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Minutes, 1 March 1841, Copy

Source Note

Nauvoo City Council, Minutes,
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....

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, Hancock Co., IL, 1 Mar. 1841. Featured version copied [ca. 1 Mar. 1841] in Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, pp. 11–15; handwriting of
James Sloan

28 Oct. 1792–24 Oct. 1886. City recorder, notary public, attorney, judge, farmer. Born in Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Alexander Sloan and Anne. Married Mary Magill. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder, ...

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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 1841–1845.

Historical Introduction

On 1 March 1841 the
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....

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, Illinois, city council met for the fifth time since the council was created. As with previous meetings, the council met at
Amos Davis

Ca. 20 Sept. 1813–22 Mar. 1872. Merchant, farmer, postmaster, tavernkeeper. Born in New Hampshire or Vermont. Son of Wells Davis and Mary. Moved to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, ca. fall 1836. Married first Elvira Hibard, 1 Jan. 1837, in...

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’s house. In all city council meetings to date, JS had played an active role as a city councilor.
1

See, for example, Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.


This 1 March meeting was no different, and these minutes are presented to provide an example of JS’s participation on the council. JS offered one resolution, made two motions respecting city appointments, and presented six city ordinances, all of which passed. Two of the ordinances JS introduced placed particular emphasis on protecting liberties and constitutional rights for people in Nauvoo, something JS and his coreligionists found lacking in
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 ...

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.
2

For more on the Latter-day Saint experience in Missouri, see “Joseph Smith Documents from February 1838 through August 1839.”


The passage of these ordinances highlights the commitment of the city council to guarantee civil, political, and religious liberty to all in Nauvoo.
James Sloan

28 Oct. 1792–24 Oct. 1886. City recorder, notary public, attorney, judge, farmer. Born in Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Alexander Sloan and Anne. Married Mary Magill. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder, ...

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recorded the minutes of the 1 March 1841 city council meeting in a notebook. Those original minutes were then used by Sloan to record the official minutes in the city council’s ledger. The official minutes are featured here.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See, for example, Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.

  2. [2]

    For more on the Latter-day Saint experience in Missouri, see “Joseph Smith Documents from February 1838 through August 1839.”

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. Minutes, 1 March 1841 Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, February–December 1841 *Minutes, 1 March 1841, Copy Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 1841–1845

Page 14

City offices which was read three times, and passed, to Wit:
An Ordinance Creating certain additional City Offices therein named.
Sec. 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City 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....

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, That in addition to the City officers heretofore elected, there shall be elected by the city council, one High Constable, for each ward, one surveyor and Engineer, one Market Master, one Weigher and Sealer and one Collector for the
city

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....

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, whose duties shall hereafter be defined by Ordinance.
Sec. 2. This ordinance to take effect, and be in force from and after its Passage.
Passed March 1st. 1841.—
John C. Bennett

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

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, Mayor.
James Sloan

28 Oct. 1792–24 Oct. 1886. City recorder, notary public, attorney, judge, farmer. Born in Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Alexander Sloan and Anne. Married Mary Magill. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder, ...

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Recorder.
The following appointments were made (by the City Council,) of High Constables for the
City

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....

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.
Dimick B. Huntington

26 May 1808–1 Feb. 1879. Farmer, blacksmith, shoemaker, constable, coroner, deputy sheriff, Indian interpreter. Born at Watertown, Jefferson Co., New York. Son of William Huntington and Zina Baker. Married Fannie Maria Allen, 28 Apr. 1830. Baptized into Church...

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1st. Ward
Leonard Soby

Ca. 1810–14 Dec. 1892. Tobacco merchant. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of David Soby. Married Helen. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by June 1840. Received elder’s license, 6 Dec. 1840...

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3rd. Ward
George Morey

30 Nov. 1803–15 Dec. 1875. Farmer. Born at Pittstown, Rensselaer Co., New York. Son of William Morey and Anda Martin. Moved to Collinsville, Butler Co., Ohio, 1814. Married Sylvia Butterfield, 29 Oct. 1825, at Butler Co. Moved to Vermillion Co., Illinois,...

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2nd. "
James Allred

22 Jan. 1784–10 Jan. 1876. Farmer. Born in Randolph Co., North Carolina. Son of William Allred and Elizabeth Thrasher. Married Elizabeth Warren. Moved to Missouri, before Sept. 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by George M. Hinkle...

