History of Joseph Smith: Introduction

Mormon History: 1830 to 1839

History of Joseph Smith: Introduction

The "History of Joseph Smith" is the serialized version of the Manuscript History of the Church, published in the Times and Seasons, Deseret News, and Millennial Star.

	Preparation of the Manuscript
1838 history	On Friday, April 27, 1838 Joseph, Sidney, and Hyrum, with George W. Robinson scribe, spent most of the day "writing a history of this Church from the earliest period of its existance up to this date." They also worked on the history on the following Monday–Thursday. The history is mentioned on only two other days, so it is unlikely the work proceeded far before the fall of Far West and imprisonment of the First Presidency and others.	Scriptory, 34.
1839 draft history May 1829–September 10, 1830	On June 11, 1839, Joseph began dictating his history to clerk, James Mulholland. Presumably this was the draft used to prepare the Manuscript History. Since the draft begins with Joseph baptism in May 1829, it is assumed that the 1838 document had proceeded to that point. The draft ends at September 10, 1830.	"Tuesday 11. I commenced dictating my history for my Clerk, James Mulholland to write. " 1834-1836 History, 956. For a comparison of the draft document and the final version in the Manuscript History, see Early documents 1:76–135.
Manuscript History, A-1 1805–September 30, 1830	The first 59 pages of the Manuscript History are in the hand of James Mulholland, covering 1805–September 30, 1830, before his death on November 3, 1839.
September–November 1830	Robert B. Thompson wrote the next 15 pages (September–November 1830) sometime before his death on August 27, 1841.
November 1830–November 1, 1831	W. W. Phelps wrote pages 75–157 (November 1830–November 1, 1831) except Notes A, B, C on pages 131–133 written by Willard Richards.
Volumes A and B November 1, 1831–August 30, 1834	Beginning December 21, 1842, Willard Richards wrote pages 158–553, covering November 1, 1831–August 30, 1834.
September 1, 1834–August 5, 1838	Richards began a new volume () on Oct.1, 1843, commencing with the entry for September 1, 1834.
	On March 2, 1844 he made the last entry (August 5, 1838) made before the death of Joseph Smith (June 27, 1844). That entry is on page 813.	Manuscript History authorship, 111.
	Publication of "The History of Joseph Smith" in the Times and Seasons had reached January 7, 1832.
Volumes B–D	On June 15, 1845, Richards resumed the work, assisted by Thomas Bullock. They began on page 812 (August 5, 1838). Their method was for Richards to compose a rough draft, leaving Thomas Bullock to flesh it out and copy assorted documents into the history.	Manuscript History authorship, 114.
Joseph reviewed only 42 pages?	Brigham Young began "revising the history" with Heber C. Kimball and George A. Smith on April 1, 1845. Willard read the manuscript to them. Young stated, "President Joseph Smith had corrected forty-two pages before his massacre." A notation at the top of A-1, p. 42, reads: "1845 April 1—Commenced reading." What was Brigham's source for this information is not known. Page 42 deals with events of early July 1830 and shows no change in handwriting, narrative, or any other indication of Joseph's review. According to George A. Smith in April 1856, Brigham "revised" the manuscript "almost without any alteration."	Manuscript History authorship, 116.
Hiatus from 1846 to 1854 Completed 1856	They were on page 1,485 in volume D-1 when Willard and Thomas began packing for the journey west on January 20, 1846. Eight-and-a-half years later, on July 1, 1854, they resumed work, this time with Richards dictating the rough draft to Bullock. They reached March 1, 1843 by the time of Richards' death on December 1, 1853. George A. Smith became Church Historian on April 7, 1854 and began work on the history on April 18.	Manuscript History authorship, 117.
	The Joseph Smith section of the Manuscript History was completed under George A. Smith's direction in January 1857.	Manuscript History authorship, 119.

	Published Versions
Times and Seasons 1842–1846	Serialization of the history began in the Times and Seasons 3, no. 10 (March 15, 1842) and continued through almost every issue to the end of the publication, 6 no. 23 (February 15, 1846).
Beginning	Those familiar with Mormon history will recognize the beginning of the history: "Owing to the many reports which have been put in circulation by evil designing persons in relation to the rise of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints, …"
End of Times and Seasons	The last episode of the Times and Seasons concludes with the minutes of a Kirtland assembly held on August 11, 1834 (after the return of Zion's Camp).
Deseret News 1851	Publication of the history resumed with Deseret News 2 no. 1 (November 15, 1851), Willard Richards editor. I have not identified the concluding issue of the series yet. The December 15, 1855 issue discusses events of August 1842.
Millennial Star 1842–1844	Meanwhile in England, the Millennial Star commenced publication of the history in 3, no. 2 (June 1842): 21, and ended in November, 1831 with volume 5, no. 12 (May 1845). Publication of the series is then suspended, probably due to the unsettled state of affairs with the church in America, until volume 14, no. 8 (April 15, 1852). The 1852 supplement to volume 14 contains 56 pages of the history.
History of the Church	B. H. Roberts edited the "History of Joseph Smith" for publication as History of the Church of Jesus Christ / Period I / History of Joseph Smith the Prophet / by Himself.
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