[ Full-text transcription of: Petition from William Dryden, J.P., of Daviess County to Governor Boggs, Jefferson City, MO ]
[ view finding aid | view image ]
To His Excellency Lilburn W. Boggs
Governor of
the State of
Your petitioner William Dryden
an acting Justice of the peace within and for
that the Counties of Daviess, Caldwell and
of people called Mormons. These Mormons to
the number of about fifteen hundred men have
associated themselves together, and have resisted
and do resist with force and arms legal [process]
against persons belonging to their denomination.
Your petitioner further states that on the 29th day
of Augurst last past, Adam Black appeared be-
fore me and made oath, that Andrew Ripley,
George Smith and others, had been guilty of a
[ illegible line ]
follows to wit, that on or about the 8th day of
August 1838 in
armed force to his Blacks house in said county
among whom the said Ripley and Smith and other
persons named in said affidavit were a part, and
then and there with deadly weapons made an assault
upon him the said Black, and then and there
threatened him Black (who was then an acting
Justice of the peace with in the and for
aforesaid) with instant death if he did not sign a cer-
tain instrument of writing binding himself as a Justice
of the peace of said
people called Mormons, and threatened the lives of him-
self the said Black & others, and said they intended to
make every citizen of said County sign such obligation xc.
Your petitioner further states that he immediately
issued a writ pursuant to law, for the arrest of the
said Andrew Ripley, George Smith, & others, commanding
[ ] with the [ ]
after the arrest, to bring the Bodies of the persons there
in named forthwith before your petitioner, to answer the
complaint, and farther to be dealt with according to
law. There being no constable within the township of
which I am Justice, he having been driven from the
County by and through fear of the Mormons, and your
petitioner believing that said writ would not be ex-
ecuted, unless a special Deputy was made for that purpose.
Your petitioner then and there appointed Nathaniel H.
Blakely a special Deputy, to serve said writ, and
said appointment was endorsed on said writ and signed
by myself officially, and then and there delivered to the
said Blakely. Your petitioner further states that the
said Blakely took said writ and summoned a
Guard consisting of ten men, who went in search of
the persons named in said writ for the purpose of
executing the said writ, but the said constable
returned that the persons named in said writ, were
not found in said County by reason of himself and
Guard having been driven by force from the Town in
said County in which the offenders were supped then
to be. The said affidavit, writ, and return are herewith
respectfully submitted to your Excellency.
Your petitioner further believes and represents,
that the Mormons are so numerous and so well arm-
ed within the limits of the Counties of Caldwell and
Daviess that the power of the County is wholy
unable to execute any Civil or Criminal process
within the limits of either of said Counties against
a mormon or mormons as they each and every one of
act in concert and out number the other Citizens.
They also declare that they are independent, and your
petitioner verily believes, that the said mormons hold
in utter contempt the institutions of the Country in
which they live.
Your petitioner further represents that the some
time about the 8th Sept “Inst. that three individuals
were arrested by the said mormons in
and held in Custody, and your petitioner represents, that
he believes they are still in confinement without any
warrant of law. Your petitioner further represents
that he verily believes, that no Civil officer of the
State could cause to be executed any legal process
within either of said Counties of Caldwell or Daviess
Your petitioner would therefore respectfully
pray your Excellency to furnish the Civil officers
within and for the Counties of Daviess & Caldwell, a
sufficient number of troops to enable them to execute
the law of the land and bring the offenders aforesaid
to Justice to this end your petitioner will ever pray &c
15th September 1838, William Dryden
Justice of the Peace
The Adjutant-Genl Sept 15th 1838
Sir
You will issue an order directed to
Major Genl. Atchison Commanding the 3rd Division of the
Militia of the State, and direct – him to cause a sufficient
force of the Troops under his Command to aid the Civil officers
within the
process as may be legally within the province of their re-
spectice duties. And especially to furnish the officers charged
with the service of the writ mentioned in the foregoing pe-
tition of William Dryden Justice of the Peace of Daviess
County with a force sufficient to enable him to execute
said process and bring the offenders to Justice.
L. W. Boggs
Commander in Chief