TO JOSEPH L. HEYWOOD
1844 FEBRUARY 13

FC. Joseph Smith, Nauvoo, Illinois, to Joseph L. Heywood, Quincy, Illinois, 13 February 1844, 2 pp., in hand of William Clayton, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives.

Joseph L. Heywood was born in Grafton, Worcester County, Massachusetts, on 1 August 1815. He spent his early years on his father's farm. As a young man of 22, he moved to Illinois, where, in fall 1839, he established a mercantile business in Quincy with his brother-in-law, Oliver Kimball. Three years later, he visited Joseph Smith and was converted to the Church. When the Latter-day Saints commenced their exodus from Nauvoo in 1846, Heywood, along with Almon Babbitt and John S. Fullmer, was chosen as one of the trustees to supervise the disposal of Church property. After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1848, he was named postmaster of Salt Lake City and bishop of the Seventeenth Ward. At the nation's capitol, he helped John M. Bernhisel obtain a territorial government for Utah and was appointed U.S. marshal for the newly created Utah Territory. As a colonizer, Heywood supervised the settling of Salt Creek, later Nephi, in Juab County, Utah, in 1851, and in spring 1855 accompanied Orson Hyde in the founding of the Mormon settlement at Carson Valley. In 1861 he moved to southern Utah, where he spent the remainder of his life and for many years was a Church patriarch. He died in Panguitch on 16 October 1910.666

Early in 1844, while still living in Quincy, Illinois, the young merchant invited Joseph Smith to visit him and the Saints in Quincy. The Prophet responded on 13 February.

Nauvoo Feby 13th 1844

Dear Brother Heywood

I sit down at this time to acknowledge the receipt of, and reciprocate the friendly feelings manifest in, yours of the 7th inst, and although surrounded by a press of business shall take pleasure in spending a few moments to reply.

I would take the greatest pleasure imaginable in coming down to Quincy on a visit to see you and all my friends in your City would business & circumstance permit, but it would be a matter of impossibility almost for me [to] leave home at the present time in consequence of a multitude of business which I have daily to attend to; Moreover wisdom and prudence seem to forbid my coming on account of the bitter feeling which manifests itself in various places between this place and Quincy not that I have any apprehensions for my personal safety, for the same kind hand which hath hitherto been my shield and support would save me from the power of my wicked persecutors but you know something might grow out of it which would prompt my adversaries to get out another illegal writ and would eventually probably cost me some three or four thousand dollars as in other cases and under which I have still to labor to disadvantage. Under these considerations therefore, I am compelled to decline paying you a visit for the present, at the same [p. 1] time in connexion with Mrs Smith I tender my warmest acknowledgements for the invitation.

I am pleased to hear of the prosperity of your branch and hope it will continue, for although I never feel to force my doctrines (or rather the doctrines revealed to me of God) upon any person I rejoice to see prejudice give way to truth, and the traditions of men dispersed by the pure principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I should be pleased to have the privilege of forming an acquaintance with your partner Mr [Oliver] Kimball and his lady, and should they ever come up this way I hope they will call and see me.

As respects things in Nauvoo I have nothing to say but good. Although the mobocrats of this county breath out their shame with a continual foam and threaten extermination &c the citizens of Nauvoo are at peace, they fear no danger for the sound <report> of mobs have become so common, that the Mormons pay no attention to it whatever. Each man minds his own business and all are making improvements as fast as they can. In fact things in general seem prosperous and pleasing and I never saw a better feeling amongst the saints than at the present time.

My family have been some sick of late but are now improving in health and are out of danger <and continue so, especially my youngest boy>

Accept dear sir the warmest respects of myself and Mrs Smith & please present the same to your lady in the mean time I remain your friend and brother

Joseph Smith