Mormon History

Guides to Manuscript Sources

The Library's manuscript holdings relating directly to Mormon history are outlined at the beginning of this guide. The following list will be helpful in locating primary materials in other institutions. In addition, sources such as the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections should not be overlooked.

Andrus, Hyrum L., and Richard E. Bennett. Mormon Manuscripts to 1846: A Guide to the Holdings of the Harold B. Lee Library. (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, Harold B. Lee Library, Archives & Manuscripts, 1977). JFF 78-905. Lists "journals, biographies, autobiographies, correspondence, indentures and land deeds, military records and orders, church certificates of ordination and membership, receipts, promissory notes and other financial records, … [and] legal documents, such as subpoenas, summonses, and transcripts" which were created before 1846.

Bitton, Davis. Guide to Mormon Diaries and Autobiographies. (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1977). JFF 78-525. Describes and provides the locations for 2,984 diaries, journals and autobiographies. The descriptions of the contents accompanying each entry are indexed for easy access to areas of special interest.

Ellsworth, S. George. "A Guide to the Manuscripts in the Bancroft Library Relating to the History of Utah," Utah Historical Quarterly 22 (1954): 197-254. IAA (Utah Historical Quarterly). This is divided into four sections. The first two consist of the materials collected by Hubert Howe Bancroft and are divided into Utah Mss. and "other" classifications. The second two sections comprise the materials acquired by the Bancroft Library after 1905 and are similarly divided.

Kimball, Stanley Buchholz. "Missouri Mormon Manuscripts: Sources in Selected Societies," BYU Studies 14 (Summer 1974): 458-487. *ZAN 4580. A selective annotated bibliography of 73 items/collections for Mormon historical study found in three Missouri institutions: the Missouri Historical Society, the Missouri State Historical Society, and the Missouri State Archives. In an addendum, Kimball indicates there are yet other institutions in Missouri containing manuscripts of value to Mormon history.

Kimball, Stanley Buchholz. Sources of Mormon History in Illinois, 1839-48: An Annotated Catalog of the Microfilm Collection at Southern Illinois University. (Carbondale: Central Publications, Southern Illinois University, 1964). F-11 1402 b4561674; later edition (1966): F-11 2493. Catalog of a microfilm collection of over 84,000 documents held by some 40 institutions. The second edition is comprised of seven sections: (1) letters and documents arranged alphabetically by holding institution; (2) newspapers and periodicals arranged alphabetically by title; (3) theses and dissertations arranged alphabetically by issuing institutions; (4) extant indexes to early Mormon periodicals; (5) appendices; (6) new material for the second editions; (7) materials on order, unavailable, or omitted. Includes a name index.

Mulder, William. "Mormon Souces for Immigration History," Immigration Historical Newsletter 10 (November 1978): 1-8. IE 79-347. This bibliographic essay discusses the resources at both the Church's Historical Department and the Genealogical Department.

Name Index to the Library of Congress Collection of Mormon Diaries. Compiled by Special Collections Department, Merrill Library, Utah State University. (Western Text Society Series, vol. 1, no. 2) (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1971). JFF 75-131. Indexes thousands of names from the diary collection at the Library of Congress. The names are spelled in the index as they occur in the original texts, therefore alternate spellings must always be checked.

Washington, Mary Belle. An Annotated Bibliography of Western Manuscripts in the Merrill Library at Utah State University, Logan, Utah. (Western Text Society Series, vol 1, no. 3). (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1971). IW 77-59. Divided into three sections: (1: items 1-215) manuscripts not included in the W.P.A. collection; (2: items 216-547) works compiled by the W.P.A. Federal Writers' Projects; and (3: items 548-567) microfilm of items in the National Archives and the Utah State Archives, Salt Lake City. The entries in each section are arranged alphabetically by author. It should be noted that the list is annotated and indexes only the annotations and not the entries themselves.