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Affidavit from Cyrus Canfield and Gilbert Belnap, 18 June 1844

Source Note

Cyrus Canfield

20 Dec. 1817–25 Dec. 1889. Farmer, teacher, fruit grower, wood chopper. Born in Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio. Son of Samuel Canfield and Sabina Davenport. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, by June...

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and
Gilbert Belnap

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, 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, 18 June 1844; handwriting of
Thomas Bullock

23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...

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; notation in unidentified handwriting; docket in handwriting of
Thomas Bullock

23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...

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; one page; JS Office Papers, CHL.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
Affidavit from Cyrus Canfield and Gilbert Belnap, 18 June 1844
History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [1]

June 18th. 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
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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a Justice of the Peace
Cyrus Canfield

20 Dec. 1817–25 Dec. 1889. Farmer, teacher, fruit grower, wood chopper. Born in Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio. Son of Samuel Canfield and Sabina Davenport. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, by June...

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and
Gilbert Belnap

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of
Hancock 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 benig duly sworn depose and say, that on yesterday June 17th. 1844 at
Carthage

Located eighteen miles southeast of Nauvoo. Settled 1831. Designated Hancock Co. seat, Mar. 1833. Incorporated as town, 27 Feb. 1837. Population in 1839 about 300. Population in 1844 about 400. Site of acute opposition to Latter-day Saints, early 1840s. Site...

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, certain persons to wit, Dr. [blank] Barnes and
Joseph H. Jackson

?–? Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by fall 1842. Moved to Carthage, Hancock Co., winter 1842–1843. Returned to Nauvoo, spring 1843. Hired to sell land for JS, 20 May 1843. Appointed aide-de-camp to lieutenant general in Nauvoo Legion, by 5 Jan. 1844...

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having entered into conversation with your deponents among other things declared, that the
Govenor

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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of
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...

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was as big a scoundrel as Joseph Smith— and that he is the d——dst scoundrel that was ever suffered to live— that 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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, and had rather that 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 side with Smith— that they (the mob) were coming 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....

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with a sufficienct force to <​take​> Smith, and if the people endeavored to prevent them, that they should kill the people— and that if Smith had left
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
, they had determined to destroy the
Mansion

Large, two-story, Greek Revival frame structure located on northeast corner of Water and Main streets. Built to meet JS’s immediate need for larger home that could also serve as hotel to accommodate his numerous guests. JS relocated family from old house ...

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and other buildings— And your deponents further say that one John Eller declared that he had lived 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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and was at the the Massacre of the Mormons at
Hauns [Hawn’s] Mill

Located on north bank of Shoal Creek in eastern part of Caldwell Co., about sixteen miles east of Far West, Missouri. Jacob Hawn (Haun) settled in area, 1832; established mill, 1834. Location of branch of church, 1838. By Oct. 1838, about twenty Latter-day...

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<​that he had killed one Mormon and​> that he had left
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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on purpose <​to fight the Mormons,​> and would hunt a Mormon as he would a Deer— and your Deponents further say that <​they heard that​> about one hundred persons had already arrived from
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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, and were expecting a many more from that
State

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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, and your Deponents further say that they heard in
Carthage

Located eighteen miles southeast of Nauvoo. Settled 1831. Designated Hancock Co. seat, Mar. 1833. Incorporated as town, 27 Feb. 1837. Population in 1839 about 300. Population in 1844 about 400. Site of acute opposition to Latter-day Saints, early 1840s. Site...

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that they had already received a number of Guns and Ammunition and Provisions from
St. Louis

Located on west side of Mississippi River about fifteen miles south of confluence with Missouri River. Founded as fur-trading post by French settlers, 1764. Incorporated as town, 1809. First Mississippi steamboat docked by town, 1817. Incorporated as city...

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in order to prosecute their attack upon
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
— And further your Deponents say not—
Cyrus Canfield

20 Dec. 1817–25 Dec. 1889. Farmer, teacher, fruit grower, wood chopper. Born in Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio. Son of Samuel Canfield and Sabina Davenport. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, by June...

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Gilbert Belnap

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Sworn and subscribed to before me this Eighteenth day of June 1844
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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a Justice of the Peace

Notation in unidentified handwriting.


<​(a True Copy)​> [p. [1]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Affidavit from Cyrus Canfield and Gilbert Belnap, 18 June 1844
ID #
7721
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Thomas Bullock
  • Unidentified

Footnotes

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    Notation in unidentified handwriting.

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