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Letter to Martin Harris, 22 February 1831

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Letter to Martin Harris, 22 February 1831

Source Note

JS, Letter, , OH, to , , NY, 22 Feb. 1831; sent copy; handwriting of ; signature of JS; one page; JS Collection, CHL.
Single unlined leaf measuring 11¾ × 8 inches (30 × 20 cm). Includes address in handwriting of and postal markings in handwriting of on verso. Folding and evidence of a wax or wafer seal (now missing) indicate this letter is the sent copy. Because virtually all of ’s papers are nonextant, the existence of this letter is unusual. The letter was probably kept by someone other than Harris from an early time. Given the pattern of other surviving manuscripts in the Knight family, it is possible that Harris, following instructions in the letter, forwarded this letter to whose family then preserved the letter. The letter was copied into the Journal History, indicating that it was likely at the Historian’s Office sometime in the beginning of the twentieth century.

Footnotes

  1. Historical Department, Journal History of the Church, 22 Feb. 1831; see also Bergera, “Commencement of Great Things,” 23–39.

    Historical Department. Journal History of the Church, 1896–. CHL. CR 100 137.

    Bergera, Gary James. “The Commencement of Great Things: The Origins, Scope, and Achievement of the Journal History of the Church.” Mormon Historical Studies 4, no. 1 (Spring 2003): 23–39.

Historical Introduction

In this letter, JS requested that come to as soon as possible. JS and a few other church members from had already migrated to the , Ohio, area, arriving by early February 1831. Harris was directed to secure a place for himself to settle and to find a place for the other New York church members who would follow. The letter instructs Harris concerning the move without giving any explanation, indicating that he was already aware of the 2 January 1831 revelation instructing believers to remove to Ohio. The letter also appears to refer to a revelation dictated earlier in the month directing “that the of my Church should be called to gether.” JS instructed Harris to “inform the Elders” in the area to come to Kirtland immediately “by of the Lord.” Harris responded quickly, arriving in Kirtland by 12 March, only seventeen days after this letter was postmarked in Ohio.

Footnotes

  1. [Matthew S. Clapp], “Mormonism,” Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 15 Feb. 1831, [1]; Knight, Reminiscences, 8–9; Letter to Hyrum Smith, 3–4 Mar. 1831.

    Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.

    Knight, Joseph, Sr. Reminiscences, no date. CHL. MS 3470.

  2. See Revelation, 30 Dec. 1830 [D&C 37:3]; and Revelation, 2 Jan. 1831 [D&C 38:32].

  3. Revelation, Feb. 1831–B [D&C 44:1].

  4. According to the Painesville Telegraph, Harris arrived in Ohio “last Saturday 12 March 1831 from the bible quarry in New-York.” (News Item, Painesville [OH] Telegraph, 15 Mar. 1831, [3], italics in original.)

    Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.

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O)18¾
23 Feby)
Wayne Co
N.Y.
Mail [p. [2]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Martin Harris, 22 February 1831
ID #
65
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D1:262–265
Handwriting on This Page
  • Joseph Smith Jr.
  • Newel K. Whitney
  • Sidney Rigdon

Footnotes

  1. Postal markings in handwriting of Newel K. Whitney.

  2. This notation is the cost of the postage on the letter. At the time, single letters that traveled between 150 and 400 miles were charged 18¾ cents in postage. (Force, National Calendar, 227.)

    Force, Peter. The National Calendar for MDCCCXXIX. Vol. VII. Washington DC: By the author, 1829.Force, Peter. The National Calendar for MDCCCXXX. Vol. VIII. Washington DC: By the author, 1830.

  3. Address in handwriting of Sidney Rigdon.

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