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4th. "
Leonard Soby

Ca. 1810–14 Dec. 1892. Tobacco merchant. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of David Soby. Married Helen. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by 1840. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by June 1840. Received elder’s license, 6 Dec. 1840...

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was Sworn into office.
Colr. J. Smith moved, that the office of Supervisor of Streets be declared vacant in consequence of
Austin Cowles

3 May 1792–15 Jan. 1872. Farmer, teacher, minister, millwright, miller, merchant. Born in Brookfield, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Timothy Cowles and Abigail Woodworth. Moved to Unadilla, Otsego Co., New York, by 1810. Married first Phebe Wilbur, 14 Jan. 1813...

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the Supervisor being necessarily absent from the
City

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....

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, which was carried unanimously.
10

Cowles was appointed to this position on 3 February 1841 and was sworn into office on 8 February. Cowles apparently left the city thereafter but had returned to Nauvoo by 30 March, when William Marks chose and ordained him as a counselor in the Nauvoo stake presidency. (See Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841; Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 8 Feb. 1841, 7; and Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 30 Mar. 1841.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

James Allred

22 Jan. 1784–10 Jan. 1876. Farmer. Born in Randolph Co., North Carolina. Son of William Allred and Elizabeth Thrasher. Married Elizabeth Warren. Moved to Missouri, before Sept. 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by George M. Hinkle...

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was appointed Supervisor of Streets.
11

For more information on this office, see Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.


The City
Marshal

20 Apr. 1785–24 Nov. 1867. Surveyor. Born at Kingsbury, Washington Co., New York. Son of Newcomb Sherwood and a woman whose maiden name was Tolman (first name unidentified). Married first Jane J. McManagal (McMangle) of Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland, ca. 1824...

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was then appointed to act as Supervisor of Streets in the absence of that officer, and was sworn in.
12

Henry G. Sherwood served as Nauvoo city marshal and, according to these minutes, temporarily served as supervisor of streets. James Allred was sworn in as supervisor of streets at the next city council meeting. (Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841; Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 8 Mar. 1841, 15.)


Colr. J. Smith offered the following Resolution, which was seconded and Carried.— Resolved. That the
Marshal

20 Apr. 1785–24 Nov. 1867. Surveyor. Born at Kingsbury, Washington Co., New York. Son of Newcomb Sherwood and a woman whose maiden name was Tolman (first name unidentified). Married first Jane J. McManagal (McMangle) of Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland, ca. 1824...

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give notice to the person having encumbrance on the Street at
Colr. [Sidney] Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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’s House, and oblige him to have same removed within ten days.
13

John C. Annis, the owner of a sawmill in the southwest part of the city, was apparently stacking logs in the street, thereby blocking traffic to Sidney Rigdon’s home on the north side of Parley Street. (See Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 8 Mar. 1841, 15; see also Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 15 Mar. 1841.)


Upon Motion of
Colr. [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....

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, it was resolved, that all nuisances on the Street which runs along the
River

Principal U.S. river running southward from Itasca Lake, Minnesota, to Gulf of Mexico. Covered 3,160-mile course, 1839 (now about 2,350 miles). Drains about 1,100,000 square miles. Steamboat travel on Mississippi very important in 1830s and 1840s for shipping...

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be removed by the Supervisor.
Colr. [p. 14]
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Page 14

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes, 1 March 1841, Copy
ID #
10302
Total Pages
5
Print Volume Location
JSP, D8:49–55
Handwriting on This Page
  • James Sloan

Footnotes

  1. [10]

    Cowles was appointed to this position on 3 February 1841 and was sworn into office on 8 February. Cowles apparently left the city thereafter but had returned to Nauvoo by 30 March, when William Marks chose and ordained him as a counselor in the Nauvoo stake presidency. (See Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841; Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 8 Feb. 1841, 7; and Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 30 Mar. 1841.)

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  2. [11]

    For more information on this office, see Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.

  3. [12]

    Henry G. Sherwood served as Nauvoo city marshal and, according to these minutes, temporarily served as supervisor of streets. James Allred was sworn in as supervisor of streets at the next city council meeting. (Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841; Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 8 Mar. 1841, 15.)

  4. [13]

    John C. Annis, the owner of a sawmill in the southwest part of the city, was apparently stacking logs in the street, thereby blocking traffic to Sidney Rigdon’s home on the north side of Parley Street. (See Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 8 Mar. 1841, 15; see also Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 15 Mar. 1841.)

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