In examining the Smith family, I have attempted to extrapolate any evidence that would help ascertain the level of connection among family members. First, a background of the Smith parents attempts to determine the type of family connection they experienced in their families of origin. Next, I will provide an analysis of relational dynamics during the Smith children’s formative years, including events surrounding the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the organization of the Church, and Joseph Smith Jr.’s emergence as a prophet. Lastly, I will highlight the marital, parent-child, and sibling relationships over the course of the family’s life-span. It is hoped that this analytical format will result in a clearer picture of the Smith family relationships.
Figure 5. Pedigree and descendancy of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith [32]
Generational Cohesiveness
The Solomon and Lydia Gates Mack Family
Lucy Mack Smith’s parents, Solomon and Lydia Gates Mack, established a family environment that created a tightly knit family group. Lydia led out in the family’s secular and moral education. She made sure that each morning and night the family gathered for a devotional that included prayers and exhortations on the importance of loving each other within the family. As a result, the children reportedly gained habits of “piety and gentleness” that created a happiness within the home.1 Solomon recalled that “their mother’s precepts and example . . . had a more lasting influence upon their future character” than any other single factor.2
Perhaps the most convincing evidence of the closeness of the Mack family was the sibling relationships. Lucy’s older sisters, Lovisa and Lovina, both experienced lengthy terminal illnesses that illustrate the siblings’ devotion to one another. Lovisa, who became ill several years after her marriage, sent for Lovina to care for her. Lovina watched over her for the next two years, “observing [her] every change and symptom with deepest emotion.” Although she was given up for dead, eventually Lovisa recovered, only to have Lovina brought down to her sickbed.3
During Lovina’s illness, Lucy played the role of caretaker. She reports watching over Lovina for three years and never allowing herself “to go an hour, at a time, beyond the sound of her voice while she was sick.” Toward the end of Lovina’s prolonged illness, Lucy, although only thirteen years old, tenderly carried Lovina to her own bed, where she died in peace.4 [33]
Only a few months later, Lovisa became ill again and sent for her father. After Solomon arrived, she desired to return home with him—perhaps to visit her mother and siblings one last time. Solomon reluctantly complied and carefully cared for his daughter on the trip home. However, after four days on the trip, her illness worsened and she died. During her final hours, Lovisa’s thoughts were with her family, whom she had hoped to visit one last time. Before she died, Lovisa wrote a poem as a farewell to her family: “Father and mother, now farewell: And husband, partner of my life, Go to my father’s children, tell That lives no more on earth thy wife; That while she dwelt in cumbrous clay, For them she prayed both night and day.”5 These words stand as a testament to the affinity she felt towards her parents and siblings. At Lovisa’s request she was buried next to her sister Lovina, both having died of consumption in the same year.6
Both Lovisa and Lovina’s experiences with illness and death give us a glimpse into the Mack family. Typically, families either grow closer together or move farther apart following the loss of a family member. For the Mack family, the death of the sisters drew them together. Lucy struggled emotionally after the death of her sisters. She became so despondent that she felt life was not worth living. However, her parents and brother, Stephen, were aware of her struggle, and Stephen insisted on taking her back to his home in Tunbridge, Vermont, to care for her. The Mack parents agreed, feeling that this might help her deal with her grief. It appears to have had the desired effect, and Lucy lived with Stephen for the next year or so, met Joseph Smith, and later married. The closeness of these siblings is evident in the gift of one thousand dollars—a significant sum of money for the day—that Stephen and his business partner John Mudget gave to Joseph and Lucy at the time of their wedding.7 [34]
Another example of the closeness among Mack family members occurred when Lucy contracted consumption, the same illness that took the lives of her older sisters. During this time of illness, it was Lucy’s mother, Lydia, who looked after Lucy night and day. Lucy records, “My mother watched over me with much anxiety, sparing herself no pains in administering to my comfort.” After Lucy made a covenant with God, she was miraculously healed, and it was Lydia who exclaimed, “Lucy you are better.”8 We know that Lucy continued her association with her mother; the two lived in close proximity to one another for the next fourteen years, until Lucy and Joseph moved to New York.
When this happened, Lydia helped the family prepare to move. She intended to assist her daughter on the journey to Palmyra, but was severely injured near South Royalton when the sleigh (or wagon, as one account specifies) in which they were riding overturned. Lydia was then obliged to stay with some Mack relatives.9 As the time came for parting, both Lydia and Lucy sensed that this would be the last time they would see each other. The affinity that mother and daughter held for each other is evidenced in Lucy’s record, where she recounted,
Here I was to take leave of that pious and affectionate parent to whom I [was] indebted for all the religious instructions as [35] well as most of the educational priviledges which I had ever received[.] The parting hour came[,] my mother wept over me, long and bitterly. . . . She told me . . . to continue faithful . . . that I may have the pleasure of embracing you in another fairer World above.10
The bond Lucy experienced in her family of origin continued to manifest itself in her own family. Lucy’s attitude toward her own children and marriage served to create a strong sense of family identity for the Smiths.
The Asael and Mary Duty Smith Family
Joseph Sr.’s parents, Asael and Mary Duty Smith, also attempted to create a strong sense of family togetherness. Asael exuded extreme family loyalty. When his own father, Samuel, died leaving many outstanding debts, it was Asael who stepped up to ensure that his father would not “have it said of him that he died insolvent.” Despite the fact that the economy was in a depression and that he had eleven children of his own, Asael was able to pay off his father’s debts within five years. The fact that he also supported his stepmother throughout this time period makes his accomplishments quite remarkable.11
Probably the most critical factor that influenced Asael’s desire for a strong family connection was deprivation in his own upbringing. His mother died within the year of his birth, and he was largely raised by a stepmother. Asael later confessed that his [36] stepmother “did not treat him so kindly as some mothers treat their children.”12 Perhaps Asael summarized his feelings about this mistreatment when he counseled his wife that if she should remarry, she must “remember what I have undergone by a stepmother, and do not estrange your husband from his own children.”13 However difficult his own upbringing, Asael appeared determined not to let similar difficulties be a part of his own family. Yet, growing up without his biological mother and having his father somewhat detached, certainly had its effects. One of those effects appeared to be an increased attachment to his wife and children.
As his children grew, his strong sense of connection with various family members became more apparent. On one occasion, Asael bought a piece of ground in Vermont, while at the same time leasing land in Ipswich, Massachusetts. After the Vermont purchase, he planned to send his two oldest sons, Jesse and Joseph (twenty-three and twenty respectively), to prepare the land for the family to move to the next spring. But those plans were short-lived, and Asael “changed his mind, as he could not bear to have his boys so far from him. . . . He always loved to have his children close by.”14 Instead, in succeeding years Asael purchased several tracts of land of one hundred acres each, and “further conveyances hint at partnership with his sons.” It was difficult for Asael to have distance between him and his sons—his personality necessitated that they be near.15 [37]
Asael’s attitude toward his family is most clearly outlined in his writings. The very fact that he wrote a family address in his declining years and begins that address with “my dear selfs” is a testament to his close affinity for his family. In this address, he speaks to his wife and children. He begins by expressing his appreciation to his spouse, whom he thanks “with all the strength and powers that is in me, thank you for your kindness and faithfulness to me.” Yet most of the address centers on instructions to his children. He charges them,
Live together in an undivided bond of love. You are many of you, and if you join together as one man, you need not want anything. . . . I pray, beseech, and adjure you by all the relations and dearness that hath ever been betwixt us and by the heart-rending pangs of a dying father, whose soul hath been ever bound in the bundle of life with yours, that you know one another. Visit as you may each other. Comfort, counsel, relieve, succor, help and admonish one another. . . . Join together to help one another.16
What concerned Asael most was maintaining the unity and closeness he had tried to promote among the family. He wanted them to live the Christian principles that would enable them to stay close to each other and to their mother after his death. He was also [38] concerned about their teaching these same principles to their own children and hoped that they would reflect upon his words even after his decease. Joseph Sr., greatly influenced by the loyalty promoted in his father’s family, brought this same sense of devotion into his own home. In fact, both Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith came from very cohesive backgrounds, where solidarity among family members was encouraged and demonstrated. At no time is this more evident than in the 1820s, when the initial events of the Restoration took place.
Events of the Restoration
An understanding of how the Smith family responded to events surrounding the Restoration of the gospel, including Joseph Jr.’s emergence as prophet and president of the Church, deserves close scrutiny in examining the cohesiveness of familial relationships. Perhaps no other time period in Church history has been written about so extensively as the years between 1820 and 1830. This was a critical developmental period to the Smith family identity. During these years Joseph reported being visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ, Moroni, Peter, James, John, and a host of other angels. Additionally, Joseph was tutored by Moroni and subsequently translated and published the Book of Mormon. Lastly, the Prophet was called on to establish and officially organize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thus, it is imperative that we examine family members’ reactions to these critical events that shaped the remainder of their lives.
The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon—
A Family Affair
As soon as Moroni’s message was made known to Father Smith and later to the rest of the family, they all came together in support of Joseph Jr.’s sacred mission. There [39] is ample evidence that family members did not view these happenings as Joseph’s experience alone, but rather as fulfillment of familial prayers and searches for generations. Thus, it wasn’t just Joseph Jr. who was being called to do this great work, rather it was the Smith family who would band together to bring about God’s purposes. Nowhere is this more evident in the historical records than in the events that transpired in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the establishment of the Church.
