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Letter to Wilson Law, 16 August 1842

Source Note

JS, Letter, [near
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL], to
Wilson Law

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

View Full Bio
, [
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL], 16 Aug. 1842; handwriting of
William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

View Full Bio
; two pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes dockets, notation, and archival marking.
Single leaf measuring 11⅝–11¾ × 7½–7⅝ inches (30 × 19 cm). All edges of the leaf were unevenly cut. The letter was folded and docketed for filing purposes.
The document was docketed by Andrew Jenson, who began working in the Church Historian’s Office in 1882 and served as assistant church historian from 1897 to 1941.
1

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.


Comprehensive Works Cited

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.

A notation by an unidentified Historian’s Office clerk was inscribed presumably in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department, now CHL.
2

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


The document’s docket, notation, and inclusion in the JS Collection by 1973 suggest continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    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.

  2. [2]

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

Historical Introduction

While in hiding outside of
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Illinois, to avoid arrest and extradition to
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

More Info
, JS wrote to
Wilson Law

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

View Full Bio
in Nauvoo on 16 August 1842 asking his opinion on whether JS should leave
Illinois

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

More Info
for a time. On 14 August, JS, as lieutenant general of the
Nauvoo Legion

A contingent of the Illinois state militia provided for in the Nauvoo city charter. The Nauvoo Legion was organized into two cohorts: one infantry and one cavalry. Each cohort could potentially comprise several thousand men and was overseen by a brigadier...

View Glossary
, had issued orders to Law, the legion’s major general, to rescue him if he was captured and to prepare to defend the Saints against possible enemy attacks. The next day, JS received Law’s response indicating his willingness to follow the orders and pledging full support to JS.
1

Letter to Wilson Law, 14 Aug. 1842; Letter from Wilson Law, 15 Aug. 1842.


On the night of 15 August, a group of JS’s friends and associates had traveled to the residence of
Edward Sayers

9 Feb. 1800–17 July 1861. Horticulturalist. Born in Canterbury, Kent Co., England. Son of Edward Sayers and Mary. Married Ruth D. Vose, 23 Jan. 1841, in St. Louis. Purchased land in Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, from JS and Emma Smith, 19 May 1841. Moved...

View Full Bio
, where JS was hiding, to inform JS of threats the officers seeking his arrest had made against Nauvoo’s citizens. JS’s journal indicates that after a lengthy conversation, “it was considered wisdom” for JS to make plans to depart for the
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
’s lumber operation at Black River Falls, Wisconsin Territory, should he feel the need to flee.
2

JS, Journal, 15 Aug. 1842; Letter from Wilson Law, 15 Aug. 1842. On the church’s lumber operation in Wisconsin Territory, see Letter from George W. Henry, 18 July 1841; “The Church and Its Prospects,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1841, 2:543; JS, Journal, 26 and 28 June 1842; George Miller, St. James, MI, to “Dear Brother,” 26 June 1855, in Northern Islander (St. James, MI), 16 Aug. 1855, [3]–[4]; and Rowley, “Mormon Experience in the Wisconsin Pineries,” 121–129.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

Northern Islander. St. James, MI. 1850–1856.

Rowley, Dennis. “The Mormon Experience in the Wisconsin Pineries, 1841–1845.” BYU Studies 32, nos. 1 and 2 (1992): 119–148.

The next day, apparently in the morning, JS wrote the letter to
Law

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

View Full Bio
featured here, again addressing him as the major general of the Nauvoo Legion but also calling him a brother in the gospel and a friend. JS expressed joy in reading Law’s 15 August letter. He informed Law that he thought it might be best if he left for
Wisconsin Territory

Area settled by French, before 1700. Became part of U.S. by Treaty of Paris, 1783. Territory officially formed, 1836, with Belmont established as capital. Capital moved to present-day Burlington, Iowa, 1837. Territory initially included all or part of present...

More Info
and asked for Law’s thoughts on the matter. The same day JS wrote this letter, he composed one to his wife Emma Smith, in which he outlined preparations she would need to make if they decided to flee to Wisconsin Territory.
Erastus Derby

14 Sept. 1810–3 Dec. 1890. Tailor, carpenter, farmer, joiner. Born in Hawley, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Edward Darby and Ruth Phoebe Hitchcock. Moved to Ohio, by 1834. Married Ruhamah Burnham Knowlton, 10 Aug. 1834, in Carthage, Hamilton Co., Ohio...

