1839 Chronology

Mormon History: 1830 to 1839

1839 Chronology


January	Quorum of the Twelve forms a committee to move the Saints from Missouri
	Frederick G. Williams is excommunicated
	John Corrill is excommunicated.
February 14	Brigham Young moves his family from Missouri to Atlas, Pike county, Illinois. A few weeks later they move to Quincy.	"History of Brigham Young," 567.
March 17	Conference in Quincy. Teams and $50 are raised to move families from Far West to Quincy. Thomas B. Marsh (h), Sampson Avard, John Corrill, W. W. Phelps, Burr Riggs, and others are excommunicated.	Minutes of March 17, 1839
March 18	Brigham meets with several of the Twelve. Dr. Isaac Galland's letter is read concerning a "half breed tract of land in Lee county, Iowa." Brigham advises them to purchase land there, "as we probably would move northward." Wilford Woodruff, called to the Twelve by a revelation of July 8, 1838 (D&C 118), is "sustained to be one of the Twelve;" also George A. Smith, who had been appointed by the Prophet to replace Thomas B. Marsh. Twelve discuss fulfilling the requirement of a July 8, 1838 revelation (D&C 118) that they leave on a mission to Europe from Far West on April 26, 1839. "Many of the Authorities considered, in our present persecuted and scattered condition, the Lord would not require the Twelve to fulfill his words to the letter, and … he would take the will for the deed; but I felt differently and so did those of the Quorum who were with me. … I told them the Lord God had spoken, and it was our duty to obey and leave the event in his hands and he would protect us.	"History of Brigham Young," 567.
March 20–25	D&C 121–123: Prayer and prophecies
April 9	Orson Hyde letter of introduction for mission to Palestine.
April 16	Wilford Woodruff arrives in Quincy, Illinois.	WWJ Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 9 vols., compiled by Scott G. Kenney (Midvale: Signature Books, 1981-1984). 1:324.
April 18	Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, and Alpheus Cutler leave Quincy for Far West.	WWJ Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 9 vols., compiled by Scott G. Kenney (Midvale: Signature Books, 1981-1984). 1:325.
April 21	On a nine-mile prairie past Huntsville, Missouri, "the rods were full of the Saints that were fleeing from Missouri to Illinois."	WWJ Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 9 vols., compiled by Scott G. Kenney (Midvale: Signature Books, 1981-1984). 1:325.
April 26	Wilford Woodruff ordained an apostle.	Minutes of April 26, 1839
May 4	Church conference in Quincy votes to suspended Orson Hyde (h) and William Smith from exercising the functions of their office and invites them to give an accounting of their conduct.	¶ History of Orson Hyde ¶ Orson Hyde's 1835 Complaint
May 9	Joseph moves from Quincy to Commerce
May 25	William Smith is dropped from the Quorum of the Twelve
June 11	Joseph begins work on what becomes the Manuscript History of the Church.
June 27	Orson Hyde acknowledges his faults and is "restored to the Priesthood again."	HC History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by B. H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1902-1912, 1932). 3:379.
July 5	[Joseph Smith:] I was dictating history, I say dictating, for I seldom use the pen myself. I always dictate all my communications, but employ a scribe to write them.
July 6	Home reviewing the Church records.
July 8–10, 1839	with the Twelve selecting hymns; much sickness began to manifest itself; this week and the following generally spent visiting the sick; some had faith enough and were healed; others had not.
July 25	Trial of Thomas B. Marsh's wife for withholding cream strippings from her partner.	Orson Hyde, 98.
July 28	Sunday speakers. Parley P. Pratt: gathering of Israel. Orson Pratt: keeping the commandments. "I admonished the members to set their houses in order, meet on the next Sabbath to partake of the Sacrament, in order that by our obedience to the ordinances, we might be enabled to prevail with God against the destroyer, and that the sick might be healed."
August 5	Dear Sir:—I have been requested to write you on behalf of the Twelve, who are just on the eve of their departure for England, and inform you, that "this thing" which you have thought proper to write as a revelation "to the Church in Alston and the branches round about," to which you yourself administered, has "already come to the knowledge of the Churches" both here and elsewhere, and lest you should have any doubt concerning the fact, we send you a copy of your revelation to that Church.	James Mulholland to Isaac Russell, HC History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by B. H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1902-1912, 1932). 4:6.
