One of her grandchildren, Emma Belle Smith Kennedy, wrote: "Her eyes were brown and sad. [52] Heber C. Kimball Journals, 18381839, in Porter, Brigham Young and the Twelve, 134. She stood by her husband even when they faced strains in their marriage. There was scarcely a day while we were on the road that it did not either snow or rain, son John said. [34] Saints used existing roads as much as possible, although some took detours to avoid problems with local residents or to avoid being recognized. Social conversation and discretion were traits for which she was well-known. Because Joseph Smith was in prison during the exodus, attention focuses here on Joseph Smith's parents, his wife Emma, Elders Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, and four selected families: the John and Caroline Butler family, the Newel and Lydia Knight family, the Daniel and Martha Thomas family, and the Levi and Clarissa Hancock family. . And the last words out of Brighams mouth, and he died before Emma, were Joseph,' Elggren said. 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. Joseph Smith's death on June 27, 1844, created tremendous upheaval for Emma. Answer (1 of 10): At the time of her husbands death, not much changed. [98] That summer the prisoners who had been at Richmond escaped confinement, except King Follett. LDS Church History documents that their mormon founder, Joseph Smith, lied to a large group of people about his having multiple wives. Your email address will not be published. . He had been separated from the family for three months or more. We had heavy loads, were obliged to walk from 2 to 8 miles a day thro mud and water, camped out on the wet ground 3 nights before we arrived at the River. [79] In its March 2 issue, the Quincy Whig termed the Saints crossing the Mississippi River objects of charity. Because they had been thrown upon our shores destitute, through the oppressive people of Missouri, common humanity must oblige us to aid and relieve them all in our power.[80], On March 5, Bishop Partridge reported from Quincy to Joseph Smith, The people here receive us kindly and are willing that we should enjoy the privileges guaranteed to all civil people without molestation.[81], Joseph Sr. and wife Lucy rented a house or part of it on the northeast corner of Sixth and Hampshire streets. The poem praised those Who have put forth your liberal hand to meet / The urgent wants of the oppressd and poor! In 1841 Joseph and Hyrum Smith and Sidney Rigdon, the First Presidency, issued a proclamation of appreciation, saying, It would be impossible to enumerate all those who in our time of deep distress, nobly came forward to our relief and like the good Samaritan poured oil into our wounds and contributed liberally to our necessities as the citizens of Quincy en masse and the people of Illinois generally seemed to emulate each other in the labor of love.[112], In Quincys Washington Park stands a simple historical marker erected in 1976 to memorialize the Saints exodus. However, the LDS church cites Fanny as Smith's first plural wife, noting that the pair married in Kirtland, Ohio in the mid-1830s, when Smith would have been about 30 himself. Jeremy's response was an 84-page document that came to be known as the "CES Letter.". Whatever the situation, Emma eventually found herself unable to cope with polygamy. Browse the pages of the original 1835 hymnbook. There are several reasons Emma stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death, but a few in particular stand out. She is known in Church history for being well educated and was able to act as a scribe for Joseph when he was translating the plates because of it. Caroline said that at one point that winter, Joseph Smith got word to Emma to send him quilts or bed clothes. In time, most of the houses were torn down for firewood or hauled away. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. [3], By October 1838, Newel and Lydia Knight and their three children were among the Saints living in and near Far West, the Churchs headquarters city. Emma Hale Smith was the seventh of nine children. and P.M. refer to at the beginning of each hymn? When eternal marriage was first introduced, many families carried out sealings with friends and those they wanted to be eternally associated with, not entirely understanding what the revelation meant. In September 1843, Emma was the first woman to receive the endowment. Emma saw in him what her family missed. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The Thomases complied. She frequently found herself living in the homes of others and just as frequently took complete strangers into her own home. During November and December, Joseph C. Kingsbury and Caroline, his wife of two years, lived in a little cabin with meager provisions. [51] Elder Heber C. Kimball sent his family with the Youngs. 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. Slipping through the guard, he had to cross a creek by taking off his clothes and wading across the bitter cold water. [90], By mid-April, the mobs lost patience with the Saints still in Caldwell County. She became the first woman to receive the temple endowment involving the making of sacred covenants with the Savior. Its a beautiful article, but its not a fully honest one; polygamy is not mentioned once anywhere. 