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Introduction to State of Illinois v. Rolfe Docket Entry, circa 28 March 1844 [State of Illinois v. Rolfe]

Introduction to State of Illinois v. Rolfe

Page

State of Illinois v. Rolfe
Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, Mayor’s Court, 27 March 1844
Hancock Co., Illinois, Justice of the Peace Court, 28 March 1844
 
Historical Introduction
On 27 March 1844, JS issued a warrant for
Ianthis Rolfe

8 Sept. 1826–14 Nov. 1907. Miner, newspaper publisher, insurance agent, tax collector, distiller. Born in Rumford, Oxford Co., Maine. Son of Samuel Jones Rolfe and Elizabeth Hathaway. Possibly baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with...

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“for stealing 2 stone cutters tools. on complaint
Vernon H. Bruce

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.”
1

JS, Journal, 27 Mar. 1844.


Ianthis was the teenage son of
Samuel

26 Aug. 1794–July 1867. Carpenter. Born at Concord, Merrimack Co., New Hampshire. Son of Benjamin Rolfe and Mary (Molly) Swett. Moved to Maine, 1810. Married Elizabeth Hathaway, 4 Mar. 1818. Lived at Rumford, Oxford Co., Maine, when baptized into Church of...

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and Elizabeth Rolfe. Samuel worked as a carpenter on the
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
, Illinois,
temple

Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...

More Info
, as did Vernon Bruce.
2

Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 98–99.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.

The following day, the case was heard 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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, a
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 ...

More Info
, Illinois, justice of the peace who lived in
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
.
3

JS, Journal, 28 Mar. 1844. Illinois law allowed defendants the privilege, upon oath, to transfer a case if “it is the belief of such deponent that the defendant cannot have an impartial trial before such justice.” Upon receipt of the oath, the justice was required to submit all papers and documents affiliated with the suit “to the nearest justice of peace.” (An Act concerning Justices of the Peace and Constables [12 Feb. 1827], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois [1839], p. 408, sec. 25.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.

It is unknown why the case was transferred to Johnson. After an investigation, Johnson discharged
Rolfe

8 Sept. 1826–14 Nov. 1907. Miner, newspaper publisher, insurance agent, tax collector, distiller. Born in Rumford, Oxford Co., Maine. Son of Samuel Jones Rolfe and Elizabeth Hathaway. Possibly baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with...

View Full Bio
“for want of evidence.”
4

Docket Entry, ca. 28 Mar. 1844 [State of Illinois v. Rolfe]; Illinois law defined larceny as “the felonious stealing” of “the personal goods of another.” Conviction would result in imprisonment in the penitentiary from one to ten years. (An Act relative to Criminal Jurisprudence [26 Feb. 1833], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois [1839], p. 208, sec. 62.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.

 
Calendar of Documents
This calendar lists all known documents created by or for the court, whether extant or not. It does not include versions of documents created for other purposes, though those versions may be listed in footnotes. In certain cases, especially in cases concerning unpaid debts, the originating document (promissory note, invoice, etc.) is listed here. Note that documents in the calendar are grouped with their originating court. Where a version of a document was subsequently filed with another court, that version is listed under both courts.
 
Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, Mayor’s Court

1844 (2)

March (2)

Ca. 26 March 1844

Vernon Bruce, Complaint, before JS, Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL

  • Ca. 26 Mar. 1844. Not extant.
    1

    See JS, Journal, 27 Mar. 1844; and Docket Entry, ca. 28 Mar. 1844 [State of Illinois v. Rolfe].


27 March 1844

JS, Warrant, for Ianthis Rolfe, Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL

  • 27 Mar. 1844. Not extant.
    1

    See JS, Journal, 27 Mar. 1844; and Docket Entry, ca. 28 Mar. 1844 [State of Illinois v. Rolfe].


 
Hancock Co., Illinois, Justice of the Peace Court

1844 (1)

March (1)

Ca. 28 March 1844

Docket Entry, Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL

  • Ca. 28 Mar. 1844; Robinson and Johnson, Docket Book, 221, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, 1832–1954, Chicago History Museum; handwriting of Aaron Johnson.
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Introduction to State of Illinois v. Rolfe
ID #
18986
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page

    Footnotes

    1. [1]

      JS, Journal, 27 Mar. 1844.

    2. [2]

      Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 98–99.

      Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.

    3. [3]

      JS, Journal, 28 Mar. 1844. Illinois law allowed defendants the privilege, upon oath, to transfer a case if “it is the belief of such deponent that the defendant cannot have an impartial trial before such justice.” Upon receipt of the oath, the justice was required to submit all papers and documents affiliated with the suit “to the nearest justice of peace.” (An Act concerning Justices of the Peace and Constables [12 Feb. 1827], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois [1839], p. 408, sec. 25.)

      The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.

    4. [4]

      Docket Entry, ca. 28 Mar. 1844 [State of Illinois v. Rolfe]; Illinois law defined larceny as “the felonious stealing” of “the personal goods of another.” Conviction would result in imprisonment in the penitentiary from one to ten years. (An Act relative to Criminal Jurisprudence [26 Feb. 1833], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois [1839], p. 208, sec. 62.)

      The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.

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