McKee signed his 7 March 1843 letter “John W. Mc. Kee,” so inscribing his middle initial as “M” appears to be Richards’s mistake. In an endorsement on that letter, Richards similarly wrote “John M McKee.” (Letter from John McKee, 7 Mar. 1843.)

McKee mentioned in his 7 March 1843 letter that he had previously sent another letter to JS. (Letter from John McKee, 7 Mar. 1843.)

Despite Richards’s statement here, Nauvoo was not known for its healthy environment in the past. When the Saints first moved there in 1839, the area was a swamp filled with malaria-carrying mosquitoes. According to a later JS history, it was “so unhea[l]thy very few could live there.” However, after the Saints drained the swamps, it became “a great deel more healthy.” (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 11 June 1839; Butler, Autobiography, [34].)

Butler, John L. Autobiography, ca. 1859. CHL. MS 2952.

In a December 1840 letter to the apostles preaching in England, JS explained that because many of those joining the church in England were “not accustomed to the farming business,” he wanted individuals “accustomed to making machinery and those who can command a capital” to come to Nauvoo “as soon as convenient and put up machinery and make such other preparations as may be necessary, so, that when the poor come on they may have employment to come to.” JS also told the apostles that Nauvoo was well suited “for manufacturing and commercial purposes.” (Letter to Quorum of the Twelve, 15 Dec. 1840.)

Nauvoo’s economy was cash poor, which led the Nauvoo City Council to issue city scrip in 1842. This currency was to be used only within the community. Because of the scrip’s depreciating value, JS had given discourses over the past several months championing the use of gold and silver. In February 1843, the Nauvoo City Council debated an ordinance requiring the payment of city taxes, debts, and fines in gold and silver. The ordinance passed in March 1843 with amendments, but it is unclear what changes were made to it. (Nauvoo City Scrip, 14 July 1842; JS, Journal, 23 Feb. 1843; Discourse, 25 Feb. 1843; Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 4 Mar. 1843, 167; Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, 4 Mar. 1843, 10.)

Individuals who were working on the Nauvoo temple could receive provisions from the Nauvoo temple committee for their work. (Daybook B, 1841–1843, Nauvoo Temple Building Committee Records, CHL.)

Nauvoo Temple Building Committee Records, 1841–1852. CHL. CR 342 9.

The Nauvoo City Council passed an ordinance in 1841 stating that all religious sects and denominations “shall have free toleration and equal Privilieges in this City.” Anyone found guilty of “ridiculing abusing, or otherwise depreciating another in consequence of his religion or of disturbing, or interrupting any religious meeting” in Nauvoo would be subject to a fine of up to five hundred dollars and six months’ imprisonment. (Minutes, 1 Mar. 1841.)

The Times and Seasons, the church’s American periodical, was published semimonthly in Nauvoo. The Wasp was the Nauvoo city newspaper and was published weekly. (Crawley, Descriptive Bibliography, 1:91–96, 192–193.)

Crawley, Peter. A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church. 3 vols. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997–2012.

Because McKee’s first letter to JS, on which he had paid postage, had apparently been lost, McKee decided not to pay postage on his 7 March letter. When the sender did not pay postage, the recipient had to pay it to receive the letter from the post office. (Letter from John McKee, 7 Mar. 1843; Notice, ca. 1 June 1841; Summerfield and Hurd, U.S. Mail, 45–46.)

Summerfield, Arthur E., with Charles Hurd. U.S. Mail: The Story of the United States Postal Service. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1960.