LDS History, February 8, 1839

-- February 8, 1839
[Joseph Smith] Liberty, Missouri. After Joseph Smiths failed escape attempt, local citizens gathered outside of Liberty Jail and threatened to kill him and his fellow inmates. Joseph prophesied that they would be kept safe. (1)

-- 1839 February 14
Brigham Young fled from Far West to Illinois. (2)

-- 15 Feb. 1839
[Lucy Mack Smith] Lucy and her familyapparently the same family group that had come to Missourileave Far West for Illinois. (3)

-- 21 Feb. 1839
[Lucy Mack Smith] Lucy and her family reach the swampy banks of the Mississippi in continual storms of snow, sleet, and rain. Samuel and Seymour Brunson take them across the river to Quincy on 22 February. Back in Far West, a committee is appointed to sell Joseph's and Lucy's tavern to a buyer from Clay County. (3)

-- 1839, February 23
Many refugee Saints arrived at Quincy, IL, and local citizens adopted relief measures. (4)

-- ca. 28 Feb. 1839
[Lucy Mack Smith] Samuel moves his family from the crowded dwelling where Joseph Sr., Lucy, and his sisters are living. About this time, Lucy's and Joseph's daughter Lucy becomes very sick. Mother Lucy, while nursing daughter Lucy, becomes painfully ill with cholera but is cured through the herbal remedies of a botanic physician. (3)

-- During 1839 February
Exiled Saints arriving in Quincy, Illinois, assisted by local citizens. (5)

-- During 1839 February
[Joseph Smith] Large-scale evacuation of Latter-day Saints from Missouri migrating to Illinois. (6)

-- During 1839 Feb
[Lucy Mack Smith] Joseph Sr., Lucy Mack Smith, and extended family begin trek for Ill. (7)

-- During February 1839
[Missouri War] Mormons pool resources and organize to leave Missouri. (8)

-- March 15, 1839
[Joseph Smith] Liberty, Missouri. Joseph Smith wrote a letter to Presendia Huntington Buell from Liberty Jail. (1)

[Joseph Smith] Liberty, Missouri. While in prison, Joseph Smith predicted his own release in a letter and sent a petition to judges of the Missouri supreme court. (1)

-- 1839 March 17
Thomas B. Marsh is excommunicated from the church in absentia in Quincy, Illinois. (9)


Footnotes:
1 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith
2 - Richards - Little, Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel, Church Chronology, Ch.66, p.306
3 - Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Mack Smith's Family Memoir, Edited by Lavina Fielding Anderson, 2001, Signature Books
4 - Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 4, Appendix 2: A Chronology of Church History
5 - http://www.lds.net/forums/scripture-study-forum/12108-church-chronology-1800-2000-part-1-a.html#post214550
6 - Joseph Smith Papers: Chronology for the Years 1832-1839
7 - History of Joseph Smith by His Mother: Revised and Enhanced by Scot Facer Proctor Maurine Jensen Proctor
8 - Stephen C. LeSueur: The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri, Appendix: Chronology of Events in Missouri, 1838-1839
9 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century_(Mormonism)

Clair Barrus