The family’s involvement with these events materialized following Moroni’s initial visits, which occurred September 21 and 22, 1823. Several of Moroni’s warnings and commandments, as reported by Joseph Jr., designated familial involvement. One of the angel’s cautions was to make Joseph aware that Satan would try to tempt him to use the plates to get rich, because of the “indigent circumstances” of the family.17 An additional warning included a charge to keep these matters within the family, because if others discovered them, they would “want to kill [them] for the sake of the gold.”18 Further, the angel indicated that as soon as Joseph obtained the plates, his family’s name would be “cast out as evil by all people.”19 Finally, the messenger specifically directed Joseph to tell his father about the visitation. Family involvement was not just desired, it was commanded.
These very charges likely had the effect of binding the family closer together. In a sense, it became the family’s sacred mission to ensure that the plates were protected from outsiders. This common purpose and family secret drew family members together. In a sense, it was the family against the world. Knowing that others would stop at nothing to obtain the plates—even to the point of seeking their very lives—created a [40] sense of hypervigilance in looking out for each other. Family members had to be on their guard, not only to protect the plates, but to safeguard one another from those who were after the record for baser motives.
Although their family closeness did not begin with Joseph’s visions, it certainly was solidified by them. The family began almost immediately to cling together around the events of the Restoration. The family gathered each evening to discuss Moroni’s message and hear from Joseph about an ancient covenant people who had lived in the Americas. Mother Smith recounts the circumstances: “We continued to get the children together every evening, for the purpose of listening [to Joseph]. . . . I presume our family presented an aspect as singular as any that ever lived upon the face of the earth—all seated in a circle, father, mother, sons, and daughters, and giving the most profound attention to a boy, eighteen years of age. . . . The sweetest union and happiness pervaded our house.”20
The following year, in September 1824, Joseph Jr. felt that the time had come for him to obtain the record. The family was also aware of these circumstances, and they were deeply concerned about their son and brother. At his attempt, Joseph was informed by Moroni that the time had not yet come for the plates to be delivered, for Joseph was not yet sufficiently prepared. The family, expecting him to bring home the record, met him at the door as he returned from his interview with Moroni. When his father inquired why he could not obtain the plates, Joseph replied that the angel would not let him, because he [41] had not been completely faithful to the original charge. Mother Smith concludes this scenario: “We, therefore, doubled our diligence in prayer and supplication to God.”21 It is notable that Mother Smith emphasizes that it was the entire family who doubled their collective efforts in order that they might obtain the record. The whole family was now involved with the intimate details of Joseph’s interaction with the angel and began laboring together to ensure that Joseph would secure the record.22
This family mission to obtain the plates, combined with the accompanying sense of protection felt by family members, increased as Moroni’s warnings began to come to pass. Joseph experienced severe persecution, which included such things as physical assault, harassment, and lawsuits. It wasn’t long until these difficulties extended to the entire family. The familial reactions to these increased hardships reveal much about the character of the family.
As early as 1820, the family began to deal with external conflict in their hometown of Palmyra. When Joseph made known his vision of the Father and Son to a local minister, he was treated with contempt and disdain. Further, in telling of this vision he incited “bitter persecution,” which gradually increased against him, and he became the focus of many ministers’ mistreatment.23 It was also about this time that someone attempted to kill Joseph by firing a shot at him from underneath a [42] wagon. Although the assailant missed his target, it distressed the family, who immediately went in search of the assassin. Although they could not find the individual, experiences such as these increased the vigilance of the family in looking out for each other. Father and Mother Smith’s protectiveness of their son Joseph intensified to a point that if he was a half hour late in coming home they became “apprehensive of some evil befalling him.”24
On one occasion, the younger Joseph came home and reported that he had just received the “severest chastisement” of his life. Thinking that a neighbor had reprimanded his son, the protective father responded that he “would like to know what business anybody has to find fault with you!” Joseph, attempting to ease his father’s anxiety, explained that it was the angel Moroni who had chastised him.25 This experience illustrates the protective attitude of family members for one another, which increased after experiences with antagonists.
As the time approached when Joseph was to receive the plates, the whole family became more intensely involved in obtaining the sacred record. On the evening of September 21, 1827, Joseph approached his mother and asked if she had a chest with a lock and key. Mother Smith records that she knew “in an instant what he wanted it for,” an obvious indication of her foreknowledge of, and involvement with, his obtaining the plates. Unable to meet his request, she spent several sleepless hours praying for Joseph’s success while he and his wife, Emma, were at the Hill Cumorah.26
The couple was still missing during the early morning hours as the rest of the family, unaware that they were gone, arose and came to breakfast. Mother Smith then assumed the role of protector of [43] her son. She had previously formed a covert alliance with Joseph to ensure that no one interfere with his obtaining the ancient record. She managed to put off her husband, who desired to eat breakfast with his missing son. She also managed to bide some time with Joseph Knight Sr., who became alarmed when he noticed his horse and wagon—which Joseph and Emma had borrowed—was missing. Due to Lucy’s efforts, Joseph and Emma had enough time to obtain the plates, breastplate, and Urim and Thummim without attracting the notice of the rest of the family or friends.27 Once the mission was completed, Joseph told all those in the household, including the visitors, about all that he had obtained.28
After receiving the plates, the family came together to protect them from outsiders. Before Joseph had even brought the plates to the house,29 the family discovered a plot being concocted to wrest the plates from him. It was the overprotective Father Smith who discovered that a dozen or so men were scheming to find “Joe Smith’s gold bible.” He proceeded directly to the home of Samuel Lawrence, a leader of the group, and sat outside the door, hoping to learn of their plans. When he was satisfied he had learned of their determination to steal the plates, the elder Joseph hurried home to locate his son and the plates. [44]
After learning of the danger reported by Father Smith, Emma volunteered to deliver the warning message to her husband, who was working in nearby Macedon. Emma told Joseph what had transpired, and they immediately rode home together. On their arrival, the Prophet found his father distraught with worry, reportedly pacing back and forth while awaiting his son’s safe return. Mother Smith was also concerned about the safety of the plates and felt “apprehensive that enemies might discover their place of deposit.” Joseph Jr. attempted to reassure his parents and other family members that the record was safe for the time being, but immediately began preparations to retrieve them from their place of seclusion.30
Retrieving and Protecting the Plates
As soon as Joseph Jr. arrived home, the whole family began to prepare for the arrival of the record. As the family anticipated its arrival, there was a feeling of great excitement in the household. At least part of this anticipation had to do with the expectation of family members that they would both see and handle the plates of gold, the fulfillment of four long years of family preparation.31 Although Joseph had shown family members other artifacts, including the Urim and Thummim, it was the ancient record that the family was most concerned [45] about.32
With his arrival at the homestead, Joseph set in motion events that illuminate the family’s unity in obtaining the record. He immediately sent his younger brother Don Carlos down the road to retrieve their older brother Hyrum.33 Upon Hyrum’s arrival, Joseph proceeded to instruct him to have a chest, including lock and key, ready to go by the time he returned from the woods with the plates. Hyrum returned to his place of residence, and Joseph went in pursuit of the plates while the family anxiously awaited his return.34
The retrieval of the plates did not go as smoothly as planned. After taking the plates from the birch log in which they had been hidden, Joseph wrapped them in a linen frock. While journeying home, he was physically assaulted three times, which caused a severe injury to his hand. When he finally reached the Smith property, he was severely shaken and out of breath. After recovering a little, he finished his arduous journey and entered the house.35
From the moment he entered the home, the family was prepared to receive him. Younger sister Katharine took the plates from him and set them on the table. She [46] watched over him until he was able to catch his breath and treated his bruised hand.36 A neighbor, Martin Harris, recalled that Mother Smith was also involved in receiving the plates and looking after Joseph upon his arrival.37
After recovering some, Joseph asked eleven-year-old Don Carlos to send their father in pursuit of the attackers, a request he instantly obeyed. After Don Carlos had completed the task, Joseph then sent him to get Hyrum, so that he could put the plates into the previously requested chest. Hyrum’s anxiety was manifest as soon as Don Carlos arrived. On seeing his brother, he dropped the cup from which he was drinking, jumped from the table, dumped the contents of the chest, and rushed out of the house, to the surprise of his sisters-in-law, who were present. When Hyrum arrived at the frame house, Joseph used the chest to lock up the record. Unable to locate the attackers, Father Smith arrived in time to hear his son relate the entire episode to his family and several close friends who had gathered around him. The younger Joseph then asked his father to put his dislocated thumb back into place.38
Within forty-eight hours of receiving the plates, the warnings from Moroni had been verified in the minds of all the family members. The roles Father and Mother Smith, Hyrum, Katharine, and Don Carlos played in protecting both the plates and Joseph Jr. are well documented. We can safely assume that other family members, if they were present, were also actively involved. Over the next few years, the family would thwart other [47] attempts of enemies trying to get the plates. As rumors spread that Joseph had obtained the plates, many people stopped by to get a glimpse of the treasure. When the family refused, so as to honor the angel’s commission, persecution increased.39
The two oldest sisters, Sophronia and Katharine, remembered this time as one in which the “atmosphere of the home became charged with watchfulness, obligation, and care lest someone might at an unguarded moment seize the plates and make away with them.” Katharine, along with other family members, was ever vigilant in looking out for her brother’s safety. On one occasion, on hearing a ruckus outside, Katharine hurriedly opened the door and found Joseph Jr. attempting to escape a mob who were seeking to find the plates. On seeing Katharine, Joseph thrust the wrapped plates into her arms, instructing her to quickly take and hide the plates, as he rushed off into the darkness. Katharine, apparently prepared for such circumstances, rushed to her room where her older sister, Sophronia, helped her hide the bundle in their bedding. The girls then pretended to be asleep. The mob, unable to locate Joseph, began searching the house. Notwithstanding their determination to obtain the plates, when the mob saw the sleeping sisters, they left them undisturbed.40
In yet a different set of circumstances, Joseph Jr. became apprehensive about the safety of the plates. Fearing that a mob would soon be approaching, the family was on [48] high alert. After burying the plates and breastplate under the fireplace hearth, the foreseen band was heard approaching. Borrowing a strategy picked up from his Grandfather Mack, Joseph rallied his father, Samuel, William, and Don Carlos to rush out of the house. The younger Joseph barked out commands as if he had a “legion at hand,” and the confused mob disbanded, fleeing into the nearby woods.41
As the events of the Restoration unfolded, persecution continued. During these critical years, parents and siblings came together to protect the plates and each other to fulfill their family mission—to establish the kingdom of God. This became increasingly the case as the family became more and more ostracized from the community in which they were living. All family members began to feel this sense of isolation.
