The following is a transcription of Brigham Young, Letter to Parley P. Pratt, July 17, 1842 (note: some of the pages are damaged, so text will be missing):
Page 1:
City of Nauvoo July 17th, 1842
Beloved Brother Pratt, I set down
to write a few words to you, and to give you some things that have transpired
in the last days, and especially in Nauvoo, as a general thing all goes first
rate. The Temple goes on finely and will be a splendid edifice when completed.
The Brethren are very spirited about it. John Cook Bennett is turned out of the
Church and reports say [illegible] to Mo[?] to raise a mob to come to drive us
from our homes. I guess General [illegible] has got a hard time on his hands
Robert P[illegible]ton sends for
his wife who lives in Manchester, Suffolk, top of Hope Street; her name is
Elizabeth [illegible] Ditton — direct to some [illegible] Richardson St. at the
top of Hope st.
The Brethren are flocking here
from all parts of the land, the case [?] almost each, I suppose there are a
thousand in habitation in this city. Lyman Johnson is here at Sister Hyde’s
[illegible]. We have not heard from J. B. Marsh so as to know anything certain.
John Boyington is in this country as a dentist. Br. Orson Pratt is in
[illegible].
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in consequence of his wife, his
feelings are so wrought up that he does not know whether his wife is wrong, or
whether Joseph’s testimony and theirs are wrong and due by and he decline[s]
for 12 years, is not? he is all but crazy about matters. You may ask the matter
is concerning sister P. It is enough, and does J. C. Bennett could tell all
about [illegible] himself & him. Enough of that. We will not let Br. Orson
go away from us; he is too good a man to have a woman destroy him. Sister Hyde
and children are well. I expect to Br. Hyde about as soon as you get this
letter. I shall be glad when he gets home for his sake and not especially for
the [illegible] around his arrows at the insolent [illegible]. Br. J. E. Page
is in Pittsburgh preaching. Br. Wm. Richards has gone to Mass for his wife. The
most of the 12 are well. Br. L. Wile is in the south mingling with his broad
sword. There is so many of our brethren coming that has not the gift for
preaching that all of our American elders are for going into the vineyard. Br.
Wm. Pratt lives here. They are well with regard to the Temple again. Many of
the Elders have thought it would be finished by next spring, but it is not much
likely it will be finished under 2 or 3 years from this time as to our temporal
concerns.
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we are doing as well as we could
expect. This place is going very fast. There is many good houses going up this
season. Br. Sidney Rigdon is still sick and afflicted, and his family with him.
He has been quite offish with regard to obeying revelations given to him. So
has Br. [J.] Robinson, but I think all will be right with them yet, as my own
feelings can say.
I never felt better in my life
than I have since I came home last summer. I never enjoyed my family better;
the society of my family and friends are indeed to me. It is now getting
somewhat sickly here; there has been 4 funerals attended to day; but Wm. Hunting
told me that he had not had a grave to dig before for a week (he is the
sexton). As sickly as this place is it is the healthiest place in this country,
say on the river. There was more deaths in Springfield last winter in about
five months than there has been in Nauvoo since we came here 3 years ago. In
Springfield there is about 8,000 inhabitants; here there is about 12,000
inhabitants. It has been very healthy for 6 or 8 months past.
I must come to close. My wife is
sick and groaning and I must [illegible] for a little.
You must forgive me mistakes excepting love yourself and family. Please tender
my love to all my old friends and relations if there be any that inquire after
me.
I am as ever your friend & Brother in Christ
To P. P. Pratt
and family, 36 Chapel st. school
Brigham Young
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we are doing as well as we could
expect. This place is going very fast. There is many good houses going up this
season. Br. Sidney Rigdon is still sick and afflicted, and his family with him.
He has been quite offish with regard to obeying revelations given to him. So
has Br. J. Robinson, but I think all will be right with them yet.
As my own feelings can say, I
never felt better in my life than I have since I came home last summer. I never
enjoyed my family better; the society of my family and friends are indeed to
me. It is now getting somewhat sickly here; there has been 4 funerals attended
to day; but Wm. Hunting told me that he had not had a grave to dig before for a
week (he is the sexton). As sickly as this place is it is the healthiest place
in this country, say on the river. There was more deaths in Springfield last
winter in about five months than there has been in Nauvoo since we came here 3
years ago. In Springfield there is about 8,000 inhabitants; here there is about
12,000 inhabitants. It has been very healthy for 6 or 8 months past.
I must come to close. My wife is
sick and groaning and I must [illegible] for a little.
You must forgive me mistakes excepting love yourself and family. Please tender
my love to all my old friends and relations if there be any that inquire after
me.
I am as ever your friend & Brother in Christ
To P. P. Pratt
and family, 36 Chapel st. school
Brigham Young
