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Letter from Oliver Olney, 15 or 16 July 1842

Source Note

, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to JS and “the Leaders of the Church of Latter day Saints,” [, Hancock Co., IL], [15 or] 16 July 1842; handwriting of ; two pages; Oliver H. Olney Papers, Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Single leaf measuring 9⅞ × 7–7⅞ inches (25 × 18–20 cm). The top, bottom, and left sides of the recto have the square cut of manufactured paper. Ragged tearing on the right edge of the recto indicates the leaf was likely torn from a bound volume. The tearing has resulted in a loss of text. Other papers in the collection are similarly torn.
The document presumably was retained by . Upon his death, in 1845, it may have been passed down to descendants along with his other papers. In 1949, Olney’s papers were acquired by Edward Eberstadt & Sons of . Sometime in the next three years, the document was purchased by William Robertson Coe. By 1952, Coe had donated the letter, as part of the William Robertson Coe Collection, to Yale University.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Withington, Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Collection of Western Americana, 200; Walker, Dale Morgan, 175–176.

    Withington, Mary C., comp. A Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Collection of Western Americana Founded by William Robertson Coe, Yale University Library. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1952.

    Walker, John Phillip, ed. Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism: Correspondence and a New History. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1986.

Historical Introduction

On 15 or 16 July 1842, wrote a letter in , Illinois, to JS asking to meet with him and other leaders. Olney had been disfellowshipped in March 1842 for setting himself up as a prophet and revelator, but he had decided to remain in Nauvoo. His extant personal writings from this period include accounts of visions and visitations from individuals he considered to be divine messengers, including a council of twelve men he called the “Antient of days.”
After beginning to receive these visions and revelations, claimed he had a duty to correct JS and other church leaders and guide them to a reformation. To achieve this, Olney attempted to meet with church leaders in summer 1842, but he was unsuccessful. By 7 July, he had decided to forgo meeting with JS and other leaders, writing in blank verse, “I had tried to get an interview / With Joseph and with / Time and again Yes I caled on them time and again / And was neglected and abused by them / Untill I said in my heart / I will have no more to do with them.” However, according to Olney’s personal writings, by mid-July he was instructed once again by the “Antient of days” to contact church leaders. Olney wrote that he was directed to send them a letter inquiring whether they would meet with him and, if they agreed, to “meet with as many as sees fit to meet togeth[er].” The council of the Ancient of Days gave him specific instructions to “tel them the course God has taken with you,” and to relate to the church leaders “the sitting of the Antient of days and of their doings and the days they set 9-10-11th of June 1842.”
In the letter featured here, asked to meet with church leaders and made vague promises to share secret information with them. Although Olney initially directed this letter generically to the leaders of the church, the end of the letter specified JS, as church , as the primary intended recipient. This letter resembles Olney’s other letters to church leaders, which were often unclear and sometimes incomplete.
The timing of ’s renewed attempt to meet with church leaders on 15 and 16 July suggests the possibility that the letter featured here was misdated. Although Olney gave it the date of 16 July, it is possible that this letter was a retained copy of the letter Olney sent to JS on 15 July, which JS responded to the same day. Alternatively, if this letter was not misdated, it may echo sentiments Olney expressed in his 15 July letter. If the 16 July date is correct, he may never have sent it, which would explain why the letter remained with Olney’s personal papers rather than with JS’s papers.
Tearing on the right side of the recto has removed a portion of the text; where possible, this text has been editorially supplied based on context.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    For more on Olney’s disfellowshipment and disaffection from the church, see Historical Introduction to Letter to Oliver Olney, 15 July 1842.

  2. [2]

    See, for example, Oliver Olney, Note, Nauvoo, IL, 9 June 1842; Oliver Olney, Notebook, June–July 1842, 9–11 June 1842, Oliver Olney, Papers, microfilm, CHL.

    Olney, Oliver. Papers, 1842–1843. Microfilm. CHL. Original at Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

  3. [3]

    See Oliver Olney, Notebook, Apr.–Aug. 1842, 6 Apr. and 2 July 1842; Oliver Olney, Notebook, May–July 1842, 1 and 13 May 1842, Oliver Olney, Papers, microfilm, CHL.

    Olney, Oliver. Papers, 1842–1843. Microfilm. CHL. Original at Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

  4. [4]

    Oliver Olney, Notebook, May–July 1842, 7 July 1842, Oliver Olney, Papers, microfilm, CHL.