William reflected that “we never knew we were bad folks until Joseph told his vision.”42 Sophronia experienced great discouragement as her peers withdrew their friendship, which reportedly became such a trial to her that it negatively affected her physical health.43 Likewise, Joseph Jr. reports that he was “hated and persecuted” for making known his vision.44 However, the persecution the family jointly experienced served to bind them together, rather than pull them apart. As they were rejected in society, they were increasingly drawn into their family relationships. Thus, as persecution increased, so did bonds between family members. These events not only served to heighten the family feeling of connectedness, but also confirmed to the family the truthfulness of the angel’s warnings, Joseph Jr.’s [49] prophecies, and thus the legitimacy of the family mission. The entire family wholeheartedly accepted the truthfulness of their son and brother’s mission and lent their support to further the cause he had espoused.
A Prophet among Them
This familial support began following Joseph’s visions in the early 1820s. At the time young Joseph received his first vision of the Father and the Son, he received a promise that “the fulness of the gospel should at some future time be made known” to him.45 The fulfillment of this promise began when Joseph prayed on September 21, 1823, and was tutored by Moroni on three separate occasions during that night. The next morning, the angel visited Joseph a fourth time, commanding him “to go to [his] father and tell him of the vision.” Joseph obeyed, and his father replied that “it was of God . . . and to go and do as commanded by the messenger.”46
Joseph Smith Jr’s parents became their son’s first converts, and his siblings soon followed. The younger Joseph indicated that his father “was the first person who received my testimony after I had seen the angel, and exhorted me to be faithful and diligent to the message I had received.”47 Even the Prophet was somewhat surprised that his father should accept so readily his miraculous experiences with Moroni.48 His acceptance must have greatly comforted the seventeen-year-old boy, [50] whose prior revelatory experience had been scoffed at by local ministers. Mother Smith also supported her son, viewing his call to bring forth the record as the fulfillment of her prayers. In fact, his parents were his greatest supporters in a cause that was largely suspect by most societal standards of the time.
Within a few years, that loyalty would be tested. Father Smith was imprisoned in the fall of 1830 by those who opposed the work of his son Joseph. Although offered an escape if he would “burn up those Books of Mormon,” Joseph Sr. held fast and subsequently spent the next month in a dismal jail cell, with little to eat or drink. Even in these trying circumstances, Father Smith continued to testify of his son’s mission. During his stay he managed to preach to and convert two individuals, whom he later baptized following his release from prison.49
Mother Smith also had ample opportunity to declare her support of her son. When confronted or challenged concerning her support of her prophet-son, she was unwavering. On the occasion of her husband being taken to debtor’s prison, Lucy testified that “God has raised up my son to bring forth a book, which was written for the salvation of the souls of men . . . and you think . . . you will compel us to deny the work of God, and destroy a book which was translated by the gift and power of God. . . . We shall not burn the Book of Mormon, nor deny the inspiration of the Almighty.”50
In yet a different set of circumstances, when confronted by a committee from the [51] Western Presbyterian Church as to whether she had been deceived, Lucy was firm in her conviction and loyal to her son. Said she, “If you should stick my flesh full of faggots, and even burn me at the stake, I would declare, as long as God should give me breath, that Joseph [Jr.] has got that Record, and that I know it to be true.”51
Joseph’s siblings were similarly supportive. Younger brother William reflected the family’s attitude towards Joseph’s experiences: “We all had the most implicit confidence in what he said. He was a truthful boy. Father and Mother believed him. Why should not the children?”52 William further summarized the family sentiment, indicating that from the time Joseph first related his experience with the angel Moroni,
the whole family were melted to tears, and believed all he had said. Knowing that he was very young, that he had not enjoyed the advantages of a common education; and knowing too, his whole character and disposition, they were convinced that he was totally incapable of arising before his aged parents, his brothers and sisters, and so solemnly giving utterance to anything but the truth.53
These statements summarize the family feeling at the time and reflect their unanimous acceptance of their son and brother and his mission. This unanimity is even more remarkable when one considers that Joseph was not the oldest, but rather the fourth- [52] born in a family of nine children.
One might think that the older siblings in particular might have felt some jealousy as the family focus riveted on their younger brother. Yet just the opposite appears to be the case. Alvin, the oldest son, showed great trust in his youthful brother’s story. After Moroni’s fourth visit on September 21–22, 1823, it was Alvin who obeyed Joseph’s request to bring their father to him to hear of the visitation. It was also Alvin who perceived Joseph’s fatigue later that evening and proposed that all should work hard enough the next day in order to have time in the evening to listen to his experiences.54 Mother Smith recalled that Alvin “manifested a greater zeal and anxiety in regard to the record . . . than any of the rest of the family,” a clear indication of his acceptance of Joseph’s experiences. Even on his deathbed, Alvin counseled his younger sibling to “do everything that lies in your power to obtain the [r]ecord. Be faithful in receiving instruction, and in keeping every commandment that is given you.”55
Hyrum’s loyalty to his younger brother-prophet is well documented. He also listened to Joseph recount his experiences with the angel Moroni during the nightly family gatherings. Even before the Church was officially organized in 1830, Hyrum desired to tell others of his brother’s story and testify of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.56 On one occasion, when Hyrum was challenged by [53] local ministers as to the possibility of his being deceived by his younger brother concerning the Book of Mormon, Hyrum defended Joseph and “testified boldly” as to its truthfulness. Hyrum then challenged the ministers to read and pray for themselves so that they too could receive a testimony of the book.57 Hyrum believed firmly in his younger brother’s claims of being a prophet, seer, and revelator.
Sophronia, the older sister of the prophet, also supported his mission and calling. She became a member of the Church “from the time it was established.”58 Her support is evidenced by her following her brother to Kirtland and Far West and then to the Nauvoo area. All these migrations occurred after she was married, in spite of her husband’s often wavering belief.59 She also received her temple endowment on December 23, 1845, following the death of Joseph and Hyrum.60
In addition, the family’s missionary efforts indicate their belief in and acceptance of Joseph as a prophet. Some of the earliest converts, even before the organization of the Church, came through the missionary efforts of the Smith parents. Some of the individuals whose belief in the Book of Mormon was likely strengthened by Father and Mother Smith were Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, Orrin Porter Rockwell, and Thomas B. Marsh.61 Hyrum’s testimony also played a critical role in the conversion of early converts such as Parley P. Pratt, Solomon Chamberlain, Jared Carter, and Ezra Thayre.62 [54]
Samuel was an early missionary and a major contributor to the eventual conversion of several individuals in Brigham Young’s family. During the year and a half following the organization of the Church, Samuel’s labors included traveling over four thousand miles and establishing several branches of the Church.63 In August 1830, Father Smith, along with his son Don Carlos, traveled to St. Lawrence County, New York, to preach and to sew the seeds that would ultimately lead to the conversion of much of Joseph Sr.’s immediate family and a Baptist by the name of Solomon Humphrey.64 Hyrum also labored and preached whenever opportunity arose as he presided over the newly established Colesville, New York, branch of the Church.65 The expansion of the early Church in New York was materially aided due to the combined missionary efforts of the Smith family.
