Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith (January 28, 1832)

Mormon History 1830-1844

Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith (January 28, 1832

At Bishop Edward Partridge's request, Oliver Cowdery amplifies on the official minutes of the January 23 conference and adds minutes for the January 24 and 27 conferences.

January 23. Attendees grouped by priesthood office. Duties and importance of priests, teachers, and deacons. Written record of membership required before transferring members can be ordained to offices in the priesthood. Nearly 1200 acres purchased for inheritances for the Saints. Need mechanics.
January 24. Bishop Partridge's financial report. Assignments to superintend schools, Colesville branch records received, maintain church membership records, resolve to build hotel, advise Sidney to resolve his differences with Edward directly and amicably.
January 27. Financial report of Gilbert & Whitney Co. 1,200 acres more than can be cleared this year, not completely paid for; provisions scarce, prices double; missionary assignments; ready to print 10,000 copies of Book of Commandments.

Date	January 23, 1832
Location	Zion
Description	Minutes of a General Confrence held in the land of Zion (Kaw Township Jackson County Mo.) at the dwelling house of bro. Newel Knight 23 First Month (Jan.) AD 1832. 3 o clock P.M.	FWR, 231–238, citing Oliver's letter to Joseph, Jan. 28, 1832. Minutes of January 23, 1832
Moderator	Edward Partridge (appointed)
Clerk	Oliver Cowdery
Open	Prayer by John Murdock
Elders present ordained to "H.P.H."	Bishop Partridge John Corrill Isaac Morley John Whitmer John Murdock William W. Phelps Lyman Wight Harvey Whitlock Newel Knight Parley P. Pratt (h) Oliver Cowdery
Elders present not ordained to "H.P.H."	Levi Hancock Zebedee Coltrin Selah J. Griffin Calvin Beebe Peter Dustin Joshua Fairchild Daniel Cathcart	The minutes list these elders in a different order: Hancock, Coltrin, Griffin, Beebe, Fairchild. Cathcart is not listed.
Priest present	Hezekiah Peck
Teacher present	Isaac Beebe
Read commandments	By joint resolution commandments read relative to various subjects.
Beebes request to preach	Lyman Wight moves consideration of Isaac and George Beebe's desire to preach the gospel.
	Oliver reads a commandment; he and W. W. Phelps comment on the subject.
	Edward Partridge reads commandment and comments on duties of priests, teachers, and deacons. John Whitmer reads their duties from the Articles and Covenants.
Importance of priest, teacher, deacon	John Corrill: the office of a priest, teacher, or deacon is "as important as that of a High Priest"	term: high priest first usage in the Far West Record.
Membership records required before ordination	Require "the united voice of the Church in writing in which such individual resides" before ordaining visitors a priest, teacher, or deacon.	term: high priest first usage in the Far West Record.
Membership records required before ordination	Isaac Beebe presents "records" from the Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio branch.
1,200 acres	Bishop Partridge presents statement of nearly 1,200 acres purchased for inheritances for the Saints.
Mechanics needed	Lengthy discussion of need for mechanics. Bishop to request eastern branches to send a blacksmith, two shoemakers, a carpenter, joiner, mason, wagon and plow maker, tanner, currier, millwright, hatter, chair and cabinet maker, silversmith, wheelwright.
Close	Adjourn to 8:30 a.m.

