With the assistance of Frederick G. Williams, Joseph Smith first set about recording his own history in the summer of 1832. In it he recounted for the first time in writing his first vision of Deity and the discovery of the gold plates. Two years later a more ambitious project, the 1834-1836 history, was initiated. This history drew largely on existing records, including Oliver Cowdery's account of the translation of the Book of Mormon and the conferral of priesthood authority. Like the 1832 history, this manuscript remained unfinished. \r\r
Presented in this first volume of the Histories series are the six histories that Joseph Smith personally wrote, dictated, or supervised. \r\r
\r\rContents\r\r
List of Illustrations and Maps\r\r
Timeline of Joseph Smith's Life\r\r
Map: Joseph Smith's Residences\r\r
Series Introduction: Joseph Smith's Historical Enterprise\r\r
Chart: History Creation Dates, Narrative Spans, Scribes, and Precursor Documents\r\r
Chart: Relationships among Histories and Precursors\r\r
Volume 1 Introduction: The Histories of Joseph Smith, 1832-1844\r\r
Editorial Method\r\r
Joseph Smith Histories, 1832-1844\r\r
History, circa Summer 1832\r\r
History, 1834-1836\r\r
History Drafts, 1838-circa 1841\r\r
\"Extract, from the Private Journal of Joseph Smith Jr.,\" July 1839\r\r
\"Church History\" 1 March 1842\r\r
\"Latter Day Saints,\" 1 March 1842\r\r
Appendix: Orson Pratt, A[n] Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions, 1840\r\r
\r\rReference Material
\r\rChronology for the Years 1805-1844\r\r
Maps\r\r
Map Index\r\r
Pedigree Chart\r\r
Biographical Directory\r\r
Glossary\r\r
Essay on Sources\r\r
Works Cited\r\r
Corresponding Section Numbers in Editions of the Doctrine and Covenants\r\r
Acknowledgments\r\r
Four additional histories, assigned by Joseph Smith but not dictated or supervised by him, will form the content of Histories, Volume 2. The balance of the Histories series, published electronically at the Joseph Smith Papers website, will present the entirety of the massive multivolume history initiated in 1838.
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