Journal, Willard Richards, 1847
in Willard Richards Papers
MS 1490, Church Archives
September 19, 1841—S.P obdc funeral of Bennet's child Resurrection, - Wrote to Levi
December 25, 1841—Christmas we visited & dine at Hiram Kimballs with Nancy M.
Hyde. B. Young—H.C. Kimball O. Pratt. W. Woodruff. J. Taylor & wives – H Kimball
gave each of the 12 a set of [illegible]. & supper of Turkey.January 13, 1842—left Bro Brigham an[d] began to board with President Smith.
January 17, 1842—dined at Sister Agness. with Joseph & Sister Harris
January 21, 1842—Joseph a woman sitting in a choir pulling of[f]
her stocking. letter[?] by[??] in the old womans Cap[?]
interpreted Dream
[January 23, 1842 - July 1, 1842 diary apparently missing—this diary would cover some
crucial dates, and might help illuminate what occurred. It is very unfortunate that it is
missing.]
November 17, 1842—Joseph & Sister Hyde. evening—Joseph Gone.
December 7, 1842—O. Hyde arrived. got home [illegible] &c
February 10, 1843—Josephs Council 12 Trial of Oliver Olney
May 7, 1843—[…] 2 P.M. meeting Joseph and Rhoda [illegible] [illegible] […]
May 27, 1843—[…] Council of 12, \1 P.M./ on Winchester
May 28, 1843—at Josephs—upper Room
May 29, 1843—Looking after Lawrence estate
May 30, 1843—Lawrence estate
June 12, 1843—[Entry in shorthand]
[(In his piece "Identifying the Earliest Mormon Polygamists," Gary Bergera deciphers it
thus: “Marr[ie]d Susana L[ee] Liptrot a[nd] Rhoda [Richards] to Joghf [Joseph Smith].")]
July 12, 1843—Rev – Joseph Hyrum & Clayton in office
July 22, 1843—Mary Ann Holmes—came to Brother Joseph—she had been confined to
her bed for two years last April
July 23, 1843—Meeting Hyrum- Joseph- Baptized Mary Ann
Divine [illegible] king.—in store [illegible]
August 27, 1843—At Joseph new house in evening
April 18, 1844—Council
Council of the authorities cut off – R. D. Foster – Wilson &
William & Jane Law – and Howard Smith.—from the church
April 26, 1844—Dr. R. D. Foster told me I was another. Damned Black hearted villain
I[?] had tried to seduce his wife &c. Attended court. Foster, Higbee, & Charles Foster[?]
fined $100. each
April 27, 1844—I [illegible] R. D. Foster for slander =&= to my house &cApril 29, 1844—Trial of R. D. Foster for slander
[illegible] informality[?] in writ &c.
to house—cound[??] Wilson Law to be notified his command[?] of Legion [illegible]
February 16, 1847
[Brigham Young's 'adopted' family met in the afternoon, and were instructed by him:]
President Young stated […] that the church to a great extent to this day was ignorant of
the doctrine of family relations. Of the sealing principles And the necesity there for. and
to learn of these things is the object before us.
[***][Brigham Young speaks of jealousies among priesthood quorums, then:]
Principle of the plurality of wives. Multiply & replenish the earth. did not.
Inhibiters[?] corrupted themselves. and devised means to cut off his existence. - Law to
have more wives than one. One says if get married I dont know but I shall get another
mans wife. &c. ask Joseph or Brigham dont know but. he will want her - Jealousies
arise. – call on ignorant Elders & get married. - there afraid. feer will be their torment.
they carry a little hell in bosom had no fear but he should have his right if he was not
satisfied. would appeal to the circuit court &c to the king's bench
Tell the elders to go out & get all they could to be sealed to them . & they would
Lie cheat. steel or even murder, through jealousy to get men sealed to them and all
through jealousies.
[***]
[There is some further discussion of the law of adoption.]
Richards, Willard, Journal, 1847, in Willard Richards Papers MS 1490, Church Archives