    Olney, Oliver. Papers, 1842–1843. Microfilm. CHL. Original at Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

  5. [5]

    Oliver Olney, Notebook, June–July 1842, 16 July 1842, Oliver Olney, Papers, microfilm, CHL. According to Olney, on 10 June, the council of the Ancient of Days directed him to “consecrate” several buildings in Nauvoo. The next day, he consecrated the Nauvoo House and the home of Newell Nourse, where he was boarding. (See Oliver Olney, Notebook, June–July 1842, 10–11 June 1842, Oliver Olney, Papers, microfilm, CHL.)

    Olney, Oliver. Papers, 1842–1843. Microfilm. CHL. Original at Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

  6. [6]

    See Letter to Oliver Olney, 15 July 1842. This letter is representative of three letters Olney wrote in July 1842, which he apparently intended to send to church leaders. This letter and another dated 1 July were signed by Olney and appear to be complete, while a third letter dated 22 July is unsigned and appears to be incomplete. Olney’s extant papers also include other letters, most apparently incomplete, but these do not seem to be directed to JS or other church leaders.

  7. [7]

    See Letter to Oliver Olney, 15 July 1842.

Page [1]

Citty of July 16th 1842
To the Leaders of the
I at this time address my self to you in writing On the principal of thinking it my duty not that not that I desire to crowd my self in to Copay [company] Whire I am not wanted or put my self in [the?] least in their way But with the best of feeli[ngs] I write and on the same principal I will [meet?] With as many of the heads of the Church as [is?] considered wisdom to notice me as I am s[ure?] That I have an actual knowledge of some [thing?] That is for the good and welfare of the Chu[rch] of Latter day Saints that they know nothing about that is with me a dead secret that I [am?] willing to devulge to the Leaders of the churc[h] If they request it of me But if not I am as willing to take my own course as usual wit[h] the same good feeling To be sure I have had a lon[g] Standing with the Church of Latter day Saints But the differance Betwe[e]n me and them I care nothing about it
It is but a speck amongst matters and things Altho about it I hear much said But I have before me a senary [scenery] of things To well do my duty in the fear of God If feel in duty bound to meet with you And I will them to you unfold som Some things that is to you in the dark [p. [1]]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [1]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Oliver Olney, 15 or 16 July 1842
ID #
3079
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:289–292
Handwriting on This Page
  • Oliver Olney

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    TEXT: “Co[page torn]pay”.

  2. [2]

    TEXT: Page torn.

  3. [3]

    TEXT: “feeli[page torn]”.

  4. [4]

    TEXT: Page torn.

  5. [5]

    TEXT: Page torn.

  6. [6]

    TEXT: “s[page torn]”.

  7. [7]

    TEXT: Page torn.

  8. [8]

    TEXT: “Chu[page torn]”.

  9. [9]

    TEXT: Page torn.

  10. [10]

    TEXT: “churc[page torn]”.

  11. [11]

    TEXT: “wit[page torn]”.

  12. [12]

    TEXT: “lon[page torn]”.

  13. [13]

    Olney joined the church in Ohio, possibly as early as 1831, when his wife’s parents, John and Alice (Elsa) Johnson, joined the church. He was ordained president of the teachers quorum in Kirtland, Ohio, in 1836. (“History of Luke Johnson,” [1]–[2], Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861, CHL; Minutes, 15 Jan. 1836.)

    Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.

  14. [14]

    Olney’s extant papers include several extracts from letters, written by friends, inquiring about his welfare and reasons for leaving the church. In an entry dated 7 July 1842, Olney wrote: “I will draw all to a close / By adding some writings of Friends / As Friends I have many / That doth wish me well But what hurts my feelings / Is they and I do not se alike / They write to me their feelings / That is of the best kind To establish my name / And their faith in the Prophit J Smith.” (Oliver Olney, Notebook, Apr.–Aug. 1842, 7 July 1842, Oliver Olney, Papers, microfilm, CHL; see also Oliver Snow to Oliver Olney, 28 June 1842, copy; B. S. Walker, Nauvoo, IL, to Oliver Olney, 8 July 1842, copy; Israel Barlow, Nauvoo, IL, to Oliver Olney, 6 July 1842, copy; James Cummings, Nauvoo, IL, to Oliver Olney, 6 July 1842, copy, Oliver Olney, Papers, microfilm, CHL.)

    Olney, Oliver. Papers, 1842–1843. Microfilm. CHL. Original at Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

  15. [15]

    Olney wrote on 19 June 1842 that he was called by “the word of the Lord” to “understand an order of things that lies in the dark to the world and will untill it is reveled threw those that is caled to teach by the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Oliver Olney, Notebook, June–July 1842, 19 June 1842, Oliver Olney, Papers, microfilm, CHL.)

    Olney, Oliver. Papers, 1842–1843. Microfilm. CHL. Original at Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

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