A collection of terms to assist the reader. Neither guaranteed to be comprehensive nor to be restricted to terms found in this book.
| 1st Ward | Civic designation, comprised of Nauvoo, Illinois, properties north of Knight Street and west of Wells Street; location of Orson Pratt home |
| 2nd Ward | Civic designation, comprised of Nauvoo properties north of Knight Street and east of Wells Street; location of Catherine [Fuller] home |
| 3rd Ward | Civic designation, comprised of Nauvoo properties south of Knight Street and east of Wells Street; location of the Nauvoo temple |
| 4th Ward | Civic designation, comprised of Nauvoo properties south of Knight Street and west of Wells Street; location of Joseph Smith’s home |
| abortion | Medically-induced termination of pregnancy |
| apostle | One of a group of twelve men in the Mormon Church with a commission to proclaim the gospel to all the world. |
| Articles of Faith | Concise summary of LDS beliefs, penned by Joseph Smith, published March 1, 1842 in the Times and Seasons, subsequently canonized and published in the Pearl of Great Price |
| Baptism | Ordinance by which an individual covenants to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ, confessing Him as Lord and Savior, regarded as a requirement for attaining heaven and salvation |
| baptism for the dead | Proxy ordinance in which a living person is baptized on behalf of a deceased individual |
| Book of Mormon | LDS Scripture, said to be an English version of records on metal plates inscribed by Israelites who had traveled to the Americas circa 600 BC |
| Carthage, Illinois | County seat of Hancock County, Illinois, location of the County jail |
| Celestial marriage | LDS form of high marriage, believed to unite spouses and descendants in eternity |
| COC | Community of Christ, formerly the Re-organized Church of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) Church |
| contagion | The spread of disease via contact. In the 1840s, prominent medical personnel did not believe contagion caused disease |
| Council in Heaven | Pre-mortal council where God presented a plan for exaltation. Christ offered to support God’s plan, Lucifer rebelled, proposing a “better” way. c.f. Christian tradition about the Fall of Lucifer |
| D&C | Doctrine and Covenants, LDS Scripture, a collection of revelations received by Joseph Smith and other LDS prophets |
| eschatology | Study of the end, usually of all mankind |
| endowment | LDS sacred ordinance, requiring vows such as being completely faithful to one’s spouse(s) |
| Extermination Order | Order issued by Governor Boggs of Missouri in October 1838, requiring the Mormons leave the state of Missouri |
| Fundamentalist | Term coined by LDS apostle Mark E. Peterson in the 1940s to describe those teaching plural marriage despite the Manifestos of 1890 & 1904 |
| Haun’s Mill Massacre | Attack by a militia of ~250 on a hamlet near Jacob Haun’s mill off Shoal Creek, killing at least 17 Mormon men and boys. Women were reported to have been raped as well. |
| High Council | Council of twelve men administering to a Stake under the leadership of the President of the Stake and his Counselors. Charged with judgement when members commit serious sins |
| illicit intercourse | Sexual relations with no legal or ceremonial commitment |
| infection | The spread of disease via the air. In the 1840s, the viral and bacteriological mechanisms for infection were not known |
| LDS Church | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, formed 1830 |
| Manifesto, 1890 | Official declaration by the LDS Church ending the practice of polygamy |
| Manifesto, 1904 | Clarification that plural marriages would not be permitted in any part of the world |
| Masonic Lodge | Basic organizational unit of Masonry. The Nauvoo Lodge was installed on March 15, 1842 |
| miscarriage | Natural termination of pregnancy, also spontaneous abortion |
| Mormon | Term for members of the LDS Church. Also adjective for anything associated with faith traditions that have arisen from Joseph Smith’s teachings |
| Nauvoo | City in Hancock County, Illinois, settled by Mormons in 1839, meaning “City Beautiful” |
| Nauvoo Census of 1842 | Census of Nauvoo, Illinois, civic wards in Feb 1842, presented to the City in March 1842 |
| Nauvoo Expositor | Opposition newspaper in Nauvoo. The press was destroyed after the issue printed June 7, 1844. |
| Nauvoo Legion | Militia for Nauvoo, Illinois, chartered by the Nauvoo City Charter of 1840 |
| Nauvoo Neighbor | Newspaper published in Nauvoo from 1843-1845, successor to The Wasp |
| New and Everlasting Covenant | A covenant between God and mankind, allowing all to choose to reunite with God in eternity, even those who died without mortal baptism or knowledge of Christ |
| Onanism | Sexual act involving penetration without ejaculation |
| patriarch | LDS individual with patriarchal right to receive revelation on behalf of individuals |
| patriarchal blessing | Blessing voiced by a Patriarch on behalf of an individual desiring such a blessing |
| Pearl of Great Price | LDS Scripture, including a ‘translation’ of the Genesis creation account, a ‘translation’ of Egyptian funeral papyri, and Joseph Smith’s history as written in 1839 |
| plural marriage | Marriage in which one man has more than one wife, specifically with respect to eternal marriage |
| polyamory | Form of marriage where multiple men and women are together, often an open marriage |
| polyandry | Form of marriage where a woman has more than one husband |
| polygamy | Generic term for marriage where an individual has more than one spouse |
| polygyny | Form of marriage where a man has more than one wife |
| protology | Study of the beginning, c.f. eschatology |
| Pre-mortal Existence | LDS term for existence of the spirit before conception. |
| Priesthood Ban | LDS policy from 1852 to 1978 prohibiting Black individuals from receiving the priesthood or receiving temple ordinances associated with the New and Everlasting Covenant. |
| proxy | In LDS ceremony, a mortal individual who stands in the place of a deceased individual |
| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | The group of twelve men commissioned to proclaim the gospel to all the world. From March 1844, group commissioned to bear the responsibility for Church Leadership in the event of the death of a Mormon prophet |
| Relief Society | LDS Women’s organization from March 1842 |
| RLDS | Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, formed 1860, now COC |
| sealing | Ordinance in which individuals are joined together for eternity. Can refer to union between spouses or joining of children to parents |
| spiritual wifery | Synonym for illicit or unlawful intercourse |
| Stake | Collection of multiple congregations or wards, usually consisting of a few thousand individuals |
| temple | LDS term for sacred structure where ordinances related to the New and Everlasting Covenant are solemnized, including proxy ordinances on behalf of the deceased |
| Temple Lot Trial | Appeal to the 1894 ruling that the RLDS Church owned the Missouri Temple Lot. The LDS Church presented extensive testimony attempting to prove Joseph Smith taught and practiced plural marriage. |
| The Wasp | Newspaper published in Nauvoo from 1840-1843, generally supportive of the LDS Church |
| Times and Seasons | Newspaper published in Nauvoo, usually supportive of the LDS Church |
| ward | Congregation of roughly 500-1000 individuals, alternately a civic division for purposes of voting |
| Warsaw Signal | Newspaper in Warsaw, Illinois, edited by Thomas Sharp. Critical of Smith after May 1841 |