170 years ago today - Feb 9, 1846

The Twelve drop John E. Page for accepting the succession claim of James J. Strang. While some Mormons are crossing the Mississippi River on flatboats (in preparation for the trek westward) a fire breaks out on the top floor of the Nauvoo temple. A bucket brigade is organized and takes about a half hour to put the fire out. It is discovered that the fire "was caused by [a] stovepipe being overheated." Brigham Young, upon seeing the flames from a distance says to himself: "if it is the will of the Lord that the Temple be burned, instead of being defiled by the Gentiles, Amen to it." Meanwhile on one of the flatboats a wagon and team of oxen go off into the river after "a filthy wicked man squirted some tobacco juice into the eyes of one of the oxen." This unbalances the flatboat which takes on water and sinks. Mormon Samuel W. Richards writes: "In the eve. met at the Temple with a select party for a Dance, several of the twelve being present, and all the Brass band. Commenced a little before Eight with preyer by Bro. Hyde, and continued the merriment with a plenty of wine untill 10 minutes to 3 morn. Continued work at the Temple as usual and on"