Power of Attorney to Reuben McBride, 28 October 1841
Source Note
JS, Power of Attorney, to , , Hancock Co., IL, 28 Oct. 1841. Featured version copied [between ca. 2 Nov. 1841 and ca. 10 Dec. 1841] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 214–215; handwriting of ; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 2.
Historical Introduction
In , Illinois, on 28 October 1841, JS wrote a power of attorney for . The power of attorney authorized McBride to act on JS’s behalf and to assume the financial responsibilities formerly held by one of JS’s primary , , who had been appointed to settle the ’s debts acquired throughout 1833–1836 in the , Ohio, area. JS had attempted to contact Granger to discover his progress in settling those debts but learned Granger had passed away in August 1841 before completing his task. JS had urged Granger to pass his knowledge and duties on to , another church agent sent east from Nauvoo, but Galland had suddenly departed for the West without contacting JS and likely without meeting with Granger. In need of a new agent to handle the financial affairs in the East, JS appointed McBride to take over Granger’s responsibilities.
had remained in after the main body of church members departed in 1838. In 1841 he was elected counselor to the Kirtland , , and in August of that same year, McBride attended to on his deathbed. Shortly after Granger’s death, McBride traveled to . While there, he attended a 4 October 1841 general of the church; the conference resolved “that Reuben Mc Bride be vested with power of attorney to go, settle, and if possible close a business concern left in an uncertain condition by Elder Oliver Granger deceased.”
JS’s 28 October 1841 power of attorney consists largely of the legal language common to such documents at that time and may have been prepared for JS by a clerk or attorney. JS signed the original document, which is no longer extant, and inscribed a seal. JS’s signature and seal were witnessed by and JS’s scribe . Five days later, in another document, JS revoked ’s power of attorney and transferred Babbitt’s authority and assignment to . Although the original documents are no longer extant, both were copied into JS’s Letterbook by .
See John W. Clark to Oliver Granger, Power of Attorney, Quincy, IL, 15 Apr. 1839; William Marks to Oliver Granger, Power of Attorney, 7 May 1839, Hiram Kimball, Collection, CHL.
Baugh, Alexander L. “‘Blessed Is the First Man Baptised in This Font’: Reuben McBride, First Proxy to Be Baptized for the Dead in the Nauvoo Temple.” Mormon Historical Studies 3, no. 2 (Fall 2002): 253–261.
”, to ask, demand, sue for, recover and receive all such sum or sums of money of money, debts goods, wares, & other demands, which are, or shall be due, owing, payable or belonging to me, as trustee in trust as aforesaid, by any manner or means whatsoever; also to dispose of in my name, to grant, bargain, sell, release and confirm all or any part of my real estate as Trustee in trust, as aforesaid, in and about , Lake county and State of Ohio, and throughout any of the northern and eastern States, and to receive all such sum or sums of money accruing therefrom, for me and for my use as Sole Trustee in trust of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints; and to take up the power of Attorney which I gave to , and all the papers and obligations of every description specified therein, or in his possession by virtue thereof, and to settle the same in my name, for me and for my use as above described. And I, as trustee in trust as aforesaid, hereby give and grant unto the said , my attorney, full power and authority in and about the premises, to have, use and take all lawful ways and means in my name for the purposes aforesaid, and upon the receipt of any such debts, dues or sums of money (as the case may be) acquittances, or other sufficient discharges, for me and in my name as aforesaid Trustee, to make and give. And generally to do all other acts and things in the law whatsoever needful and necessary to be done, in the before mentioned places, for me and in my name as aforesaid Trustee, to do, execute and perform as fully, and to all intents and purposes, as I might or could do if personally present. Hereby ratifying all & whatsoever my sd. Attorney shall in the place above specified, by virtue hereof.
In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand & seal this 28th. day of Oct. 1841.—
TEXT: “LS.” is enclosed in a hand-drawn representation of a seal. “LS” here is short for a Latin legal term, locus sigilli, denoting the area on a contract to affix a seal. The use of “LS” replaces the actual seal on the copied document.