History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Vol. 1-7)

Book excerpt: History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (originally entitled History of Joseph Smith) is a semi-official history of the early Latter Day Saint movement during the lifetime of founder Joseph Smith. It is largely composed of Smith's writings and interpretations and editorial comments by Smith's secretaries, scribes, and after Smith's death, historians of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The history was written between 1839 and 1856. It was later published in its entirety with extensive annotations and edits by B. H. Roberts as History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first six volumes of this work cover the "History of Joseph Smith" from his birth in 1805 to his death in 1844. Volume seven covers the material from immediately after Smith's death in June 1844 until the church's first general conference in Salt Lake City. Volume 1: 1805 – December 1833 Volume 2: January 1834 – December 1837 Volume 3: January 1838 – July 1839 Volume 4: July 1839 – May 1842 Volume 5: May 1842 – August 1843 Volume 6: September 1843 – June 1844 Volume 7: June 1844 – October 1848