L. B. Fleak to Governor Reynolds, August 14, 1842
Source Note
Laban B. Fleak, Letter, Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa Territory, to Thomas Reynolds, August 14, 1842. Published in Warren A. Jennings, “Two Iowa Postmasters View Nauvoo: Anti-Mormon Letters to the Governor of Missouri,” BYU Studies 11, no. 3 (1971): 281–82.
Historical Introduction
On August 12, 1842, David W. Kilbourne wrote to Fleak from Montrose, updating him on the ongoing extradition attempt, explaining, “the Mormons defy all the force that can be brought against them & swear in their strength that Joe Shall not be taken to Mo.”1 Fleak then forwarded this letter from Kilbourne to Reynolds with his own note about Thomas King’s attempts to arrest Smith and the efforts of the Nauvoo municipal court to prevent it.
Document Transcript
Keokuk I. T. Augt. 14, 1842
His Excellency Gov Reynolds
Sir
Enclosed you will find a letter from the Post Master at Montrose 12 miles above this place & opposite the Mormon City, it contains all the information that can be had up to that time.
Smith in now shulking around in this Territory and will probably stay here until a requisition on our Gov. drives him somewhere else. He was in our Town at 12 OClock last night consulting one of our Attorneys—The Cause of his being given up to the Marshall of the City of Nauvoo was this, they have an ordinance in their City which prohibits any persons being taken away from theirs without a hearing, & the sheriff who arrested him having no counsel was obliged to go to Quincy to procure it.2 In his absence Smith procured an examination, before a Mormon Mayor & of course was liberated.
The Mormons say that Smith shall not be taken to Missouri that they will fight & all this. We had a sample of that in your State. I will write as often as I can obtain any information.
. . .
L. B. Fleak
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