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, who had been staying with JS while he was in hiding, delivered the letters to their recipients.
3

JS, Journal, 16 Aug. 1842; Letter to Emma Smith, 16 Aug. 1842.


Law responded to JS’s letter in the early afternoon of 16 August, the same day he received it.
4

Letter from Wilson Law, 16 Aug. 1842.


William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

View Full Bio
, who appears to have been at
Sayers

9 Feb. 1800–17 July 1861. Horticulturalist. Born in Canterbury, Kent Co., England. Son of Edward Sayers and Mary. Married Ruth D. Vose, 23 Jan. 1841, in St. Louis. Purchased land in Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, from JS and Emma Smith, 19 May 1841. Moved...

View Full Bio
’s farm on 16 August, inscribed the version of the letter featured here. Out of all the correspondence with
Wilson Law

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

View Full Bio
and
Emma Smith

10 July 1804–30 Apr. 1879. Scribe, editor, boardinghouse operator, clothier. Born at Willingborough Township (later in Harmony), Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania. Daughter of Isaac Hale and Elizabeth Lewis. Member of Methodist church at Harmony (later in Oakland...

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while JS was in hiding in August 1842, this is the only extant letter on loose paper; all other letters from their correspondence are available only as copies made in JS’s journal. This may represent the original letter written by Clayton as JS dictated it to him. Alternately, it may be a retained copy that Clayton made after drafting the original, in which case the original is not extant. Clayton appears to have used this version when copying the contents of the letter into JS’s journal after returning to
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, probably between 21 and 23 August.
5

JS, Journal, Copied Correspondence, 30 June–17 Aug. 1842; Book of the Law of the Lord, 170–181. This date range is suggested by changes in the ink Clayton used when writing in the Book of the Law of the Lord.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Letter to Wilson Law, 14 Aug. 1842; Letter from Wilson Law, 15 Aug. 1842.

  2. [2]

    JS, Journal, 15 Aug. 1842; Letter from Wilson Law, 15 Aug. 1842. On the church’s lumber operation in Wisconsin Territory, see Letter from George W. Henry, 18 July 1841; “The Church and Its Prospects,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1841, 2:543; JS, Journal, 26 and 28 June 1842; George Miller, St. James, MI, to “Dear Brother,” 26 June 1855, in Northern Islander (St. James, MI), 16 Aug. 1855, [3]–[4]; and Rowley, “Mormon Experience in the Wisconsin Pineries,” 121–129.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

    Northern Islander. St. James, MI. 1850–1856.

    Rowley, Dennis. “The Mormon Experience in the Wisconsin Pineries, 1841–1845.” BYU Studies 32, nos. 1 and 2 (1992): 119–148.

  3. [3]

    JS, Journal, 16 Aug. 1842; Letter to Emma Smith, 16 Aug. 1842.

  4. [4]

    Letter from Wilson Law, 16 Aug. 1842.

  5. [5]

    JS, Journal, Copied Correspondence, 30 June–17 Aug. 1842; Book of the Law of the Lord, 170–181. This date range is suggested by changes in the ink Clayton used when writing in the Book of the Law of the Lord.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter to Wilson Law, 16 August 1842
Journal, December 1841–December 1842 History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [1]

Head Quarters of
Nauvoo Legion

A contingent of the Illinois state militia provided for in the Nauvoo city charter. The Nauvoo Legion was organized into two cohorts: one infantry and one cavalry. Each cohort could potentially comprise several thousand men and was overseen by a brigadier...

View Glossary
1

Although the usual headquarters for the Nauvoo Legion was probably the office of JS, at the time of this letter JS apparently considered his current place of residence—the home of Edward Sayers—to be a temporary headquarters. (See Minutes, 4 Feb. 1841.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

The Book of the Law of the Lord, Record Book, 1841–1845. CHL.

August 16 1842
Major Gen. [Wilson] Law

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

View Full Bio
.
Beloved brother and friend
Those few lines which I received from you written on the 15th. was to me like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver.
2

See Proverbs 25:11.


