Mormon Affidavits & Petitions Relating to the Missouri Persecutions
Dates:
1833-1841 ( inclusive )
Quantity:
3 boxes (1.5 linear feet)
Collection Number:
USU_CAINE MSS 19
Summary:
Collection contains photocopies of petitions and affidavits relating to Mormon difficulties in Missouri from 1831 to 1839 that were submitted to the House Judiciary Committee seeking redress for damages done in Missouri. Originals are housed in the National Archives
Repository:
Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives Manuscript Collection
Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-3000 Phone: 435 797-2663 Fax: 435 797-2880 Email: scweb@usu.edu
Languages:
Material in English
Biographical Note
In 1838 conflicts between Mormons and non-Mormons erupted in the northwest region of Missouri with the eventual eviction of Mormons from their homes and lands. Joseph Smith, Jr. and his followers sought refuge settling in or near the town of Nauvoo, Illinois.
Content Description
Each affidavit or petition was handled separately, and the following series of container lists and indices provide access to various names, geographical locations, and post-Missouri residences of the Mormon population
Though the affidavits and petitions were initially collected because of the Mormon expulsion from Caldwell and Daviess counties, a significant number also detail Mormon difficulties in other northern Missouri counties during the so-called Mormon War of 1838-1839.
One of the surprising things about the affidavits, ostensibly sworn to elicit action from Congress for losses during the Mormon War is the number (and the detailed accounts within that number) of affidavits dealing with the Mormon expulsion from Jackson County in 1833 and again in 1834 after some Mormons returned to the County (see affidavits of Charles Hulet and James B.F. Page).
A description of the collection and an analysis of the contents of it is to be found in Paul C. Richards, "Missouri Persecutions: Petitions for Redress," Brigham Young University Studies, XIII (Summer 1973), pp. 520-543.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
Restrictions on Use :
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the >Mormon Affidavits & Petitions Relating to the Missouri Persecutions must
be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections
Department Head.
Preferred Citation :
Initial Citation:
Mormon Affidavits & Petitions Relating to the Missouri Persecutions
USU_CAINE MSS 19 Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_CAINE MSS 19,
USUSCA.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
In filing the papers, original filing order has been preserved. Each affidavit or petition was handled separately, ad the following series of container lists and indices provide access to various names, geographical locations, and post-Missouri residences of the Mormon population.
Processing Note :
Processed in May of 2006
Acquisition Information :
This collection was purchased for inclusion in the Marie Eccles-Caine Archive of Intermountain Americana from the National Archives in the Spring of 1990
Detailed Description of the Collection
Publications
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
1
1
Greene, John P. Facts Relating to the Expulsion of the Mormons or Latter-day Saints from the State of Missouri under the Exterminating Order, (Cincinnati: R.P. Brooks)
1839
1
2
Pratt Parley P. History of the Late Persecutions Inflicted by the State of Missouri upon the Mormons (Detroit: Dawson and Batis, Printers)
1839
1
3
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, & In Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons... Published by the Order of the General Assembly (Fayette, Missouri)
1841
1
4
Petition Placed before Congress by Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Elias Higbee
Cover Sheets, National Archives, for Documents 5, 6, 7, 8
Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, 27th Congress
undated
1
28
Transcriptions of Missouri Documents (fragmentary)
Warning to Mormons to stay south of Grand River, Adam Black statement re: Mormons in Daviess County
1838 August 27
1
29
Letter (fragmentary)
Re: exodus of Mormons from Missouri
1839
1
30
Affidavit (fragmentary)
Re: Beginning of Mormon War in Caldwell County. Thomas Bullock, Scribe
undated
1
31
Typescript of Issac Leany Affidavit
undated
1
32
Letter to Col. Sterling Price
Missouri Militia from Far West. Final page or pages and signature missing. Discussion of Gallatin elections riots
1838 September 8
1
33
Issac Leany
Detailed account of Haun's Mill, list of casualties, expulsion from Caldwell County. Quincy, Adams, Illinois
1839 April 30
1
34
Sidney Rigdon (1793-1876)
Letter to Felix Grundy asking about legal steps to recover damages. Quincy, Adams, Illinois
1839 February 23
1
35
Lewis Abbott (1795-1861)
Expulsion from Jackson county and Caldwell. Also mentions Clay County. Quincy, Adams, Illinois
1839 June 25
1
36
Willard Trowbridge Snow (1811-1852)
Petition regarding Adam Black William Peniston, et. Al., Gallatin election riot, Adam-ondi-Ahman, expulsion from Far West. Includes note by Malvina C. Snow
undated
1
37
Edward Partridge (1793-1884)
Affidavit. Jackson and Caldwell County expulsions. Discussion of property values and statement of losses. Quincy, Adams, Illinois
1839 May 15
1
38
Joseph Smith, Jr.(1805-1844); Sidney Rigdon (1793-1876); Elias Higbee, 1795-1843
Statement regarding lands purchases from the Federal Government in Missouri. Washington, D.C.