As time went on, the family recognized that through the Restoration and Joseph Jr.’s instrumentality, many of their hopes and prayers were to be fulfilled. The family became firsthand witnesses of the Restoration and Joseph’s most ardent supporters. Hyrum testified, “I had been abused and thrust into a dungeon, and confined for months on account of my faith, and the testimony of Jesus Christ. However I thank God that I felt a determination to die, rather than deny the things which my eyes had seen, which my hands had handled, and which I had borne testimony to.”66 Further, Hyrum knew and testified that his brother Joseph was “the Prophet of the Lord that Was RaisD up in the last Days.”67 Samuel testified, “I know the book [of Mormon] to be a revelation from God, translated by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, and that my brother, Joseph Smith, Jun., is a prophet, seer and revelator.”68 [55] Finally, Joseph indicated that his younger brother Don Carlos “was one of the first to receive my testimony” and at the young age of fourteen “bore testimony to the truth of the latter-day dispensation.”69
The Smith sisters were just as supportive, although less visible. To those who visited her, Sophronia frequently testified of the “truth of the work” that her brother had been instrumental in bringing forth.70 Katharine similarly testified, “I am the only surviving sister of the martyrs Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and will soon be 73 years old. I can testify to the fact of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and also to its truth, and the truth of the everlasting gospel as contained therein. . . . While I can I will bear my testimony to the truth of the latter day work, both spiritual and temporal. I know that it is true.”71
While in most circumstances a “prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin” (Mark 6:4), this was not the case in the Smith home. As soon as Joseph Jr. made known his mission, family members rallied around and gave him their unyielding support. His declaration of visions and the appearance of angels was not unique in his day,72 but for an entire family to accept and follow his lead was peculiar. One factor that certainly played a role in family members’ acceptance of Joseph as a prophet of God was the familial bond that was already in place within the Smith family when the events of the restoration [56] unfolded. This closeness did not originate within this immediate family, but rather was an outgrowth of the Smith parents’ youthful experiences in their own families. All family members unequivocally accepted his calling, notwithstanding that the Prophet himself felt that if he had not experienced what he had, it would have been difficult for him to believe it.73 All of the Smith family, including spouses, lent their support as they followed Joseph Jr. to Ohio, Missouri, and on to Illinois, where he and his brother Hyrum were later martyred.
Parental Personalities
It is helpful to analyze each of the Smith parents’ personalities, to better our understanding of their subsequent relationship. Joseph Sr. appears to be quiet and unassuming throughout the historical records. His personality reflected a very humble manner. Evidence of his nature is implicit in the numerous patriarchal blessings administered to the Saints in the years 1833 to 1840.74 Often he began these blessings with wordings something akin to “thy servant lacks wisdom and asks thee,” or “thy servant feels his weakness and claims assistance.”75 Even in his family relationships his manner seems reserved and affectionate. He was a tenderhearted man, who often showed his emotion by weeping during difficult circumstances.76 [57]
Yet even with this kind disposition, Father Smith was still able to confront difficult situations. During young Joseph’s leg operation (see chapter 5), Joseph Sr. held his son throughout the gruesome and painful surgery. When persecution was at its height in the Palmyra vicinity, it was Father Smith who led out in protecting his son, even to the point of putting his own life in jeopardy. He stood up to his creditors in Palmyra by defending his belief system. He defended his family’s reputation by taking out an ad out in the local paper to counter rumors that the family had dug up Alvin’s body for occult purposes.77 Joseph Sr. could assert himself when necessary.
Antagonists of the Church have often highlighted Father Smith’s use of alcohol as an influential factor in the family. Most of the neighbors’ reports of his alcoholism were collected by Philastus Hurlbut and Arthur Deming, two individuals clearly antagonistic towards the Prophet and his family and whose sole purpose was to disparage their reputation and thus refute the legitimacy of the Church’s foundation.78
Notwithstanding, Father Smith admitted to being “out of the way through wine” on occasion. What “out of the way” entails is entirely left to speculation. Richard L. Bushman argued that Joseph Sr.’s statement is referring to a time prior to Hyrum leaving home in 1826, because “there is no evidence of intemperance after the organization of the Church.”79 Whatever the case, the Smiths do not fit the model of a typical alcoholic family, and the children do not manifest the typical symptoms characteristic of adult [58] children of alcoholics.80 Others have argued the point, but recent analysis suggests inconclusive evidence of alcoholism on the part of Father Smith.81
Father Smith appeared to have a quiet strength, a strength that was felt by the family. His children often sought blessings and counsel from him, particularly in difficult circumstances.82 When separated from her husband, Lucy felt great strength in reuniting with him for both his emotional and temporal support.83 He enjoyed close connections with his children. They respected their father and considered it a blessing to have his companionship and wisdom. Joseph Jr. indicated the great benefit it was to him to have both “his [father’s] company and advice, esteeming it one of the greatest earthly blessings to be blessed with the society of [a father] . . . whose mature years and experience render [him] . . . capable of administering the most wholesome advice.”84
Lucy was as outspoken and assertive as her husband was unassuming and [59] reserved. She was the one who stood up to a team of doctors who wanted to amputate young Joseph’s leg. She stated boldly, “Gentlemen, what can you do to save my boy’s leg?”85 When her husband was forced to flee New York for Ohio due to increased persecution, it was Lucy who led the Fayette Branch of the Church in their migration westward when others vacillated. This was a remarkable feat, given that the migration occurred in the dead of winter and she was fifty-five years old at the time.86 She could be stubborn at times, refusing to obey if it went against her value system. Lucy stood up to and effectively dealt with ministers, neighbors, creditors, a teamster, leaders of the Church, and members of her family.87
Because of her ability to deal with difficult situations assertively, she was well respected by those who knew her. On one occasion when Porter Rockwell’s mother had difficulties in disciplining her son, she deferred to Lucy, saying, “Mother Smith, do get Porter back, for he won’t mind any body but you.”88 One friend of the family remembered her as being “one of the finest of women—always helping them that stood in need.”89
At the same time there was another side to Lucy’s personality. Richard L. Bushman summarizes:
Lucy was a comforter too. She was the one to pace the floor with Sophronia clasped to her bosom until the child began breathing again. When Joseph’s leg began to swell, Lucy carried him much of the time. She had covenanted with God [60] during an earlier religious crisis to comfort her family to the best of her ability, but her comfort was more intense and high-strung. After Sophronia caught her breath, Lucy sank to the bed, “completely overpowered by the intensity of my feelings.” She carried Joseph so much that she was taken ill herself. “The anxiety of mind that I experienced, together with my physical overexertion, was too much for my constitution, and my nature sunk under it.”90
Lucy could also be tender and affectionate in her family relationships. Some have interpreted Lucy’s self-description as an indication of clinical depression,91 but when balanced in light of the circumstances, it appears to be a very normal response to the extreme stresses Mother Smith experienced. Rather than indicating depression, the remarkable resiliency of Mother Smith is a testament to her emotional health. The very fact that she returned to activity and continued to assume leadership roles and be assertive in her relationships is evidence that she was not clinically depressed. As Lavina Fielding Anderson has intuitively surmised,
It seems to me that depression at such . . . time[s] would be altogether normal, not clinical. . . . Grief and ill health can certainly contribute to episodes of depression; but do they provide evidence that Lucy was chronically or clinically depressed? And from two episodes that may or may not have been clinical depression, is it safe or responsible to hypothesize [61] a continuing condition?92
The Smith parents also shared certain qualities. Both seemed to be equally concerned about their roles as parents. Each parent felt strongly about the instruction of their children, and when circumstances permitted they sought out educational opportunities.93 Father and Mother Smith also taught their children to work. They both had strong religious backgrounds and sought to instill these values in their children, although Lucy’s approach was more formal than her husband’s. The parents also shared with their children a belief in the miraculous. Finally, the couple was jointly charitable towards those who were forlorn, frequently taking individuals into their home to provide for their basic needs. These commonly held values served to unify them as a couple.
Interfamilial Relationships
Marital Relationship
Very little is known about Joseph Sr. and Lucy’s relationship. Lucy’s historical narrative offers only a few glimpses into the relationship. However, these few instances may be representative of their overall feelings for one another.
Lucy’s narrative reveals a glimpse of the marital relationship in 1802 to 1803, at a time when Lucy became deathly ill. Joseph Sr. was particularly vigilant in looking after Lucy during this episode. Taking her by the hand, he lamented, “Oh, Lucy! my wife! my wife! you must die! The doctors have given you up; and all say you cannot live.”94 [62] Fortunately, Lucy went on to recover. Yet the tender emotions expressed and the diligent care manifest during a difficult hour revealed their concern for one another. As the couple endured many difficulties, aspects of their relationship became increasingly apparent.
About 1811, Sophronia contracted a severe illness that lasted the better part of three months. The exhausted couple watched tirelessly over her. During the bleakest hour, Lucy recounted, “As she thus lay, I gazed upon her as a mother looks upon the last shade of life in a darling child. In this moment of distraction, my husband and myself clasped hands, fell upon our knees by the bedside, and poured out our grief to God, in prayer and supplication, beseeching him to spare our child yet a little longer.”95
This reflects another aspect of their relationship. The Smith parents were a partnership that would turn to prayer when in need of comfort. But it wasn’t just during difficult times that this couple engaged in religious activities. Morning and evening prayers, which included hymn singing, were a daily ritual in the home. William recalled the circumstances: “I was Called upon to listen to Prayrs boath night and morning. My Fathers favourit evening hymn runs thus ‘The day is past and gone / The evening shades appear / O may we all [63]/ Remember well / The night of death draws near.’ Again and again was this hymn sung while upon the bending knees[.] My parents Father and Mother pourd out their Souls to God the doner of all Blessings.”96
The couple were also affectionate towards each other. Lucy described her husband as being an affectionate and tender companion.97 She also had such intense feelings for her husband that she indicated a willingness to sacrifice her life for him. Even years after losing her beloved husband, Lucy reflected a yearning to hold the “warm hand” of her husband and “rest [her] weary head upon that affectionate breast that supports it now no more.”98 This statement clearly confirms the support she experienced while he was still living.
