TO NEWEL K . WHITNEY
[1833/1834?]

ALS Joseph Smith, Kirtland, Ohio, to Newel K. Whitney, Kirtland, [ 1833 / 1834? ], 1 p., J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Doctor Philastus Hurlbut met Joseph Smith in March 1833 in Kirtland, Ohio, where the two men "conversed considerably about the Book of Mormon." But soon after Hurlbut was baptized and ordained an elder, he was excommunicated for immoral conduct whereupon he joined with anti-Mormons in Kirtland in vigorous opposition to Joseph Smith.

After threatening the Prophet's life, which netted him a $200 court fine and a restraining order to keep the peace, Hurlbut was hired by a local committee "to obtain affidavits showing the bad character of the Mormon Smith family," and to "completely divest Joseph Smith of all claims to the character of an honest man, and place him at an immeasurable distance from the high station he pretends to occupy."466 Hurlbut traveled in Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania collecting statements that were eventually published in Eber D. Howe's seminal anti-Mormon book Mormonism Unvailed, in 1834.467

Although undated, the following note from Joseph Smith to Newel K. Whitney, a fellow officer of the United Firm, was written sometime between 23 June 1833 and 10 April 1834.468

[Kirtland, Ohio]

Brother Whitney

I write this because I forgot to tell you of some things that you <ought to> know wer Docter P. Hurlbut is commenceing an unjust suit against Brother Hyram to git the propety of this farm469 which belongs to the firm Brother Hyram <or> mot father has <not got> any property here but one cow a peace each I have a <bill> for all the rest made over to me more than one year ago for Books and what they owed me and it will involve me in or the firm if we let them take this property which you <may> rest asured belongs to us a word to the wise is sufficie<nt>

Joseph Smith Jr