Can anyone please tell me about James (Jas) Arlington Bennet’s interest in heraldry, circa 1844? He ran as a Vice-Presidential Candidate in the 1844 Presidential Elections as running mate to Joseph Smith Jnr, an Independent Candidate for the Latter Saints Movement which Mr Bennet founded.

The reason for asking is because evidence is coming to light of an American Heraldry College as early as 1844. It had Officers and an heraldic Library.

I personally don’t have an answer - but there are many more knowledgeable members than me.

That said, I and many others would be interested if you shared what evidence you had found.

Thanks - and welcome to our forum.

Thanks for the welcome.

Alas your site tells me that I can’t upload pictures so cannot share my "evidence".

Can you upload it elsewhere - such as flickr - and link to it?

I can put it on facebook but at present I am discussing it with the College of Arms (to whom the letter was written)  and considering an article in "The Coat of Arms" or "The Heraldry Gazette" - both of The Heraldry Society, London.

The letter, the only copy of the original I have, begs several questions, namely;

1)  Was Congress ever asked for an act of incorporation?

2)  If this failed then was the State Legislature ever asked for a Charter?

3)  Did the CoA ever receive such a letter?

4)  If Yes then what, if any, was their reply.?

5)  How did the letter "vanish" from the College?

6)  Which one of the "ex-Presidents" was lined up for the position of President at Arms?

and

7)  What happened to the books from the "College Library and Hall"?

This is certainly a vitally important document in the history of U.S. heraldry.

Escutcheon;101683 wrote:

I can put it on facebook but at present I am discussing it with the College of Arms (to whom the letter was written) and considering an article in "The Coat of Arms" or "The Heraldry Gazette" - both of The Heraldry Society, London.

The letter, the only copy of the original I have, begs several questions, namely;

1) Was Congress ever asked for an act of incorporation?

2) If this failed then was the State Legislature ever asked for a Charter?

 

3) Did the CoA ever receive such a letter?

 

4) If Yes then what, if any, was their reply.?

 

5) How did the letter "vanish" from the College?

 

6) Which one of the "ex-Presidents" was lined up for the position of President at Arms?

and

 

7) What happened to the books from the "College Library and Hall"?

 

This is certainly a vitally important document in the history of U.S. heraldry.

Bernard,

Welcome to the AHS forum.  Following some of the leads cited on Facebook, everything I’m finding suggests that James A. Bennet was either a fantasist or a scam artist, perhaps both.  The story is still well worth pursuing, but I’d be surprised (pleasantly, though) if you find that there was any substance to his heraldic schemes.

William H. Whitmore, whom you mention on Facebook, was one of the leaders of the Committee on Heraldry of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  His 1866 proposal was aimed at bringing heraldry in the US under government regulation, but it gained no traction at all in Congress.  I’ve read pretty much all of the Heraldic Journal published by Whitmore and his NEHGS associates in the late 1860s and never found any reference to Bennet’s heraldic institution.

Thank you for this.

I am currently in touch with the College of Arms who are looking into whether the letter was ever received by them?

P.S. I note the impressive "Avatars" in the earlier posts. How does one add my own Arms? I am unable to upload an image.

If Bennet was connected with Joseph Smith Jr., perhaps the Latter Day Saint’s library in Salt Lake City might have some information about him and his connection with Smith.

(I’m not Mormon & have only superficial knowledge of their history, but their genealogical libraries have always been quite welcoming to non-members of their church.)