Bergera vs. Collier: quorum conflict smackdown

By: J. Stapley - November 21, 2006

Collier’s recently published Office Journal of Brigham Young includes, in appendices, several meeting transcripts that relate to the tension over Orson Pratt in the governing quorums of the Church. In the introduction to these appendices, Collier claims that a certain researcher (Gary Bergera) misused and poorly transcribed one of these manuscripts and “went so far as to deliberately alter documents in order to cast aspersion upon President Young.” Count this as reason #132 that the Church Archives should not restrict material like this. (more…)

The Office Journal of President Brigham Young, 1858-1863 Book D

By: J. Stapley - November 20, 2006

The Office Journal of President Brigham Young, 1858-1863 Book D. Ed. Fred C. Collier. Hannah, UT: Collier’s Publishing Co., 2006.

An expert on the Brigham Young collection once told me that Book D was one of the best journals in the collection. It is also restricted at the LDS Archives. I haven’t read any of the other volumes, but there is no question that Book D is a wonderful and special record. The journal is the work of scribes who made regular entries and described the doings of President Young, sometimes with great detail. (more…)

Of intellectuals and scholars

By: J. Stapley - November 06, 2006

While reading one of Nate’s posts last week, I began to think about something that has been on my mind off and on for several years. It hit me in the first paragraph: (more…)