Taylor & Woodruff presented a claim to the Nauvoo City Council on 11 November 1843, which was allowed and this certificate written. Several other claims were also presented at the 11 November 1843 council meeting. On 15 December 1843, Richards created a single pay order for all of the claims allowed at the meeting. He included Taylor & Woodruff’s claim in this single pay order, noting that he had “previously issued a certificate . . . without any order for the payment,” referring to this certificate. This certificate was later used to note payment of taxes owed by Taylor & Woodruff. The transaction from the actual pay order was recorded in the Nauvoo City Treasury Ledger on 26 December 1843. The transaction for the taxes was recorded in the ledger on 18 January 1845. (Statement of Account from Taylor & Woodruff, circa 11 Nov. 1843; Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, Nov. 1842–Jan. 1844, 23; Pay Order, Willard Richards to William Clayton for Elijah Fordham and Others, 15 Dec. 1843; Nauvoo City Treasury Ledger, 21, 82, 84, 107..)

Nauvoo City Treasury Ledger, 1842–1845. Nauvoo, IL, Records, 1841–1845. CHL. MS 16800.