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Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 18 August 1841

Source Note

John M. Bernhisel

23 June 1799–28 Sept. 1881. Physician, politician. Born in Sandy Hill, Tyrone Township, Cumberland Co. (later in Perry Co.), Pennsylvania. Son of Samuel Bernhisel and Susannah Bower. Attended medical lectures at University of Pennsylvania, 1818, in Philadelphia...

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, Letter,
New York City

Dutch founded New Netherland colony, 1625. Incorporated under British control and renamed New York, 1664. Harbor contributed to economic and population growth of city; became largest city in American colonies. British troops defeated Continental Army under...

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, New York Co., NY, 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....

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, Hancock Co., IL, 18 Aug. 1841; handwriting of
John M. Bernhisel

23 June 1799–28 Sept. 1881. Physician, politician. Born in Sandy Hill, Tyrone Township, Cumberland Co. (later in Perry Co.), Pennsylvania. Son of Samuel Bernhisel and Susannah Bower. Attended medical lectures at University of Pennsylvania, 1818, in Philadelphia...

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; two pages; BYU. Includes address, postal stamps, postal notations, and docket.
Bifolium measuring 9⅞ × 7¾ inches (25 × 20 cm) and ruled with twenty-eight horizontal blue lines that are now faded. An embossed logo for a paper mill appears in the top left corner of the first page and reads “Southworth Co., Springfield”. The letter was written on the recto and verso of the first leaf. The bifolium was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. The second leaf was torn, likely when the letter was opened. The letter was later folded for filing.
A docket in the handwriting of
John S. Fullmer

21 July 1807–8 Oct. 1883. Farmer, newsman, postmaster, teacher, merchant. Born at Huntington, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Fullmer and Susannah Zerfass. Moved to Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, spring 1832. Married Mary Ann Price, 24 May 1837...

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, who served in a clerical capacity for JS from 1841 to 1842, appears on the verso of the second leaf.
1

See John S. Fullmer, [Nauvoo, IL], to George D. Fullmer, Nashville, TN, 28 Mar. 1841, in Fullmer, Letterbook, 124; Letter to Smith Tuttle, 9 Oct. 1841; and JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Isaac Galland, [Keokuk, Iowa Territory], 17 Jan. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Fullmer, John S. Letterbook, 1836–1881. John S. Fullmer Journal and Letterbook, 1836–1881. CHL.

The first page is torn along the top horizontal fold. According to a notation on a photocopy of this document, the letter was acquired at an auction in 1964 by Brigham Young University, where it remains as part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See John S. Fullmer, [Nauvoo, IL], to George D. Fullmer, Nashville, TN, 28 Mar. 1841, in Fullmer, Letterbook, 124; Letter to Smith Tuttle, 9 Oct. 1841; and JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Isaac Galland, [Keokuk, Iowa Territory], 17 Jan. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.

    Fullmer, John S. Letterbook, 1836–1881. John S. Fullmer Journal and Letterbook, 1836–1881. CHL.

Historical Introduction

John M. Bernhisel

23 June 1799–28 Sept. 1881. Physician, politician. Born in Sandy Hill, Tyrone Township, Cumberland Co. (later in Perry Co.), Pennsylvania. Son of Samuel Bernhisel and Susannah Bower. Attended medical lectures at University of Pennsylvania, 1818, in Philadelphia...

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wrote this letter to JS on 18 August 1841 in
New York

Dutch founded New Netherland colony, 1625. Incorporated under British control and renamed New York, 1664. Harbor contributed to economic and population growth of city; became largest city in American colonies. British troops defeated Continental Army under...

More Info
regarding his intention to buy land near
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. The letter followed up on a previous communication Bernhisel sent to JS on this same subject. In that earlier letter, Bernhisel included a certificate of deposit for $425 to be used for procuring land on his behalf.
1

Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 12 July 1841.


To confirm JS’s receipt of the deposit, Bernhisel sent the letter featured here and another nonextant communication to an “Elder Kimball,” likely
Heber C. Kimball

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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. Though JS answered Bernhisel’s first letter in a communication dated 3 August 1841, evidently Bernhisel had not yet received it. That letter was intended primarily to inform Bernhisel that JS had indeed received his letter and deposit.
2

Letter to John M. Bernhisel, 3 Aug. 1841.


A docket in the handwriting of JS’s clerk
John S. Fullmer

21 July 1807–8 Oct. 1883. Farmer, newsman, postmaster, teacher, merchant. Born at Huntington, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Fullmer and Susannah Zerfass. Moved to Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, spring 1832. Married Mary Ann Price, 24 May 1837...

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indicates that JS received this 18 August letter. JS also received an additional letter from
Bernhisel

23 June 1799–28 Sept. 1881. Physician, politician. Born in Sandy Hill, Tyrone Township, Cumberland Co. (later in Perry Co.), Pennsylvania. Son of Samuel Bernhisel and Susannah Bower. Attended medical lectures at University of Pennsylvania, 1818, in Philadelphia...

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less than a month later.
3

See Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 8 Sept. 1841.


JS responded to both letters in mid-November 1841.
4

See Letter to John M. Bernhisel, 16 Nov. 1841.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 12 July 1841.

  2. [2]

    Letter to John M. Bernhisel, 3 Aug. 1841.

  3. [3]

    See Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 8 Sept. 1841.

  4. [4]

    See Letter to John M. Bernhisel, 16 Nov. 1841.

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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from John M. Bernhisel, 18 August 1841
ID #
673
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D8:231–233
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