JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. D-1, created 4 July 1845–4 Feb. 1846 and 1 July 1854–2 May 1855; handwriting of , Robert L. Campbell, and ; 275 pages, plus 6 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fourth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fourth volume covers the period from 1 Aug. 1842 to 1 July 1843; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1, constitutes the fourth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 August 1842 to 1 July 1843, and it was compiled after JS’s death.
The material recorded in volume D-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , with the assistance of . After Richards’s death in 1854, continued work on the volume as the new church historian with Bullock’s continued help. The process adopted by Richards and Bullock involved Richards creating a set of rough draft notes and Bullock transcribing the notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). George A. Smith followed a similar pattern, though he dictated the draft notes to Bullock and other scribes.
According to the Church Historian’s Office journal, finished the third volume of the series, volume C-1, on Thursday, 3 July 1845, in , Illinois. He began work on the fourth volume, D-1, the next day, beginning on page 1362 with the entry for 1 August 1842. (The pages in volumes A-1–E-1 were numbered consecutively.) Bullock continued work on the record, drawing upon ’s draft notes, until 3 February 1846—the day before D-1 and the other volumes were packed up in preparation for the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo. At that point he had reached page 1485 with the entry for 28 February 1843. Subsequently, apparently after the collection had arrived in Utah, Bullock added a brief comment beneath that entry: “end of W. Richard’s compiling[.] the books packed Feby. 4— 1846 in Nauvoo[.] Miles Romney— present. The records carried by T Bullock from Winter Quarters to G S L [Great Salt Lake] City in 1848.”
A notation at the top of page 1486 reports that “the books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. J[onathan] Grimshaw & Miles Romney present.” Vertically, in the margin, is a poignant epitaph: “Decr. 1 1853 Dr. Willard Richards wrote one line of History—being sick at the time—and was never able to do any more.” With Richards’s death on 11 March 1854, JS’s cousin was called to the office of church historian. The notation on the top of page 1486 acknowledges this change in officers, noting, “commencement of George A. Smith’s compiling as Historian. April 13. 1854[.] [C]ommenced copying July 1. 1854.” From mid-April to the end of June 1854, George A. Smith, in collaboration with Thomas Bullock, worked on the draft notes for the history before a new scribe, , resumed writing in D-1 on 1 July 1854, beginning with the entry for 1 March 1843.
continued transcribing intermittently into the late fall of 1854, when he was assigned other duties in the Historian’s Office. He had reached page 1546 with the entry for 5 May 1843. Work resumed in February 1855 in the hand of Robert L. Campbell, recently returned from a mission. He concluded volume D-1 on the morning of 2 May 1855 and began writing in E-1 that afternoon.
The 274 pages of volume D-1 contain a record of much that is significant in the life of JS and the development of the church he founded. Among these events are
• JS’s 6 August 1842 prophecy that the Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.
•JS’s 8 August 1842 arrest on a warrant for being “an accessory before the fact” to an attack on former governor .
• ’s 17 August 1842 letter to governor , pleading for the humane treatment of her husband and family.
•JS’s 1 and 6 September 1842 instructions regarding the proper procedures for performing baptisms for the dead.
• JS’s 15 November 1842 “Valedictory” as he stepped down as editor of the Times and Seasons.
• The 26 December 1842 arrest of JS on a “proclamation” by former governor , and subsequent hearing in , Illinois.
• The 7 February 1843 recovery of a volume of patriarchal blessings given by , which had been stolen in , Missouri.
• JS’s 21 February 1843 remarks regarding the and .
• JS’s 2 April 1843 instruction at , Illinois, on the nature of God and other subjects.
• JS’s 16 May 1843 remarks at , Illinois, on the everlasting covenant and eternal marriage.
• The account of JS’s 23 June 1843 arrest and his hearing the following week at .
<January 6> Delivered a copy of the within order to Governor and Attorney General of the State of — December 31. 1842. Marshall
In the matter of Joseph Smith— On — Copy of order— Marshalls fees Serving on 2— 4.00 Returning .12 = 4.12
And afterwards to wit on the 2nd. day of January A.D. 1843 Attorney for said Petitioner filed the written denial of the said Petitioner, of the matters and things set forth in the return to the said writ of Habeas Corpus which denial is in the words and figures following. viz.
Circuit Court of the — District of
In the matter of Joseph Smith upon Habeas Corpus.
Joseph Smith being brought up on Habeas Corpus before this Court comes and denies the matter set forth in the return to the same in this, that he is not a fugitive from the justice of the State of ; but alleges and is ready to prove that he was not in the State of at the time of the Commission of the alleged crime set forth in the affidavit of , nor had he been in said for more than three years previous to that time, nor has he been in that since that time— but on the contrary at the time the said alleged assault was made upon the said as set forth in said Affidavit the said Smith was at in the County of , in the State of , and that he has not fled from the justice of the State of and taken refuge in the State of , as is most untruly stated in the warrant upon which he is arrested, and that the matter set forth in the requisi[HC 5:240]tion of the of and in the said Warrant are not supported by oath—
Joseph Smith
State of ss. Joseph Smith being duly sworn saith that the matter and things set forth in the foregoing statement are true— Joseph Smith
Sworn and subscribed to before me this 2nd. day of Jany. 1843— Clk
And afterwards to wit, on the same day and year last aforesaid the following order was made in this cause. viz.
In the matter of Joseph Smith. On Habeas Corpus—
At this day comes the said Joseph Smith, and by his Attorney files his written denial verified by Affidavit, of the matters and things set forth in the return to the writ of Habeas Corpus issued in this cause— And at the same time also comes Attorney General of the State of , and on his motion it is ordered that this cause be continued for hearing until Wednesday morning next—
And afterwards to wit on the 4th. day of January 1843 Attorney General of the State of filed his objections to the Jurisdiction of this Court in this cause and moved to dismiss the proceedings herein, which said motion and objections are in the words and figures following viz:—
In the Circuit Court of the State of — In the matter of Joseph Smith
Attorney General of moves the Court to dismiss the proceedings herein for the reason that this Court has no jurisdiction. 1st. The arrest & detention of said Smith was not under or by Color of authority of the , or any of the Officers of the but under and by color of authority of the State of , and by the Officers of . 2nd. When a fugitive from Justice is arrested by authority of the Governor of any State upon the requisition of any other Governor of another State the Courts of Justice neither State or Federal have any authority or jurisdiction to enquire into any facts behind the . Writ. Atty. Genl. of — [HC 5:241] [p. 1449]