1840 January 20
1
39
Carlos Granger
Affidavit. Expulsion from Far West. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
1
40
David Pettegrew (1791-1863)
Petition. Details of expulsion from Jackson County and from Far West
undated
1
41
Edmund Durfee, Jr.(1814-1861)
Affidavit. Expulsion from Caldwell County. McComb, McDonough, Illinois
1840 January 4
1
42
Messenger and Advocate. Extra
Published letter regarding request by Clay County residents for Mormons to leave county
1836 July 25
1
43
Elijah Reed
Affidavit. Expulsion from Caldwell County. Quincy, Adams, Illinois
1840 January 9
1
44
Daniel C. Davis (1804-1850)
Affidavit. Expulsion from Far West, imprisonment of Joseph Smith and others in Ray County. Lee County, Iowa
1840 January 6
1
45
Daniel Stanton (1795-1872)
Affidavit. Expulsion from Daviess County. Quincy, Adams, Illinois
1840 March 18
1
46
Moses Martin (1812-1900)
Affidavit. Plundering of Mormon homes south of Far West. Montrose, Lee, Iowa
1840 March 6
1
47
Lucinda Barlow
Affidavit. Destruction of O.P. Rockwell's house in Far West.
Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 2
1
48
John S. Higbee (1804-1877)
Petition. Autobiography. Jackson county, life in Clay County, expulsion form Caldwell. Quincy, Adams, Illinois
1839 March 24
1
49
Alpheus Cutler (1784-1864)
Affidavit. Looting of Cutler farm on Crooked River. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 2
1
50
Joseph C. Kingsbury (1812-1898)
Affidavit. Far West, looting of Kingsbury house.
Commerce, Hancock
1840 January 3
2
1
Documents 5, 6, 7, 8 (continued) : Affidavits and PetitionsLewis D. Wilson (1805-1856)
Certification of land claim. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
2
2
Mary K. Miller
Affidavit re: depredations near Far West. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
2
3
Joel S. Miles
Affidavit, attack on Far West. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
2
4
Samuel Bent (1778-1846); Lettice Bent; Hannah Yale
Affidavits re: depredations from Jackson County, 1833; plundering of farms near Far West. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
2
5
Sarah Rockwell
Affidavit: expulsion from Jackson County, 1833; plundering of farms near Far West. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
2
6
Thomas Grover (1807-1886)
Affidavit, destruction of farms and crops in Caldwell County. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
2
7
John Patten (1787-1847)
Affidavit, expulsion from Jackson County; destruction of the printing shop, depredations in Caldwell and Daviess counties. Land claims in Jackson, Clay, Lee county, Iowa
1839 October 28
2
8
Edward Partridge (1793-1840)
Letter to Elias Higbee, re: land patents in Jackson County. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
2
9
Truman Brace (1783-1855)
Affidavit: expulsion form Jackson County and from Far West. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 3
2
10
Uriah Burk Powell (1809-)
Affidavit: expulsion from Far West, land claims, and bill of damages.
Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois
1839 November 9
2
11
Abraham Palmer (1807-1875)
Affidavit: Haun's Mill and expulsion form Caldwell County. Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois
Document No. 9: Testimonies and Claims Sworn before Justices of the Peace Joseph Orr and William Laughlin
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
Folder
2
12
Title to document packet
Depositions taken in Adams County
1840 January 8
2
13
Henry Ettleman (1798-)
Affidavit: compulsion to sign deed to Caldwell property
1840 January 8
2
14
James Huston
Affidavit: Compulsion to sign deed to Caldwell property
1840 January 8
2
15
Philip Ettlemere (1791-1854)
Affidavit re: depredations in Caldwell County
1840 January 8
2
16
Albert Miner (1809-1848)
Affidavit re: depredations in Caldwell County
1840 January 8
2
17
Alexander Mills (1801-)
Bill of damages
1840 January 8
2
18
Charles Wetherby Patten (1811-)
Affidavit: expulsion from Jackson County and compulsion to surrender land claims in Caldwell
1840 January 8
2
19
James Durphy (1798-1844)
Affidavit: expulsion from Caldwell County and witness to a murder
1840 January 8
2
20
Smith Humphrey (1805-)
Affidavit re: property destruction and expulsion from Dewitt, Carroll County
1840 January 8
2
21
Mariah Benner
Affidavit re: Haun's Mill Massacre
1840 January 8
2
22
Elisha Whiting (1785-1848)
Affidavit detailing expulsion from Caldwell County
1840 January 8
2
23
Alanson Brown
Affidavit re: expulsion from Caldwell County
1840 January 8
2
24
Perry Keyes
Affidavit detailing beatings in Independence in May 1834 and expulsion from Far West
1840 January 8
2
25
Lydia B. Whiting English
Affidavit re: fight on Big Blue and Whitmer Settlement in Jackson County; widow of William Whiting
1840 January 8
2
26
Nathan Stewart
Affidavit re: expulsion from Jackson County, November 1833, and pillage in Caldwell County, 1838
1840 January 8
2
27
Charles Hulet (1790-1863)
Affidavit re: expulsion from Jackson County, November 1833, and pillage in Caldwell County, 1838
1840 January 8
2
28
Zerah Pulsipher (1788-1872)
Affidavit: expulsion from Daviess County
1840 January 8
2
29
Horace Burgess (1816-1849)
Affidavit re: plundering in Caldwell and Daviess County
1840 January 8
2
30
Lemuel Herrick (1792-1861)
Affidavit: mob action in Jackson County, expulsion from Far West
1840 January 8
2
31
David C. Deming
Affidavit re: Haun's Mill Massacre
1840 January 8
2
32
John Outhouse (1786-1873); Mahala Ann Overton
Affidavit, compulsion to deed property in Caldwell County and expulsion from Ray County
1840 January 8
2
33
Robert William Bidwell (1794-1851); Betsy Bidwell; Catherine Morris
Affidavit re: compulsion to deed land in Caldwell County
1840 January 8
2
34
Levi Bracken (1792-1852)
Affidavit re: expulsion from Jackson and Caldwell
1840 January 8
2
35
Tunis Rappleye (1807-1883); Eli Lee, 1816-1881
Affidavit re: depredations in Jackson and Caldwell
1840 January 8
2
36
Lewis Thompson; Percy Curtis; Mary Brown; Stephen St. John; Eleanor Wilson
Short affidavits testifying to loss in Caldwell, Clay, and Carroll counties
1840 January 8
2
37
William Niswanger (1796-); Moses Dudley
Affidavit re: compulsion to deed land in Caldwell County