Joseph Sr. shared similar feelings for his beloved companion. On several recorded occasions he articulated his feelings for his beloved spouse. The first, said indirectly during a recorded speech of Father Smith, reflected his attitude towards marriage: “I wonder how men find forgiveness for making light of . . . women[.] you must be careful[,] the sealings are . . . sacred[.] women are the jewels of God. Does a man love a woman less because she has a wrinkle or gray hair or turn to a fair face although she has borne children—now be to her faults a [64] little blind—cherish love and take care of her.”99
This statement takes on greater significance when one considers that this speech was likely given during the last year of Joseph Sr.’s life (1840). Therefore, one can read between the lines and ascertain his feelings and attitude towards Lucy, who likely had a “wrinkle or gray hair” at age sixty-five. This statement also reflected Father Smith’s attitude towards women—whom he termed “the jewels of God.”
Another example that illustrated the quality of the couple’s relationship occurred just prior to Joseph Sr.’s death. Surrounded by family, Joseph remarked to Lucy, “Mother, do you not know, that you are the mother of as great a family as ever lived upon the earth?” He continued by expressing his concern for the family’s safety, knowing that in coming years they would likely continue to be surrounded by their enemies. Later, on the same occasion, he continued on a more personal note to Lucy. Lucy recounted his words:
Mother, do you not know, that you are one of the most singular women in the world? “No,” I replied, “I do not,” Well, I do, he continued, you have brought up my children for me by the fireside, and, when I was gone from home you comforted them. You have brought up all my children, and could always comfort them when I could not. We have often wished that we might both die at the same time, but you must not desire to die when I do, for you must stay to [65] comfort the children when I am gone. So do not mourn, but try to be comforted. Your last days shall be your best days, as to being driven, for you shall have more power over your enemies than you have had. Again I say, be comforted.100
This conversation, just before Father Smith’s death, reveals some important aspects of the marital relationship. First, it illustrates the closeness and affection they shared for one another. Their conversation itself reveals almost a playfulness in expressing their marital affection. Also, this interaction indicated that they both desired to die at the same time, evidence that they had at times discussed this very matter. Joseph Sr. could also be complimentary towards his wife; in this instance he expressed twice his appreciation for the role she played in raising their children. Lastly, it is evident that Joseph was concerned for Lucy’s comfort and protection after his death, again perhaps due to the role of “protector” he enacted in the family. Recorded examples of interaction between the Smith couple are rare, and, as a result, we must look to their relationships with their children to gain further insights into the cohesiveness of the family.
Parent-Child Relations
Much of Joseph Sr. and Lucy’s marital relationship focused on bringing up their children in the ways of the Lord. Both parents appear to have spent considerable time in giving the children a religious paradigm and been quite diligent in instruction. William, who (by his own admission) was less religiously inclined [66] than the rest of the family, often felt that his father’s habits of prayer and hymn singing were so frequent that they became burdensome. This may have been because the focus of the prayers often had to do with ensuring that the children stayed away from “sin and from evil works.”101 William recalled that his mother was persistent: “She prevailed on us to attend the [religious] meetings, and almost the whole family became interested in the matter. . . . My mother continued her importunities and exertions to interest us in the importance of seeking for the salvation of our immortal souls, until all of the family became either converted or seriously inclined.”102
Mother Smith, whose search for a church had spanned several decades, finally prevailed on Hyrum, Sophronia, and Samuel to unite with her in the Western Presbyterian Church of Palmyra.103 It appears the other children were either too young or did not share Lucy’s desire to “officially” unite with any particular church. Yet even those who did not wish to join a particular church manifested a high degree of religious devotion, including reading the Bible, saying prayers, and attending local meetings.104
Father and Mother Smith were also affectionate and tender in their relationships with their children. An example of this came following the family’s temporary separation from their father when he went to prepare a place for the family prior to their move to [67] Palmyra. After enduring much hardship during the arduous journey, the family was finally reunited. Lucy recounted that “the children surrounded their Father clinging to his neck covering his face with tears and kisses that were heartily reciprocated by him.”105 Lucy similarly showed her maternal care during both Sophronia’s and Joseph’s illnesses. In both cases she tenderly carried her children to ease their suffering.106 When either parting or reuniting with her children, Mother Smith would frequently hold their hands.107
Both parents appear to have been especially supportive of their children in their life pursuits. The parental acceptance of their prophet-son has already been verified—they were among his most ardent supporters. They followed him to Ohio and Missouri and to Illinois. They accepted his word as if it were from God himself. At one point, Father Smith even refused to join the migration from Missouri to Illinois until he had a revelation from his son instructing him to do so.108 The bond between the two was particularly close. Joseph Sr. typically breakfasted with his namesake son, even into adulthood, and was disappointed when his son was absent from such occasions.109 When Joseph Jr. was taken prisoner at Far West, both Father and Mother Smith “heard him scream,” and the parents
supposed they were murdering him. . . . Soon after the screaming commenced, five or six guns were discharged. At this, Mr. Smith, folding his arms tightly across his heart cried out, “Oh, my God! my God! they have killed my son! [68] they have murdered him! and I must die, for I cannot live without him!” He was so distraught over his son’s presumed death, that Father Smith “was immediately taken sick, and never afterwards entirely recovered.”110
This statement reflects the strong attachment between a father and his son.
Although the bond between Father and Mother Smith and their son Joseph Jr. was particularly close, this parental support was not exclusive to their prophet-son. Alvin, the oldest son, received support in building the frame house on the Smith family property. According to one historian, this frame home was to be Alvin’s primary place of residence, with a room for his father and mother.111 If this is true, it shows the support the Smith parents provided in helping their mature children launch out on their own.112 Hyrum also received considerable support when he married Jerusha Barden in November 1826. He was allowed to live in the older log home located on the family property.
Perhaps even more outstanding than temporal support, which was quite common for the day, was the emotional support Joseph and Lucy provided for their married children. Lucy enjoyed a close association with her daughter-in-law until Jerusha’s death in 1837. Reflecting on her relationship, Lucy indicated that Jerusha was “one of the most excellent of [69] women,” from whose ongoing association she derived much happiness.113
A few months after Hyrum married, Joseph Jr. courted and married Emma Hale of Harmony, Pennsylvania. Lucy expressed that “we were pleased with his choice, and not only consented to his marrying her, but requested him to bring her home with him, and live with us.”114 Once again we see the parental support of newlyweds, as they prepared a place for them to live in the Smith home. Contrast this reception of the newlyweds with that of Isaac Hale, Emma’s father, who eventually disowned his daughter for marrying someone he did not approve of.115
Lucy’s relationship with her daughters-in-law was particularly close. At the time of Jerusha’s death in 1837, Lucy indicated that “the family were so warmly attached to her, that, had she been our own sister, they could not have been more afflicted by her death.”116 Similarly, Emma was like a daughter to Lucy. Even after the martyrdom and after Emma had remarried, Lucy spent her final years living with Emma.117
Although less is known about the parents’ relationships with their sons-in-law, they also appear to be positive. Mother Smith also lived with her daughter Lucy and her husband, Arthur Millikin, after the martyrdom. The elder Lucy once again commented on the closeness she felt to both immediate and extended family relationships: “Arthur and Lucy took care of me and faithfully did they watch over me[,] never was a disconsolate widow more blessed in her children than I was in them.”118
However, as was customary for the day, it appears that the male children in the [70] family received more temporal support. The parents may have had the attitude that when their daughters married, it became their husbands’ responsibility to provide for and protect them. Notwithstanding, in 1845 Mother Smith transferred property to her daughter Lucy and her husband, evidence that Lucy offered support to her daughters as well as her sons.119
The children appear to have reciprocated this support. Alvin, the eldest, was constantly concerned about the family’s welfare. He spent much of his adult years assisting the family in paying off the contracted one hundred dollars a year, owed on their Palmyra farm. It was Alvin who led out in building the frame house on their rented property for the purpose of making his parents’ last years more comfortable. His greatest desire was to have “everything arranged for their comfort, and they shall not work any more as they have done.” Even in his dying moments, Alvin wanted his next younger brother, Hyrum, to understand what now devolved upon him: “Hyrum, I must die. Now I want to say a few things, which I wish to have you remember. I have done all I could to make our dear parents more comfortable. I want you to go on and finish the house, and take care of them in their old age, and do not any more let them work hard, as they are now in old age.”120
As he left his parting words with his other siblings, Alvin continued to counsel them on their respective relationships with their parents. He charged Sophronia [71] to “never forsake” father and mother and counseled several to “be kind to them, and remember what they have done for us.”121 Although it is typical for the oldest child to be responsible for his parents, Alvin showed great care and tenderness for his parents’ well-being.
