, Letter, , Dutchess Co., NY, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 20 Mar. 1843; handwriting of ; dockets in handwriting of and ; two pages; JS Collection, CHL.
Historical Introduction
On 20 March 1843, wrote a letter from , New York, to JS in , Illinois, inquiring about the and the city of Nauvoo and requesting “a printed copy of your Revelation.” Cook was likely Jeremiah Halsey Cooke, who was born in Red Hook, New York, in 1824; little else is known about him. He apparently read about JS in newspapers, but he may have also encountered missionaries or other members of the church, since he was familiar with the church periodical Times and Seasons. Cook’s inquiries about Nauvoo were not unique; at least two other letters inquiring about the city and the church were written to JS in March 1843.
mailed the letter to JS from on 21 March. There is no known response from JS, but he apparently received the letter—probably sometime in early to mid-April—since his secretary docketed it.
Page [1]
March 20, 1843
Rev Joseph Smith
Dr Sir
Being a lover of fareness and opposed to the reading and forming an opinion from one-cided and interested journals I have been enduced to address you,
First, I would like (if it can be easily sent by mail) a printed copy of your Revelation
Seckond, The number of your followers and the number of Priests explaning your doctrin.
Third, A discription of your citty , your lands the health of you[r] section, and the inducements to emergrate, I live in a part of whare their are many who if they could be induced to emergrate would prove valuable citizens, their are many to[o] who are not wealthy but are smart industrious active and enterprising citizens blessed by nature with excelent constitutions and who were they in a new country would clear every obstical and make their new home prosperous and happy and rich
If, as I believe, your Revelation is calculated to make the mass prosperous and happy, teaching good morals, honesty, virtuetemperance love and good will towards man, then upon my being satisfied, I will use my endeavours to circulate and spread the truth, as it <is>, unbiased by party [p. [1]]