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Letter to Jesse B. Thomas, 27 November 1843

Source Note

and JS, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to , , Sangamon Co., IL, 27 Nov. 1843; handwriting of ; one page; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, dockets, and archival marking.
Bifolium measuring 9¾ × 7¾ inches (25 × 20 cm). The letter was inscribed on the first page; the second and third pages are blank. The letter was trifolded twice in letter style and addressed. Two dockets were later added to the verso of the second leaf. The letter was later refolded for filing. The document shows evidence of archival conservation.
The letter was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from December 1841 until JS’s death in June 1844 and served as church historian from December 1842 until his own death in March 1854. , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865, docketed the letter a second time. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early dockets and its later inclusion in the JS Collection suggest continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

  2. [2]

    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.

  3. [3]

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

Historical Introduction

On 27 November 1843, JS and his brother sent a letter from , Illinois, to Circuit Court judge in , Illinois, supporting ’s retention as the circuit court clerk. JS and Hyrum Smith wrote to clear up apparent confusion over their support of who should serve in that office.
In May 1843, state supreme court justice installed as the circuit court clerk. Backenstos, though not a member of the , was JS’s friend, and JS supported him as the circuit court clerk. Confusion apparently arose after JS signed a recommendation attesting to the good moral character of , a lawyer residing in . JS clarified in the featured letter that his character recommendation did not indicate his support of Marr’s appointment as circuit court clerk. The brothers assured that they and more than one thousand others sustained Backenstos as the clerk.
According to his journal, JS was “At home. quite unwell” on 27 November 1843. He and enlisted , who had been a candidate for recorder, to draft the letter to . It is unclear whether one of JS’s scribes or clerks drafted the initial letter and took it to Forgeus, who copied it, or if JS or Hyrum Smith dictated the letter to Forgeus, who then had it delivered to Thomas. Forgeus’s copy is the only extant version of the letter. The letter bears no postal markings, suggesting that it was hand delivered by an unidentified courier or that the featured version is a copy that did not include postal information. There is no known response from Thomas, but evidently retained his position.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Gregg, History of Hancock County, Illinois, 240, 328, 336.

    Gregg, Thomas. History of Hancock County, Illinois, Together with an Outline History of the State, and a Digest of State Laws. Chicago: Charles C. Chapman, 1880.

  2. [2]

    After moving to Carthage, Illinois, in 1842, Backenstos shared friendly interactions with JS. In January 1843, during Missouri officials’ attempt to extradite JS for the attempted assassination of former governor Lilburn W. Boggs, Backenstos and Douglas signed an affidavit testifying that when the assassination attempt occurred, Backenstos was in Nauvoo and saw JS reviewing the Nauvoo Legion in the presence of several thousand persons. In April 1843, JS stayed at Backenstos’s home while visiting Carthage. (Jacob B. Backenstos and Stephen A. Douglas, Affidavit, 4 Jan. 1843; JS, Journal, 3 Apr. 1843; see also Clayton, Journal, 1–2 Aug. 1843.)

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

  3. [3]

    Marr had practiced law in Nauvoo courts since at least February 1843. Marr and Sidney Rigdon represented physician William Brink in the April 1843 court case Dana v. Brink. Marr supported the Saints by signing the John Frierson–authored memorial to Congress. (Historical Introduction to Trial Report, 4–22 Mar. 1843; JS et al., Memorial to U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, 28 Nov. 1843, 10, Record Group 46, Records of the U.S. Senate, National Archives, Washington DC.)

  4. [4]

    JS, Journal, 27 Nov. 1843.

  5. [5]

    “Official Returns,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 16 Aug. 1843, [2].

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  6. [6]

    Backenstos remained the Hancock County Circuit Court clerk until 1845. (See Gregg, History of Hancock County, Illinois, 240, 328.)

    Gregg, Thomas. History of Hancock County, Illinois, Together with an Outline History of the State, and a Digest of State Laws. Chicago: Charles C. Chapman, 1880.

Page [1]

. November 27. ’43
To the Honorable
Dear Sir
The Friends of have suggested the propriety of getting up a petition to sustain him in the office of Circuit Clerk, in this part of the . I am <​We are​> Confident in saying to you that it is only spending time for nothing, and We have according to the poll Books about 1300 votes, nearly all of which will sign for Col. for Clerk. and if you desire the names, 1200 shall be forthcoming
We remain Your humble Servants &c
<​​>
<​Joseph Smith​>
Some time ago I was solicited to sign a recommendation in favor of ’s Moral character. I did so, not intending however to intimate a desire to have him appointed Circuit Clerk as I should very much regrett to hear of a removal of
Yours &C
Joseph Smith [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Jesse B. Thomas, 27 November 1843
ID #
1586
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D13:285–287
Handwriting on This Page
  • John A. Forgeus

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    It is unknown to which poll books this refers. According to the official returns of the 7 August 1843 Hancock County election, nearly 1,200 citizens voted in the Nauvoo and Commerce precincts alone. (“Official Returns,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 16 Aug. 1843, [2].)

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  2. [2]

    This recommendation has not been located.

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