Nauvoo City Council Explained

The Nauvoo City Council was a short-lived municipal body for the City of Nauvoo, Illinois.

Establishment

The Nauvoo City Charter was passed by the Illinois Legislature on December 16, 1840. The legislature established the Nauvoo City Council, consisting of the Mayor, four Aldermen, and nine Councilors. By state law, each office held a two-year term.

According to the charter, members of the City Council also sat on the Municipal Court of Nauvoo – for example, the Mayor doubled in the role of Chief Justice.

Members

Mayor (Chief Justice)

1. John C. Bennett February 1, 1841 – May 17, 1842
2. Joseph Smith May 19, 1842 – June 27, 1844

Aldermen (Associate Justices) ^[1]

• Daniel H. Wells (3 Feb. 1841 – 3 Feb. 1845)
• William Marks (3 Feb. 1841 – 6 Feb. 1843)
• Newel K. Whitney (3 Feb. 1841 – 6 Feb. 1843)
• Samuel H. Smith (3 Feb. 1841 – 23 May 1842)
• Gustavus Hills (23 Oct. 1841–6 Feb. 1843)
• Orson Spencer (23 Oct. 1841–3 Feb. 1845)
• George W. Harris (30 Oct. 1841–after 8 Feb. 1845)
• Hiram Kimball (30 Oct. 1841–6 Feb. 1843)
• George A. Smith (11 Feb. 1843–10 Aug. 1844)
• William D. Huntington (4 Sept. 1841–ca. 1846)
• Dimick B. Huntington (23 Oct. 1841–9 Apr. 1842), (23 May 1842–ca. 1846)
• William Clayton (9 Sept. 1842–ca. 1846)
• John Fullmer (4 Sept. 1841–9 Sept. 1842)
• Robert B. Thompson (3 Feb. 1841–27 Aug. 1841)
• Samuel Bennett (4 Mar. 1843– 3 Feb. 1845)

Abolition

In January 1845, the legislature repealed the Nauvoo Charter by a vote of 25-14 in the Senate and 75-31 in the House.^[2] Nauvoo was dis-incorporated and its assets placed into a receivership.

See also

• Municipal Court of Nauvoo

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bennett, Samuel C. - Details . Josephsmithpapers.org . 2013-10-07.
2. Book: Flanders, Robert B.. Nauvoo : Kingdom on Mississippi. registration. 1965. 978-0252005619. 324. University of Illinois Press .