Elder Kimball said he stayed behind to assist members of the Committee of Removal and to wait upon those in prison. In Far West he had to hide out in the woods during daytime. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It nearly broke both of our hearts. Which is another way of saying that a particular view of history does not suit institutional needs in the moment. Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805 - June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement.At the age of 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon and by the time of his death, 14 years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers. I am already engaged on the other side.'[4]. Exmormons are told to leave quietly with their tails between their legs. For more on Emma Smith, check out the new acclaimed film Jane and Emma. Given these losses, it appears to me that Emma managed quite well.". The Saints exodus from Missouri took place mostly during winter and involved four main arenas: Far West, Missouri; Quincy, Illinois; a road network between the two cities; and the west shore mudflats across the Mississippi River from Quincy. She moved away from Nauvoo for a while to avoid danger, but eventually returned to her former home. [114] Close Friends as Witnesses: Joseph Smith and the Joseph Knight Families, in Joseph Smith: The Prophet, the Man, ed. For him, it appears the marriages were fairly impersonal and meant to fulfill the requirement given him by an angel and to join certain families together in the eternities. [30] John Taylor, Alanson Ripley, Brigham Young, Theodore Turley, Heber C. Kimball, John Smith (the Prophets uncle), and Don C. Smith (the Prophets brother). Emma Hale Smith - Biography - Joseph Smith Papers And Brigham, his relationship with Emma strained at best, did not bother to separate the inflammatory rhetoric of Babbitt's letters from the less dramatic probabilities. [77], On February 23, the Quincy Whig reported that Saints were coming in from all quarters and that for several days they have been crossing at this place, bringing with them the wreck of what they could save from their ruthless oppressors. This difficult situation was complicated by the immense demands on Brigham Young's time. [50], The Young and Kimball families. When the Twelve returned from Far West in early May, they rejoiced to see him a free man in Illinois. [9] Leonard J. Arrington, Charles C. Rich (Provo, UT: BYU Press, 1974), 60; Juanita Brooks, ed., On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 18441861 (Salt Lake City, Utah: University of Utah Press and the Utah State Historical Society, 1964), xvi; Lorenzo Dow Young, Recollections, Four Faith Promoting Classics (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1968), 5254. I now saw my little daughter, Nancy Jane, for the first time about two months old. He was not sufficiently educated to write the translation of the plates, so while he translated through the Holy Ghost, she wrote his words. What Do We Know About Mormon Leader Joseph Smith's Wives? It's Official: Mormon Founder Had Up to 40 Wives Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. Bushman reports that Emma and Joseph had many intense discussions about his polygamy and their relationship was periodically strained. But the way Emmas story is carefully sculpted reveals as much about gender expectations and religious norms in our own era as it did when Brigham Young declared her mormona non grata. Fanny lived in the Smiths' house with Emma, which caused much tension. Learn how . Church leaders told fugitive Charles C. Rich to flee north into the wilderness and take all that I Could find of the Brethren that was in the Crooked river Battle. So he and others left Far West at midnight on November 1. She even owned cows and other items, possibly given as payment from students. There can be no question, though, that she made sacrifices far beyond what most Mormons would be asked to make, and that she experienced more than her fair share of suffering. 801-422-6975. Joseph Smith, Jr. was born on 23 December 1805, in Sharon, Vermont. Brigham Young/Polygamy - FAIR Among the stories are: Hidden Mormonism in Orson Scott Card's fiction, Anti-debt diva gives outlandish money-saving ideas, "Travails and triumphs" of Mormon mommies blogging, Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. They started in February, but it was bitter cold, and they suffered fearfully, Caroline said. Provo, UT 84602 When asked if he had read the biography, Elder Oaks said he had seen several excerpts from it, and found that the authors views of Joseph Smith were nontraditional.. She held on to her faith in God, in the gospel, and in Joseph Smith as a prophet throughout it all. It was enough to make the heart ache to see the children, sick with colds, and crying around their mothers for food, whilst their parents were destitute of the means of making them comfortable.