1) Formal Dress. A number of teams arrived from Illinois to help move the last families. Finally, in some respects, the exodus from Missouri was a training exercise for the Saints exodus from Nauvoo seven years later. Either Brigham Young was not aware of Babbitt's propensity for alienating those around him or, like Joseph before him, he overlooked his faults because he needed his legal knowledge. After the church dispersed in 1844, those folks who did not head west with Brigham Young kind of scattered until April 6, 1860 when Joseph's son, Joseph Smith III, was ordained prophet-president (Hence the name Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of LDS) The church did not bring into our beliefs doctrines dealing with the practice of secret . When the river opened, the Thomases used two boats to move their effects across, while Daniel and son Morgan, twelve, stayed behind to ferry the cow across later. For example, in the support materials for the Joseph Smith manual, polygamy is once again nowhere mentioned. Delewski shared many of the words used to describe Emma: "Quick wit and pleasant personality," "intelligence," "fearless integrity," "kindness of heart," "discretion," "benevolent," "hospitable," "motherly in nature to young people," "very high-spirited," "dignified," "courage," "zeal," "patience," "no gossiper," "commanding presence" and "innate refinement.". Emma Hale Smith was the seventh of nine children. Louis. Another died young at age 26. John marked time until his family and his mother and brothers could join him in Quincy. Caroline Butler, whose husband had fled Missouri in November, couldnt care for her four young children, ages seven years to two months, and drive her wagon at the same time. Such souls will have to suffer for the ill treatment of the Saints, he wrote, adding that they need not think that they will escape, for the Lord is just and He will punish those that have ill treated His children (Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 89). He remained her companion until her death on 30 April 1879 at the age of 75 in Nauvoo. [112] A Proclamation to the Saints Scattered AbroadGreeting, Times and Seasons, January 15, 1841, 6. The biography was an instant commercial success, selling out its first two printings. Delewski is a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of experience working in mental health. However, I discovered there was a different attitude about Emma. It is possible that polygamy would have come more easily if it had not been added to an already extraordinary number of other trials and if she had not been the first wife to face it in the Church. After they left, the mob plundered thousands of dollars worth of property donated to help the poor move. Although she never lost her faith in the Mormon religion and in the sacred nature of the Book of Mormon, she had no testimony of Brigham Young and other polygamous LDS leaders. The leather binding, the marbled inside cover, and the worn pages are beautiful and unforgettable. . 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. Shortly after Joseph's brother, William, was born in 1811, the Smiths moved to the small community of West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Snow was six inches deep. Thank you so much. At Far West on February 22, Eliza R. Snow reported that a man had just arrived from Illinois who had counted 220 wagons between Far West and the Mississippi.[60] If that figure is accurate, and if wagons helped transport an average of four people each, then the man had passed about a thousand Saints on the road. Joseph Smith Foundation director, author, film producer, speaker. Did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? Quincys compassion, noted historian Richard E. Bennett, saved the saints as a people and may even have saved the Church as an institution.[88], Assigned by the Committee of Removal, David Rogers visited Jackson County on March 15, sold Church properties, raised some $2,700, and brought the funds to Far West by mid-April. Its almost as if youre holding the hymnbook in your own hands. Julia: Some say that there were other reasons. [55] The shoes belonged to the oldest boy, Morgan. Caroline went ahead and brought back some elders from a camp ahead to give Martha and Keziah blessings. These hymns had a great influence on the Saints during the early days of the Church. However, the hymns Emma selected were particularly special. Joseph quickly shut the door when he heard Emma coming, but Emma kept knocking and called out Eliza's . a much-debated stair-pushing catfight with Eliza R. Snow. [5] Meanwhile, a militia force headed to Adam-ondi-Ahman, made the Mormons there surrender, and on November 10 gave them ten days to relocate to Far West or elsewhere in Caldwell County. She seems, among other things, to have been worried about providing for her children, as well as protecting them from the violence which had claimed Joseph. Joseph taught what God revealed, nothing more. Enter your email to receive updates on our LDS Living content, 2022 LDS Living A Division of Deseret Book Company, The Joseph Smith and Emma Hale Smith Historical Society, There is room for my brown paper-doll family: 2 gospel truths I learned as a young girl that carry my faith, Special Church Historians Press symposium to highlight women, religion, and records, See the stunning winners of the Churchs International Art Competition. [100] Stanley B. Kimball, The Saints and St. Louis, 18311857: An Oasis of Tolerance and Security, BYU Studies 13 (Summer 1973): 489519. They averaged ten miles per day. Source: The Joseph Smith Paper She held on to her faith in God, in the gospel, and in Joseph Smith as a prophet throughout it all. When I reflect on how I found the gospel, I realize that my familys experiences informed two important pieces of my testimony. He told the Butlers to go to his butcher shop and take meat when they wanted some. [45] The Mosiah Hancock Journal (Salt Lake City: reprint by Pioneer Press, n.d.), 11. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Events of the 1838 Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Every thing my family took with them out of Missouri, could have been packed on the backs of two horses; the mob took all the rest.[52]. A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of the Latter Day Saints was published in 1835. Here Samuel had hired a house and we moved into it, with four other families.