The religion rapidly gained converts, and Smith set up . Emmas role in Mormon history is as enigmatic as ever. . Given that Brigham was blamed by Emma for being the inventor of plural marriage, he probably felt rather ill-used by her. They started in February, but it was bitter cold, and they suffered fearfully, Caroline said. [106] Fortunately, 678 petitions survive. The day has gone by when masses of men can be outlawed, and driven from society to the wilderness, unprotected. For example, did Charles Wesley have any songs in her hymnal? . 7 Are Joseph and Emma Smiths descendants Latter-day Saints? 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. The religion he founded continues to the present day, with millions of global adherents. Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints leadership had always asked for help from the US government. When morning came, he and Abraham Smoot crossed to Quincy, leaving their families with the wagon. She handled nearly every trial with grace. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 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. The authors were alarmed, though Linda was comforted by her stake president, who told her, You are my parishioner, and I will see you through this no matter how long it takes.. After a quick Google search, I found out that PM probably stands for peculiar meter. I hadnt heard of that before, and it isnt in the current edition of the LDS hymnbook. [40] [Auto]Biographical Sketch of George Washington Gill Averett, typescript, 8, in Miscellaneous Mormon Diaries, vol. [98] Alex Baugh, We Took a Change of Venue for the State of Illinois: The Gallatin Hearing and the Escape of Joseph Smith and the Mormon Prisoners from Missouri, April 1839, in A City of Refuge, 3166. Conflicts between church members and neighbors also continued to escalate, and eventually Young made the decision to relocate the church to the Salt Lake Valley. Why? 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. Her heartaches were very real and would have been a challenge to any woman, particularly without the lens of understanding time brings. [60] Eliza R. Snow to Esqr. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992. One mobber shot a cow and, while it was still alive, skinned off a strip of hide from its nose to its tail, and tied his horse to a stump with it. [8] After eleven days travel, they reached white Settlements on the Desmoine River in Iowa. Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith . [116] A plague of sickness that befell Nauvoo residents in the summer of 1839 was due in large measure to physical debility caused by sufferings during the previous year. Mercy should be the watchwordnot blood, not extermination, not misery.. We put our goods into the wagon a second time, but the wagon was wanted for Emma and her family, so our goods were again taken out.[48] Stephen Markham, a member of the Committee of Removal, helped Emma Smith leave on February 7. Moroni first instructed Joseph to enlist his oldest brother, Alvin, to help him recover the plates. However, the hymns Emma selected were particularly special. At Adam-ondi-Ahman they obtained provisions from fellow Saints. Some of Emmas friends, as well as many members of the Smith family, alienated themselves from Youngs followers. Emma and Joseph eloped on January 18, 1827, in South Bainbridge, New York, and then went to live with the Smith family. 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. Emma Hale Smith was the seventh of nine children. Provo, UT 84602 [26], Some opinions downstate held that Mormons would not have to leave at all. [49] Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery, Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1984), 79. Im interested in seeing which traditions she drew from. John Lowe Butler, thirty, and wife Caroline, twenty-six, converts in Kentucky three years earlier, lived in Mirabile just south of Far West with their four children. 3 Why didnt Emma Smith go west with the Saints? 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]. Joseph Smith in Northern Missouri, 1838 - Religious Studies Center Because if the LDS Church is false, none of those things matter! These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The streets and city square became corn fields. During the exodus, Truman Angells wife Elizabeth, already ill, took a cold upon cold and was expected to die. You might also enjoy Emma Smith: My Storyor Emma and Lucy. Browse the pages of the original 1835 hymnbook. In the meantime, Emma assumed that because these men represented the Twelve they acted on direct orders from Brigham. [16] Baugh, A Call to Arms, 395; Reed Peck Manuscript, 29. [76] Smith, History of the Church, 3:262. Her funeral was held May 2, 1879, in Nauvoo with RLDS Church minister Mark Hill Forscutt preaching the sermon. 