This concern for parents was mutual throughout the entire family. For example, Hyrum appeared to have been faithful to the charge his older brother gave him. Father Smith indicated that Hyrum had “toiled hard and labored much for the good of [his] family: [he] hast been a stay many times to them, and by [his] diligence they have often been sustained.”122 Hyrum, along with the other children, was continually protective of his parents and their welfare.
This care was manifest on many occasions. As the younger children grew to adulthood, they assumed the role of safeguarding their parents. In one instance, when Father Smith was temporarily in prison, a mob gathered around the Smith home to try and locate Hyrum. Frustrated that Hyrum was not at home, the mob began ransacking the house. Within a few minutes, nineteen-year-old William came rushing into the house. On learning from his mother the intentions of the mob, William grabbed a large handspike and rushed to the defense of his mother. According to Lucy, he cleared a part of the mob out of the chamber and then flashed his handspike, threatening, “Away from here, you cut-throats, instantly, or I will be the death of every one of you.” The wrath of William must have been effective, for the mob dispersed from the home.123
Later that same evening, Samuel arrived at the home after 1:00 am. He had traveled over twenty miles after sunset and was sick and fatigued. However, on learning [72] that his father was in the debtors’ prison, he rested only a few hours and left by sunrise to visit his father and try to secure his release.124 Unsuccessful in achieving his goal, Samuel spent the next twenty-four hours with his jailed father, providing a listening ear and much-needed food. Shortly thereafter, it was Samuel who successfully moved the family to nearby Waterloo, “after much fatigue and perplexities of various kinds.”125 Such was the care the children had for their parents in times of distress.
This care continued as the children moved into adulthood. After Joseph Jr. received the revelation to gather to Ohio, he and Samuel were the first to make the journey to the gathering place. However, Joseph’s foremost concern was ensuring the rest of the family be safely gathered as well. In a letter to Hyrum, Joseph indicated his concern: “David Jackways has threatened to take father with a supreme writ in the spring you had better come to Fayette and take father along with you[.] Come in a one horse wagon if you can[.] Do not come threw Bufalo for they will lie in wait for you[.] God protect you[,] I am Joseph.”126
Hyrum, obediently following his brother’s directive, left the Colesville Branch in the hands of Newel Knight. Hyrum picked his father up in Waterloo and proceeded on his journey to Ohio, evading any trouble by following his younger brother’s advice to avoid [73] Buffalo.127
William similarly attempted to protect his father from danger on occasion. In one instance, at a Sunday meeting in a Kirtland home, Warren Parrish attempted to interrupt Father Smith’s sermon. Apparently Joseph Sr. made some negative comments about Parrish’s questionable activity related to the Kirtland Safety Society Bank. Joseph Sr. called on the justice of the peace to help control Parrish until Joseph Sr. had finished his sermon. Matters escalated to the point that Parrish attempted to drag Father Smith from the stand. William, ever protective of his parents, intervened by subduing Parrish. William then picked up Parrish and carried him halfway across the room, intending to throw him from the premises. But before he could accomplish his purpose, he was surrounded by a group of men who threatened him with violence if he continued his course.128
Another example of the children’s parental care for their aged parents occurred during the exodus from Missouri in the winter of 1838 to 1839. It was the youngest son, Don Carlos, who led the caravan of Smiths on this particular journey. Carlos, as he was called, in exasperation from a grueling journey, turned to his father and said, “Father, this exposure is too bad, and I will not bear it any longer; the first place that I come to that looks comfortable, I shall drive up and go into the house, and you . . . follow me.”129 [74]
Carlos’s concern for his parents was soon manifest. As he drove the wagon up to the next house he remarked to the owner, “I have with me an aged father, who is sick, besides my mother. . . . We have travelled two days and a half in this rain, and if we are compelled to go much further, we shall all of us die. If you will allow us to stay with you over night, we will pay you almost any price for our accommodation.”130 Don Carlos succeeded in securing a comfortable night’s stay and in caring for his elderly parents.
Samuel was no less supportive. Several days later, he coordinated efforts to have his parents ferried across the Mississippi River. He then made arrangements for them to live in the house that he and his family had been occupying, so that the rest of the family could all move in together. Samuel then moved his family into another house.131 A granddaughter of Samuel’s recalled that “the family would never forget Samuel’s devotion to them during those first weeks in Quincy, Illinois. How often he had been on hand to help them, when they needed him most!”132
Later, in the spring of 1839, Hyrum and Joseph Jr. bought property in Commerce, Illinois, and sent for their parents to come from Quincy. On their arrival, the younger Joseph prepared a room for them to live with his family. He later had a house built for them near his own, larger than any they had ever lived in. After Father Smith passed away, Joseph invited his mother to live with him again in order to ease her burdens.133 [75]
But it wasn’t just temporal support that the children provided for their parents. They also tenderly nursed their parents during times of illness. When severe illness struck Lucy in Nauvoo, she indicated that “for five nights Emma never left me, but stood at my bed-side all the night long, at the end of which time, she was overcome with fatigue. . . . Joseph then took her place, and watched with me the five succeeding nights, as faithfully as Emma had done.”134
The children’s care for their father is illustrated when he was sick in 1835. Joseph Jr.’s journal entries are as follows:
Wednesday, 7.— Went to visit my father, found him very low, administered some mild herbs.
Thursday, 8.— At home. I attended on my father with great anxiety.
Friday, 9.— At home. Waited on my father.
Saturday, 10. — At home, and visited the house of my father, found him failing very fast.
Sunday, 11. — Waited on my father again, who was very sick. . . . I waited on him all this day with my heart raised to God in the name of Jesus Christ, that He would restore him to health.135
It was no different when Father Smith was again ill in 1840. Both Hyrum and Joseph Jr. [76] administered to his needs and successfully “alleviated his distress.”136 All the children cared for and sought to make their parents as comfortable as possible, even though the Smith children were married and had families of their own to look after.
Cross-Gender Sibling Relationships
According to the records, sibling relationships between the male and female children appear to be close, but there is little evidence to document the depth of those relationships. A few incidents in history do point to the connections between the male and female children. These incidents largely surround Joseph Jr.’s relationships with his siblings, and most of the surviving documents concern him.
As noted previously, Katharine exhibited great anxiety over Joseph Jr.’s safety during the difficulties in securing the plates. It was Katharine who tenderly doctored his bruised hand after he was attacked while retrieving the plates from their hiding place. Although eight years his junior, Katharine appears to have remained in close contact with Joseph Jr.
In their adult years the two continued their close association, visiting each other as often as occasion would allow. Katharine lived in Plymouth, Illinois, during the Saints’ stay in Illinois, some thirty-five miles from Nauvoo. Despite the distance, the two siblings still visited each other. On one such visit during the Nauvoo years, when Katharine was struggling to make ends meet, Joseph Jr. attempted to cheer his sister by reminiscing about their early years together. They spoke of Alvin, their deceased brother, [77] and happily reflected on some incidents from his life.137
Later, Katharine indicated that she visited Joseph Jr.’s house in Nauvoo “a great many times and . . . conversed with him about many subjects.”138 During these visits, Katharine indicated that her older brother would treat her “royally” by giving her “silk dresses and other valuable presents.” She noted that her brother was “very hospitable, and naturally kind to everyone” in their family.139 It appears that as Joseph gradually became more financially secure, he took great care to ensure that his financially distraught sister had some of the niceties of the time.
Their last contact came just five days before the martyrdom, when Katharine was visiting Nauvoo. During their final exchange—one Katherine never forgot—Joseph expressed his desire to get together with her at her home once the present difficulties had passed.140
Other sibling relationships appear close as well. For example, at the time of Alvin’s death, Mother Smith remembered that Alvin requested to see his youngest sister, Lucy. She explains, “He was always very fond of her, and was in the habit of taking her up and caressing her, which naturally formed a very strong attachment on her part to him.” She further remembered, “We took her to him, and when she got within reach of him, she sprang from my arms and caught him round the neck, and cried out, ‘Oh! my Amby,’ and kissed him again and again. . . . He then kissed her. . . . We took hold of her to take her away; [78] but she clinched him with such a strong grasp, that it was with difficulty we succeeded in disengaging her hands.”141
Alvin, twenty-three years her senior, appeared to be like a second father to two-year-old Lucy. His subsequent death was difficult for the young child. Immediately following his death, Mother Smith indicated that young Lucy “cried to go back to Alvin.” As they unsuccessfully tried to explain death to the young child, they finally resorted to bringing her over near the corpse. She then “renewed her cries . . . [and] again threw her arms around him, and kissed him repeatedly. And until the body was taken from the house she continued to cry, and to manifest such mingled feelings of both terror and affection at the scene before her, as are seldom witnessed.”142
Besides some documentation on Joseph Jr. and Katharine, and Alvin and Lucy, there is little information on what type of relationships the siblings enjoyed across gender lines. However, we do know that they did not lose contact as they moved into their more mature years. For example, Joseph Jr. performed Lucy and Arthur Millikin’s wedding in 1840.143 There are recorded instances of Hyrum calling on Katharine. And Joseph Jr. also visited Sophronia after they had moved into adulthood.144 During a period of illness in the family, Samuel frequently carried his seventeen-year-old sister Lucy downstairs so that she could visit with her mother.145 In addition, William lived near his sisters while in Plymouth and Colchester, Illinois. Yet most of these instances are vague references, [79] giving little information on the nature of the relationships. In fact, as the children moved into their adult years, their closest relationships were with the siblings of their own gender.
