JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, , and Jonathan Grimshaw; 392 pages, plus 11 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fifth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fifth volume covers the period from 1 July 1843 to 30 Apr. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, constitutes the fifth 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 July 1843 to 30 April 1844, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in the mid-1850s.
The material recorded in volume E-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the history and creating a set of draft notes that Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks.
Robert L. Campbell, a recently returned missionary and member of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed ’s notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). The Church Historian’s Office journal entry for 2 May 1855 pinpoints the beginning of his work: “R. L. C. on Book D forenoon, afternoon began book E.” Campbell’s work on the volume apparently concluded on 5 April 1856; entries in the Historian’s Office journal indicate that he then moved on to other assignments while another clerk, Jonathan Grimshaw, began work on volume F-1, the last manuscript in the series. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855; 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.)
Volume E-1 contains 391 pages of primary text and 11 pages of addenda. The initial entry on page 1637 is a continuation of the 1 July 1843 entry that closed volume D-1. The final entry in volume E-1 is for 30 April 1844.
The 391 pages of volume E-1 document a crucial period of JS’s life and the history of the church. Important events recorded here include
• An account of JS’s 2 July 1843 meeting with several Pottawatamie chiefs.
• JS’s 4 July 1843 address regarding his recent arrest, the Legion, and Mormon voting practices.
• JS’s 12 July 1843 dictation of a revelation regarding eternal marriage, including the plurality of wives, in the presence of and .
• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of and revocation of his priesthood license.
• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by .
• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of ’s appointment to a mission to Russia.
• Minutes of a 6–9 October 1843 general conference inserted under the date of 9 October at which pled his case in regard to his 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment and was permitted to continue as counselor in the First Presidency.
• Text of JS’s appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of , inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.
• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by .
• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the .
“State of City of December 18. 1843. Personally appeared , before me Joseph Smith, Mayor of said , and upon his oath deposeth and saith that from information he has received he verily believes that the peace of said is in danger from a Mobocratic assemblage at , and a force collected under the command of Col. in the lower part of the , and runners having been sent to to excite the Missourians to join the Mobbers in this , for the purpose of mak[HC 6:119]ing a descent on said , or disturbing its peaceable inhabitants— and further your deponent saith not.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th. December 1843.
Clerk of the Mayors Court.”
Whereupon I wrote to Major Gen.
“City of Dec 18. 1843 Sir, I am credibly informed that a warlike force is collecting at or near for the purpose of some violent move towards this , or some of the inhabitants thereof, you will therefore order out such a portion of the Legion, as may be necessary to repel any such mobocratic or hostile design of the said unlawful force, and also as may be sufficient to secure the peace of the citizens according to Law. Yours, Joseph Smith. <Lieut Gen. N. L.> Maj. Gen. Commanding Legion.”
I returned home to rest about one o’Clock in the morning of the 19th..
<19> Tuesday 19 At home— About 9 a. m. a part of the Company who went with returned, and stated that they went within two miles of ’ when they were informed that a body of men armed with rifles &c. were collected at his house, and he judged it prudent to return for weapons and help: also that bro. told them, that he had seen 30 armed men following Constable some miles on his way when he had in custody.
immediately wrote to to have him come to and make affidavit of the warlike movements of the mob, that he might send to the .
I directed my Clerks to make copies of the affidavits respecting the kidnapping of the Averys to send to ; that he might be left without excuse, although he may probably not read them. [HC 6:120]
William Martindale writes from Washington, Wayne Co. Ia.
“A singular phenomenon was seen in this neighborhood. Jesse Fox, William and Lorenzo Fox, David Bale, James Wilson, and William Cole, with some others retired to the house of Solomon Mendenhall at which place they stayed a short time, while there they discovered a ball rising from the East in an oblique line, and as it ascended it moved towards the west with great rapidity until it was high in the heavens, leaving a streak of light behind it, which, to the natural eye, had the appearance of being thirty or forty feet in length. This light remained stationary for about one minute; both ends then coming round formed a figure of 8, which figure also retained its position for the same space of time; it then was transformed into a figure of 6, which also remained for about a minute; it then was formed into a cypher or 0; which remained for about three minutes. The figures put together made 1860 in large figures, in the heavens. The phenomenon was indeed singular and has been [p. 1807]