[21], Northwest Missouri winters can be harsh. Don Carlos [her son], with his family and the remainder of his baggage, was crowded into a buggy, and went in the same company with us. They encountered continuous rains and had to travel through mud. 3 Why didnt Emma Smith go west with the Saints? While Joseph was in jail, Emma made the decision to flee with the rest of the Saints to Quincy. " Delewski said. She had sufficient faith to avoid looking at the plates even when they were in her bedroom or kitchen, although she frequently felt them and moved them out of her way as she worked. Emmas role in Mormon history is as enigmatic as ever. She was left alone with her five children, including her adopted daughter and four sons. Sidney Rigdon had been released in January. Much business of consequence was accomplished during the day, Elder Woodruff noted, adding, It truly gave us great Joy to once more sit in conference with Br. Adams County, organized in 1825, was named after John Quincy Adams, who that year became Americas sixth president, and the town of Quincy received his middle name. Some of Emma's friends, as well as many members of the Smith family, alienated themselves from Young's followers. [75] Wandle Mace Autobiography, typescript, 3132, Perry Special Collections. [94] Porter, Brigham Young and the Twelve, 14149. Was also Governor of Utah Territory from February 3, 1851 to April 12, 1858. During this last bout, Joseph said gratefully, "My wife waited on me. Her health partially returned, but she has never been able to work much since, her husband wrote in 1845. 7 Are Joseph and Emma Smiths descendants Latter-day Saints? He had one illegitimate child and after marrying Emma had another, which she raised, making her a most extraordinary woman. Latter-day Saint historian looks at 'complicated' life of Emma Smith On February 19 or 20, Joseph Smiths parents, Joseph Sr. and Lucy, finally joined the exodus. Add an RSC shortcut to this device's Homescreen, In the menu, scroll past any icons and tap. Snow was six inches deep. Anson Call. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Elder Young, when his life seemed in danger, left Far West for Illinois on February 14, but Elder Kimball stayed behind to help with the removals.[38]. [27] Gentry, Latter-day Saints in Northern Missouri, 41419. Joseph taught what God revealed, nothing more. Her husband Joseph Smith had been killed in 1844, and after his death Emma Smith decided to remain in Nauvoo. He looked at Emma Smith's decision to remain in Nauvoo through the eyes of a therapist. [57] Quoted in Lyman O. Littlefield, Reminiscences of Latter-day Saints (Logan, UT: Journal Company Printers, 1888), 7273. Its an improvement that shes discussed at all. Taken from The Return, typescript, 243, Perry Special Collections. So without further ado, here is my list of 21 reasons leaving the Mormon Church might be a great idea, even if it is true. We are a volunteer organization. Given that Brigham was blamed by Emma for being the inventor of plural marriage, he probably felt rather ill-used by her. She also learned how to cook and be a good host when her parents ran a boarding house. The large body of displaced Saints became an economic force and political presence in Illinois and Iowa Territory. [14] Autobiography of Anson Call, typescript, 13, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. I asked my mother one day, why don't Grandma laugh with her eyes like you do, and my mother said because she has a deep sorrow in her heart. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It notes, Many of them crossed into Illinois at Quincy and were made welcome by the people here. In recent years, several related commemoration events have taken place in Quincy.[113]. Understanding how early Saints worked earnestly to build up the Church helps us better appreciate the value of their work. In intense cold, Lydia recalled, they sometimes scraped away snow beside the wagon so they could put down their beds at night. I, 29 December 1833 to 31 December 1840 (Midvale, UT: Signature Books, 1983), 322. Her heartaches were very real and would have been a challenge to any woman, particularly without the lens of understanding time brings. Refugees moved as individuals, by families, or in small clusters of wagons whenever they were ready. Susan Easton Black and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1993), 27184. Uncertain which policy to push, the conference voted against accepting the land offer (Journal History, February 1, 1839). Her judgment lies in God's hands, not in ours or Brigham Young's. Some sneaked southward to the Missouri River and took boat passage to St. Tied to her waist were heavy bags containing Josephs papers. So, he said, Sold my cook stove and the only cow the mob had not killed. With that money he hired a man with a team to drive him, Lydia, and their three children east. "When people ask what caused a change in Emma Smith's behavior, what they really are asking is, 'Why didn't she go west with the Saints?' But the youngest wife sealed to Smith was only 14 years old when she married him . During that period, the place was a hive of activity; Joseph Smith and his wife, Emma, and Oliver Cowdery were boarding with the Whitmers, and other people (including curiosity-seekers) were constantly coming and going. "Emma seemed to wax and wane in her acceptance of the practice," Delewski said. Its a beautiful article, but its not a fully honest one; polygamy is not mentioned once anywhere. For example, in the support materials for the Joseph Smith manual, polygamy is once again nowhere mentioned. Not six months before the death of Joseph, he called his wife Emma into a secret council, and there he told her the truth, and called upon her to deny it if she could. She would leave her parents in 1830, never to see them again as she and her family were forced to move from place to place to avoid persecution and violence. [108] The extended Knight familys losses were at least $14,562, or about $320,000 in todays currency. Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Kent P. Jackson (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2010), 34790. At night they would build fires if they could find firewood. Further, the committee agreed to find employment for those able and willing to labor. [61] That same day, Eliza R. Snow and relatives, who had wintered seven miles from Far West, started for Illinois. [97] Liberty Jail prisoners were Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Lyman Wight, Alexander McRae, and Caleb Baldwin. Joseph.[103] Perrigrine Sessions said that Joseph being there gave us much joy to see his face among the Saints and here the voice of inspiration that flowed from his lips this caused our drooping spirits to revive as we were like sheap with out a shepherd that had been scatered in a cloudy and dark day.[104] After Joseph heard the congregation enthusiastically sing the hymn Zion, City of Our God, Wandle Mace observed that Joseph rose to speak but had difficulty controlling his emotions: To look upon the Saints who had been driven from their homes, and scattered as they were, among strangers, without homes, robbed of everything, and to see them under all these trying circumstances assemble to this General Conference from all the region around, and sing of Zion, the city of our God, with so much spirit, showing their love and confidence in the gospel, and the pleasure he felt in meeting with them. [34] Smith, History of the Church, 3:255. With discomfort on both sides, she soon found herself outside the mainstream of the church. Some participants in the Missouri exodus vented powerful feelings of anger, horror, outrage, and persecution. [36] With Joseph Smiths approval, leaders in Far West decided to sell Church properties in Jackson County to help raise money for the exodus. He could find no way to bring the Butlers wagon across the river, so he spent the night with his family. [37] David Rogers Report, 1839, in William Rogers and Elizabeth Bessie Ritchie with Their Ancestors and Descendants (Salt Lake City: Leo R. Rogers, 1981), 230. Richard Bushman writes of the poisoning accusation: Through the late fall and winter of 1843 and 1844, Joseph and Emma's relationship broke down only once. When the man saw the Saints plight, he told his tenants to go elsewhere, for the Mormons were coming and they had no place to go and he was going to let his apartments to them. He invited John to bring his family up to one of his houses where they could live for a while. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. [20] Heres what they have planned, Why the Christian flag can fly on this government flagpole, Breaking the fast: Eid ul-Fitr is an occasion of peace, The unique stories and struggles of Latino Muslims, The Black church, religious freedom and gay rights. After a long time, Mother Smith said, We succeeded . [29] Smith, History of the Church, 3:249. Brigham Young and his family, with several others, Kimball said. Its an outstanding and award-winning biography that was the product of countless hours of primary research. The biography was an instant commercial success, selling out its first two printings. He covered Joseph Smith's reluctance for years to keep this commandment of the Lord and how it was also very difficult for Emma Smith. Emma certainly made errors in judgment, as do we all. were destroyed or lost.[92], A year earlier, Joseph Smith had received a commandment for the Twelve to leave for missions over the great waters from the Far West temple site on April 26, 1839 (Doctrine and Covenants 118). Latest from Mormon Land: Slowest church growth since 1857; 'surprise Emma Smith, My Story Removes False Traditions The group then included one man, two women, and children ages seven, four, three, and one. [46], During February the migration became more intense. Hi Nathan, thanks for your interest in Emma Smiths hymnbook! During November and December, Joseph C. Kingsbury and Caroline, his wife of two years, lived in a little cabin with meager provisions. Her funeral was held May 2, 1879, in Nauvoo with RLDS Church minister Mark Hill Forscutt preaching the sermon. She compiled the first hymnbook. Imagine, then, her familys concern when she developed a fondness for Joseph Smith, who was from a poor farm family and had almost no formal educationjust that which his father had given him at home with a small amount of traditional schooling. The Mormon church has said for the first time that its founder Joseph Smith had up to 40 wives. The second day we had to cross a long prairie, and were not able to reach the settlement. . Tears roll down Emily Rennie's face as she recalls a church counsellor telling her she needed to give up her child for adoption because he was conceived out of wedlock one of the most . Mercy should be the watchwordnot blood, not extermination, not misery.. In honor of the 175th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, LDS Living is sharing a series of articles about early Church history and some of its key figures. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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