The Smith Sisters’ Relationships
The three sisters in the family—Sophronia, Katharine, and Lucy—enjoyed a close association throughout their entire lives. Although not very close in age, the three of them managed to create and maintain close connections. Katharine and Lucy’s bond developed quite early, as Katharine led out in caring for her younger sister during her earliest years.146
Certainly the sisters’ responsibilities were different from the brothers’ in the family, and many of their early associations centered in performing domestic labors, as was common for the day. There are also references to the roles each of the daughters played in nursing and caring for the ill, both within and without the immediate family. Yet the care they showed for each other was evidence of the bond they shared with one another.
In Kirtland, both married sisters, Sophronia and Katharine, received migrating converts into their respective homes. Ten-year-old Lucy, trained in her domestic responsibilities by this time, often assisted her older sisters in caring for their families. The younger Lucy spent considerable time at Sophronia’s home, assisting in caring for her newborn baby, Maria. This help was desperately needed, as Sophronia’s health was precarious.147 [80]
During the Kirtland years, Sophronia and Katharine led out in forming weaving clubs. They jointly participated in setting up looms, where they would spin, knit, and card wool. As time went on, much of what they produced went to clothe the Kirtland Temple workers.148 Katharine indicated that the Smith women “spent our whole time in waiting upon the comers and goers in cooking and washing.”149 By early 1836, Sophronia and Katharine had likely made the carpets and large curtains for the interior of the temple, since their own father was appointed to oversee the sisters in this facet of construction. The size of the curtains reflects the massive amount of labor the sisters performed. The curtains had to be large enough to be lowered from the ceiling to divide certain portions of the rooms, so as to create privacy.150 Calvin Stoddard, Sophronia’s husband, was singled out and blessed by the Prophet for his labors on the Kirtland Temple. This commendation for work done on the temple could be extended to Sophronia as well.151
During the Smiths’ migration from Kirtland to Missouri, Katharine gave birth to a son in a small, run-down hut in a pouring rain. The next day she was moved to a more comfortable shelter. During this difficult episode, Sophronia cared for her younger sister to ensure her safe recovery. She stayed by her side for the next few days, until Katharine regained strength and could continue the arduous journey to Far West, Missouri.152 In Far West, the three sisters lived together in a large rooming house. Their stay in Far West was short-lived, however, and within a year they were driven with the rest of the Saints from the state of Missouri.
Along with their parents and Don Carlos, the sisters traveled as a [81] group from Far West to Quincy, Illinois, where they spent the spring, before moving to Commerce, Illinois. The noted exception was Katharine, whose husband found work in Plymouth, some thirty miles away. Katharine’s separation from her sisters was painful; she had never before been separated from her family. It reportedly “grieved her deeply” to be at such distance.153
In order to deal with her grief, Katharine visited Nauvoo frequently, staying for several days at a time. At each departure, she felt a great sense of loneliness in being so far removed from her loved ones. Following the martyrdom of Hyrum and Joseph, the loneliness and fear were too much for Katharine, and she and her husband finally moved to Nauvoo. Reunited in Nauvoo and all married by this time, the three sisters and their families lived together in the William Marks home. They cared for their widowed mother and sister-in-law Emma. As persecution increased, the sisters, along with their families, moved away from Nauvoo.154
Both Sophronia and Lucy settled near each other in the small community of Colchester, forty miles east of Nauvoo. After several years of separation, Katharine and her husband settled in close proximity to her sisters, first in Webster and then in nearby Fountain Green, Illinois.155 They apparently stayed in close touch with each other, for Katharine would often indicate in her letters such things as “Aunt Sophronia and Aunt Lucy and familys are well.”156 Katharine’s letters also indicate particulars [82] concerning her sisters’ families, another sign of their continued close association.157 On occasion, Sophronia and Katharine also jointly babysat each other’s grandchildren. Katharine, who constantly struggled with poverty, was assisted financially by her sister Sophronia, who provided the necessary funds so that Katharine’s son Don Carlos could obtain a common education. Later on, Sophronia also provided financial assistance so he could further his education at an Illinois cadet school.158 The three sisters linked themselves with the Reorganized Church in 1873, thirteen years after its organization.159 They enjoyed close relationships within the bonds of sisterhood throughout the remainder of their lives.
The Smith Brothers’ Relationships
The male children also stayed close to each other throughout their entire lives. Although the foundations for solidarity were laid in their youth, they were solidified as the brothers moved into adulthood.
The trauma associated with Alvin’s death deeply affected the brothers. Joseph Jr. appeared to be particularly close to Alvin. While the other older siblings followed their mother in joining the Presbyterian Church, both Alvin and Joseph Jr. remained aloof. The two of them adopted an attitude toward organized religion similar to their father’s.160 We could surmise that this created a unique connection between the two brothers and with their father [83] as well. Evidence supports this hypothesis. It was Alvin who was most zealous in inquiring about the plates and who was more eager “than any of the rest of the family” to hear of his younger brother’s experiences.161 There is even some indication that Alvin was the individual identified by the angel Moroni as the person who should accompany Joseph to get the plates.162 If this is true, then Joseph Jr. and Alvin may have both been jointly preparing to retrieve the plates, an obvious indication of their close association.
After Alvin’s death, Joseph Jr. reported “the pangs of sorrow that swelled [his] youthful bosom and almost burst [his] tender heart.” Joseph had the utmost respect for his oldest brother. Joseph felt that Alvin “was the . . . noblest of my father’s family” and that “in him there was no guile.” Joseph subsequently penned what he called these “childish lines,” reflective of his feelings at the loss of his brother: “From the time of his birth / he never knew mirth. / He was candid and sober and never would play; / and minded his father and mother in toiling all day.” Further, Joseph felt that his older brother “was one of the soberest of men.”163 Lucy even indicated that one of Joseph’s motivations in getting married was to overcome the loneliness that resulted from Alvin’s death.164 Joseph paid tribute to Alvin by naming his firstborn son after his revered brother.
The younger Joseph continued to have Alvin in his thoughts when the doctrine of [84] baptism for the dead was revealed. Joseph was mindful of Alvin as he went and informed his father of the newly revealed doctrine in 1840. After explaining the doctrine to his father, their discussion turned to Alvin, and Father Smith instructed Joseph to “be baptized for Alvin immediately.”165
After Alvin’s death, the remaining five brothers stayed close. When Joseph Jr. went to Harmony, Pennsylvania, in 1829 to work on the translation of the Book of Mormon, both Hyrum and Samuel visited him there. On April 5, Samuel arrived in Harmony with Oliver Cowdery. Before his arrival, Samuel had reportedly acted as scribe for his brother for a time. It appears that Samuel either spent the next few months with Joseph and Emma in their Harmony home or came to visit a second time in late May. It was during the latter part of May that Joseph and Oliver commenced proselytizing among their “acquaintances and friends.” Samuel was the first to receive their testimony; after obtaining a personal witness of the truth of their message, he was baptized on May 25, 1829. Samuel left his brother’s home in Harmony “greatly glorifying and praising God” and returned to his father’s home in Palmyra.166
A few days after Samuel left Harmony, Hyrum came to visit Joseph. At least one Hyrum Smith biographer felt that it was Samuel’s influence that likely persuaded Hyrum to make the trip to Harmony. Hyrum also inquired concerning the work Joseph and Oliver were engaged in and was rewarded with a revelation from the Lord through his brother the Prophet.167 So even [85] after the male children had moved into adulthood, they still closely associated with one another. This is particularly evident when the brothers were separated from each other, as both Hyrum and Samuel sought to stay in close contact with Joseph.
Their care and concern for each other became increasingly evident as the years progressed. When Hyrum was forced to deal with church business in Far West in 1837, he left a sick wife in Kirtland, who was on the verge of delivering their sixth child. Hoping to make the best out of a difficult situation, Hyrum called on his younger brother Don Carlos to look after his family while he was gone. Don Carlos not only looked after the family, but moved in so as to provide constant care. This is quite remarkable, given that Don Carlos was married and had a one-year-old daughter. After Jerusha delivered a healthy baby girl, her health deteriorated quickly, and within two weeks she was dead.168
The tender feelings the brothers held for Hyrum emerged poignantly in their letters and journals. Don Carlos, whose job it was to look after Hyrum’s family in his absence, was especially moved. Both he and Samuel immediately wrote to Hyrum in Far West, and Don Carlos described the details surrounding Jerusha’s death. He reported that before her death, he called the entire family to her bedside, where Jerusha instructed one of the children to “tell your father when he comes that the Lord has taken their mother home and left you for him to take care of.” Seeking to comfort his brother, Don Carlos reassured Hyrum that he would look after his children until his return. Samuel also expressed his sentiments to Hyrum in the letter, relating additional happenings of her final days.169 [86]
Joseph Jr. felt deeply for his brother during this particular hardship. Ronald Esplin has summarized, “Joseph . . . felt a personal urgency to rescue Hyrum from despondency and the additional family responsibilities thrust upon him by Jerusha’s death. . . . Hence, Joseph informed Hyrum that it was the Lord’s will that Hyrum should marry Mary Fielding.”170 Hyrum followed Joseph’s advice, marrying Mary Fielding on December 24, 1837. Joseph, Don Carlos, and Samuel all rallied around their brother during a challenging time in his life.
