Footnotes
See “Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon;” Revelation, ca. Aug. 1835 [D&C 27:8, 12]; JS History, vol. A-1, 37–38; Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:1–3]; and JS, Journal, 3 Apr. 1836; see also Harper, “Oliver Cowdery as Second Witness,” 73–89.
Harper, Steven C. “Oliver Cowdery as Second Witness of Priesthood Restoration.” In Days Never to Be Forgotten: Oliver Cowdery, edited by Alexander Baugh, 73–89. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2009.
See Historical Introduction to Letter from Thomas B. Marsh, 15 Feb. 1838.
See, for example, John Whitmer, Far West, MO, to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer, Kirtland Mills, OH, 29 Aug. 1837, Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT; and Statement of Account from Perkins & Osborn, ca. 29 Oct. 1838.
Whitmer, John. Letter, Far West, MO, to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer, Kirtland Mills, OH, 29 Aug. 1837. Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Whitmer, Daybook, 20 Oct. 1837.
Whitmer, John. Daybook, 1832–1878. CHL. MS 1159.
David Whitmer et al., Far West, MO, to Thomas B. Marsh, Far West, MO, 10 Mar. 1838, in Minute Book 2, 10 Mar. 1838.
Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:74, 82–84].
Following the expulsion of the Saints from Jackson County in 1833, JS told Edward Partridge that “it is better that you should die in the ey[e]s of God, then that you should give up the Land of Zion.” In 1835 three of the church’s lots, held by Phelps and Cowdery, were seized by the county and sold at a sheriff’s auction, apparently to cover the costs of the church’s legal proceedings in that county. On 11 January 1838, Cowdery, Phelps, John Whitmer, and their wives signed a quitclaim deed to their remaining interest in those lots, for an amount Cowdery described as “a small sum.” (Letter to Edward Partridge, 5 Dec. 1833; Letter to Edward Partridge and Others, 10 Dec. 1833; Jackson Co., MO, Deed Records, vol. D, pp. 148–152, microfilm 1,017,979; Jackson Co., MO, Deed Records, vol. F, pp. 54–55, 11 Jan. 1838, microfilm 1,017,980, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL; Oliver Cowdery, Far West, MO, to Warren Cowdery and Lyman Cowdery, [Kirtland, OH], 4 Feb. 1838, in Cowdery, Letterbook, 84.)
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
Cowdery, Oliver. Letterbook, 1833–1838. Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.
On 10 March 1838, David Whitmer, William W. Phelps, and John Whitmer wrote a letter to Thomas B. Marsh complaining about the way he and the high council had treated the three men. Cowdery apparently served as the scribe and added an attestation to the letter. The letter was delivered by Cowdery’s nephew, Marcellus Cowdery, to the council at the trial for Phelps and John Whitmer. According to the minutes of the trial, “The letter was considered no more, nor less, than a direct insult, or contempt, cast upon the authorities of God, and the church of Jesus Christ.” (Minute Book 2, 10 Mar. 1838.)
See 1 Timothy 3:3, 8; Titus 1:7, 11; and 1 Peter 5:2.
Cowdery had expressed interest in law since at least 1836. In 1837 he was elected as a justice of the peace in Kirtland, and by the time he moved to Far West later that year, he had commenced studying law in preparation for becoming a licensed lawyer. In March 1838, Cowdery informed his brothers that he had given legal advice on several cases and planned to apply for a license to practice law later that summer. Despite his intentions, in June 1838 Cowdery noted that he still “had little or no law practice to test my skill or talent.” (Cowdery, Diary, 18 Jan. 1836; Kirtland Township Trustees’ Minutes and Poll Book, 153–154; Oliver Cowdery, Far West, MO, to Warren Cowdery, 21 Jan. 1838, in Cowdery, Letterbook, 82–83; Oliver Cowdery, Far West, MO, to Warren Cowdery and Lyman Cowdery, Kirtland, OH, [10] Mar. 1838, in Cowdery, Letterbook, 92; Oliver Cowdery, Far West, MO, to Warren Cowdery and Lyman Cowdery, Kirtland Mills, OH, 2 June 1838, Lyman Cowdery, Papers, CHL.)
Cowdery, Oliver. Diary, Jan.–Mar. 1836. CHL. MS 3429. Also available as Leonard J. Arrington, “Oliver Cowdery’s Kirtland, Ohio, ‘Sketch Book,’” BYU Studies 12 (Summer 1972): 410–426.
Kirtland Township Trustees’ Minutes and Poll Book, 1817–1838. Lake County Historical Society, Painesville, OH.
Cowdery, Oliver. Letterbook, 1833–1838. Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.
Cowdery, Lyman. Papers, 1834–1858. CHL. MS 3467.
Aside from these minutes, few extant documents mention the allegations regarding counterfeiting. In 1839 Reed Peck, who had left the church and had not witnessed events in Kirtland firsthand, claimed that “very many credible persons in the [Kirtland Safety] Society have asserted that while the mony fever raged in Kirtland the leaders of the church and others were, more or less, engaged in purchasing and circulating Bogus money or counterfeit coin.” Peck stated that JS and his followers traded accusations with Cowdery and other dissenters over who was responsible for the counterfeiting. (Reed Peck, Quincy, IL, to “Dear Friends,” 18 Sept. 1839, pp. 17–18, Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.)
Peck, Reed. Letter, Quincy, IL, to “Dear Friends,” 18 Sept. 1839. Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.
In June 1838, a letter warning Cowdery to leave Caldwell County stated that he “brought notes with him [to Missouri] upon which he had received pay and had promised to destroy them[.] Since here he made an attempt to Sell them to Mr Arthur of Clay County.” (Letter to Oliver Cowdery et al., ca. 17 June 1838.)