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Letter from William Perkins, 29 October 1838

Source Note

William Perkins

22 Jan. 1799–1 Dec. 1882. Teacher, attorney, insurance agent, politician. Born in Ashford, Windham Co., Connecticut. Son of William Perkins and Mary Lee. Moved to Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, to study law, ca. 1822. Admitted to Connecticut bar, May...

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, Letter,
Painesville

Located on Grand River twelve miles northeast of Kirtland. Created and settled, 1800. Originally named Champion. Flourished economically from harbor on Lake Erie and as major route of overland travel for western emigration. Included Painesville village; laid...

More Info
, Geauga Co., OH, to JS,
Far West

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

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, Caldwell Co., MO, 29 Oct. 1838; handwriting of
William Perkins

22 Jan. 1799–1 Dec. 1882. Teacher, attorney, insurance agent, politician. Born in Ashford, Windham Co., Connecticut. Son of William Perkins and Mary Lee. Moved to Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, to study law, ca. 1822. Admitted to Connecticut bar, May...

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; two pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes enclosures.
Single leaf measuring 6⅛ × 8 inches (16 × 20 cm), with nineteen printed lines per page. The top edge was apparently hand cut, whereas the other edges have the square cut of manufactured paper. The leaf was folded for transmission or filing. Docketing by
William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

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on one of the enclosures indicates the letter and the enclosure—a statement of account for JS and other church members—was added to JS’s office papers in
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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, Illinois, as early as 1842, suggesting continuous institutional custody thereafter.
1

See Source Note for Statement of Account from Perkins & Osborn, ca. 29 Oct. 1838. Clayton served as a clerk and scribe for JS in Nauvoo from 1842 to 1844. (Clayton, Diary, 10 Feb. 1842; Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 18, 30–31; JS, Journal, 29–30 June 1842.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.

Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Source Note for Statement of Account from Perkins & Osborn, ca. 29 Oct. 1838. Clayton served as a clerk and scribe for JS in Nauvoo from 1842 to 1844. (Clayton, Diary, 10 Feb. 1842; Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 18, 30–31; JS, Journal, 29–30 June 1842.)

    Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.

    Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.

Historical Introduction

On 29 October 1838,
William Perkins

22 Jan. 1799–1 Dec. 1882. Teacher, attorney, insurance agent, politician. Born in Ashford, Windham Co., Connecticut. Son of William Perkins and Mary Lee. Moved to Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, to study law, ca. 1822. Admitted to Connecticut bar, May...

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of the
Ohio

French explored and claimed area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Northeastern portion maintained as part of Connecticut, 1786, and called Connecticut...

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law firm Perkins & Osborn wrote a letter to JS to introduce account statements listing unpaid legal fees and other debts. Perkins and his law partner,
Salmon Osborn

21 Oct. 1804–4 Mar. 1904. Attorney, bank executive. Born in Walton, Delaware Co., New York. Son of Samuel Osborn and Polly Webster. Moved to Jefferson, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, 1813; to Erie, Erie Co., Pennsylvania, 1814; and to Sandusky, Huron Co., Ohio, 1816...

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, began providing legal advice to JS and other church members, as well as defending them in several lawsuits, in 1837. Perkins and Osborn continued to act as JS’s attorneys after his January 1838 move to
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

More Info
.
1

See Declaration to the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, 7 May 1838.


In this letter to JS,
Perkins

22 Jan. 1799–1 Dec. 1882. Teacher, attorney, insurance agent, politician. Born in Ashford, Windham Co., Connecticut. Son of William Perkins and Mary Lee. Moved to Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, to study law, ca. 1822. Admitted to Connecticut bar, May...

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mentioned that he was aware of the conflict between the
Latter-day Saints

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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and other
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

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residents; that he had been in contact with
Oliver Granger

7 Feb. 1794–23/25 Aug. 1841. Sheriff, church agent. Born at Phelps, Ontario Co., New York. Son of Pierce Granger and Clarissa Trumble. Married Lydia Dibble, 8 Sept. 1813, at Phelps. Member of Methodist church and licensed exhorter. Sheriff of Ontario Co. ...

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and
William Marks

15 Nov. 1792–22 May 1872. Farmer, printer, publisher, postmaster. Born at Rutland, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of Cornell (Cornwall) Marks and Sarah Goodrich. Married first Rosannah R. Robinson, 2 May 1813. Lived at Portage, Allegany Co., New York, where he...

