Why Was The Nauvoo Expositor Really Destroyed?

Some insist that slanderous remarks were the cause of the Nauvoo Expositor’s destruction, but what do the contemporary historical records say? Many references to city council discussions contain evidence of a counterfeiting ring involving prominent members of the church. This presentation answers the question of why was the Nauvoo Expositor destroyed?

Why would news of a surprise visit from Governor Ford cause cause prominent church leaders to scramble to “adjust” their accounting books? Why would a founding member of the Nauvoo Expositor burn the building down? Could there be something else that justified the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor besides slander against Joseph Smith? Could the continuation of those same illegal activities after Joseph Smith’s death be the catalyst for Brigham Young’s premature, panicked flight from Illinois in the dead of winter as a fugitive dodging federal indictments?

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Why Was The Nauvoo Expositor Destroyed?

• Why would Joseph Smith destroy this particular press, when dozens of newspapers had been printing slanderous pieces for decades? Joseph Smith and the city council members never before tried to destroy a slanderous press, so what was different about the Nauvoo Expositor? (0:43)

Counterfeiting Currency or Making “Bogus” in Nauvoo

• William Law started his own church May 1844, the month before publishing the Nauvoo Expositor. (1:57)
• William & Wilson Law purchasing dies for making “bogus” (counterfeit) money (2:20, #1)
• Joseph H. Jackson’s involvement in counterfeiting “trying to make bogus, which was his principle business” (3:41, #2)
• Joseph H. Jackson faked his conversion to the church to expose Joseph Smith. He threatened to take Hyrum’s teenage daughter as wife by deadly force, and entertaining a job as a hired mercenary to kill Joseph Smith for William Law (4:21, #2,3)
• What types of currency did they counterfeit? (6:44, #4,5)

Mormon Leaders Involved in Counterfeiting Money

• The stated concern with the Nauvoo Expositor: It would bring the mob as it had before (#2). When & why were mobs attacking previously? (7:12)
• Joseph Smith issues a caution against counterfeit “Kirtland Safety Society” notes. (8:07, #6)
• Counterfeiting was one of the reasons for disciplinary action in the 1838 excommunication of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, John Whitmer, W.W. Phelps, Luke & Lyman Johnson. (8:15)

John Taylor “Adjusts” Accounting Books For Governor Ford’s Visit

• John Taylor writes about a meeting with Illinois Governor Ford, with William & Wilson Law, Foster, Chauncey Higbee, Mr. Marr, a lawyer from Nauvoo, a mob leader from Warsaw and Joseph H. Jackson and associates present. (9:20, #7)
• John Taylor immediately scrambles to gather up the printing dies and “adjusts” the accounting books with Elias Smith & Joseph Cain when he believes Governor Ford to be on his way. (11:23, #7,8)

Joseph Smith’s Involvement In Counterfeiting Bogus Money

• There was a precedent for counterfeiting money among the saints in Kirtland, Missouri & Nauvoo. Joseph Smith initiates a city ordinance on March 1843 criminalizing counterfeiting up to 14 years in prison with a $5,000 fine. (15:17, #9,6)
• W.W. Phelps is named as “one of Joe Smith’s bosom friends… guilty of passing counterfeit money.” (17:08, #10,11)
• Joseph H. Jackson (a professional counterfeiter) states that Joseph Smith didn’t participate in counterfeiting and didn’t know about it. (23:01, #1)

People Involved in Nauvoo Counterfeiting Crimes

• Mormon counterfeited currencies included Missouri & New York bank notes, forged Kirtland Safety Society notes, Mexican silver coins and 1828 half dollars. (18:22, #11)
• Kirtland Safety Society fraud & theft were prominent in Nauvoo, Missouri and Kirtland (#6). Oliver Cowdery & Frederik G. Williams accused a man named Davis of having a career in counterfeiting. Oliver Cowdery could have been involved in counterfeiting. (19:39, #13,14)
• Who were the main people on record for counterfeiting accusations? (20:16)
• What tactics did the participants use to cover up their crimes? (22:03)

Brigham Young’s Federal Indictments for Counterfeiting Money

• Brigham Young & 4 members of the Quorum of Twelve indicted for federal counterfeiting crimes after Joseph Smith’s death (#15,16), and forced to flee Nauvoo 4 months earlier than planned (#17), with leaders telling the people they are leaving “cheerfully.” (24:10)
• Joseph Smith was accused by enemies of being involved, but is on record making public statement against it. (28:32)

Sources About Mormon Counterfeiting in Nauvoo

1. “Revised Minutes, 17 June 1844” (JSP 18305 p.1)
2. Jun 17, 1844 “Revised Minutes, as reported in Nauvoo Neighbor” (JSP 17931 p.2)
3. “A Narrative of the Adventures & Experience of Joseph H. Jackson in Nauvoo” p.1
4. April 24, 1844 Warsaw Signal no. 10, Whole 128
5. Jun 10, 1844 “History, 1838-1856, volume F-1” (JSP 9111 p.76)
6. Joseph Smith “Notice, June 6, 1844” (JSP 1384 p.3)
7. John Taylor’s account in “History of the Church” p.75-79
8. Jun 14, 1844 “Letter to Gov. Thomas Ford by John P. McEwen” (JSP 1396, p.1)
9. Joseph Smith “Ordinance, March 4, 1843, as published in the Wasp” (JSP 18434 p.1)
10. Jun 5, 1844 “The Warsaw Signal” no.17, whole 134
11. Apr 24, 1844 “The Warsaw Signal” no.11, whole 128
12. Jun 26, 1844 “History, volume F-1” (JSP 9111, p.229)
13. Jan 1837 “Minute Book 2” (JSP 7235 p.125)
14. Nov 1838 “Minutes & Testimonies” (JSP 4732, p.20)
15. Dec 18, 1845 “Reports of the U.S. District Attorneys, 1845-1850” (copy at CHL)
16. “Records of the Solicitor of Treasury” (group 206), and “Records of the United States Senate” (group 46)
17. “Administrative Records, Volume 1, Part 4” (JSP website)