When a group of black Mormons arrived after a very difficult and painful journey fraught with danger and racial prejudice, their feet bleeding because they no longer had shoes, she sat them at her own dinner table and took them all into her home as guests until they could find work. The next day, Richards wrote that Joseph was "busy with domestic concerns." They had a reasonably good relationship despite these challenges. We have to look at her entire life, not just one portion of it. Print. Turley, Richard E., and Brittany A. Chapman. . There was scarcely a day while we were on the road that it did not either snow or rain, son John said. 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. [33] They sent agents eastward to deposit corn for Saints to use along the way, to contract for ferries, and to ensure security for the travelers. 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. An old man who was sympathetic to the needy Saints hired John to teach his children and grandchildren and neighbors children. [97] During a change of venue from Daviess to Boone County, Joseph Smith and the four others who had been in Liberty Jail were allowed to escape on April 16, and they found their way to Illinois safely. 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. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. If Brigham Young had one constant character trait, it was his absolute faithfulness to Joseph Smith. [23] Heber Quincy Hale, Bishop Jonathan H. Hale of Nauvoo: His Life and Ministry (Salt Lake City: the author, 1938), 64. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. It is the county seat for Adams County. Yet I knew little of these things, for our branch of the family was far removed from our Smith heritage. It nearly broke both of our hearts. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. a boy whom many Saints felt to be Smiths rightful prophetic heir, The biography Linda and Valeen published with Doubleday several years later. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 3 The process, like so many other endeavors in her life, Some of Emmas friends, as well as many members of the Smith family, alienated themselves from Youngs followers. [72] Roberts, Comprehensive History, 2:3. After Joseph Smith died, Emma Smith moved away from Nauvoo for about six months before returning. Quincy, he said, was full of memberseven though Saints were scattering out from there almost constantly. The exodus had no large, organized wagon trains. [71], Quincy is on the east bank of the Mississippi on a limestone bluff 125 feet above the river. After inspections, the Church agreed to buy twenty thousand acres of land at Commerce, Illinois, and across the river in Lee County, Iowa. While Joseph was in jail, Emma made the decision to flee with the rest of the Saints to Quincy. They took what scanty provisions we could muster. They walked and slept under the sky. They lived with his family and then with hers for a time. The weather was cold and severe, with snow to the depth of 1 foot. He also owned and rented out ten or twelve small houses he had built. Many of the Saints were converts who had sung hymns before. Why did Emma Smith leave the LDS Church? [75] Wandle Mace Autobiography, typescript, 3132, Perry Special Collections. That party came to include Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, and John Taylor. Delewski thinks she may have been the most promising of the Hale children because she had a rare additional year of schooling. Her family had a fair amount of money. Throughout the years, she has remained a complex topic for both Mormons and non-Mormons. [86] Truman O. Angell Journal, reprinted in Kate B. Carter, comp., Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1967), 10:199. [34] Smith, History of the Church, 3:255. . 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. She made an understandable effort to keep some of the property and this put her at odds with Brigham Young, since it was unclear which of those properties belonged to the church and which to her. 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. 6, p. 408-412 it records an "Address of the Prophet" on Sunday, May 26, 1844 where Joseph Smith states: "What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only . She found them both bleeding badly. Following Josephs murder, Emma refused to go west with the Saints. John Lowe Butler, for one, wanted his written record to stand as a witness against Missourians who were cruel to his suffering family during the exodus and earlier. [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. In the meantime, Emma assumed that because these men represented the Twelve they acted on direct orders from Brigham. As they moved on they found camp fires and tent poles already struck nearly all the way after this, apparently provided by the Committee of Removal. While her brothers and sisters attended only the traditional grammar school, Emma went on to do an extra year of schooling beyond that. Bidamon was support for Emma in raising her five children. Following Joseph's murder, Emma refused to go west with the Saints. She carried two children while two others hung on to her skirt. He was not, however, a member of her familys faith and in fact, had received a vision at age fourteen telling him not to join any existing church because none were completely right. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. 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 additions were Elias Smith, Erastus Bingham, Stephen Markham, and James Newberry (History of the Church, 3:24954, includes 214 names of those who pledged). What happened to Emma Smith? the management of the affairs of the Church devolves on you, that is the Twelve . Emma and Joseph's descendants grew up separated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How others feel about her decision, Delewski said, depends upon their own knowledge and understanding. Its a beautiful article, but its not a fully honest one; polygamy is not mentioned once anywhere. 