Nauvoo high council, Minutes, , Hancock Co., IL, 20 June 1840. Featured version copied [between 14 Feb. 1842 and 1 Jan. 1843] in Nauvoo High Council Minutes, fair copy, pp. 60–63; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minutes, 27 Oct. 1839.
Historical Introduction
On 20 June 1840, the met to consider a petition from JS requesting that the council relieve him from the responsibility of handling some of the ’s temporal affairs, especially those related to land sales in Nauvoo, Illinois. Although the high council met in JS’s office, it does not appear that JS attended; scribe presented the petition, apparently acting under JS’s direction. The high council considered JS’s request and appointed to act as clerk of Nauvoo land sales. The high council then addressed two other matters relating to land in Nauvoo. They disciplined , who had apparently committed fraud while purchasing a Nauvoo lot in January 1840. The council also appointed a committee to investigate the acquisition of nearly sixty acres of land in the Nauvoo area purchased on behalf of the church by from in spring 1839. What exactly Black did and why the high council wanted to investigate the Galland purchase are unclear, but the subject matter of the meeting indicates that the continued development of Nauvoo raised pressing issues for the high council.
served as clerk pro tempore of the meeting and kept its minutes. At some point after 14 February 1842 and likely before the end of that year, Stout recorded the minutes into the record book.
Stout indicated that he had recorded minutes of earlier meetings on 14 February 1842. (Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 19 Apr. 1840, 56.)
Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.
Page 61
which he necessarily had to engage in. In order that a location might be effected for the of the saints.—
That he felt it his duty to engage, more particularly, in the spiritual welfare of the Saints & also, to the translating of the Egyptian Records— the Bible— & wait upon the Lord for such revelations as may be suited to the condition & circumstances of the .
That in order to relieve him from the anxiety and troubles necessarily attendant on buisness— transactions, they would appoint some one to take charge of the City Plot & attend to the buisness transactions which have heretofore rested upon him.
That when he is relieved from such temporal— duties he would have no means of support whatever & requested that some one might be appointed to see that all his necessary wants are provided for as well as sufficient means or appropriations for a clerk or clerks which <he> may require to aid him in his important work.
The relieved Joseph Smith jr according to this the request of the memorial and [p. 61]