[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] March 26th Sunday I spent the day at home. I looked over the Mail that brought our exchange papers & found them mostly vary destitute of news of interest except the Case of Mackenzie which is still exciting the public mind & will probably be the longest before it is closed of any Case ever tried in the United States in consequence of the hanging [of] Spencer Small & another person on board of the Sommers in consequence of an expeted mutiny. Their is also some wars & rumours of wars earthquakes & fires & stormes, & murder throughout the land. (1)
Joseph Smith kicks Josiah Butterfield (guardian of Maria & Sarah Lawrence) out of the house, across the yard, and into the street for insulting him [Per Joseph Smith]. (2)
[Joseph Smith Diary] Sunday, March 26th At home all day. (3)
-- 1843. March 27
(Sidney Rigdon) August 13: Joseph Smith accused Rigdon of conspiring with John C. Bennett and other anti-Mormons, and a Church conference temporarily disfellowshipped him.
October 7: The Prophet proposed that Rigdon be dropped from the First Presidency because he had not fulfilled his Church responsibilities since their arrival in Nauvoo. But Stake President William Marks moved that Rigdon be sustained in his position, and the Church conference voted to retain him. "I have thrown him off my shoulders," Joseph declared, "and you have put him on me; you may carry him, but I will not." (4)
(Sidney Rigdon) Rigdon wished to keep the problems private: "On my part they were never mentioned to any person, nor a subject of discourse at any time or place." He wrote the Prophet, "I had hoped that all former difficulties had ceased forever."
1843. March 27: Joseph Smith accused Rigdon of "seeking to destroy me and this people" by attempting to turn the Prophet over to Missouri lawmen who sought his extradition. (4)
-- Mar 27, 1843
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 27, 28, 29, 30, & 31 I spent this week in the printing office as usual. It still holds cold weather & no prospect yet of river opening. (1)
Sidney Rigdon: Privately disfellowshipped 27 Mar. 1843 (5)
Joseph Smith dictates a letter to Sidney Rigdon "showing that [Joseph] believed said Rigdon was concerned [connected] with J[ohn] C. Bennet[t], Geo[rge] W. Robinson, and Jared Carter." Joseph states in the letter:."I now notify you. That unless something should take place to restore my mind to its former confidence in you, by some acknowledgments on your part or some explanations, that shall do away my Jealousies, I must as a conscientious man, publish my withdrawal of my fellowship from you, to the church through the medium of the times & Seasons, and demand of the conference a hearing concerning your case;" Willard Richards delivered the letter the same day Rigdon penned a conciliatory reply in which he denied all charges. At the next Oct conference Joseph Smith proposed that Rigdon should be dismissed but the proposition was defeated. (6)
Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith dictated a letter to Sidney Rigdon expressing suspicions of Elder Rigdon's involvement with those working against the Church. (7)
[Joseph Smith] Joseph writes a letter to Sidney Rigdon stating that he believes that Rigdon had conspired with John C. Bennett against Joseph. Sidney immediately sends a return letter, denying the charge. (8)
[Joseph Smith Diary] Monday, March 27th 1843 Dictated a letter to Esqui[re] Rigdon showing that he [Joseph] believed said Rigdon was concerned [connected] with J[ohn] C. Bennet[t], Geo[rge] W. Robinson, and Jared Carter and unless satisfaction was made should withdraw fellowship and bring him before conference. Letter was presented by W[illard] Richards.
11 [A.M.] Court assembled over the store to try A. Field for drunkenness and abusing his wife. [He was] fined $10 costs and bail $50 for 6 months to keep the peace. (3)
-- Mar 28, 1843
Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph Smith moved his office from the smokehouse to the small upper room of his Red Brick Store. (7)
The "Young Gentlemens and Ladies Relief Society" is organized in Nauvoo. This is the first effort to establish an auxiliary for Mormon youth, but it apparently does not last a year. A churchwide youth program would not develop for twenty-six years. Also on this day, "Josiah Butterfield [of the First Council of Seventy] came to my house and insulted me so outrageously that I kicked him out of the house, across the yard, and into the street." Butterfield was step-father of young Maria and Sarah Lawrence for whom Joseph Smith was legal guardian. Joseph Smith would formally marry the Lawrence sisters in the fall. (9)
Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993
2 - Tidd, N. R., "Mormon Chronology"
3 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1843
4 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons
5 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 6, Biographical Sketches of General Officers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47
6 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
7 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith
8 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
9 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 7: Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47"
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