Manuscript, 1957

File — Box: 1, Folder: 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: This collection (1957) consists of a twenty-three page unpublished manuscript entitled "Notes towards a Definition of the Council of Fifty," by Alfred L. Bush and Klaus Hansen. The Council of Fifty was conceived by Joseph Smith in 1842 and formally organized in 1844. It played an important role in managing the exodus west, and in governing the State of Deseret, the new mountain home of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Intrigued by this long-ignored aspect of LDS history, the authors of this manuscript sought to explore the origins of the council in Nauvoo, its reorganization after the death of Joseph Smith, its role in the emigration west, and the role it played in governing the State of Deseret and later, the Territory of Utah. Bush and Hansen conclude that the council was one of the principal motivating factors in the development of the LDS Church and the state of Utah.

Dates

1957

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.