Scope and Contents Charles E. Bidamon, letter to JFS, 26 May Heber J. Grant, Diary, 4 October 1894 "Brigham Young said that if his [JFS's] father had had his way that Joseph F. Smith would have been the Patriarch of the Church, but that brother Joseph F. had begged that the office be given to his brother and had almost refused to have it when his father wanted him to take the place. He knew that his...

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"We were highly pleased [in 1851] with the general appearance of the [Salt Lake] City ... many elegant houses built of adobies or unbumt bricks presented themselves in all parts of the city."

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"I took the liberty to tell an Elder, last Sunday I did not want him to come on the Stand drunk as his breath smelt so strong of liquor that the Spirit of the Lord could not abide there. He went home, sent the president of the branch a note stating that he had burnt his Hymn Book and all other works, he had of the Church, and would burn his Book of Mormon 'as soon as he could find it.'"

Bathsheba Smith, extracts

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Photocopies and extracts from The Journal of Jesse Nathaniel Smith: The Life Story of a Mormon Pioneer, 1834-1906 (Salt Lake City: Jesse N. Smith Family Association, 1953).

"Received my second anointing in the upper room of the Historian's House, George A. Smith officiating and Joseph F. Smith assisting."

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"I called upon ex-Senator [Charles J.] Faulkner of West Virginia and had a nice talk with him. He thinks we ought to drop John W. Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley and Joseph M. Tanner from their positions but not cast them out of the Church. He says this is the view of a number of the senators."

Scope and Contents From the Series:

This series contains the files by and about people in LDS history, arranged alphabetically by last name. The material in the files consists of typed extracts from the originals or photocopies. Selected quotes and a listing of letters indicate the nature of the material found in each folder. The quotations provide a sampling of the numerous topics covered.

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Biographical Sketch written by Scott G. Kenney for the Andrew Jensen Society, 15 September 1980, notes, 4 pp.

Scope and Contents David Taylor wrote: "Levira [wife of JFS] left on last Tuesday morning (this is Sunday) with her aunt in the overland coach for San Francisco... I did not much like for her to go so far from home, unprotected among the Gentiles. You will soon be there to protect her. I am not personally acquainted with Mrs. Kimball, but judging from rumors, I do not suppose that her company will have any beneficial effect on Levira, in strengthening her faith in the gospel; especially in the 'peculiar...

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Charles Kelley wrote: "R.M., president of the YMMIA and Sunday School worker, [and] home missionary, lived with a girl for some time before marrying her--baby born few months after marriage. Excommunicate?" JFS replied: "Let the young people, if you think they have sincerely repented, confess their sin and ask forgiveness before the people of the ward."

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Horace G. Whitney wrote: "According to verbal instructions from Bro. George Reynolds, we are going ahead with the printing of the second edition of the large size Book of Mormon, making the matter conform in every respect to our electrotyped edition, except the word 'Satan' is to be decapitalized throughout the book." JFS in ink wrote: "Let him go ahead under Bro. R[eynolds]'s instructions."

Scope and Contents Ben E. Rich wrote: "Yesterday morning a wire came to the New York Times from the Salt Lake Tribune, saying they understood [Max] Florence had a photo of your bedroom, showing four beds and asking the Times to interview him on the same. The matter is in [Isaac] Russell's hands who will see the DAMN CUSS today and I will then report to you. The longer I live, the more firmly I...

Scope and Contents "During the lifetime of the late Pres. Wilford Woodruff a rule was established by him not to permit a woman to be anointed to a man unless she had lived with him as a wife. This was a restriction of the rule in such cases which obtained during the lifetime of Presidents Brigham Young and John Taylor. After considering the matter we have concluded to restore the practice as expressed in the following, and which will govern in such cases in the future: Any woman who has been sealed to a man in...

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Mary Taylor Schwartz Smith wrote: "I have been taught to recognize plural marriage as a divine institution and to recognize all wives as equal as far as their position as wives go. But I do not think there is the amount of consideration for each others feelings, or as good an understanding exists between husbands and wives in that connection."

Scope and Contents A. F. Smith wrote: "Frank just called me up over the phone advising me that Aunt Edna has been in the [Salt Lake Knitting Works] store in no good disposition causing some little difficulty regarding the new finish you authorized me to put on the garments. She refuses to allow those wearing the garment with the finish to go through the temple with them, this is causing us a good deal of injury and trouble. Customers are objecting to their purchase on the grounds that they are not permitted in...

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"Joseph F. Smith's book in account with Trustee-in-Trust p. I 1867 June 10. Dr. to cash, divorce [from Levira Smith] $10.00."

Scope and Contents JFS, letter to John D. T. McAllister, 23 August 1875: "From my childhood-for twenty years and upwards I chewed the filthy weed [tobacco]. I never saw the moment during the whole time that I was not inwardly ashamed of it. Insomuch I endeavored to keep it to myself, using great caution. One day I went into the Pres. [Brigham Young]'s office. He whispered to me, I was obliged to whisper back. He smelt my breath, and started in surprise, 'Do you chew...

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JFS, letter to Junius F. Wells, 30 November 1875: "In the first place it [the RLDS Church] is a fraud, a base counterfeit, having only a form and color of the true coin, but not the metal. It is an attempt by apostates, to compromise with the world, and popularize the names of Joseph Smith and 'Mormonism,' and at the same time the secret design is to root out and destroy the kingdom of God, as they never could and never can endure sound doctrine."

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JFS, letter to Samuel F. Atwood, 17 March 1883: "When I entered into celestial marriage with my first wife [Levira] I solemnly covenanted and agreed, and so did my wife 'to observe and keep,' not a part, but 'all the laws, rites' etc., appertaining unto the new and everlasting covenant of matrimony. I understood and still do that the eternity of the marriage covenant includes a plurality of wives."

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JFS, letter to Susa, 21 May 1890: "While we are under the claws of the 'Great American Eagle' there is no use of teasing it by plucking its feathers. Even the truth should not be told at all times; and especially when silence is all that is required.... The policy now is, and it is a reasonable one, to pass by the sleeping lion, if we can, without kicking him."

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JFS, letter to Hyrum, 3 September 1897: "I do not wish to chide you for having allowed yourself to contend with a darkey [Black man] on a public rostrum, but I could not help feeling it was a little undignified on your part. While I approve of your efforts to defend the truth ... allow me to suggest that when you are compelled by a sense of duty to meet the enemy try and make sure that your 'foe is worthy of your steel.'"