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. They appear, so far as we have seen, to be a mild, inoffensive people, who could not have given cause for the persecution they have met with. City leaders and residents suddenly had to deal with a humanitarian crisis thrust upon them. [115] Joseph Smith and Others to Edward Partridge and the Church, March 25, 1839, in Times and Seasons, May 1840, 102, and July 1840, 13132. Great questions! He had even dislocated his jaw while vomiting once before; and five weeks after the 1843 dinner episode, he was sick again, vomiting more violently than ever. 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. [72] It is about 130 miles upriver from St. Louis and 45 miles directly south of where Nauvoo now is. Newel and all men in the city had to surrender their arms. [86] Truman O. Angell Journal, reprinted in Kate B. Carter, comp., Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1967), 10:199. [55] The shoes belonged to the oldest boy, Morgan. had not heard anything from me during this time, neither dare I write to [them].[68], At a March 17 meeting, Saints in Quincy heard a letter read from the Committee of Removal in Far West asking for teams & money for the removing of fifty families of poor Saints from far west to Quincy.[69] On March 29 the committee in Quincy wrote to their counterparts in Far West sympathizing with their extreme labor and travail to move out the last poor Saints. How old was Emma Smith when Joseph Smith died? Her health partially returned, but she has never been able to work much since, her husband wrote in 1845. Why is Emma Smith honored by the Church and its members? - Ask Gramps 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. This most likely caused people to behave differently than they might have in gentler circumstances. Unlike the majority of Latter Day Saints, Emma Smith did not follow Brigham Youngs suggestion that the Latter Day Saints leave Nauvoo and settle in the Salt Lake Valley in present-day Utah. She had a home and her children and she just had to carry on the best she could. At the same time, much of the Church's debt was held by Joseph as a private citizenthus, Emma was liable for Joseph/the Church's debts, but had a less clear claim on the Church's lands that Joseph held as Trustee-in-Trust.[3]. That did not stop Emma, a visionary woman in her own sense of the word. They developed communities, farms, roads, livestock herds, commerce, and trade in parts of Adam and Hancock counties, Illinois, and in Lee County, Iowa. rev. Some participants in the Missouri exodus vented powerful feelings of anger, horror, outrage, and persecution. After one severe storm, Daniel said, Our corn bread was frosen so hard I had to take the ax and break it and give it to the children to gnaw at, the bread looking like chunks of ice. As many as one hundred families were camped along the banks, he said. What does the L.M., C.M. The temple site has been salvaged and given modern landscaping, but no houses remain. Not for Daniel Stillwell and Martha Payne Jones Thomas and their family. Mormons had a divorce rate of about 1 percent. How Orrin Hatch protected people of faith, KSL Newsradio is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary. [71] In 1837 the population was 1,653 according to Pat. [82] Bennett, Quincythe Home of Our Adoption, 92. [42] Joseph Holbrook and two other men, to escape those that would like to do us harm, moved out the night of January 20. [27] That left the Saints no choice but to leave Missouri as soon as possible. This forced expulsion of Saints from Missouri produced short- and long-term consequences, as enumerated here for various of the parties involved. 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. Here Samuel had hired a house and we moved into it, with four other families.[53]. [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. He did not court the women or put his proposals in romantic terms. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Brigham, after all, saw Emma as fighting against the man Brigham revered as the Prophet, and he knew that Emma knew that Joseph taught plural marriage. After Brigham Young assumed a leadership role, he and his supporters considered Joseph Smith's physical property as property of the church. [27] Gentry, Latter-day Saints in Northern Missouri, 41419. How others feel about her decision, Delewski said, depends upon their own knowledge and understanding. Social conversation and discretion were traits for which she was well-known. June 1831 [45] The Mosiah Hancock Journal (Salt Lake City: reprint by Pioneer Press, n.d.), 11. I could have commanded some two thousand dollars but now I had only 1 yoke of old oxen and 2 cows left.