“They circulated every kind of falsehood that they could collect, or manufacture against the Mormons. They also had a paper to assist them in their propagations, called the “Warsaw Signal”, edited by a Mr. Thomas Sharp, a violent and unprincipled man, who shrunk not from any enormity.” — John Taylor¹

Thomas Sharp was born in 1818 in New Jersey. After moving to Warsaw, Illinois, in 1840, he edited the Warsaw Signal newspaper.² Although he was initially indifferent towards the Saints, Sharp would use his newspaper to criticize Joseph Smith and the Saints, later calling them "a gang of outlaws, blacklegs, and bloodsuckers.”³ He antagonized the Saints in his newspaper and helped found the Anti-Mormon Party in Hancock County.⁴ In response to Sharp’s criticisms, Joseph canceled his subscription to the paper in May 1841.⁵ Sharp used the term “Jack Mormon” to refer to people who were not members of the Church and were not violent towards it.⁶ In one of his papers, Sharp suggested Joseph would soon be killed, saying, “Joe Smith is not safe out of Nauvoo, and we would not be surprised to hear of his death by violent means in a short time."⁷ His editorial work played a significant role in inciting opposition to the Church, culminating in his call to arms against the Saints following the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor.⁸ Sharp was later indicted for the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith but was acquitted.²

1. John Taylor, Martyrdom Account, 5, josephsmithpapers.org

2. “Sharp, Thomas Coke,” josephsmithpapers.org

3. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 36, 430-432; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 43, 530

4. “Growing Conflict in Illinois,” Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual, 265-267, churchofjesuschrist.org

5. Historical Introduction, Letter to Thomas Sharp, 26 May 1841, josephsmithpapers.org

6. Closing Argument of Onias Skinner, 29 May 1845, Copy [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.], 28, josephsmithpapers.org; Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 2, 1 March–6 May 1845, footnote 537, 365, josephsmithpapers.org

7. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 43, 531-532

8. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 43, 536; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 44, 537