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, both of whom acted as
agents

A specific church office and, more generally, someone “entrusted with the business of another.” Agents in the church assisted other ecclesiastical officers, especially the bishop in his oversight of the church’s temporal affairs. A May 1831 revelation instructed...

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for JS and the church to pay debts in
Kirtland

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

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, Ohio; and that he had prepared an account statement at Granger’s request.
2

Marks and Granger began acting as agents for JS in 1837 and continued in that capacity during 1838. (See Historical Introduction to Deed to William Marks, 10 Apr. 1837; Historical Introduction to Notice, ca. Late Aug. 1837; Pay Order to Edward Partridge for William Smith, 21 Feb. 1838; and Revelation, 8 July 1838–E [D&C 117].)


Perkins also asked that his fees be paid, and he explained how he calculated the charges for representing JS,
Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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,
Newel K. Whitney

3/5 Feb. 1795–23 Sept. 1850. Trader, merchant. Born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Moved to Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York, 1803. Merchant at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for...

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,
Frederick G. Williams

28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...

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,
Horace Kingsbury

Ca. 1798–12 Mar. 1853. Jeweler, silversmith. Born in New Hampshire. Married first Dianthe Stiles, 20 July 1826. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1827. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder by John P. Greene, 9...

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, and
Warren Parrish

10 Jan. 1803–3 Jan. 1877. Clergyman, gardener. Born in New York. Son of John Parrish and Ruth Farr. Married first Elizabeth (Betsey) Patten of Westmoreland Co., New Hampshire, ca. 1822. Lived at Alexandria, Jefferson Co., New York, 1830. Purchased land at...

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in the lawsuits that
Samuel Rounds

ca. 1807–after 1887. Builder, brick mason, farmer. Born in Massachusetts. Son of John J. Rounds and Hannah. Married Amy Hatfield. Moved to New York, by 1830; and to Ohio, by 1834. Initiated legal actions against JS, Sidney Rigdon, and others involved in Kirtland...

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brought against the men in 1837 for issuing notes from the unincorporated
Kirtland Safety Society

A financial institution formed to raise money and provide credit in Kirtland, Ohio. On 2 November 1836, JS, Sidney Rigdon, and others officially organized the Kirtland Safety Society as a community bank by ratifying its constitution. Sidney Rigdon served ...

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.
3

For more on Rounds’s lawsuits, see Introduction to Part 5: 5 Oct. 1836–10 Apr. 1837.


The cases against Whitney, Williams, Kingsbury, and Parrish were dismissed before coming to trial, whereas JS and Rigdon were tried in absentia in October 1837, found guilty, and fined $1,000 each.
4

Transcripts of Proceedings, 24 Oct. 1837, Rounds v. Parrish; Rounds v. Williams; Rounds v. Whitney; Rounds v. Kingsbury; Rounds v. Rigdon; Rounds v. JS (Geauga Co. C.P. 1837), Final Record Book U, pp. 353–364, microfilm 20,279, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.


Because the legal representation and fees varied by case, Perkins noted that he charged each individual based on the proportion of time he spent on a case. By 1838 Kingsbury had become disaffected from the church and Parrish had been excommunicated; both remained in
Geauga County

Located in northeastern Ohio, south of Lake Erie. Rivers in area include Grand, Chagrin, and Cuyahoga. Settled mostly by New Englanders, beginning 1798. Formed from Trumbull Co., 1 Mar. 1806. Chardon established as county seat, 1808. Population in 1830 about...

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, Ohio.
5

Kingsbury apparently became disaffected and distanced himself from the church in 1837. Parrish was excommunicated in late December 1837. (JS History, vol. B-1, 767; Vilate Murray Kimball, Kirtland, OH, to Heber C. Kimball, Preston, England, ca. 10–12 Sept. 1837, Heber C. Kimball, Collection, CHL; John Smith and Clarissa Lyman Smith, Kirtland, OH, to George A. Smith, Shinnston, VA, 1 Jan. 1838, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Kimball, Heber C. Collection, 1837–1898. CHL. MS 12476.

Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.

As a result, Perkins did not include their fees in JS’s account statement.
Perkins

22 Jan. 1799–1 Dec. 1882. Teacher, attorney, insurance agent, politician. Born in Ashford, Windham Co., Connecticut. Son of William Perkins and Mary Lee. Moved to Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, to study law, ca. 1822. Admitted to Connecticut bar, May...

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’s letter to JS was accompanied by several enclosures. One enclosure was the account statement listing the debts of JS and other church members to the law firm Perkins & Osborn. This account statement also includes information on several outstanding promissory notes that
New York

Located in northeast region of U.S. Area settled by Dutch traders, 1620s; later governed by Britain, 1664–1776. Admitted to U.S. as state, 1788. Population in 1810 about 1,000,000; in 1820 about 1,400,000; in 1830 about 1,900,000; and in 1840 about 2,400,...

More Info
merchants asked Perkins & Osborn to collect payment on.
6

On 1 September 1837, Perkins apparently oversaw the negotiations between New York mercantile firms and JS and his associates. The New York firms had sold wholesale goods to the Kirtland-area mercantile firms Rigdon, Smith & Cowdery and Cahoon, Carter & Co. The Kirtland firms provided promissory notes as payment but were unable to pay many of the notes when they became due. (See William Perkins, Painesville, OH, to Reuben McBride, 23 July 1867, copy, in Franklin D. Richards, Liverpool, England, to Brigham Young, 27 Aug. 1867, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL; and Historical Introduction to Power of Attorney to Oliver Granger, 27 Sept. 1837; see also Statement of Account from Perkins & Osborn, ca. 29 Oct. 1838.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

Perkins’s letter also mentions enclosures, apparently not extant, intended for
Marks

15 Nov. 1792–22 May 1872. Farmer, printer, publisher, postmaster. Born at Rutland, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of Cornell (Cornwall) Marks and Sarah Goodrich. Married first Rosannah R. Robinson, 2 May 1813. Lived at Portage, Allegany Co., New York, where he...

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and
George W. Robinson

14 May 1814–10 Feb. 1878. Clerk, postmaster, merchant, clothier, banker. Born at Pawlet, Rutland Co., Vermont. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, by 1836. Clerk and recorder for Kirtland high...

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.
It is unknown how the letter was transmitted or when JS received it. Neither the letter nor the account statement bears addressing or other postal markings, but a wrapper, now missing, may have. JS was taken into state custody on 31 October 1838 in
Far West

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

More Info
, Missouri, and remained imprisoned until April 1839.
7

See Introduction to Part 3: 4 Nov. 1838–16 Apr. 1839.


While JS was imprisoned,
Granger

7 Feb. 1794–23/25 Aug. 1841. Sheriff, church agent. Born at Phelps, Ontario Co., New York. Son of Pierce Granger and Clarissa Trumble. Married Lydia Dibble, 8 Sept. 1813, at Phelps. Member of Methodist church and licensed exhorter. Sheriff of Ontario Co. ...

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apparently kept the letter and account statement. The filing docket indicates that JS eventually received the documents, perhaps when Granger and JS were both in
Illinois

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

More Info
in spring 1839.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Declaration to the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, 7 May 1838.

  2. [2]

    Marks and Granger began acting as agents for JS in 1837 and continued in that capacity during 1838. (See Historical Introduction to Deed to William Marks, 10 Apr. 1837; Historical Introduction to Notice, ca. Late Aug. 1837; Pay Order to Edward Partridge for William Smith, 21 Feb. 1838; and Revelation, 8 July 1838–E [D&C 117].)

  3. [3]

    For more on Rounds’s lawsuits, see Introduction to Part 5: 5 Oct. 1836–10 Apr. 1837.

  4. [4]

    Transcripts of Proceedings, 24 Oct. 1837, Rounds v. Parrish; Rounds v. Williams; Rounds v. Whitney; Rounds v. Kingsbury; Rounds v. Rigdon; Rounds v. JS (Geauga Co. C.P. 1837), Final Record Book U, pp. 353–364, microfilm 20,279, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.

  5. [5]

    Kingsbury apparently became disaffected and distanced himself from the church in 1837. Parrish was excommunicated in late December 1837. (JS History, vol. B-1, 767; Vilate Murray Kimball, Kirtland, OH, to Heber C. Kimball, Preston, England, ca. 10–12 Sept. 1837, Heber C. Kimball, Collection, CHL; John Smith and Clarissa Lyman Smith, Kirtland, OH, to George A. Smith, Shinnston, VA, 1 Jan. 1838, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL.)

    Kimball, Heber C. Collection, 1837–1898. CHL. MS 12476.

    Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.

  6. [6]

    On 1 September 1837, Perkins apparently oversaw the negotiations between New York mercantile firms and JS and his associates. The New York firms had sold wholesale goods to the Kirtland-area mercantile firms Rigdon, Smith & Cowdery and Cahoon, Carter & Co. The Kirtland firms provided promissory notes as payment but were unable to pay many of the notes when they became due. (See William Perkins, Painesville, OH, to Reuben McBride, 23 July 1867, copy, in Franklin D. Richards, Liverpool, England, to Brigham Young, 27 Aug. 1867, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL; and Historical Introduction to Power of Attorney to Oliver Granger, 27 Sept. 1837; see also Statement of Account from Perkins & Osborn, ca. 29 Oct. 1838.)

    Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

  7. [7]

    See Introduction to Part 3: 4 Nov. 1838–16 Apr. 1839.

Page [1]

Pain[e]sville

Located on Grand River twelve miles northeast of Kirtland. Created and settled, 1800. Originally named Champion. Flourished economically from harbor on Lake Erie and as major route of overland travel for western emigration. Included Painesville village; laid...

More Info
Oct 29. 1838
Joseph Smith Jr Esq
Dea[r] Sir
At Suggestion of our friend
Mr Grangir [Oliver Granger]

7 Feb. 1794–23/25 Aug. 1841. Sheriff, church agent. Born at Phelps, Ontario Co., New York. Son of Pierce Granger and Clarissa Trumble. Married Lydia Dibble, 8 Sept. 1813, at Phelps. Member of Methodist church and licensed exhorter. Sheriff of Ontario Co. ...

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we send you Statement of our acct & demnds— You know I threw my whole influence, industry & whatever talents I have faithfully into your affairs— do something for me, “The labourer is worthy of his hire”
1

Luke 10:7.


In the Quis tam Suits of Rounds, we have charged the differ[e]nt individuals according as we thought was about right in proportion to our Services— I spent a great deal of time & labour in my office in those suits, & though unsuccessfull it was no fault of ours you know.
[Warren] Parrish

10 Jan. 1803–3 Jan. 1877. Clergyman, gardener. Born in New York. Son of John Parrish and Ruth Farr. Married first Elizabeth (Betsey) Patten of Westmoreland Co., New Hampshire, ca. 1822. Lived at Alexandria, Jefferson Co., New York, 1830. Purchased land at...

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rebelled & we have a judgt against him for his proportion & presume it will be collected—
2

Parrish apparently had not paid his portion of the legal fees in the Rounds lawsuits. To obtain Parrish’s payment, Perkins & Osborn brought a claim against him, likely through the justice of the peace court since the debt was small—under one hundred dollars.


I have heard much of your troubles
3

Ohio newspapers published several articles referencing the Missouri situation. (See, for example, “The Mormons,” Daily Herald and Gazette [Cleveland, OH], 13 Sept. 1838, [2]; “Mormon Difficulties,” Daily Herald and Gazette, 10 Oct. 1838, [2]; and “Mormon Campaign,” Painesville [OH] Republican, 11 Oct. 1838, [1].)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Daily Herald and Gazette. Cleveland. 1837–1839.

Painesville Republican. Painesville, OH. 1836–1841.

& take an interest in your welfare & believed you must [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from William Perkins, 29 October 1838
ID #
417
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D6:249–251
Handwriting on This Page
  • William Perkins

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Luke 10:7.

  2. [2]

    Parrish apparently had not paid his portion of the legal fees in the Rounds lawsuits. To obtain Parrish’s payment, Perkins & Osborn brought a claim against him, likely through the justice of the peace court since the debt was small—under one hundred dollars.

  3. [3]

    Ohio newspapers published several articles referencing the Missouri situation. (See, for example, “The Mormons,” Daily Herald and Gazette [Cleveland, OH], 13 Sept. 1838, [2]; “Mormon Difficulties,” Daily Herald and Gazette, 10 Oct. 1838, [2]; and “Mormon Campaign,” Painesville [OH] Republican, 11 Oct. 1838, [1].)

    Daily Herald and Gazette. Cleveland. 1837–1839.

    Painesville Republican. Painesville, OH. 1836–1841.

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