[20], Two families moved in with Newel Knights family. That larger move was led by Brigham Young and other Apostles whose first tutorial about moving a mass of people came during the Missouri exodus. I being barefooted and the ice so rough, I staggered all over. LM is long meter, CM is common meter, and so forth. The biography Linda and Valeen published with Doubleday several years later was not so guarded, detailing Josephs many polygamous alliances, his repeated lies to Emma about those marriages, and her conflicts with his plural wivesincluding a much-debated stair-pushing catfight with Eliza R. Snow. Events of the 1838 Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials. Latter-day Saint widow Elizabeth Kendall and her family first became acquainted with Emma at the Mansion House in Nauvoo. What Do We Know About Mormon Leader Joseph Smith's Wives? However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Joseph and Emma apparently discussing the nastiness of cleaning up from cleaning up spit on the . Saints had until late March to vacate Missouri, but they started leaving in earnest during January. So adamant was Emma on this point that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held it as an article of faith, and Emma's children never accepted the idea that Joseph had instituted plural marriage. Events of the 1838 Mormon War soon escalated, resulting in Joseph's surrender and imprisonment by Missouri officials. Training experience for 1846 exodus. Since she left no journal, we dont really know what the entire truth about Emma Smith isbut we do know she was remarkable. All but the youngest two had to walk every step of the entire distance. They were almost barefooted and some had to wrap their feet in clothes in order to keep them from freezing and protect them from the sharp points of the frozen ground. Son John, nine, later said that often the blood from our feet marked the frozen earth.[57]. Emma Smith was born in 1804 in Pennsylvania and had unusual opportunities for a girl in her time. Health problems and deaths. Why did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? - YouTube Emma Smith's Hymnbook - Latter-day Saint Insights There are several reasons Emma stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death, but a few in particular stand out. The oxen they had left could not pull all the load, so Newel unloaded part of his and Brigham Youngs goods and left them in the care of a friendly resident. [28] Greene, Expulsion of the Saints from Missouri, 8. We finally got across, and we were so glad, for before we reached the other side, the river had started to swell and break up. " Delewski said. 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). The Thomas family. After a long time, Mother Smith said, We succeeded . [9] The men split into two groups to avoid attention. The mormon church is excellent with marketing, so many assume it's just a slightly strange but happy family filled religion. [56] Daniel Stillwell Thomas Family History, 2729. Jannalee worked as a writer and editor at LDS Living for seven years before hanging up her press badge and starting the journey of stay-at-home motherhood. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The Mormon church finally acknowledges founder Joseph Smith's polygamy Emma's brothers and sisters were all named after family members, either on her mother's side or her father's. Lorenzo said that his pants were so shredded by bushes that he refused to face Iowans until someone brought him better pants. [15] Hartley, Stand by My Servant Joseph, 291; Reed Peck, Reed Peck Manuscript (Salt Lake City: Modern Microfilms reprint, n.d.), 29. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. [29] Smith, History of the Church, 3:249. The animosity toward Emma Smith after the death of Joseph Smith quickly became evident. I am already engaged on the other side.'[4]. To begin again in Illinois was heartbreaking. In jail in Richmond were Parley P. Pratt, Norman Shearer, Darwin Chase, Luman Gibbs, Morris Phelps, and King Follett. Years later, in the anti-Emma atmosphere of Utah, Brigham Young spoke of a meeting where Joseph accused his wife of slipping poison into his coffee. . The Missouri Arguss editor argued incorrectly on December 20, 1838, that they cannot be driven beyond the limits of the statethat is certain. My family . How come Joseph Smith's wife, Emma, joined the RLDS church instead of Smith came and consecrated the Temple Lot in June 1831. . Because of his position in the Illinois militia, he was often referred to as "Major" Bidamon. Reaching the river, they joined Saints waiting to cross who had no shelter. Being forced from Missouri posed a test of faith that most Saints passed, but some failed, as the extended Knight family illustrates. At the time, perhaps ten thousand Mormons were concentrated in two particular counties. [51] Elder Heber C. Kimball sent his family with the Youngs. 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]. Why did Ema Smith leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 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. [14] Autobiography of Anson Call, typescript, 13, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. Her husband Joseph Smith had been killed in 1844, and after his death Emma Smith decided to remain in Nauvoo. He instructed them to have the women pray about the request. He sealed that witness with his life. God commanded and Joseph obeyed. On February 7 and 8, both men visited Liberty Jail, then returned to Far West. [34] Saints used existing roads as much as possible, although some took detours to avoid problems with local residents or to avoid being recognized. And even when people did leave, they left reverently, speaking only in whispers. 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..