Caleb Mcconnell 247, Rachael Rollins Husband, Signs An Older Woman Likes A Younger Man, Articles W

Latter-day Saint widow Elizabeth Kendall and her family first became acquainted with Emma at the Mansion House in Nauvoo. rev. "My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticityI have not the slightest doubt of it," she testified in an interview she gave late in life. Brigham Young University In conversation, he appears intelligent and candid, and divested of all malicious thought and feeling towards his relentless persecutors.[102], Joseph Smith quickly finalized plans for a new gathering place for the homeless Saints upriver at Commerce, soon to be renamed Nauvoo. [111] Starting with this poem, Eliza R. Snow published a total of eighteen poems in the Quincy Whig during the 183941 period. At other times, she found she could not handle the choices she had made, much as Sarah in the Old Testament first encouraged her husband to marry her handmaiden and then discovered it was more than she was prepared to handle. [35] A Missouri map published in 1840 by L. Augustus Mitchell, on file in the National Archives Branch in College Park, Maryland, shows roads that provided two possible routes, an upper and a lower one. The additions were Elias Smith, Erastus Bingham, Stephen Markham, and James Newberry (History of the Church, 3:24954, includes 214 names of those who pledged). Emma Hale Smith was the seventh of nine children. In fear of threats that the bodies would be stolen or desecrated, coffins filled with sandbags were used in the public funeral of the two martyrs. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The city cemeterys tombstones marking where some two hundred Saints are buried are long gone, and the site has become farmland. Later, while reading the book History of the Prophet Joseph Smith by His Mother, I found Lucy Mack Smiths tribute to Emma: I have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year, with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which . The Saints exodus from Nauvoo took place a year and a half later, leaving Emma, a 41-year-old widow, with her aged mother-in-law, Lucy Mack Smith, and five children, ranging in age from fourteen years to fifteen months old, to care for. That party came to include Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, and John Taylor. "When Emma died, she was surrounded by her family and friends. Quincy was the closest Illinois city to Far West. If you look in the back of an LDS hymnbook, there is a whole section talking about meter as well. Abraham agreed to drive the Butlers wagon and two-horse team for Caroline, and Caroline let the Smoots put their baggage in the Butler wagon. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". [107] In todays currency, that equals $52,325,000 total, or $77,000 per petitioner. Smith came and consecrated the Temple Lot in June 1831. View our community standards here. Many could not get into houses, Newel said, and had to take shelter in wagons, tents, and under bedclothes and while in this situation we had a severe snow storm, which rendered their suffering intense. An acre of land in front of Lucy Mack Smiths home became completely covered with beds, lying in the open sun, where families were compelled to sleep, exposed to all kinds of weather. Houses in Far West were so full, Mother Smith said, that people could not find shelter. [8] After eleven days travel, they reached white Settlements on the Desmoine River in Iowa. Albert Rockwood and his family left Far West with another family on January 10. The next day, Richards wrote that Joseph was "busy with domestic concerns." Brigham, for all his strengths, had little patience for anyone who would betray the prophet, which he perceived Emma doing on multiple levels. My God is it you Bro. However, I discovered there was a different attitude about Emma. In total, these petitioners losses totaled $2,275,789an average of $3,761 per petitioner. While at LDS Living, she particularly enjoyed diving into the past and writing articles about little-known Church history stories or the Salt Lake Temple, though she wrote about a variety of topics. According to historian Richard Bushman, Joseph saw polygamy simply as a way to join families together for eternity. Bidamon married Nancy Sebree in 1827, with whom he had four children. But only three of the two dozen adults in Knight family network faltered. [27] That left the Saints no choice but to leave Missouri as soon as possible. She frequently found herself living in the homes of others and just as frequently took complete strangers into her own home. He had no steady occupation and was involved intensely with religion. At times, deep snows rubbed their wagon hubs during the journey. [22] William Huntington Diary, 7; Lyndon W. Cook, Joseph C. Kingsbury: A Biography (Provo, UT: Grandin Book, 1985), 61. When one was unable to find employment, she hired Jane Manning herself. At night they would build fires if they could find firewood. Bidamon was support for Emma in raising her five children. [62] Eliza Roxey (Snow) Smith, Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1884), 45. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Because Joseph Smith was in prison during the exodus, attention focuses here on Joseph Smiths 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. Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints leadership had always asked for help from the US government. Her family stayed behind after the Saints went West, and Elizabeth eventually remarried, the same year that Emma remarried. In order to understand this, we need to look at her personality and what she experienced prior to the death of Joseph.". A test passed by the faithful. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". One of the other items was a photograph of a family member that was mislabeled as being Emma. We are sensible, brethren, that you have done all that you could do in removing the poor Saints, they said, adding that nor have we, brethren, been backward in exerting our energies for that purpose. At Huntsville, the driver said his horses could not go on, so the Knights unhitched the wagon and camped. Shortly after Joseph's brother, William, was born in 1811, the Smiths moved to the small community of West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Why did God ask Emma Smith to accept the plates? That covenant became the foundation for the Churchs emigration programs from then until 1869, producing the Perpetual Emigrating Fund in 1849, the handcart program from 1856 to 1860, and the 1860s team trains going down and back from Utah to provide transportation to Utah for emigrants in need.[126]. First, Emma had intense anxiety over the protection of Joseph's and Hyrum's bodies. Carolines third task was to find some way to move the family and belongings from Missouri before spring. What happened to Emma Smith? In the October session of General Conference 1866, Brigham Young made these comments: "To my certain knowledge, Emma Smith is one of the damnedest liars I know of on this earth; yet there is no good thing I would refuse to do for her, if she would only be a righteous woman; but she will continue in her wickedness. Huntington estimated that in Daviess County the Saints lost nearly thirty thousand bushels of corn because of the militia takeover. Health problems and deaths. What a cold night that was! Mosiah recalled: The next morning the river was frozen over with icegreat blocks of frozen ice all over the river, and it was slick and clear. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. [Isaac] Streator, Feb. 22, 1839, in Eliza R. Snow Letter from Missouri, BYU Studies 13 (Summer 1973): 549. On May 10, Joseph Smith and his family moved into a small, two-story log house at Commerce, fifty miles north of Quincy, hoping that I and my friends may here find a resting place for a little season at least.[110] Church headquarters moved there, as did large numbers of the exiled Saints. While living at the Morley farm near Kirtland, Emma Smith gives birth to twins, who die shortly after birth. Joseph Knight Jr., for one, claimed $200 for a mill burned down, $50 for a house burned, $50 for 3 acres of land and 50 peach trees, $25 for hay and corn, $475 for losses of land and town properties, and $150 for expenses for moving twice. The first night, our wagon tipped over into the creek. Understanding how early Saints worked earnestly to build up the Church helps us better appreciate the value of their work. I found my family in good health though in the mud and snow half a leg deep in the camp. She admitted that she had been reluctant to give her children any formal religious lifejust personal reading of the Bible and Book of Mormonbecause she was afraid of a return to the many trials she had faced. [34] Smith, History of the Church, 3:255. The religion rapidly gained converts, and Smith set up . It took me a minute to find what you were looking at, but if I am correct, I see the PMs in Emma Smiths original hymnbook. Events of the 1838 Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials. 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. Newel prayed for help, for I knew not how to extricate myself but as I had never been forsaken by my Heavenly Father I commited myself and family into his care. For a week they were stranded, but finally a man asked his son to drive the Knights the rest of the way. About sixty individuals in that network restructured their everyday lives in or near Nauvoo and continued to follow Joseph Smith. He finally broke with all organized religion. Did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? . A few days later, Martha gave birth to a son she named after the Prophet. 4, Missouri (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2004), 28889, 361, 402. Some of Emmas friends, as well as many members of the Smith family, alienated themselves from Youngs followers. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 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. While her brothers and sisters attended only the traditional grammar school, Emma went on to do an extra year of schooling beyond that. 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. The mormon church is excellent with marketing, so many assume it's just a slightly strange but happy family filled religion. Why didnt Emma Smith go west with the Saints? From there, refugees had to cross the South and North Fabius rivers and mudflats to reach the Mississippi opposite Quincy. The Apostles group arrived at Far West soon after midnight on April 26. "Emma seemed to wax and wane in her acceptance of the practice," Delewski said. They received them as they came, sent forward all who had means and strength into the interior, provided the poor and sick with lodgings, fuel, food and clothing.[74] Wandle Mace opened his house to the refugees. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Many nights the floors, upstairs and down, were covered with beds so closely it was impossible to set a foot anywhere without stepping on someone elses bed.[75], Emma Smith and the children arrived on February 15. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. Joseph Smith Foundation director, author, film producer, speaker. Joseph Smiths parents tried to leave early in February, but Lucy said, Just as we got our goods into the waggon, a man came to us and said, that Sidney Rigdons family were ready to start, and must have the waggon immediately. 5 How old was Emma Smith when Joseph Smith died? Then three hundred militiamen escorted them away to face trial and prison. Throughout the years, she has remained a complex topic for both Mormons and non-Mormons. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. With discomfort on both sides, she soon found herself outside the mainstream of the church. Many of the Saints were glad to find shelter in my house from the storms, he said. Because if the LDS Church is false, none of those things matter! After his death she resisted encouragement to deny his role as a prophet. The Joseph Smith Papers project explains that Emmas work laid a foundation for the continued role of music in Latter-day Saint worship. Emma contributed in creating a distinct identity for the church because this hymnbooks lyrics emphasize key tenets of the religion.. [58] Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 8790. Emmas life was a complex one. Winter exposure and food shortages in Caldwell County and during exodus caused health problems for many and a host of deaths during 1839. Emma had 11 children (two were the adopted Murdock twins), and six children died in infancy. The refinement, the charity of our age, will not brook it. While Joseph was in jail, Emma made the decision to flee with the rest of the Saints to Quincy. Sorry about that! 8 What did Emma Emma do for the LDS Church? Events unfolded rapidly, with men from the neighboring towns staging raids on Nauvoo, trying to once again, drive out the Saints and claim their. There was scarcely a day while we were on the road that it did not either snow or rain, son John said. We all just made it on the opposite bank when the ice started to snap and pile up in great heaps, and the water broke thru! [108] The extended Knight familys losses were at least $14,562, or about $320,000 in todays currency. According to Emma's great-great-granddaughter, Gracia N. Jones, Governor ThomasFord and 60 of his men were dining in the Nauvoo Mansion House at 5:00 p.m. on June 27, 1844the approximate hour of Joseph and Hyrum's martyrdom. In order to do so, she crossed the frozen Mississippi river with two children clinging to her skirts and two in her arms. On March 5, Bishop Edward Partridge reported in Quincy that ice had been running for three days so that no one could cross the Mississippi. 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]. Shortly, twelve mobbers with rifles entered the tithing office and broke windows, tables, chairs, and seventeen clocks into matchwood. One threw iron pots at Theodore Turley, hitting him in the shoulder. John and his son Orrice walked. Mormon women have the specific responsibility to be righteous daughters of God; good, faithful wives; and loving mothers. And when people say she was wrong for remaining in Nauvoo, they are implying they know what she should have done," Richard Delewski said at the Sunstone Symposium on Aug. 13. Being forced from Missouri posed a test of faith that most Saints passed, but some failed, as the extended Knight family illustrates. [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. A Quincy Heritage Celebration was held July 24, 1999. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". [95] Kenney, Wilford Woodruffs Journal, 1:329. Baggage filled the wagon, so Martha and Caroline sometimes took turns riding next to Abraham, the driver, while the other walked with and carried children. I am blown away at how single-handedly he is responsible for the majority of what we know about the Nauvoo years and the very adventurous last few years of Joseph Smith's life. After Joseph Smith died, Emma Smith moved away from Nauvoo for about six months before returning. Joseph Smith. [102] See Missouri Republican (St. Louis), May 3, 1839. 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. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. In time, most of the houses were torn down for firewood or hauled away. She taught school before she met Joseph Smith. During Sunday dinner on November 5, Joseph became ill, rushed to the door, and vomited so violently that he dislocated his jaw. Her refined childhood and girlhood was not designed to give her the skills she needed in adulthood, and yet she managed nearly everything thrown at her. She was not perfect and made choices that seem hard for us to understand today. For example, in the support materials for the Joseph Smith manual, polygamy is once again nowhere mentioned. [32] The committee surveyed the needs and weighed requests for help. Along the way, he said he had to stop among strangers with my daughter who had given birth to a child on the prairie.[64] Elisha Whiting said his family was driven in the month of March through cold storms of snow and rain, having to make our beds on the cold wet ground which when we arose in the morning we often found drenched with water and then obliged to load our wet bedding into the waggon and move slowly forward.[65], About March 18, Wilford Woodruff, in Quincy and newly back from a mission, went to the river and looked across and saw a great many of the Saints, old and young, lying in the mud and water, in a rainstorm, without tent or covering. As a youth she learned to canoe on the Susquehanna River and became accomplished with horses. They say father was a fallen prophet. She also learned how to cook and be a good host when her parents ran a boarding house. John P. Greene reported that during the months of February and March, the Mormons who were already in Quincy, formed a committee among themselves, to aid to the best of their power the committee of Far West in giving assistance to their suffering brethren. [72] It is about 130 miles upriver from St. Louis and 45 miles directly south of where Nauvoo now is. https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/HTML/what_is_meter.htm. . Its an outstanding and award-winning biography that was the product of countless hours of primary research. 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. Shortly after her baptism in July 1830, Emma Smithwas called by God to compile a hymnbook to edify the Church. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Emma Smith was born in 1804 in Pennsylvania. "As a therapist, based on these words alone, I would have to say, 'Why would anyone even ask why she remained in Nauvoo?' (Emma's schism church.) She was told that her calling was to be a support and comfort to . Given these losses, it appears to me that Emma managed quite well.". Give us employment, the Saints pleaded, rent us farms, and allow us the protection and privileges of other citizens., The Quincy citizens committee passed a resolution which said that the Saints are entitled to our sympathy and kindest regard. Any Saints who because of sickness or destitution found themselves homeless, the committee decided, should appeal directly for assistance. Initially, when Joseph admitted to her that he had received a revelation about polygamy and was told he absolutely must carry it out, she accepted it. In the past three decades, there has been more published about Emma Smith in official church channels, including the new Daughters in My Kingdom manual, which mentions her very positively as the founder of the Relief Society, and the Gospel Doctrine manual for church history, which holds her up as an examplesomewhat reproachfullyof how to support ones spouse. She had a lock of his hair cut and given to her. With other refugees, she and six children ages two through nine accompanied their small wagon, pulled by a blind horse. How others feel about her decision, Delewski said, depends upon their own knowledge and understanding. She, in turn, was instructed by Joseph to officiate in these ordinances for the women, which she did until shortly before his martyrdom. 