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. About sunset we landed in Quincy, Lucy said. Those who hired him found him to be the best employee theyd ever hired. She even owned cows and other items, possibly given as payment from students. 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. [7], The shortest way out of state was to go north sixty to eighty miles into unsettled regions of present-day Iowa. In History of the Church Vol. Find out a few things you may not have known about this prominent woman in Church history. But Brigham died before she had the opportunity to speak with him. John marked time until his family and his mother and brothers could join him in Quincy. Joseph Smith. During the vandalism spree, a great portion of the records of the committee, accounts, history, etc. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. She was well-educated and taught school. [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 few ancient metal plates that were described as being similar to the Mormon origin were discovered by archaeologists in recent years but the golden plates havent been found yet. Sarah later became Emmas first counselor in the Nauvoo Relief Society. Joseph. When it entered his stomach he went to the door and threw it off. 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. Emmas life was a complex one. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Though there probably was an argument, the poisoning accusation was unfounded. [114] John Lowe Butler became a trusted workhorse for Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, serving as one of Josephs official, ordained bodyguards and later as a bishop in Spanish Fork, Utah. [123], Ghost towns and farms. [121] James Galligher claimed he was exposed to the weather in which sickness followed & the loss of one of my Children.[122] Innumerable such examples can be cited. The Lord says in Doctrine and Covenants 25:12, My soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.. [108] According to calculations found in Samuel H. Williamson, Six Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1790 to Present, MeasuringWorth, 2008, a dollar in the year 2007 is 29.99 times what a dollar is 1839 was worth based on consumer price indexes. Given these losses, it appears to me that Emma managed quite well.". Joseph quickly shut the door when he heard Emma coming, but Emma kept knocking and called out Eliza's . [122] James Galligher Petition in Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, 218. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He operated a large butcher shop by the river and a wholesale store by the boat landing. 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. Question: Why did Emma Smith and Brigham Young dislike one another? She, like others who knew him well, saw an innate intelligence, a willingness to work very hard, and great integrity. "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?' [82] Bennett, Quincythe Home of Our Adoption, 92. He told her that the judgments of God would come upon her forthwith if she did not repent. And where shall they be sent? the newspaper asked. He sealed that witness with his life. 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. [125] Photocopy of order, filed June 25, 1976, copy in authors file; also see transcript in LDS Church News, July 3, 1976, 4. Deseret News Archives, Deseret News Archives. That night at the prayer meeting, Richards, wrote in code that Joseph and Emma did not dress in the usual special clothing, a sign they were too much at odds to participate. Im interested in seeing which traditions she drew from. [80] The Mormons, Quincy Whig, March 2, 1839. Brigham Young University Since she left no journal, we dont really know what the entire truth about Emma Smith isbut we do know she was remarkable. [79] Smith, History of the Church, 3:270. [10] They crossed the icy Mississippi River, some at Quincy, where Charles C. Rich said, We found friends and was kindly received.[11], Another half dozen Mormon militiamen led by Dimick Huntington left separately. John and his son Orrice walked. 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. [31] Smith, History of the Church, 3:25054. Caroline went ahead and brought back some elders from a camp ahead to give Martha and Keziah blessings. [30] A second meeting on January 29 heard a partial report from the committee, after which Brigham Young proposed that Saints covenant to stand by and assist each other to the utmost of our abilities in removing from the state, and that we will never desert the poor who are worthy until they are safely out of state. A test passed by the faithful. [15] Hartley, Stand by My Servant Joseph, 291; Reed Peck, Reed Peck Manuscript (Salt Lake City: Modern Microfilms reprint, n.d.), 29. Required fields are marked *. She was told that her calling was to be a support and comfort to . 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. All rights reserved. Emma Smith The essentialeven phenomenalrole Emma played in bringing forth the Book of Mormon has been re-examined on many fronts. Is there a list anywhere of all the composers who had songs in Emmas 1835 hymnal? 7 Are Joseph and Emma Smiths descendants Latter-day Saints? [112] A Proclamation to the Saints Scattered AbroadGreeting, Times and Seasons, January 15, 1841, 6. When I reflect on how I found the gospel, I realize that my familys experiences informed two important pieces of my testimony. A day or two later, a ferry finally dodged through the ice and brought the women and children across.