The Papers
Browse the PapersDocumentsJournalsAdministrative RecordsRevelations and TranslationsHistoriesLegal RecordsFinancial RecordsOther Contemporary Papers
Reference
PeoplePlacesEventsGlossaryLegal GlossaryFinancial GlossaryCalendar of DocumentsWorks CitedFeatured TopicsLesson PlansRelated Publications
Media
VideosPhotographsIllustrationsChartsMapsPodcasts
News
Current NewsArchiveNewsletterSubscribeJSP Conferences
About
About the ProjectJoseph Smith and His PapersFAQAwardsEndorsementsReviewsEditorial MethodNote on TranscriptionsNote on Images of People and PlacesReferencing the ProjectCiting This WebsiteProject TeamContact Us
Published Volumes
  1. Home > 
  2. The Papers > 

Letter from William W. Phelps, 6–7 November 1833, as Published in Evening and Morning Star

Source Note

[
William W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

View Full Bio
], Letter, [
Clay Co.

Settled ca. 1800. Organized from Ray Co., 1822. Original size diminished when land was taken to create several surrounding counties. Liberty designated county seat, 1822. Population in 1830 about 5,000; in 1836 about 8,500; and in 1840 about 8,300. Refuge...

More Info
, MO], to “Dear brethren” (including JS), [
Kirtland Township

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

More Info
, Geauga Co., OH], 6–7 Nov. 1833. Version published in “The Outrage in Jackson County,” Evening and Morning Star, Dec. 1833 (July 1836); p. 237. The copy used for transcription is held at CHL.

Historical Introduction

See Historical Introduction to Letter from William W. Phelps, 6–7 Nov. 1833.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from William W. Phelps, 6–7 November 1833

Page 237

November 6, 1833.
Dear brethren,— Since I last wrote we have had horrible times. When I
returned

4 Nov. 1833

JS returned to Kirtland, Ohio, from journey to Mount Pleasant, Upper Canada.

from—— behold the enemy had suddenly come upon our brethren above Blue, and had thrown down 10 or 12 houses, and nearly whipped some to death, among whom was
H[iram] Page

1800–12 Aug. 1852. Physician, farmer. Born in Vermont. Married Catherine Whitmer, 10 Nov. 1825, in Seneca Co., New York. One of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Oliver Cowdery...

View Full Bio
— This was done on Thursday night.— On Tuesday night they commenced in
Indpendence

Located twelve miles from western Missouri border. Permanently settled, platted, and designated county seat, 1827. Hub for steamboat travel on Missouri River. Point of departure for Santa Fe Trail. Population in 1831 about 300. Latter-day Saint population...

More Info
; broke all the windows of the brethren’s houses in; broke open the doors of bro.
[Sidney] Gilbert

28 Dec. 1789–29 June 1834. Merchant. Born at New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Eli Gilbert and Lydia Hemingway. Moved to Huntington, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; to Monroe, Monroe Co., Michigan Territory, by Sept. 1818; to Painesville, Geauga Co...

View Full Bio
’s
store

JS revelation, dated 20 July 1831, directed A. Sidney Gilbert, Newel K. Whitney’s Ohio business partner, to establish store in Independence. Gilbert first purchased vacated log courthouse, located on lot 59 at intersection of Lynn and Lexington Streets, to...

More Info
, strewed the goods in the streets. Saturday night they fell upon the brethren at the Blue— nearly beat one to death! but one of Manship’s sons was dangerously wounded with a rifle ball, they fled. On Monday about sunset, a regular action was fought above Blue; we had four wounded— They had five wounded and killed; among the latter were Mr.
Breazeal [Hugh Breazeale]

Ca. 1803–4 Nov. 1833. Lawyer. Moved to Roane Co., Tennessee, by 1826. Married Amanda M. King, 15 Feb. 1827, in Roane Co. Traveled to Independence, Jackson Co., Missouri, to participate in expulsion of church members, possibly at urging of brother-in-law Austin...

View Full Bio
and Mr.
[Zachariah] Linville

Ca. 1792–23 Dec. 1849. Farmer. Born in North Carolina. Son of Thomas Linville and Jemimah Campbell. Moved to White Co., Tennessee, by 1814. Married Nancy Cash, 30 Mar. 1814, in White Co. Campbellite preacher. Moved to Jackson Co., Missouri; to Lafayette Co...

View Full Bio
. From Friday till Tuesday afternoon, our brethren were under arms. On Tuesday the mob had about 300 collected— Before any blood was shed we agreed to go away immediately.
It is a horrid time, men, women, & children are fleeing, or preparing to, in all directions, almost— We mean to try to settle in
Van Buren county

Located south of Jackson Co. on western border of state. Area settled by pioneers, 1830. Created from southern Jackson Co; boundaries established, 16 Jan. 1833. Organized 1835. County seat, Harrisonville. Population in 1840 about 4,700. Features fertile prairie...

More Info
, if possible; God only knows our lot.
Yours, &c.
November 7, 1833.
Since I wrote yesterday morning, another horrid scene has transpired.— After our people agreed to leave the
county

Settled at Fort Osage, 1808. County created, 16 Feb. 1825; organized 1826. Named after U.S. president Andrew Jackson. Featured fertile lands along Missouri River and was Santa Fe Trail departure point, which attracted immigrants to area. Area of county reduced...

More Info
and were dispersed from each other in a measure, a party of the mob went to the Blue, and began to whip, and, as I heard last night, murder!
All hopes of going to the south was given up last night, when it was resolved that we
should be driven

8 Nov. 1833

Latter-day Saints were fleeing Jackson County, Missouri, migrating primarily to Clay County, Missouri.

forthwith into
Clay county

Settled ca. 1800. Organized from Ray Co., 1822. Original size diminished when land was taken to create several surrounding counties. Liberty designated county seat, 1822. Population in 1830 about 5,000; in 1836 about 8,500; and in 1840 about 8,300. Refuge...

More Info
. The brethren have been driven into the woods, and God only knows what will become of them. Women and children are flockihg to
Everett’s

Also spelled Avert’s Ferry or Evrit’s Ferry. Operated on Missouri River between Old Independence Landing, Jackson Co. (about three miles north of Independence and six miles south of Liberty) and Liberty Landing, Clay Co. (about five miles north of Independence...

More Info
and
Hancock’s Ferry

One of several ferries that operated on Missouri River between sites in Jackson and Clay counties. In Jackson Co., ferry likely docked on south shore of river at Choteau’s Landing, six miles north of Colesville settlement. In Clay Co., ferry docked on north...

More Info
. Our families will have to take the ground for a floor to-night if they get down in season to cross the
Missouri

One of longest rivers in North America, in excess of 3,000 miles. From headwaters in Montana to confluence with Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri River drains 580,000 square miles (about one-sixth of continental U.S.). Explored by Lewis and Clark...

More Info
.
Yours in affliction, &c. [p. 237]
View entire transcript

|

Cite this page

Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 237

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from William W. Phelps, 6–7 November 1833, as Published in Evening and Morning Star
ID #
17798
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Printed text

© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UseUpdated 2021-04-13Privacy NoticeUpdated 2021-04-06