Joseph Smith's manuscript diary makes first mention of the Nauvoo Mansion's bar room. Joseph Smith III later reminisced that his father set up a fully-stocked bar with Orrin Porter Rockwell as bartender. (1)
-- Dec 15, 1843
[Joseph Smith Diary] Friday, December 15th 1843 I [Joseph Smith] awoke this morning in good health, but was soon suddenly seized with a great dryness of the mouth and throat and sickness of the stomach, and vomited freely. My wife waited on me assisted by my scribe and Dr. L[evi] Richards, who administered to me herbs and mild drinks. I was never prostrated so low in so short a time before, but by evening was considerably revived. [several lines left blank] Very warm. (2)
Nauvoo, Illinois. After becoming ill in the morning, Joseph Smith was administered herbs and mild drinks by Levi Richards and was considerably revived by evening. (3)
-- Dec 20, 1843, Wednesday
[William Clayton Writings] To Emigrants and Latter-Day Saints Generally: I feel it my duty to say ... that there is in the hands of the trustee in trust, a large quantity of lands, both in the city and adjoining townships in this county, which is for sale, some of which belongs to the Church and is designed for the benefit of the poor, and also to liquidate debts owing to the Church, for which the trustee in trust is responsible. Some, also, is land which has been consecrated for the building of the Temple and the Nauvoo House.
If the brethern who move in here and want an inheritance, will buy their lands of the trustee in trust, they will thereby benefit the poor, the Temple, and the Nauvoo House, and even then only will be doing that which is their duty, and which I know, by considerable experience, will be vastly for their benefit and satisfaction in days to come. Let all the brethern, therefore, whey they move into Nauvoo, consult President Joseph Smith, the trustee in trust, and purchase their lands of him; and I am bold to say that God will bless them. ...
We hold ourselves ready at any time to wait upon the brethern and show them the lands ... and can be found any day, either at President Joseph Smith's bar-room, or the Temple Recorder's office at the Temple. (4)
-- Dec 21, 1843
[Joseph Smith Diary] Thursday, 21st Called on Bro[ther] Phelps before Sunrise and told him an alarm gun had been fired, but I believed nothing serious. Took the key and went into the office. A few citizens assembled but Bro9 Cairns had returned home and all was peace. At 12 went into City Council and remained till 2 P.M. Passed [an] ordinance to prevent unlawful arrests and Sezure in Nauvoo. Read Memorial to Congress for Territorial powers &c. /Appointed O[rson] Pratt delegate to convey it/ Appointed J[ohn] P. Green Marshal &c. In the evening conversed with strangers in the bar room &c.
J. Holman and E[lbridge] Tuftes left papers for history. Very warm and pleasant. (2)
Footnotes:
1 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 7: Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power
2 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1843-44, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries
3 - Joseph Smith Resource Center: Daily Events in the Life of Joseph Smith, http://josephsmith.net/josephsmith/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e581001cfb340010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRDlocale=0
4 - Fillerup, Robert C., compiler; William Clayton Nauvoo Diaries and Personal Writings, A chronological compilation of the personal writings of William Clayton while he was a resident of Nauvoo, Illinois. http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/clayton-diaries
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