[59]. At Huntsville, the driver said his horses could not go on, so the Knights unhitched the wagon and camped. in getting one single wagon to convey beds, clothing, and provisions for our family, and luggage. The hymnbook she created included familiar favorites from other denominations and hymns newly written specifically for the Latter-day Saints. Thats likely why its content was acceptable for the Ensign nearly a century after the Church had begun distancing itself from polygamy. After a long time, Mother Smith said, We succeeded . Emma Smith played an important part in the Restoration of the gospel, and today, more than two centuries after her birth on July 10, 1804, Church members can still learn from Emma's example. They threatened to send the committee to hell jumping and put daylight through them. The men gathered up what they could and hastily fled from Far West within the hour. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Saints had until late March to vacate Missouri, but they started leaving in earnest during January. . Reaching the river, they joined Saints waiting to cross who had no shelter. 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. Then three hundred militiamen escorted them away to face trial and prison. 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. When pressed, Lindas bishop admitted he had received a similar call. Mental and emotional scars. 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. Though there probably was an argument, the poisoning accusation was unfounded. The Butler and Smoot families. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. While living in Pennsylvania, she rode a horse to warn Joseph Smith of people coming after the gold plates. In 1888 a Lyman Wight cabin was the only building standing in Ahman, and by 1970 it was totally gone.[124]. She would lose many of her children. [106] Fortunately, 678 petitions survive. Thank you for your insight about and compassion for Emma, and for taking the time to write about and share it with us. A decision to continue to gather. 1856Emma takes in orphaned Elizabeth Agnes Kendall, eight years old, and rears her as her own daughter . Quincy was the closest Illinois city to Far West. [20] The Life of Joseph Holbrook, 18061871, typescript, 46, Perry Special Collections. Emma Hale Smith Bidamon (July 10, 1804 - April 30, 1879) was an American homesteader, the first wife of Joseph Smith, and a prominent leader in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement, both during Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church). [42] Joseph Holbrook and two other men, to escape those that would like to do us harm, moved out the night of January 20. Terrie, you are a treasure. Learn about and browse the pages of the first hymnal of the Church. On February 19 the committee sent Charles Bird to visit Caldwell County and William Huntington Far West to determine how many families still needed assistance to move and to solicit means to help them. She worried if John had escaped Missouri or been caught. [Isaac] Streator, Feb. 22, 1839, in Eliza R. Snow Letter from Missouri, BYU Studies 13 (Summer 1973): 549. However, I discovered there was a different attitude about Emma. Dirty smoking school of prophets. He finally broke with all organized religion. 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. Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors, Mormonisms slow shift away from demonizing working mothers, Faith leaders urge Biden to sign executive order for reparations study by Juneteenth, For many congregations, wiping out medical debt has become a popular calling, More Jesus, less touching: 14 changes to the Mormon temple endowment ceremony, Real Housewife Heather Gay pens a juicy ex-Mormon memoir, How to stay Mormon after a faith crisis (if staying is what you want), Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. Brigham Young, remembering the covenant he asked the Saints in Far West to make to help move those in need, had members similarly covenant when preparing to leave Nauvoo for the West. She helped to care for Josephs mother and her mother-in-law noted that few women had endured as many trials as she had with so much grace. In July 1830, Joseph Smith received a revelation addressed specifically to Emma. 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. Fugitive John Butler, in Quincy, learned of their arrival, and he rowed across the river in a canoe, dodging ice. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Emma did, from time to time, offer approval of specific marriages. 4 (2000): 622. [58] Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 8790. The river froze over & we were obliged to camp close to the river 3 days and nights before we could cross in the boat, 6 waggons were with us at the time.[41], By mid-January, Saints were leaving Far West daily. [51] Ronald K. Esplin, The Emergence of Brigham Young and the Twelve in Mormon Leadership, 18301841 (PhD diss., Brigham Young University, 1981), 370; Times and Seasons, September 1840, 165. Its an outstanding and award-winning biography that was the product of countless hours of primary research. Im guessing something to do with the meter, but I cant figure it out! There are several reasons Emma stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death, but a few in particular stand out. 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. Caroline suffered from dropsy, or painful swellings, and the cold intensified her pain. The Twelve then offered kneeling prayer at the southeast cornerstone, sang Adam-ondi-Ahman, and dismissed so they could leave there for their missions to England. Extermination order not rescinded for 137 years. The streets and city square became corn fields. In response, when Saints reached safety they began filling out petitions for redress and having them notarized by justices of the peace and court clerks in two counties in Iowa and ten in Illinois. [72] It is about 130 miles upriver from St. Louis and 45 miles directly south of where Nauvoo now is. To his military leaders, it decreed, The Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary for the public good.[2] Four days later, that order reached Church leaders and members in northwest Missouri. B. H. Roberts, 2nd ed. The Mormon church has said for the first time that its founder Joseph Smith had up to 40 wives.
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