Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 5 February 1842

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Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 5 February 1842
Source Note

Parley P. Pratt
12 Apr. 1807–13 May 1857. Farmer, editor, publisher, teacher, school administrator, legislator, explorer, author. Born at Burlington, Otsego Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Traveled west with brother William to acquire land, 1823....
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, Letter,
Liverpool
Seaport, city, county borough, and market-town in northwestern England. Experienced exponential growth during nineteenth century. Population in 1830 about 120,000. Population in 1841 about 290,000. First Latter-day Saint missionaries to England arrived in...
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, Lancashire, England, to JS and “the Saints in America,” [
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], 5 [Feb.] 1842; handwriting of
Parley P. Pratt
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; one page; JS Collection, CHL. Includes docket.

One leaf measuring 9⅛ × 7¾ inches (23 × 20 cm). The document may have been folded for delivery; it was later folded for filing.

The document was docketed by
Leo Hawkins
19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...
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, who served as a clerk in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) from 1853 to 1859.
1
“Obituary of Leo Hawkins,” Millennial Star, 30 July 1859, 21:496–497.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.
It was listed in an inventory produced by the Church Historian’s Office circa 1904.
2
“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [2], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL).
3
See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.
The document’s early docket as well as its inclusion in the circa 1904 inventory and in the JS Collection by 1973 indicate continuous institutional custody.
Footnotes
[1]
“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.
[2]
“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [2], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
[3]
See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.
Historical Introduction
On 5 February 1842
apostle
Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...
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Parley P. Pratt
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, who presided over the British mission, wrote a letter to JS providing an update on migration from
England
Island nation consisting of southern portion of Great Britain and surrounding smaller islands. Bounded on north by Scotland and on west by Wales. Became province of Roman Empire, first century. Ruled by Romans, through 447. Ruled by Picts, Scots, and Saxons...
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to
Nauvoo
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, Illinois.
1
Pratt, Autobiography, 361.
Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.
Pratt had recently moved from
Manchester
City in northwest England, located on River Irwell. Noted for manufacture of cotton, linen, and silk goods. Population in 1831 about 187,000. Some early church publications for British Saints, including a hymnal and Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, published...
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to
Liverpool
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to assist
Amos Fielding
16 July 1792–5 Aug. 1875. Clerk, matchmaker, surveyor. Born in Lancashire, England. Son of Matthew Fielding and Mary Cooper. Christened Anglican. Immigrated to U.S., 1811; returned to Lancashire, by 1829. Married Mary Haydock, 28 June 1829, in Eccleston, ...
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in arranging travel for the growing number of British converts eager to make the voyage to the
United States
North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...
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. In the letter, Pratt alerted JS to the departure of approximately 370 British Latter-day Saints on two vessels headed to
New Orleans
Settled by French, 1717. Acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803. City, port of entry, and parish seat of justice. Population in 1840 about 100,000. Important trade center on Mississippi River. Branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established...
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. In total, an estimated 1,760 Saints had made the voyage, with the first company of converts leaving in June 1840.
2
Sonne, Saints on the Seas, 148; William Clayton, Penwortham, England, to Brigham Young and Willard Richards, Manchester, England, 19 Aug. 1840, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL.
Sonne, Conway B. Saints on the Seas: A Maritime History of Mormon Migration, 1830–1890. University of Utah Publications in the American West, vol. 17. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1983.
Reed, John S. Letter, Mexico, NY, to Brigham Young, 6 Dec. 1861. Brigham Young Office Files, CHL. CR 1234 1, box 28, fd. 13.

This letter was likely taken to
Nauvoo
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by a member of the emigrating company that departed
Liverpool
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on the Hope on 5 February 1842. The group arrived in Nauvoo via steamer on 13 April 1842,
3
Morris, Reminiscences, 24–25, 33; “Shipping Intelligence,” Morning Chronicle (London), 7 Feb. 1842, [4].
Morris, George. Reminiscences, ca. 1867–1886. CHL.
Morning Chronicle. London. 1789–1865.
and JS presumably received the letter shortly thereafter.
Pratt
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misdated the letter 5 December 1842, but in the body of the letter he identified the correct date of 5 February 1842.
Footnotes
[1]
Pratt, Autobiography, 361.
Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.
[2]
Sonne, Saints on the Seas, 148; William Clayton, Penwortham, England, to Brigham Young and Willard Richards, Manchester, England, 19 Aug. 1840, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL.
Sonne, Conway B. Saints on the Seas: A Maritime History of Mormon Migration, 1830–1890. University of Utah Publications in the American West, vol. 17. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1983.
Reed, John S. Letter, Mexico, NY, to Brigham Young, 6 Dec. 1861. Brigham Young Office Files, CHL. CR 1234 1, box 28, fd. 13.
[3]
Morris, Reminiscences, 24–25, 33; “Shipping Intelligence,” Morning Chronicle (London), 7 Feb. 1842, [4].
Morris, George. Reminiscences, ca. 1867–1886. CHL.
Morning Chronicle. London. 1789–1865.
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 5 February 1842
ID #
761
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D9:147–149
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