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. When morning came, he and Abraham Smoot crossed to Quincy, leaving their families with the wagon. To begin again in Illinois was heartbreaking. Browse the pages of the original 1835 hymnbook. Thomass version is in E. Kay Kirkham, Daniel Stillwell Thomas, Utah Pioneer of 1849, bound typescript, 26; wife Martha Pane Jones Thomass version in Kate Woodhouse Kirkham, ed., Daniel Stillwell Thomas Family History, bound typescript, n.d., n.p., 25; copies in authors possession. Since he did father many children with Emma, parenthood was possible, but there is, at this time, no biological proof of traditional marriage relationships and the only accounts came from others, not the women or Joseph. Emma and her family were forced to leave the state with the majority of Latter Day Saints. Then he had to be very careful for days to avoid capture. [46], During February the migration became more intense. Emma Smith was the wife of the first Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith. he spoke to her in that council in a very severe manner, and she never said one word in reply. He went to the room where the Committee of Removal was meeting and told them to wind up affairs and be off to save their lives. The second day we had to cross a long prairie, and were not able to reach the settlement. After a long time, Mother Smith said, We succeeded . Her love for Joseph was still quite deep, as was her love for her children.". Louis. In Daviess County on Caldwell Countys north side, Saints had begun building about 150 log houses at Adam-ondi-Ahman, and as many as 1,500 Saints in total lived in Daviess County. Emma was the seventh of nine children. They pulled out of Far West on February 18, leaving behind a house and farm. He referred to a handmade chart that showed the homes Emma Smith had during her 17-year marriage to Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. [22] Aroet Lucius Hale, age ten, recalled that while his father was helping others, My dear mother was lying sick in a wagon box in a tent.[23] James Carroll said that his family had to remain in an open frame in the Cold weather when the Snow fell in torrents and would Blow upon us in the Night and we with our Little ones would have to Crawl out of our Beds while the[y] were Coverd frequently with Snow that would blow in to the frame from the north and we had to endure it.[24] William F. Cahoon said, Both me and my family Suffred much on account of Could & hunger because we was not permitted to go out Side of the guard to obtain wood and provision.[25], After her husband John left, Caroline Butler faced three difficult tasks. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Her family was fairly well-off financially, and so Emma was well-educated for a woman of her time. Emma Smith had so much on her plate, so its inspiring to learn how she was willing to contribute to the growth of the Church while she was dealing with everything else. When the Twelve returned from Far West in early May, they rejoiced to see him a free man in Illinois. Caroline suffered from dropsy, or painful swellings, and the cold intensified her pain. Reaching the river, they joined Saints waiting to cross who had no shelter. [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. Joseph Smith's death on June 27, 1844, created tremendous upheaval for Emma. This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). Many people have focused almost entirely on the decisions she made in the last years of Joseph Smiths life and after his death, and sometimes those events trouble Mormons and please non-Mormons. John marked time until his family and his mother and brothers could join him in Quincy. They asked a committee of Latter-day Saints to provide them facts about the needy. Joseph had been translating the Bible before he was imprisoned, and Emma also carried these documents with her, hidden in bags under her skirts. "There's an image for you: a dark-haired 23-year-old woman racing down a country road, her hair probably flying in the wind, in order to notify her husband of an impending emergency," Delewski said. [86] Truman O. Angell Journal, reprinted in Kate B. Carter, comp., Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1967), 10:199. 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. God commanded and Joseph obeyed. But in a series of new essays, it describes the now-banned practice in detail. Five of her children survived to adulthood: Julia, Joseph III, Freddie, Alexander and David Hyrum. [58], The Butlers and Smoots reached the Mississippi on March 10 or 11. Dirty smoking school of prophets. Their chief settlement was Far West in Caldwell County. [123] Butler denounced the hard-heartedness that Missourians had shown his wife and children and Church authorities. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. "Remember, Emma was a woman of refinement and education. . My 11 year old granddaughter who is not baptized into the LDS Church wanted a poster after which we obtained and she visited with the actors and actresses. Her first three died so quickly they were not even named. 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 . Here is a link to LDS.org that lists all the meters used in the hymnbook. Emma saw in him what her family missed. Emma Hale Smith Bidamon passed away in Nauvoo on April 30, 1879 , and is buried next to Joseph. The Butler and Smoot families. Nontraditional. Emma knew better, but she also knew that a polygamous history would not serve her needs. Events of the 1838 Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials.