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Letter of Introduction from Matthew Pine for Harrison Kimball, 4 May 1844

Source Note

Matthew Pine, Letter of Introduction, , St. Louis Co., MO, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, for Harrison Kimball, 4 May 1844; handwriting and signature presumably of Matthew Pine; one page, JS Collection, CHL. Includes address and docket.
Bifolium of blue paper measuring 9¾ × 7¾ inches (25 × 20 cm). Each page is ruled with twenty-nine horizontal lines printed in blue ink. The letter was inscribed on the recto of the first leaf. The verso of the first leaf and recto of the second leaf are blank. The bifolium was trifolded twice in letter style and addressed. It was later refolded and docketed for filing.
The document was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865. The document was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) circa 1904. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early docket, its listing in a circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  2. [2]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [4], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

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

  3. [3]

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

Historical Introduction

On 4 May 1844, Matthew Pine wrote a letter introducing Harrison Kimball to JS in , Illinois. Pine, who was presumably a resident acquainted with JS, wrote on behalf of Kimball, who intended to move to Nauvoo, and gave the letter to Kimball. It is unknown precisely when Kimball delivered the letter to JS, but he moved to Nauvoo by mid-June. Nauvoo postmaster included Kimball’s name in a list of Nauvoo residents in a 15 June 1844 letter to the editor that was printed in the Nauvoo Neighbor. By October 1844, Kimball had a store in Nauvoo that sold cloth and linens. JS evidently retained the letter after Kimball delivered it.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    “A Card,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 19 June 1844, [3]. Kimball was one of six men Rigdon thanked for locating and retrieving a shipment of mail that had been lost by the carrier in Castor’s Creek, a few miles south of Nauvoo.

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  2. [2]

    “Robbery at Nauvoo,” Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 14 Nov. 1844, [2].

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

Page [1]

May 4th. 1844
Joseph Smith Esqr.
Dr. Sir
The bearer of this, Mr Harrison Kimball, is visiting your , for the purpose of permanently establishing himself in business— he is connected with your cousin, James C. Smith— of the firm of Smith & Blackwood of this — you will recollect, that I spoke to you about your cousin James— and I beg of you to interest yourself for my friend Kimball— who you may consider as the representative of cousin James—
Please give Mr Kimball your friendship— for I assure you, you will find it not misplaced—
We have often heard of great slanders against you— I am inclined to think them generally unfounded—
Wishing you health & happiness,
I remain Respectfully Yours—
Mathw. Pine
P.S. Mr Graves is now in business at Grafton— My best respects to & to Julia— also to Mr. Mr. & Mrs. Wasson— [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter of Introduction from Matthew Pine for Harrison Kimball, 4 May 1844
ID #
1347
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Matthew Pine

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Charles L. Smith and J. H. P. Blackwood owned a dry goods wholesale business in St. Louis. It is unclear what position James C. Smith held within the firm. Pine may have referred to him as JS’s cousin humorously because they shared the same surname, as JS had no close relation named James C. Smith. (Green’s Saint Louis Directory, 23, 161, 204.)

    Green, James. Green’s Saint Louis Directory (No. 1) for 1845: Containing the Names of the Inhabitants, Their Occupations, Places of Business, and Dwelling Houses; Also, a List of Streets and Avenues; Together With Other Useful Information, and an Advertisement Directory. Saint Louis: By the author, 1844.

  2. [2]

    It is unknown when Pine earlier communicated with JS. No other correspondence from Pine is extant.

  3. [3]

    Grafton, Illinois, is located on the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis.

  4. [4]

    Emma Smith.

  5. [5]

    Probably JS’s thirteen-year-old daughter, Julia Murdock Smith. (JS History, 1834–1836, 9; Murdock, Journal, 4, 9.)

    Murdock, John. Journal, ca. 1830–1859. John Murdock, Journal and Autobiography, ca. 1830–1867. CHL. MS 1194, fd. 2.

  6. [6]

    This is likely a reference to Lorenzo D. Wasson, the nephew of Emma Smith who lived with JS and Emma for a time in Nauvoo, and Marietta Crocker Wasson, his wife. Alternately, it may be a reference to Lorenzo’s parents, Benjamin and Elizabeth Hale Wasson. (Letter from Lorenzo D. Wasson, 30 July 1842; Letter to David Hale, 12–19 Feb. 1841; Cook, Nauvoo Deaths and Marriages, 95; Recollections of the Pioneers of Lee County, 57; History of Lee County, 851.)

    Cook, Lyndon W., comp. Nauvoo Deaths and Marriages, 1839–1845. Orem, UT: Grandin Book, 1994.

    Recollections of the Pioneers of Lee County. Dixon, IL: Inez A. Kennedy, 1893.

    History of Lee County, Together with Biographical Matter, Statistics, Etc., Gathered from Old Settlers, County, Township and Other Records, and Extracts from Files of Papers, Pamphlets, and Such Other Sources as Have Been Available. Chicago: H. H. Hill, 1881.

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