Joseph Smith's Last Words and Rare Mormon Historical Documents from the Eric C. Caren Collection to be Offered June 30 at Freeman’s

Lot 220 | A Unique Contemporary Manuscript Account of Joseph Smith's Final Words to His Followers, the Day Before his Violent Death, on the Interior of a Postal Cover | Estimate: $8,000 – $12,000

This summer, Freeman’s is pleased to present How History Unfolds on Paper: Important Americana from the Eric C. Caren Collection, Part X on June 30, 2026, featuring material spanning more than three centuries of American history. This single-owner auction represents one of the most extensive documentations of American history in private 
hands. Included within the sale is a focused group of material related to Mormonism, bringing together manuscripts, newspapers, and printed ephemera that chronicle the origins, development, and cultural impact of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Spanning the nineteenth century, this selection captures pivotal moments of the Mormon 
movement through the contemporary materials that recorded them as they unfolded. From a rare firsthand account of Joseph Smith’s final message to his followers before his murder in 1844, to printed materials documenting the church’s expansion into the American West and the controversies surrounding its growth, these objects offer a compelling view into one of the most influential religious movements in American history.

"As a uniquely American religion born out of the nation’s fraught westward expansion during the 19th century, the Mormon-related lots perfectly illustrate the theme of Mr. Caren’s sale: history unfolding on paper. How better to understand our history, and that of the Latter-day Saint movement, than by reading and absorbing the everyday examples preserved here—
newspapers and magazines—alongside the poignant sentiments penned by Brigham Young’s ex-wife Ann Eliza Young, and finally, the fervor of the moment following Joseph Smith’s murder, captured in the manuscript copy of his final words to his congregation, recorded by one of his close followers,” said Darren Winston, Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Books & Manuscripts.

The Freeman’s sale marks the tenth major auction of Mr. Caren’s extensive and carefully 
curated holdings. The previous nine sales have attracted international attention and strong 
institutional and private bidding.

Auction Highlights:

Lot 220 | A Unique Contemporary Manuscript Account of Joseph Smith's Final Words to His Followers, the Day Before his Violent Death, on the Interior of a Postal Cover
Estimate: $8,000 – $12,000

This extraordinary manuscript preserves a contemporary account of the final message delivered by Mormon prophet Joseph Smith to his followers on June 26, 1844, the day before his death. Written by George Alley on the interior of a postal cover addressed to his brother, the note records, “The prophet told his people the day before he was killed, to read the 6th Ch. Revelation; as a part was already fulfilled, and the remainder will shortly be.”

A Massachusetts shoemaker who converted to the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, Alley 
migrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1842, where he settled with his family before later joining the 
Mormon community in the Salt Lake Valley. His daughter Margaret would later marry church 
president Brigham Young. 

The manuscript is an exceptional survival relating to the final days of Joseph Smith, who founded the Church of Christ (later known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) and helped establish Nauvoo as one of Illinois’ largest settlements. Following years of political and religious conflict, Smith and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob at the Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844. Contemporary manuscript accounts of Smith’s final days are exceedingly rare at auction.

Lot 221 | Substantial and Nearly Consecutive Run of an Anti-Mormon Newspaper
Estimate: $3,000 – $5,000

This substantial run of the Corinne Daily Reporter captures the tensions surrounding  Mormonism in the American West following the church’s migration to Utah Territory. Founded in 1869 by Dennis J. Toohy, an Irish attorney and leader of Utah’s anti-Mormon Liberal Party, the newspaper was published in Corinne, Utah—a community established by non-Mormon settlers seeking to challenge Salt Lake City’s economic and political influence. 

The publication includes local, national, and international news, advertisements, and  commentary reflecting the heated debates surrounding the Mormon Church during the late 
nineteenth century.

Lot 222 | Signed Autograph Quote from Ann Eliza Young, Nineteenth Wife of Mormon 
Leader Brigham Young, Signed During her Divorce Proceedings Against him, 1874
Estimate: $1,500 – $2,500

Autograph quote, signed by Ann Eliza Young: "God grant your sufferings may never / equal 
mine. / Ann Eliza Young. / January 13th 1874,” nineteenth wife of Mormon leader Brigham 
Young, penned during her highly publicized divorce proceedings. Born into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois, she married Young on April 7, 1869; at the time, he was 67 and she was a 24-year-old divorcee. In 1873, Ann Eliza filed for divorce, citing  neglect, cruel treatment, and desertion. The divorce was granted in 1875. Her later lectures and writings made her one of the most prominent critics of the Mormon Church’s practice of  polygamous marriage. Her 1876 autobiography, Wife No. 19, became a widely read account of her experiences and contributed to national conversations surrounding religion, marriage, and federal policy in the American West.

Lot 219 | Group of 13 Printed Items Related to Mormonism, ca. 1842-1879
Estimate: $500 – $800

This group of printed material traces the early decades of the Mormon movement. It includes newspapers, such as issues of the Times and Seasons published in Nauvoo, Illinois, and pamphlets documenting the church’s growth, migration west, and evolving relationship with the United States government. Together, these materials provide a window into the religious, political, and social debates that shaped nineteenth-century America.

How to Bid
How History Unfolds on Paper: Important Americana from the Eric C. Caren Collection, Part 
X will be offered at auction on June 30 at 10 AM ET in our Philadelphia saleroom. Bidding will be available in person, over the phone, and via absentee or live online bidding.