1840 January 8
2
38
Jacob Huntsman; Bradley B. Wilson (1769-1842)
Affidavit re: forced sale of lands in Caldwell and Ray counties
1840 January 8
2
39
Moses Kiley; George Clinton Wilson (1800-1874); Solomon Hancock (1794-1847); John Loveless (1807-1880)
Affidavit on forced sale of Missouri lands, depredations on Loveless farm
1840 January 8
2
40
Issac Morley (1786-1864)
Affidavit detailing description of mob actions and expulsions from Jackson County and Far West, including his own imprisonment
1840 January 8
2
41
Daniel L. Thomas; William Munjar (1792-1871)
Affidavit on forced sale of lands in Jackson and Caldwell Counties. Thomas taken prisoner
1840 January 8
2
42
John M. McCaul [McCall?]; John Daley (1818-1863); Gideon D. Wood (1808-1890)
Affidavit on depredations
1840 January 8
2
43
Hannah Wood; Lindsey Anderson Brady (1811-)
Affidavit. Witness to pillage of John Daley's farm, loss of Caldwell county lands
1840 January 8
2
44
Albern Allen (1802-1867); David Crenshaw
Affidavit on loss of lands in Caldwell County
1840 January 8
2
45
Reuben Foot; Philip Ballard
Affidavit on loss of lands in Caldwell County
1840 January 7
2
46
James Worthington (1803-1885); James Bennett Bracken, (1816-1900); Amos F. Herrick (1797-); Phoebe Herrick; William Woodland (1788-)
Affidavit on loss of lands and improvements in Caldwell, Randolph, Clinton, and Davies counties
1840 January 8
2
47
Barnet Cole (1796-1857); Alfred Lee (1805-1875)
Affidavit on expulsions from Jackson and Caldwell Counties, with bills of damages
1840 January 7
2
48
Elizabeth C. Munjar (1822-)
Affidavit from Jackson, Clay, and Caldwell counties
1840 January 8
2
49
John Murdock (1792-1871)
Affidavit on expulsion from Dewitt in Carroll County and from Caldwell county. Details on mobs and militia
1840 January 8
2
50
John Smith (1781-1854)
Affidavit detailing battle for Far West and expulsion from Caldwell County
1840 January 8
2
51
Levi Harlow Redfield (1801-1866); John Pack (1809-1885); John Lawson (1805-); Lodowick H. Ferre; Noah Rogers (1797-1846); Curtis Hodges, Sr.; Henry Stevenson; William Marks (1797-1872); Jonathan Hoopes (1788-1868)
Petition asking Congress to consider Mormon grievances
undated
2
52
Levi Harlow Redfield (1801-1866); Lodowick H. Ferre
Bill of damages. Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois
1840 January 14
2
53
John Pack (1809-1885); Mary Ann Hoyt
Affidavit on depredations in Caldwell county and Adam-ondi-Ahman n Daviess County.
Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois
1840 January 8
2
54
Curtis Hodges, Sr.
Bill of damages. Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois
1840 January 14
2
55
Andrew Whitlock (1805-1865)
Affidavit on loss of property in Clay and Caldwell. Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois
Affidavit re: depredations in Dewitt, Carroll County, Jacksonville, Morgan, Illinois
1840 January 24
3
2
Jerome M. Benson (1810-1873); Mary Benson; Hannah Dalton
Affidavit and inventory re: loss of property in Caldwell. Carthage, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 9
3
3
David Dutton
Affidavit and inventory re: loss of land and personal property in Caldwell County.