[53]. It does not store any personal data. On Nov. 4th, astoundingly, Richard McCarty obtained a warrant for the arrest of the men who had caught him in the act of looting the Gilbert store, charging them with assault and false imprisonment. Their numbers exceed 5,000 peoplewithout any means and literally beggarsto be thrust upon the charities of Illinois, Iowa, or Wisconsin. Joseph Holbrook, thirty-two, said his wife Nancy had verry poor health that fall and winter because of being exposed to inclement weather by having to remove from place to place as our house had been burned and we were yet left to seek a home whenever our friends could accommodate us and for my safety. Saints in flourishing condition but a few months before, he said, were now destitute. She was well-educated and taught school. . They asked a committee of Latter-day Saints to provide them facts about the needy. [18], Far West was ill equipped to become a refugee center for Saints displaced by Missouri militia. . There are several reasons Emma stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death, but a few in particular stand out. He had one illegitimate child and after marrying Emma had another, which she raised, making her a most extraordinary woman. When Elizabeth died in childbirth, young Elizabeth Agnes was leftwith her stepfather and, soon after, a new stepmother. He could find no way to bring the Butlers wagon across the river, so he spent the night with his family. Her family was fairly well-off financially, and so Emma was well-educated for a woman of her time. On 23 December 1847, Emma Smith married Lewis Bidamon, who was not a member of the Church. Mental and emotional scars. Caroline suffered from dropsy, or painful swellings, and the cold intensified her pain. The second day we had to cross a long prairie, and were not able to reach the settlement. The John Murdock family left on February 4 without any team or animal or carriage of any kind. They put Mrs. Murdock and the household furniture in a Brother Humphreys wagon. President Sidney Rigdon, Bishop Edward Partridge, and a few others felt the Saints could avoid problems like the ones they had in Missouri by spreading out rather than gathering together into Latter-day Saint communities. He was not sufficiently educated to write the translation of the plates, so while he translated through the Holy Ghost, she wrote his words. 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. Modern DNA has ruled out all children Fran Brodie had proposed were his through other marriages. [9] The men split into two groups to avoid attention. In the same year, Smith founded the Church of Christlater known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsin Fayette Township. They had fulfilled the commandment. Only his mother and sisters had shoes, but these wore out and became almost useless before they reached Illinois. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Food was scarce, and housing inadequate. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Alpheus Cutler placed it in position. It is fairly well known that these twins were adopted by Emma and Joseph as infants shortly after their own set of newborn twins died. I attended the premier of the Emma Smith Story [with] several of my children and grandchildren. She was able to utilize the properties she owned to support her family, but with difficulty, particularly since she was left to cover Josephs many debts. She was not perfect, but what is amazing is that she was as perfect as she was given the powerful trials and persecutions she experienced. To understand her, we have to place her in her own setting and time, not in our own. In 1888 a Lyman Wight cabin was the only building standing in Ahman, and by 1970 it was totally gone.[124]. Fanny lived in the Smiths' house with Emma, which caused much tension. To do so, would be to act with extreme cruelty. Emma and Brigham also disagreed about which parts of Joseph's estate were personal property, and which belonged to the Church.[1]. He told here where she got the poison, and how she put it in a cup of coffee; said he 'You got that poison from so and so, and I drank it, but you could not kill me.' FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had a lock of his hair cut and given to her. To fulfill their instruction, some members of the Twelve left Quincy on April 18, 1839, to travel secretly to Far West. Fugitive John Butler, in Quincy, learned of their arrival, and he rowed across the river in a canoe, dodging ice. The sight filled my eyes with tears, while my heart was made glad at the cheerfulness of the Saints in the midst of their affliction.[66] He visited Saints on his side of the river who were camped in a sufering Condition with Cold, rain & mud & some want of food.[67], Fugitive Joseph Holbrook, two months after leaving his expectant wife and three children back on January 20, learned of their arrival at the Mississippi River late in March. in getting one single wagon to convey beds, clothing, and provisions for our family, and luggage. Add an RSC shortcut to this device's Homescreen, In the menu, scroll past any icons and tap. A painting by C. C. A. Christensen, Exodus of the Saints from Missouri, is the only depiction the author has seen of winter exodus experience. Tied to her waist were heavy bags containing Josephs papers. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". That morning we crossed over to Quincy, Illinois. [90] Diaries of William Huntington, 8; Isaac Leany Petition in Johnson, ed., Mormon Redress Petitions, 485. The group then included one man, two women, and children ages seven, four, three, and one. She also learned how to cook and be a good host when her parents ran a boarding house. [67] Scott G. Kenney, ed., Wilford Woodruff Journal, 18331898, Typescript, Vol. [95] Kenney, Wilford Woodruffs Journal, 1:329. [124] Berrett and Parkin, Sacred Places: Missouri, 329, 402, 411. [24] James Carroll Petition in Clark V. Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions: Documents of the 18331838 Missouri Conflict (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1992), 155; see biographical sketch in Donald Q. Cannon and Lyndon W. Cook, eds., Far West Record (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1983), 252. "[2], Furthermore, Brigham and Emma did not agree on the disposition of Joseph's estate. She was not perfect and made choices that seem hard for us to understand today. They restarted on February 14 and reached the Mississippi two weeks later, on March 1, where they camped and waited for more than a week.[47]. A day or two later, a ferry finally dodged through the ice and brought the women and children across.[59].

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