July 1840.

More Info
Wayne Co. Ill.
Aug. 15th 1840
Rev Joseph Smith Jr &
"
Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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Respected Friends
I have written you several times communications 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
&
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
supposing they were different places but a brother to a Lady in your [p. 171]
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Source Note

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Page 171

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from John C. Bennett, 15 August 1840
ID #
566
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D7:374–376
Handwriting on This Page
  • Howard Coray

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