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Letter from Joseph Coe, 1 January 1844

Source Note

, Letter, , Lake Co., OH, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 1 Jan. 1844; handwriting of ; three pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal notations, endorsement, and dockets.
Bifolium measuring 12¼ × 8 inches (31 × 20 cm). Each page is ruled with thirty-four lines printed in blue ink. The letter was written in blue ink on the first three pages of the bifolium. The document was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. The second leaf was torn when the letter was opened, resulting in a loss of text on page 3 of the letter. The letter was later refolded for filing.
The document was endorsed by , who served as scribe to JS from 1842 to 1844, and docketed by , who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) from 1853 to 1859. The document was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office circa 1904. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early dockets, its listing in a circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 29 June 1842; “Clayton, William,” in Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:718.

    Jenson, Andrew. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4 vols. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1901–1936.

  2. [2]

    “Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  3. [3]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [3], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  4. [4]

    See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.

Historical Introduction

On 1 January 1844, former member wrote a letter from , Ohio, to JS in , Illinois, requesting that JS repay him for a debt. In 1835 Coe contributed a large sum of money to the purchase of ancient Egyptian mummies and papyri from , who was touring the exhibiting them. In 1837, during a period of dissension within the church in Kirtland, Coe was excommunicated. The next year, when many Latter-day Saints migrated from Kirtland to church settlements in northwestern , Coe remained. In 1842 Coe began renting JS’s farm in Kirtland.
In his letter to JS, recounted the financial arrangements related to the purchase of the Egyptian mummies and artifacts. He claimed that he had managed the transaction and that he had split the $2,400 payment with Simeon Andrews and a group that included JS. It is unclear how much each party paid at the time, but the payment was not made in full, and Coe recalled that he had issued a series of promissory notes to . Coe claimed that JS did not pay his full portion of his group’s share in 1836 and that Chandler agreed to turn over the promissory notes to JS for $1,000—$300 of which Coe paid by taking out a loan. According to Coe, JS still owed him for his portion of the purchase.
also claimed that after JS left , Coe started to negotiate with JS’s father, , to receive church lands in Kirtland as payment but that those negotiations stalled. In this letter, he attempted to restart such discussions. , JS’s in Kirtland responsible for much of the church’s property there, also wrote to JS on 1 January to express concerns about how Coe was representing his financial claims and caring for JS’s farm and to relate a rumor that Coe was merely trying to acquire the property from JS.
On 2 January, sent the letter to JS by post. JS received it by 17 January. On the morning of 18 January, JS wrote separate replies to and Coe.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    For a more detailed account of dissent and disaffection in spring and summer 1837, see “Part 6: 20 April–14 September 1837”; and Historical Introduction to Revelation, 23 July 1837 [D&C 112].

  2. [2]

    See Letter from Reuben McBride, 1 Jan. 1844.

  3. [3]

    Power of Attorney to Reuben McBride, 28 Oct. 1841; Letter from Reuben McBride, 1 Jan. 1844.

  4. [4]

    Letter to Reuben McBride, 18 Jan. 1844; Letter to Joseph Coe, 18 Jan. 1844. JS likely received the letter on 17 January at the same time he received the letter from McBride, which McBride also sent from Kirtland on 2 January. (Letter from Reuben McBride, 1 Jan. 1844.)

Page [2]

the principles being settled you gave your note for the amount viz: $1000 and took from him my notes the raise was made in season to fulfill the contract and the money paid by the time of this sum. I raised $300 which I borrowed of Abel Nash. Hence by this transaction you paid $700 this sum was $100 besides interest; less than your contract spe[c]ified. I <​The​> next action between us was an agreement to exchange papers, which we did outright. I <​In​> an interview with your after you left, I proposed to him to let me have real estate to ext[i]nguish my claim, which he said he would do, but I suppose the circumstances under which he left rendered it inconvenient. Hence I was unexpectedly involved in a sum that I have hitherto, been unable <​to​> adjust. Now I know that I have acted in relation to the above purchase, in good faith and in good feelings; and if Justice requires me to bear it, or if your circumstances render it impossible for you to releave me, I have no more to say; but I think that neither is the fact, If you have not the means here of relieving me, others of your friends have. If I am not much mistaken, much property has been and is being put to no better use than that of paying me for the Mummies. Cannot you make arangements with your brother for his house and lot, or with for his, or let me have the use of this farm over which you are sole trustee in trust. The latter is in your power to do, and belonging to the as it does I presume that body would delight in relieving me from a burthen which I am barng [bearing] solely for their benefit. I have an Idea that you have heretofore received but little for the use of the Church property in this place. Other property too, seems to go lightly but perhaps wisely I do not say as to that. The Bunk [Bank] house and two years rent of Your Brother ’s house and lot was given to settle a claim which [p. [2]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Joseph Coe, 1 January 1844
ID #
1238
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Joseph Coe

Footnotes

  1. [3]

    On the advice of the First Presidency, Joseph Smith Sr. moved from Ohio to Far West, Missouri, in May 1838, with scant resources for his traveling party. (Letter from Don Carlos Smith, ca. Late May 1838; see also Revelation, 12 Jan. 1838–C.)

  2. [4]

    JS’s younger brother William Smith owned two lots in Kirtland, both near the House of the Lord. (“Kirtland Township with Plots, January 1838.”)

  3. [5]

    JS’s older brother Hyrum Smith owned a lot south of the town square. (“Kirtland Township with Plots, January 1838.”.)

  4. [6]

    The farm Coe rented from JS was almost certainly the JS property, located just north of the town cemetery, that contained a home and several outbuildings. While living in Kirtland, JS and other church members purchased another farm outside of town, but it appears they never constructed buildings on that land. In 1842 Coe was seeking a home to rent in which he could live and receive boarders. (“Kirtland Township with Plots, January 1838”; Mortgage to Peter French, 5 Oct. 1836; Letter from Reuben McBride, 3 Jan. 1842.)

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