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Letter to Edward Hunter, 5 January 1842

Source Note

JS, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to , , Chester Co., PA, 5 Jan. 1842; handwriting of ; four pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal stamp, postal notation, docket, use marks, and notation.
Bifolium measuring 9¾ × 7¾ inches (25 × 20 cm). The letter was inscribed on all four pages, ending partway down the fourth page. The bifolium was trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, sealed with a red adhesive wafer, and postmarked. Wafer residue appears on the verso of the second leaf. The letter was later refolded for filing. The second leaf has undergone conservation.
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 letter was used to prepare an excerpt transcribed into the manuscript history of the church, volume C-1 addenda, likely sometime between 24 April and 19 June 1855, at which time use marks were made in graphite. A graphite notation reading “Printed” was added by Andrew Jenson, who began working in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) in 1882 and served as assistant church historian from 1897 to 1941. The document was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office 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, use marks, and notation as well as its inclusion in the circa 1904 inventory and in the JS Collection by 1973 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]

    See JS History, vol. C-1 Addenda, 50–51; and Vogel, History of Joseph Smith, 1:xcvii.

    Vogel, Dan, ed. History of Joseph Smith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: A Source and Text-Critical Edition. 8 vols. Salt Lake City: Smith-Pettit Foundation, 2015.

  3. [3]

    Jenson, Autobiography, 131, 133, 135, 141, 192, 389; Jenson, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891 and 19 Oct. 1897; Bitton and Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians, 44–52.

    Jenson, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Jenson: Assistant Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938.

    Jenson, Andrew. Journals, 1864–1941. Andrew Jenson, Autobiography and Journals, 1864–1941. CHL.

    Bitton, David, and Leonard J. Arrington. Mormons and Their Historians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1988.

  4. [4]

    “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.

  5. [5]

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

Historical Introduction

On 5 January 1842 JS composed a letter in , Illinois, to in , Pennsylvania, imparting much of the same business information he had relayed to Hunter in a 21 December 1841 letter, apparently because he feared that Hunter had not received the December letter. Hunter was in conducting business, including settling the financial affairs of Margaret Smith, a recent convert to the church who had moved to Nauvoo. JS explained that the power of attorney Margaret Smith had granted to Hunter had been sent to the county clerk to be properly certified. JS also stated that he had received and accepted goods Hunter had sent and that he had purchased land near Nauvoo for Hunter. In addition, JS described his new general and emphasized that Margaret Smith’s donated money would be needed to supply the store with new merchandise for the spring. He requested Hunter to write him with any further news on settling Smith’s financial affairs.
acted as scribe for the letter. Shortly after its creation, the letter was copied into JS’s letterbook. The letter was mailed from the post office and postmarked 11 January 1842. received the letter by 10 February 1842, when he wrote a response.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Edward Hunter, West Nantmeal, PA, 5 Jan. 1842, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 222–224.

  2. [2]

    Letter from Edward Hunter, 10 Feb. 1842.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter to Edward Hunter, 5 January 1842
Letterbook 2 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 Addenda “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [1]

January 5[th] 1842
Mr .
Beloved Brother,
I wrote you on the 21 ultimo, in reply to yours of the 27[th] of october, but lest by any means the letter should fail to reach you I will recapitulate very briefly some important items therein contained,
The power of Attorney was duly executed by Mrs [Margaret] Smith. & forwareded to the clerks office for seal of state. to be sent. from thence direct to you.
The Goods are accepted and <​will be​> applied according to you[r] request,
I have purchased 90 acres of woodland, a little up the ; have made proposals to . but am yet waiting his answer, from his eastern correspondent.
Steam Engines & mills of any description will do well here, the more of such things you can bring, the better.— for particulars on the foregoing I would refer you to my letter of the 21. ult which I hope you have received ere this—
The
I am happy that it is my privilige to say to you that the large . which I had commenced when you were here, is now completed, and the doors are opened this day. for the sale of goods for the first time. The foundations of the building is somewhat spacio[u]s, (as you will doubtless recollect,) for a country store, The principal part of [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Edward Hunter, 5 January 1842
ID #
739
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D9:83–88
Handwriting on This Page
  • Willard Richards

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Letter to Edward Hunter, 21 Dec. 1841; Letter from Edward Hunter, 27 Oct. 1841.

  2. [2]

    In his 27 October 1841 letter, Hunter explained to JS that the first power of attorney he was given “could not be recorded in consequence of not being sanctioned by the Judge or Governor of the state of Illinois.” This second power of attorney was filed on 15 December 1841. (Letter from Edward Hunter, 27 Oct. 1841; Margaret Smith to Edward Hunter, Power of Attorney, 15 Dec. 1841, Edward Hunter, Collection, 1816–1884, CHL.)

    Hunter, Edward. Collection, ca. 1798–1965. Photocopy and typescript. CHL.

  3. [3]

    This land was apparently purchased from Chauncey Robison. (Letter from Edward Hunter, 27 Oct. 1841.)

  4. [4]

    McFall was a member of the Nauvoo City Council and an adjutant general in the Nauvoo Legion. JS sought to purchase forty acres of land from McFall on Hunter’s behalf and was trying to negotiate the sale of the land at a less expensive rate, perhaps leading to McFall’s need to speak with his business partner. (Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 23 Oct. 1841, 25; Report of Nauvoo Legion General Court-Martial, 30 Nov. 1841; Letter from Edward Hunter, 27 Oct. 1841.)

  5. [5]

    JS’s general store was located on the southeast corner of Water and Granger streets. Hunter was in Nauvoo on 13 and 14 September 1841. (JS, Journal, 14 Dec. 1841; see also Historical Introduction to Floor Plan for JS’s Store, between Feb. and Dec. 1841; and JS History, vol. C-1 Addenda, 18.)

  6. [6]

    See Floor Plan for JS’s Store, between Feb. and Dec. 1841.

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