I rejoice with exceeding great joy
3

See Matthew 2:10.


to be associated in the high and responsible stations which we hold, whose mind and feelings and heart is so congenial with my own. I love that soul that is so nobly entabernacled in that clay of yours, may God Almighty grant, that it may be satiated with seeing a fuffilment of every virtuous desire and manly desire that you possess. May we be able to triumph gloriously over those who seek our destruction and overthrow, which I believe we shall. The news you wrote me was more favorable than that which was communicated by the brethren.
4

Among other things, Law had noted that “the Gentlemen Officers”—likely referring to the arresting officers—“are seemingly very unhappy and out of humor with themselves more than with any body else.” (Letter from Wilson Law, 15 Aug. 1842, underlining in original.)


They seemed a little agitated for my safety and advise me for the
Pine Woods

Also known as the “pinery.” Collective term for regions in Wisconsin where lumbering operations were located, especially along Black, Chippewa, St. Croix, Wisconsin, and Wolf rivers. Latter-day Saints established lumber camps and mills on Black River to provide...

More Info
.
5

The pine tree forests in western Wisconsin Territory, where the church had a lumber mill and camp on the Black River. (See Rowley, “Mormon Experience in the Wisconsin Pineries,” 121–129.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Rowley, Dennis. “The Mormon Experience in the Wisconsin Pineries, 1841–1845.” BYU Studies 32, nos. 1 and 2 (1992): 119–148.

But I succeeded admirably in calming all their fears.
6

According to JS’s journal, he “advised them not to suffer themselves to be wrought upon by any report, but to maintain an even, undaunted mind,” whereupon they “began to gather courage and all fears were soon subsided, and the greatest union and good feeling prevailed amongst all present.” (JS, Journal, 15 Aug. 1842.)


But nevertheless as I said in my former letter, I was willing to exile myself for months and years, if it would be for the safety and welfare of the people;
7

See Letter to Wilson Law, 14 Aug. 1842.


and I do not know but it would be as well for me to take a trip to the
Pine Countries

Also known as the “pinery.” Collective term for regions in Wisconsin where lumbering operations were located, especially along Black, Chippewa, St. Croix, Wisconsin, and Wolf rivers. Latter-day Saints established lumber camps and mills on Black River to provide...

More Info
and remain untill arrangements can be made for my most perfect safety when I return. These are therefore to confer with you on this subject as I want to have a concert of action in every thing that I do. If I [k]new that they would oppress me alone, and let the rest of you dwell peaceably and quietly, I think I<​t​> would be the wisest plan to absent myself for a little season if by that means we can prevent the profusion of blood Please write and give me your mind on that subject and all other information that has come to hand today and what are the signs of the times. [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Wilson Law, 16 August 1842
ID #
910
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:406–409
Handwriting on This Page
  • William Clayton

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Although the usual headquarters for the Nauvoo Legion was probably the office of JS, at the time of this letter JS apparently considered his current place of residence—the home of Edward Sayers—to be a temporary headquarters. (See Minutes, 4 Feb. 1841.)

    The Book of the Law of the Lord, Record Book, 1841–1845. CHL.

  2. [2]

    See Proverbs 25:11.

  3. [3]

    See Matthew 2:10.

  4. [4]

    Among other things, Law had noted that “the Gentlemen Officers”—likely referring to the arresting officers—“are seemingly very unhappy and out of humor with themselves more than with any body else.” (Letter from Wilson Law, 15 Aug. 1842, underlining in original.)

  5. [5]

    The pine tree forests in western Wisconsin Territory, where the church had a lumber mill and camp on the Black River. (See Rowley, “Mormon Experience in the Wisconsin Pineries,” 121–129.)

    Rowley, Dennis. “The Mormon Experience in the Wisconsin Pineries, 1841–1845.” BYU Studies 32, nos. 1 and 2 (1992): 119–148.

  6. [6]

    According to JS’s journal, he “advised them not to suffer themselves to be wrought upon by any report, but to maintain an even, undaunted mind,” whereupon they “began to gather courage and all fears were soon subsided, and the greatest union and good feeling prevailed amongst all present.” (JS, Journal, 15 Aug. 1842.)

  7. [7]

    See Letter to Wilson Law, 14 Aug. 1842.

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