Carthage, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 9
3
4
D.H. Gilmer; James Clark [Clarke?]; Daniel B. Bush; J. Paulin
Letter from non-Mormon residents on the character of the Mormon population. Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois
1840 January 18
3
5
Robert Lucas
Letter of Governor of Iowa Territory on the character of the Mormons
3
6
George W. Harris; Samuel Bent (1778-1846); Henry G. Shurwood; David Fullmer (1803-1879); Alpheus Cutler (1784-1864); William Huntington; Thomas Grover (1807-1886); Newell Knight; Don Carlos Smith; David Dart; Seymour Brunson; Levi Jackman; Edward Partridge, 1793-1840); Alanson Ripley; Vinson Knight Bishops; Newell K. Whitney
Letter from High Council and bishops recommending Joseph to Congressional Committees. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1839 October 27
3
7
James Sloan
Letter of recommendation re: Joseph Smith from the Quincy Branch. Quincy, Adams, Illinois
1839 October 20
3
8
David W. Adams (1797-1846); William Leffingwell
Affidavit on expulsion from Carroll County and property loss at Far West. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
9
John Thorp
Affidavit on expulsion from Carroll County and property loss at Far West. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
10
George B. Teeples (1803-1884)
Affidavit re: flight from Clay County and depredations in Daviess county and Battle of Millport. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
11
James Houghton
Affidavit re: destruction of crops and loss of land of Far West. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
12
Chester Southworth (1793-1874)
Affidavit re: mob and militia action at Far West. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
13
Gabriel N. Taylor
Affidavit re: mob and militia action and claim for lost property. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
14
Ornan Houghton (1806-1847)
Affidavit re: compulsion to leave Clay County and losses from Militia action in Caldwell. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
Affidavit re: losses in Caldwell County. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
18
Elijah Shaw
Affidavit re: Militia action in Caldwell. Land claims and expulsion from Jackson County.
Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
19
Nathan Calhoun Cheney (1811-1852)
Affidavit re: plundering of property in Caldwell by militia. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
20
Perry Durfee (1797-1872)
Affidavit re: battle at Christian Whitmer's house in Jackson County, burnings in Clay County, plunder of property in Caldwell County. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
21
Harvy Olmstead (1794-)
Affidavit regarding expulsion from Jackson and Daviess counties. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
22
Enos McNall
Affidavit of non-Mormon attacked by mob in Carroll County for being friendly to Mormons. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
23
William Aldrich (1807-)
Affidavit re: loss of property and expulsion from Daviess County. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
24
Henry Stephens
Affidavit re: militia depredations in Far West after the city's surrender. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
25
Rufus Abbot (1784-)
Affidavit re: expulsion from Jackson County and murder of son at Haun's Mill. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
26
Daniel R. Cathcart (1803-)
Affidavit re: militia depredations in Daviess county. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
27
Delia Reed
Affidavit re: widow with 7 children in Caldwell county until expelled. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
28
Elizabeth Holsclaw
Affidavit re: expulsion from Jackson County and from Far West. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
29
Lucy Corkins
Affidavit on expulsions from Jackson County and from Far West. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
30
Elisha Hill
Affidavit on troubles in Ray County, Gallatin election, depredations on Adam-ondi-Ahman. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
31
Arza Judd, Jr.
Affidavit on depredations and militia action in Carroll County. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
32
Selah J. Griffen
Affidavit on expulsions from Jackson, Clay and Caldwell and losses of blacksmith shop. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
33
Lorenzo D. Chamberlain
Affidavit re: expulsion from Jackson county and from Adam-ondi-Ahman. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
34
Jabis Durfee (1791-1867)
Land loss in Daviess County. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
35
Solomon chamberlin (1788-1862)
Bill of damages, Jackson, Clay Daviess, Caldwell Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
36
Polly Wilson
Bill of damages, Jackson, Clay, Daviess counties. Hancock county
1840 January 6
3
37
Jabis Drufee (1797-1867)
Affidavit on loss of farm and mill, Caldwell county. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 18
3
38
Loyal C.K. Griffen
Affidavit on expulsion from Jackson and Caldwell. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
39
James B.F. Page
Affidavit on expulsion and loss of property in Lafayette County (1835) and from Caldwell County. Warsaw, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
40
Squire Bozarth [?]
Affidavit on militia attack on Far West. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 11
3
41
Eliphaz Marsh (1791-1844)
Affidavit on militia attack on Far West. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois
1840 January 6
3
42
Samuel C. Miles (1779-1849)
Affidavit re: remarks of Gen. Atchison at Far West about mob in Daviess. Commerce, Hancock, Illinois