Mormon History, May 22, 1843

-- May 22, 1843
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 22 May I have had for several days past some conversation with a number of the brethren Concerning Building a house for myself & family. As I had spent most of my time in the vineyard for the last ten years & would probably spend much of my time to come in the same way I desired to have a house for my family to abide in & be comfortable in my absence. Several of the Brethren prof[fered?] to assist me to Brick & other materials & help me put it into a house. Br John Fidoe would superintend the building.
So on this 22d of May we went on to the ground & staked out the ground for my house the dimentions of which are as follows laid out in Lot No 1 in Block 106 in the city of Nauvoo fronting Durfee street on the east. It is to be 32 By 20 in the clear. Two stories high built of Brick.
I Cleared away my ground & Commenced digging my suller for my house. (1)

Emma Smith finds her husband Joseph Smith and 22-year-old Eliza Partridge secluded in an upstairs bedroom at the Smith home. Emma is devastated. (2)

[Joseph Smith Diary] May 22nd, Monday Called at the office 9 A.M. Delivered 3 letters one from [Philadelphia] Concerning Benjamin Winchester [which I discussed] with Clayton. This morning received a large hickory walking stick, silver head with the Motto "BEWARE" from [blank]. [rest page left blank] (3)

[Polygamy] to 22 May 1843 Emma discovers Smith in bedroom with Eliza Partridge. Joseph Smith's personal secretary records that on May 22nd, 1843, Smith's first wife Emma found Joseph and Eliza Partridge secluded in an upstairs bedroom at the Smith home. Emma was devastated. SOURCE: William Clayton's journal entry for 23 May (see Smith, 105-106) (4)

-- May 22, 1843. Monday.
[William Clayton Journal] Went to President Joseph's. He received a letter from Sister [Sybella] Armstrong of Philadelphia complaining of slanderous conduct in B[enjamin] Winchester. The President handed the letter to Dr. [Willard] Richards saying the Twelve ought to silence WinchesterÂ…31 In company with Jackson, President Joseph, Mr. Simpson and some others. (5)

-- May 23, 1843
[Anointed Quorum] Emma Hale Smith witnessed stake patriarch James Adams perform the polygamous marriage ceremonies for Joseph Smith and two of her house-servants, Emily D. Partridge and Eliza M. Partridge. This was the first occasion Smith's wife authorized him to marry other women (WR, EHAT, 60-61). (6)

[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 23rd I dug in my suller in the forenoon & + Attended a conference of the Twelve in the afternoon & we had an interesting time & transacted some important Business viz. we set apart Elders Noah Rogers, Addison Pratt, Benjamin F Grouard & Knowlton Hanks to take a mission to the Sandwich Islands.
The spirit of the Lord was with us while we lade hands upon them & blessed them & we also set apart Elders Hedlock & J. Carnes to go to England Elder Hedlock to preside. The blessings that were pronounced upon the heads of the Brethren were written By Elder Richards. (1)

Emma Smith approves for the first time one of Joseph Smith's polygamous marriages. (7)

Brigham Young, president of Twelve Apostles, gives instructions to missionaries being sent to Hawaii ("Sandwich Islands"): "Keep union among yourselves. be serva[n]ts to each other, when you arrive never say that the missionaries are wrong.- attend their meetings.- get the hearts of the people. go help build up a methodist church & till you get the hearts of the people, -- tell the Methodist[s] the Presbyterians are right or -- never will do any thing with argument.- do not contend against the missionaries." William Clayton writes: "President stated to me that he had had a little trouble with Sister E[mma]. He was asking E[liza] Partridge concerning [Joseph] Jackson['s] conduct during Presidents absence and E[mma] came upstairs. He shut to the door not knowing who it was and held it. She came to the door and called Eliza 4 times and tried to force open the door. President opened it and told her the cause &c. She seemed much irritated." (2)

In Nauvoo, Addison Pratt, Noah Rogers, Benjamin F. Grouard, and Knowlton F. Hanks are set apart for the first mission to the South Pacific Islands. It is to Utah, not Illinois, that they return at the conclusion of their missions. (8)

[Joseph Smith] First occasion when Emma Smith approves her husband's polygamous marriages, two of which she witnesses on this day. (9)

[Joseph Smith Diary] Tuesday, May 23d 1843 At home in conversation with Judge Adams and others. Rode out to see the sick at 8 A.M. The Twelve [Apostles] met at Pres[iden]t J[oseph] Smith's office [at] 2 P.M. and ordained 4 Missionaries to the Sandwich Islands and set apart 2 to England. See minutes of Twelve [Apostles]. [rest of page left blank] (3)


Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993
2 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
3 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1843
4 - Joseph Smith Polygamy Timeline, http://www.i4m.com/think/polygamy/JS_Polygamy_Timeline.htm
5 - George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995
6 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Signature Books, 1994, Appendex: Meetings and Initiations of the Anointed Quorum, 1842-45
7 - McQue, Bob; Religious Faith: Enlightening or Blinding?: Timeline of Key Events in Mormon History
8 - The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com
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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