Footnotes
This serialized history drew on the journals herein beginning with the 4 July 1855 issue of the Deseret News and with the 3 January 1857 issue of the LDS Millennial Star.
The labels on the spines of the four volumes read respectively as follows: “Joseph Smith’s Journal—1842–3 by Willard Richards” (book 1); “Joseph Smith’s Journal by W. Richards 1843” (book 2); “Joseph Smith’s Journal by W. Richards 1843–4” (book 3); and “W. Richards’ Journal 1844 Vol. 4” (book 4). Richards kept JS’s journal in the front of book 4, and after JS’s death Richards kept his own journal in the back of the volume.
“Schedule of Church Records, Nauvoo 1846,” [1], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
“Inventory. Historian’s Office. 4th April 1855,” [1]; “Contents of the Historian and Recorder’s Office G. S. L. City July 1858,” 2; “Index of Records and Journals in the Historian’s Office 1878,” [11]–[12], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL; Johnson, Register of the Joseph Smith Collection, 7.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
Johnson, Jeffery O. Register of the Joseph Smith Collection in the Church Archives, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: Historical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1973.
Footnotes
Historical Introduction to JS, Journal, Dec. 1841–Dec. 1842.
Source Note to JS, Journal, 1835–1836; Source Note to JS, Journal, Mar.–Sept. 1838.
See Appendix 3.
In March 1843, Olney, an excommunicated member of the church, published a pamphlet entitled The Absurdities of Mormonism Portrayed. Olney’s exposé—which claimed to offer an “impartial account” of the Latter-day Saints—attacked the church’s practice of rebaptism, which he said “speaks loud to me of degraded minds; that is if a person or persons have been in any kind of iniquity, if ever so bad, they have a remedy for it, by being baptised over anew.” He also commented extensively on what he labeled “unlawful intimacy between the two sexes,” accusing male church members of plural marriage, widespread seduction and abuse of women, fornication, and adultery. Olney’s account also included excerpts of letters to show the character of members of the church and to establish his own character. In a separate letter to the authorities of the church, Olney said that the publication had not been motivated by his excommunication. (Olney, Absurdities of Mormonism Portrayed; Oliver Olney, Nauvoo, IL, to “The Authoritys of the Church,” 1 July 1842, Oliver H. Olney Papers, Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT; see also “The Mormons,” Vermont Chronicle [Windsor], 2 Nov. 1842, 175.)
Olney, Oliver H. The Absurdities of Mormonism Portrayed. Hancock Co., IL: By the author, 1843.
Vermont Chronicle. Bellows Falls, VT. 1826–1828; Windsor, VT. 1828–1862.
On 30 August 1842, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and George A. Smith gave Greene a letter of commendation as a “worthy brother and Elder minister of Jesus Christ” for his upcoming mission. Greene visited branches and held conferences in several places, including Kirtland, Ohio, and Batavia, Utica, and Buffalo, New York. (Letter of Commendation for John P. Greene, Evan M. Greene Papers, CHL; “Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 15 Dec. 1842, 4:36–37; “Minutes of the Genesee Conference,” Times and Seasons, 15 May 1843, 4:207; “General Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 15 Aug. 1843, 4:300–302; “Minutes of a Conference Held in Buffalo, N.Y.,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1843, 4:334–335; John P. Greene, Buffalo, NY, to “Dear and Loved Children,” Nauvoo, IL, Feb. 1843, typescript, CHL; John P. Greene, Buffalo, NY, to JS, Nauvoo, IL, 18 Mar. 1843, JS Collection, CHL.)
Greene, Evan M. Papers, 1833–1881. CHL. MS 789.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Greene, John P. Letter, Buffalo, NY, to “Dear and Loved Children,” Nauvoo, IL. Feb. 1843. Typescript. CHL. MS 3137.