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Letter from Thomas Foster, 8 January 1844

Source Note

, Letter, , New York Co., NY, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 8 Jan. 1844; handwriting and signature probably of ; one page; Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU. Includes address, postal notation, postal stamp, docket, and archival marking.
Bifolium measuring 12½ × 7½ inches (32 × 19 cm). The letter was inscribed on the recto of the first leaf. The verso of the first leaf and the recto of the second leaf are blank. The document was trifolded in letter style, addressed, and sealed with a red adhesive wafer. The edge of the second leaf was torn where the letter was sealed, presumably when it was opened, and wafer residue remains on the recto of the second leaf. There is tearing along intersecting folds of the second leaf.
The letter was docketed by , who served as scribe to JS from 1842 to 1844. In late 1844, following JS’s death, became one of the interim church trustees and was appointed “first bishop” among other bishops. It was presumably during this time that many of the church’s financial and other administrative records passed into his possession. This document, along with many other personal and institutional documents that Whitney kept, was inherited by Newel K. and ’s daughter Mary Jane Whitney, who was married to Isaac Groo. The documents were passed down within the Groo family. Between 1969 and 1974, the Groo family donated their collection of Newel K. Whitney’s papers to the J. Reuben Clark Library (renamed Harold B. Lee Library in 1973) at Brigham Young University.

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]

    Richards, Journal, 9 Aug. 1844; “Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 1 Nov. 1844, 5:693; see also Minutes, Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, 1:30.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  3. [3]

    Andrus and Fuller, Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 24; Wilkinson et al., Brigham Young University, 4:255.

    Andrus, Hyrum L., and Chris Fuller, comp. Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers. Provo, UT: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, 1978.

    Wilkinson, Ernest L., Leonard J. Arrington, and Bruce C. Hafen, eds. Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years. Vol. 4. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1976.

Historical Introduction

On 8 January 1844, wrote a letter from to JS in , Illinois, inquiring about the growth of Nauvoo and the professional prospects for a doctor in the city. Little is known about Foster beyond what is contained in this letter. He lived in New York City, where he apparently practiced medicine. The content of the letter suggests that Foster and JS had never met. Furthermore, Foster’s use of the title “Rev.” in addressing the letter to JS and his use of the salutation “Brother Joe” (which was a nickname for JS generally used in a derogatory way) indicate that Foster was not a member of the . Nevertheless, Foster expressed his enthusiasm for religion in general, explaining that he was considering relocating to Nauvoo. He asked for information about Nauvoo and sought JS’s opinion about his prospects for opening a medical practice there.
sent the letter to by post on 8 January 1844. Because letters mailed from typically arrived in Nauvoo within two weeks, JS presumably received the letter sometime in late January. No response from JS is extant. There is no record of Foster ever moving to Nauvoo.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    The 1840 United States census lists several individuals named Thomas Foster living in New York City. The address Foster included in his letter was located in Ward 5 of Manhattan. In that ward, the 1840 census lists only one Thomas Foster, a man in his forties with a wife and three children. (Map of the City of New York [ca. 1860]; 1840 U.S. Census, New York 5th Ward, New York Co., NY, 290.)

    Map of the City of New York, [ca. 1860]. Copy at Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, Washington DC. Accessed 18 Oct. 2021. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3804n.wd000512.

    Census (U.S.) / U.S. Bureau of the Census. Population Schedules. Microfilm. FHL.

  2. [2]

    See “A Word of Parting to Brother Joe,” Warsaw (IL) Message, 7 Feb. 1844, Second Edition, [1].

    Warsaw Message. Warsaw, IL. 1843–1844.

  3. [3]

    See, for example, Historical Introduction to Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 1 Sept. 1842.

Page [1]

Jan. 8th 1844
Please direct your letter to the corner of Beech & Hudson No. 42—
Dear Brother Joe.
At the beginning of a New Year, I take the liberty of addressing you for the purpose of learning how the good cause of Mormanism is flourishing in the West,— Excuse my presumption in writing so familiarly to so great a man— and lay it all to my zeal in the cause of religion— Be kind enough to let me know all the particulars about —— I have some idea of settling their for the purpose of practicing Medicine— If you think I can do well, please inform me as soon as possible, I remain
Your most devoted friend and servant
P.S. you will oblige me very much by answering this immediately—
[p. [1]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Thomas Foster, 8 January 1844
ID #
1245
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Thomas Foster

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