January 24, 1832	Conference convenes, names called, prayer by Oliver. Yesterday's minutes read.	¶ 1832 Chronology
New land cannot be cleared this year	The 1,200 acres Bishop Partrage [Partridge] purchased for the church are woodland that cannot be cleared for settlement this year. One parcel of the purchase is not yet paid for.
Edward's shortfall granted	Edward: cannot account for $60 because he did not keep record of his expenses during his trip last summer. W. W. Phelps: recalls one instance when the bishop paid more than $30 for transportation. "By unanimous vote the above sum allowed the Bishop."
Balance sheet	Edward's tally shows $9,508.24 paid to him to date; $8,449.90 disbursed for land and other necessities, leaving $1,058.24 on hand. "By unanimous vote the above account accepted."
Accounting policy	Resolve bishop to make an accounting of money and property received and expended at every general conference.
Schools	Schools discussed. Oliver Cowdery, William W. Phelps, and John Corrill to superintend schools.
Colesville branch records	The records of the "Church which came from Colesville N.Y." are presented by "their Priest Hezekiah Peck" and "laid on the Table."
Membership records	By unanimous vote, on motion by John Murdock, John Corrill is appointed "to keep the General Church Record of names of the Desiples in this land."
Build hotel	Resolve to build a hotel with general church funds as soon as possible, bishop submit financial statements at each general conference.
Adjourn	Adjourn until 3:00.
Convene	Convene at 3:00 p.m.
Consecrations non-revocable	Quotation from the Lord. "And it shall come to pass that the Bishop of my church after that he has received the properties of my Church that it cannot be taken from the Church" &c.
Receipts	Bishop to give a receipt when persons give money or property. Should he be removed from office by death or otherwise the properties shall be handed over to his successor.
Sidney's complaints about Edward	[235] Bishop Partrage [Partridge] presents letters from Sidney Rigdon to him dated September 10, 1831, and to John Corrill and Isaac Morley dated November 14, 1831, that make "certain charges … detrimental to [his] character and standing as a Bishop."	Minutes of March 10, 1832 and Joseph to W. W. Phelps, July 31, 1832
	Conference has "no legal right to proceed to a trial of the same in the absence of one of the parties." Elders "stationed in this land" are to discuss the situation with Edward and write Sidney "a friendly humiliating letter advising that this difficulty be settled and thereby the wound of the Church be healed."
	Adjourn to April 3, 1832.
Close	Singing. Prayer by bro. Edward Partrage.
	Oliver Cowdery Clerk of Confrence
	In consequence of the ill health and crowd of business our bro. Sidney Gilbert was unable to attend the General Confrence for which cause we thought proper to hold a special one to examine his accounts &c. by his request.

January 27, 1832	Minuets of a Special Confrence held at the dwelling house of bro. Sidney gilberts Independence Jan. 27, 1832 (evening) Edward Partrage [Partridge] appointed moderator, and Oliver Cowdery Clerk.	Minutes of March 10, 1832 and Joseph to W. W. Phelps, July 31, 1832.
Elders p resent	John Whitmer W. W. Phelps Edward Partridge John Carrell [Corrill] Sidney Gilbert Selah Griffin John Corrill [duplicate] Oliver Cowdery
Open	Prayer by Br. John Corrill	Original: Carrell
Sidney Gilbert accounting	Sidney Gilbert presents account of receipts from "N. K. [236] Newell & co., agent of the churches at the east and sundry brethren on the way to this land $1,692.00."
	Disbursements: Gilbert & Whitney goods and transport $827.94 Transportation for families and baggage from Ohio $804.89 Other "necessaries for the use and benefit of the Church" $1,045 Total expenses $2,677.83 Balance $16.87
	Accepted by unanimous vote.
	Remarks by Sidney Gilbert about the store. Resolve that Edward Partridge, Oliver Cowdery, and Sidney Gilbert write Newel K. Whitney in the east requesting special conference regarding the store.
Close	Singing, prayer by William Phelps.
Addendum	The following items I insert … by request of the Bishop which I copy from his own hand.
1200 acres wooded	The nearly 1200 acres that the bishop purchased is wooded "and not in a situation to be improved this season even if it should be thought advisable to clear it faster than what is wanted for timber." One parcel, not yet paid for, will cost $200.
Provisions scarce, prices double	Provisions are scarce and have doubled in price since last year. Had expected Gilbert & Whitney store would open October 1831. Hence, anticipated revenues from store failed to materialize. Resources only sufficient for those already in Missouri.
Mechanics only	We wrote eastern branches to send only mechanics because we have no funds to buy more land or purchase feed for livestock expected this spring. Please advise those coming to bring a barrel of buckwheat, and a barrel (or half) of clover seed.
Missionary assignments	John Murdock and Lyman Wight, and Parley P. Pratt and Levi Hancock will proselyte along the south side of the Missouri river to Cincinnatti and Bethany, (West) Virginia.	Alexander Campbell lives in Bethany.
	Calvin Beebe and Peter Dustin will go through the more settled parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and into Ohio.
	Daniel Cathcart and Joshua Fairchild will go through northern Missouri, then Illinois and Indiana to Ohio.
Need carding machine, clothiers tools	Have Oliver Olney send a carding machine and clothiers tools by boat this spring. We can use them as soon as possible.
Leather	Tell Brother Ashley of Strongsville it would be very helpful if he could send the leather we spoke of last October in Orange.
Print Book of Commandments soon	We will be ready to print soon. Hope that Brother Martin Harris can send paper. It will take twice as much paper to print 10,000 copies than first estimated. Have no doubt they will sell.
	Minutes of January 23, 1832 Minutes of March 10, 1832 Minutes of December 6–7, 1831 Jackson County Minutes Joseph Smith Correspondence Home