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Affidavit from Allen Wait, 20 June 1844

Source Note

Allen Wait, Affidavit, before
Aaron Johnson

22 June 1806–10 May 1877. Farmer, gunmaker. Born in Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Son of Didymus Johnson and Ruhamah Stephens. Joined Methodist church, early 1820s. Married Polly Zeruah Kelsey, 13 Sept. 1827, in New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut...

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,
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, 20 June 1844; handwriting of
Lucian R. Foster

12 Nov. 1806–19 Mar. 1876. Photographer, accountant, bookkeeper, clerk. Born in New Marlboro, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Nathaniel Foster and Polly. Married first Harriet Eliza Burr. Married second Mary Ann Graham. Baptized into Church of Jesus ...

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; signature of Allen Wait; certified by
Aaron Johnson

22 June 1806–10 May 1877. Farmer, gunmaker. Born in Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Son of Didymus Johnson and Ruhamah Stephens. Joined Methodist church, early 1820s. Married Polly Zeruah Kelsey, 13 Sept. 1827, in New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut...

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; docket in handwriting of John McEwan; one page; JS Office Papers, CHL.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
Affidavit from Allen Wait, 20 June 1844
History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [1]

June 20th 1844.
State of Illinois)
Hancock County)
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....

More Info
)
Personally appeared before me

Insertion in handwriting of Thomas Bullock.


<​
Aaron Johnson

22 June 1806–10 May 1877. Farmer, gunmaker. Born in Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Son of Didymus Johnson and Ruhamah Stephens. Joined Methodist church, early 1820s. Married Polly Zeruah Kelsey, 13 Sept. 1827, in New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut...

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​> an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said
county

Formed from Pike Co., 1825. Described in 1837 as predominantly prairie and “deficient in timber.” Early settlers came mainly from mid-Atlantic and southern states. Population in 1835 about 3,200; in 1840 about 9,900; and in 1844 at least 15,000. Carthage ...

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Allen Wait of
Morley settlement

Also called Yelrome and Morley Town. Area in southwest corner of county, on the Hancock-Adams county line. Settled by refugee Saints from Missouri, spring 1839. Formally laid out by county surveyor on forty-nine acres, 26–28 Mar. 1844. At least seventy Latter...

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in said
county

Formed from Pike Co., 1825. Described in 1837 as predominantly prairie and “deficient in timber.” Early settlers came mainly from mid-Atlantic and southern states. Population in 1835 about 3,200; in 1840 about 9,900; and in 1844 at least 15,000. Carthage ...

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, and being first duly sworn deposeth and saith that on saturday morning he was at the house of Colonel
Levi Williams

18 Apr. 1794–27 Nov. 1860. Postmaster, farmer, military officer. Born in Madison Co., Kentucky. Married Mary (Polly) Reid. Moved to Hancock Co., Illinois, ca. 1831, eventually settling in Green Plains. Served in Black Hawk War, 1832. Served as captain in ...

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when he told me that I must take up arms and go and fight against Joseph Smith or I must leave the place immediately— or else I must give up my arms and stay at home— he also said they would take Smith by law if they could, or if the
Governor

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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would not grant a writ to take him, they would take him any how— he also said that if the people would not give smith up, they would lay the whole 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....

More Info
in ashes. I enquired what they would do with those people 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
who would not fight. He said they must make some signal, or else they must share the same fate, they must all perish, men women and children— I then left, in order to go home, when Captain Harrison P. Crawford overtook me and told me if the
Governor

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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would not help them they did not care for the
Governor

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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any how. He said
Governor [Thomas] Ford

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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was an unconstitutional man, he had issued two illegal writs and they were done so on purpose, and any such man ought not to hold any office whatever, and they intended to proceed against the Mormons whether they got any authority from the
Governor

5 Dec. 1800–3 Nov. 1850. Schoolteacher, newspaperman, lawyer, politician, judge, author. Born in Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Robert Ford and Elizabeth Logue Forquer. Moved to St. Louis, 1804; to New Design (later American Bottom), Randolph...

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or not.

Signature of Allen Wait.


Allen Wait
Subscribed and sworn to, this 20th day of June, 1844. before me.

Signature of Aaron Johnson.


Aaron Johnson

22 June 1806–10 May 1877. Farmer, gunmaker. Born in Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Son of Didymus Johnson and Ruhamah Stephens. Joined Methodist church, early 1820s. Married Polly Zeruah Kelsey, 13 Sept. 1827, in New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut...

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J. P. Ls [p. [1]]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Affidavit from Allen Wait, 20 June 1844
ID #
7726
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Lucian R. Foster
  • Thomas Bullock
  • Allen Wait
  • Aaron Johnson

Footnotes

  1. new scribe logo

    Insertion in handwriting of Thomas Bullock.

  2. new scribe logo

    Signature of Allen Wait.

  3. new scribe logo

    Signature of Aaron Johnson.

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