| 449 April 15 Elder Orson Hyde left Commerce for his mission to Jerusalem, meeting his companion, John E. Page, on the 16th, at Lima, Illinois.
The name of the post office was officially changed from Commerce to Nauvoo, on April 21, 1840, as the following notice and letter will show:-
"POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, Appointment
"Office, 21st April, 1840.
"Sir:-I have the honor to inform you, that the Postmaster General has this day changed the name of the post office at Commerce, Hancock County, Illinois, to 'Nauvoo,' and appointed George W. Robinson postmaster thereof.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"ROBERT JOHNSTONE,
"Second Assistant Postmaster General.
"To the Hon. R. M. Young, U. S. Senate."
"WASHINGTON CITY, April 22, 1840.
"Dear Sir:-After your departure from this city I received, under cover from the Reverend Sidney Rigdon, the petition mentioned by you for the appointment of George W. Robinson as postmaster at Commerce. This petition I laid before the Honorable Robert Johnstone, Second Assistant Postmaster General, who has appointed Mr. Robinson as requested.
"We found on an examination of the papers and a letter from Dr. Galland, that there was a request that the name of the post office should be changed to that of Nauvoo, a Hebrew term, signifying a beautiful place. Mr. Johnstone, at my instance, has changed the name accordingly, in the supposition that it would be agreeable to the citizens concerned. Will you please advise with the Rev. Joseph Smith and others most immediately interested, and if the change of the name to Nauvoo should not be acceptable, it can on application be restored to that of Commerce.
"I received a letter from Malcom McGregor, Esq., postmaster at Carthage, a few days ago, in which he urges the necessity of having the mail carried twice a week between Carthage and Nauvoo, and expresses the opinion that the
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