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Nauvoo Neighbor

The Nauvoo Neighbor was a weekly published in Nauvoo, Ill. between 1843 and 1845. It was a "secular" paper which fleshed out news coverage in the city in tandem with the religious oriented Times and Seasons (published on the same press). The Neighbor replaced The Wasp, the rather racous political counterpoint to newsprint like the Warsaw Signal, a rag critical of the Mormons, mostly because of the political leanings of the rapidly growing Mormon population in the Nauvoo area.

The Wasp was edited by Joseph Smith's brother and Mormon Apostle William Smith for its first five issues (the most fun if you like a little piquant wit) or so, when it probably began to be edited by another apostle, John Taylor (no doubt assisted by copublisher Wilford Woodruff). Smith formally left The Wasp in November 1842. The following year in April the paper carried a prospectus for a tamer weekly, the Neighbor. The Neighbor ran until October 1845 when it ceased publication with the imminent departure of the Saints from the city. Three libraries hold copies of the Neighbor: Yale University, Brigham Young University, and the Church History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Neighbor is a rich source of hints and examples of everyday Nauvoo life. It reported on local news (including marriages and deaths) and through contacts and exchange papers, on national and international happenings.

There are two indices for the paper supplied here, a general index and a topically organized index. The indices are certainly not exhaustive, but will probably be useful to many researchers and the curious in general. Our thanks to student intern Braden Johnson who executed the scanning and indexing process.

Each issue is a PDF file (approximate 6MB in length) and listed below. Also included (and listed separately) are broadside Extras, Circulars and Notices printed during the period. These are quite interesting, and illustrate certain points in the leadership cycle of Mormonism and notice important events in the Nauvoo period of Mormonism.

Another fun bit about the paper is the ads. These are always good for some fun in period papers and the Neighbor is no exception.

Since the files are pdf images, you should set your browser to load them in line if that option is available (on Macs running OSX, the files should load into the Safari window automatically). The scans have enough resolution that they will stand a fair amount of zoom to read the various type faces, some of which is rather small (something like 6pt in modern terms I believe). There are some images which are somewhat distorted. This particular run was collected by Church Historian and Recorder Willard Richards and his name is found penciled on each issue I believe. Printer's take marks exist on several issues which adds to the interest of this particular instance of the paper. Happy reading.

General Index

Topical Index

1843

May 3, 1843

May 10, 1843

May 17, 1843

May 24, 1843

May 31, 1843

June 7, 1843

June 14, 1843

June 21, 1843

June 28, 1843

July 5, 1843

July 12, 1843

July 19, 1843

July 26, 1843

August 2, 1843

August 9, 1843

August 16, 1843

August 23, 1843

August 30, 1843

September 6, 1843

September 13, 1843

September 20, 1843

September 27, 1843

October 4, 1843

October 11, 1843

October 18, 1843

October 25, 1843

November 1, 1843

November 8, 1843

November 15, 1843

November 22, 1843

November 29, 1843

December 6, 1843

December 13, 1843

December 20, 1843

December 27, 1843

1843 Extra

December 9, 1843 Extra

1844

January 3, 1844

January 10, 1844

January 17, 1844

January 24, 1844

January 31, 1844

February 7, 1844

February 14, 1844

February 21, 1844

February 28, 1844

March 6, 1844

March 13, 1844

March 20, 1844

March 27, 1844

April 3, 1844

April 10, 1844

April 17, 1844

April 24, 1844

May 1, 1844

May 8, 1844

May 15, 1844

May 22, 1844

May 29, 1844

June 5, 1844

June 12, 1844

June 19, 1844

June 26, 1844

July 3, 1844

July 10, 1844

July 17, 1844

July 24, 1844

July 31, 1844

August 7, 1844

August 14, 1844

August 21, 1844

August 28, 1844

September 4, 1844

September 11, 1844

September 18, 1844

September 25, 1844

October 2, 1844

October 9, 1844

October 16, 1844

October 23, 1844

October 30, 1844

November 6, 1844

November 13, 1844

November 27, 1844

December 4, 1844

December 11, 1844

December 18, 1844

December 25, 1844

1844 Extras

  • June 17, 1844 Extra

  • June 21, 1844 Extra

  • June 30, 1844 Extra

  • July 2, 1844 Extra

  • 1845

    January 1, 1845

    January 9, 1845

    January 13, 1845

    January 22, 1845

    January 29, 1845

    February 5, 1845

    February 12, 1845

    February 19, 1845

    February 26, 1845

    March 5, 1845

    March 12, 1845

    March 19, 1845

    March 26, 1845

    April 2, 1845

    April 7, 1845

    April 16, 1845

    April 23, 1845

    April 30, 1845

    May 7, 1845

    May 14, 1845

    May 21, 1845

    May 28, 1845

    June 4, 1845

    June 11, 1845

    June 18, 1845

    June 25, 1845

    July 2, 1845

    July 9, 1845

    July 16, 1845

    July 23, 1845

    July 30, 1845

    August 6, 1845

    August 13, 1845

    August 20, 1845

    August 27, 1845

    September 2, 1845

    September 10, 1845

    September 17, 1845

    September 24, 1845

    October 1, 1845

    October 29, 1845

    1845 Extras

    January 18, 1845 Extra

    January 22, 1845 Times and Seasons - Circular of the Twelve

    September 24, 1845 Broadside Declaration

    October 8, 1845 Circular