September 16	President Brigham Young started from his home at Montrose, for England. His health was very poor; he was unable to go thirty rods to the river without assistance. After he had crossed the ferry he got Brother Israel Barlow to carry him on his horse behind him to Heber C. Kimball's where he remained sick until the 18th. He left his wife sick with a babe only ten days old, and all his children sick, unable to wait upon each other. I returned home this evening.
September 17	Visits sick.
September 18	Went to Burlington, Iowa Territory. Elders Young and Kimball left Sister Kimball and all her children sick, except little Heber; fn went thirteen miles on their journey towards England, and were left at Brother Osmon M. Duel's, who lived in a small cabin near the railway between Commerce and Warsaw. They were so feeble as to be unable to carry their trunks into the house without the assistance of Sister Duel, who received them kindly, prepared a bed for them to lie on, and made them a cup of tea.	HC History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by B. H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1902-1912, 1932). 4:9-10.
September 19	[Returns from Burlington.] Brother Duel carried Elders Young and Kimball in his wagon to Lima, sixteen miles, where another brother received them and carried them to Father Mikesell's near Quincy, about twenty miles; the fatigue of this day was too much for their feeble health; they were prostrated, and obliged to tarry a few days to recruit.
September 20	George A. Smith, Reuben Hedlock, and Theodore Turley start for England, and upset their wagon on the bank of the river, before they got out of sight of Commerce. Elders Smith and Turley were so weak they could not get up, and Brother Hedlock had to lift them in again. Soon after, some gentlemen met them and asked who had been robbing the burying ground—so miserable was their appearance through sickness.
September 22	Joseph speaks on the "other Comforter."
October 15	Joseph heads a hundred men from Far West to defend Saints at Di-Ahman
October 18	Thomas B. Marsh returns in snowstorm; tells Orson Hyde that Joseph had ordered retaliatory strikes, which had been carried out.Thomas and Orson move their families to Richmond.	Orson Hyde biography Orson Hyde: The Olive Branch of Israel, Myrtle Stevens Hyde (Salt Lake City: Agreka Books, 2000). , 98–99.
October 19	The Iowa high council for meets for the first time, in Nashville, Iowa. Reynolds Cahoon and Lyman Wight are appointed counselors to John Smith.
October 26	Acting on reports that the Mormons had burned Gallatin and Millport, Governor Boggs orders 5 divisions of state militia (1200 men) to rendezvous at Fayette on November 3.
October 27	Funeral of David W. Patten
October 29	Joseph and Sidney leave Nauvoo with Elias Higbee and Orrin P. Rockwell to present the grievances of the Saints to Congress. Passed through Carthage and stayed at Judge Higbee's over night.
October 30	Joseph, et. al., arrive at Quincy.
October 31	Work on documents for presentation. Rigdon sick.
November 1	Travel, staid with a friend over night. Dr. Foster continued to accompany us.
November 3	Elders Young and Kimball arrive Cleveland, Ohio, about 1 a.m. While waiting for the noon, Elders Smith, Turley, and Hedlock, who left them at Terre Haute, drove up, having picked up Elder Taylor by the way, he having been left sick by his company in the east part of Indiana. They were in good health, compared with what they had been, and in fine spirits. George A. Smith tarried in Cleveland till the next day, to visit his relatives. Brothers Young, Kimball, Taylor, and Turley rode in the stage, and Brother Hedlock and Mr. Murray in their wagon to Willoughby, and from thence they all rode into Kirtland together.
November 4	We arrived at Springfield, and put up with Brother John Snider. When within one mile of the city, we met William Law and company with seven wagons from Canada, who returned with us to Springfield, and tarried while we did, until the 8th. I preached several times while here. General James Adams, judge of probate, heard of me, sought me out, and took me home with him, and treated me like a father.
November 14	After four months of fever and ague, Orson Hyde leaves Commerce for Philadelphia on his mission.
October 6	At a conference held in Commerce (Nauvoo), the Church votes to begin temple construction and appoints Alpheus Cutler, Elias Higbee and Reynolds Cahoon, the committee to oversee the work.
December 3	At a meeting of the Anointed Quorum's Sunday prayer meeting, the Prophet presented his Appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont. (Of the thirty-eight members, only Hyrum and Mary were absent.) The appeal asked Vermonters to "rise in the majesty of virtuous freemen, and by all honorable means help to bring Missouri to the bar of justice." After discussion by both men and women, the Appeal was dedicated by prayer.	Origins Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, D. Michael Quinn (Salt Lake City: Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, 1994). , 116.
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