The same would be true when Hyrum and Joseph were confined for over four months in Liberty Jail the following winter. Once again, the youngest brother, Don Carlos, took care of his brothers’ families. He wrote frequently to his brothers, each time informing them of the current status of their respective families. He often tried to reassure Joseph and Hyrum, who were obviously anxious concerning the welfare of their families—especially since they had recently been driven from Missouri to Illinois. In one letter, he reassuringly writes, “Emma and the children are well; they live three miles from here, and have a tolerably good place. Hyrum’s children . . . are living at present with father; they are all well. Mary [wife of Hyrum] has not got her health yet, but I think it increases slowly.”171
In later letters, Don Carlos continued to try to alleviate his brothers’ fears regarding their families. He reported to them that their families were in “better health [87] now than at any other period since your confinement.” At one point, Don Carlos’s spouse, Agnes, sent an accompanying letter with similar sentiments: “Your little ones are as playful as little lambs; be comforted concerning them, for they are not cast down and sorrowful as we are; their sorrows are only momentary but ours continual.”172 William showed similar concern for his brother’s feelings, writing, “Do not worry about [your families], for they will be taken care of. All we can do will be done.”173
This provided much-needed comfort for the brothers, who frequently expressed concern for their wives and children. In fact, Don Carlos’s reassurances to Hyrum that Mary was on the rebound appeared to have the desired effect, as Hyrum wrote that he had learned that her health was improving and indicated that “this fact was good news.”174
Don Carlos’s letters reflected his love and devotion to his older brothers. After receiving correspondence from Hyrum in Liberty Jail, Don Carlos confided,
Reading a line from you to myself . . . awakens all the feelings of tenderness and brotherly affection that one heart is capable of containing. . . . If I did not know that there is a God in heaven . . . and that He is your friend in the midst of trouble, I would fly to your relief, and either be with you in prison, or see you breathe free air. . . . You both have my prayers, my influence and warmest feelings, with a fixed determination, if it should so be that you should be [88] destroyed, to avenge your blood four fold. . . . Do not be worried about your families. Yours in affliction as well as in peace.175
Don Carlos’s loyalty to his brothers is clearly evident in the letter. Their suffering was his suffering. Whatever help he could render, even if that included fighting a war or going to prison to be by their side, he was willing to give. The same was true in 1835 when a court summoned and charged Samuel with neglecting his military duty. Hyrum, Joseph, and Don Carlos all showed their support by accompanying Samuel to trial and defending what they felt was his innocence.176
The bond between the brothers continued to deepen as they lived, worked, and served with each other. Joseph, Hyrum, and William were all with Zion’s Camp in the summer of 1834. During the outbreak of cholera, all three contracted the dreaded disease. At one point during the height of its outbreak, Hyrum and Joseph prayed together to ascertain if they would recover to see their families again. After kneeling together twice, the brothers felt as though the “heavens were sealed against [them].” Undeterred, the brothers knelt again, “concluding never to rise to [their] feet again, until one or the other should get a testimony that [they] should be healed.” After Hyrum obtained an affirmative answer that they would recover, the camp disbanded, and the three brothers made the long trek back to Kirtland together.177
Oftentimes the brothers’ civic responsibilities overlapped, giving them connections both within and without the official church organization. Don Carlos and [89] William both edited and published newspapers.178 All of the brothers were jointly involved in the Nauvoo Legion, the Masonic society, and in other civic positions while in Nauvoo.
The closeness of the brothers is also evident in their progression in the ministry and in their leadership assignments. All the brothers consistently preached the gospel, and all were formally called on missions at one time or another. Hyrum and Joseph worked closely in the highest councils of the Church, and Joseph respected Hyrum as a wise counselor in administrative matters. Joseph sought to strengthen his younger brothers by giving them opportunities to serve as well, even in their youth. Samuel and Don Carlos served early as missionaries and spoke in public gatherings of the Saints. On one such occasion, Samuel and Don Carlos took turns preaching at a Sunday meeting in Kirtland. Joseph, who attended the gathering, commented in his journal that “these young Eldrs did well concidering their advantages and experiance and bid fair to make useful men in the vinyard of the Lord.”179
It wasn’t long before the Prophet would use his younger brothers in administrative capacities. Five days after he had preached, Don Carlos was put in as president of the high priests quorum in Kirtland—unanimously sustained although only nineteen years of age. Later, he served in a similar capacity while in Commerce, Illinois.180 Although a missionary companion described Samuel as being “slow of speech,” he also held Church administrative positions.181 He served as [90] president of the Kirtland high council and was appointed bishop in Nauvoo.182
As the Prophet and President of the Church, Joseph used his influence to help his brothers achieve their spiritual potential by issuing them assignments. This was particularly true of his younger brother William. When the Twelve Apostles were selected in 1835, the three witnesses led out in their selection. However, Joseph was involved in the process, and he reportedly presented the name of William Smith. Oliver Cowdery, one of the three witnesses, recalled the circumstances: “At the time the Twelve were chosen in Kirtland . . . it had been manifested that Brother Phineas [Young] was entitled to occupy the station as one of that number; but owing to Brother Joseph’s urgent request at the time, Brother David [Whitmer] and myself yielded to his wish, and consented for William to be selected.”183
William had often lagged behind the other Smith children spiritually. Even younger brother Don Carlos was ordained to a priesthood office before William.184 Joseph undoubtedly recognized William’s potential and felt that an important position and calling in the Church would serve to deepen his commitment and channel his energies in the right direction. At the time of his ordination as an apostle, William was in good standing with the Church; but within a few months his standing as an apostle would be in question for his unchristian conduct.185 In fact, William would often vacillate in his fellowship with fellow Apostles over the next ten years. What [91] is remarkable about William’s vacillation is that his brothers remained committed to him and his calling, even when many others did not. This is more remarkable when one considers that Joseph’s loyalty to his brother continued even after he and William had serious conflict with each other. Joseph had the authority and support from other quorum members to remove William from office, yet he chose to reinstate him time and time again.
At one point in 1835, William, feeling unworthy to continue in his office as an apostle, attempted to resign. However, Joseph forgave him his misdeeds and encouraged him to rise above his weaknesses and magnify his apostleship and calling. Further, Joseph received a revelation in behalf of his brother, which helped to appease the anxieties of the rest of the Twelve concerning William. Through Joseph’s labors, William was eventually reinstated in his former calling.186
The same would be true in 1839, when William was once again considered out of fellowship with the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve. Both Joseph and Hyrum came to his defense, and through their intercession William was once again reinstated.187 This fellowship did not last long, however; William failed to serve an assigned mission with the rest of the Twelve in 1839. His excuse was that he was too poor, but in reality he was financially better off than his fellow Apostles.188 Joseph nevertheless continued to support him in his calling, and [92] within a short time, William resumed his duties as an Apostle and took on new responsibilities both in the Church and in the Nauvoo community.
Later William was tried for adultery and other sins by his fellow Apostles. Likely wanting to keep himself at a distance, Joseph had Brigham Young conduct the proceedings. Before they took place, Emma spoke with her husband and convinced him that the charges were trumped up to damage the Smith family reputation. Joseph attended the trial, arose during the proceedings, and rebuked those present, stating, “Bro. Brigham I will not listen to this abuse of my family a minute longer. [I] will wade in blood up to my knees before I will do it.”189 Despite the difficulties between Joseph and William, the Prophet remained remarkably loyal to his younger brother.
All the brothers supported each other during difficult circumstances. During the height of conflict in Far West, Samuel’s family witnessed and experienced many atrocities from the Missourians. Samuel’s wife was due to deliver their third child, yet on learning of serious illness in William’s family, who lived thirty miles away, Samuel procured a carriage and brought the entire family back to Far West. Here William’s family was nursed back to health, and Samuel returned to Marrowbone to witness the birth of his son. This hundred-mile trip constituted a great sacrifice on Samuel’s part in behalf of his younger brother.190
Samuel was also extremely concerned about the safety of his brothers when they were incarcerated in Carthage Jail. He determined to visit them from the very time he [93] learned of their imprisonment. However, on his first attempt he was turned back by a mob. Not to be deterred in his efforts to reach his brothers, Samuel returned immediately to his home southeast of Carthage and acquired a swift horse. On his immediate return to the Carthage vicinity, he learned the shocking news that both his beloved brothers had been murdered. Notwithstanding the danger, Samuel pressed on, reportedly uttering, “God help me, I must go to them.”
Before he could reach his brothers, several members of the mob spotted and identified Samuel. A warning shot was fired by the men, who were reportedly expecting him. Samuel, recognizing the precarious circumstances he was in, turned his horse and headed for the nearby woods for protection. The men gave chase and nearly killed Samuel; a bullet passed through the top of his hat. Fortunately, Samuel was able to elude his pursuers, and he eventually arrived in Carthage. He was physically exhausted and also emotionally distraught over the death of his brothers. Samuel assisted in the removal of his brothers’ bodies from the jail to a nearby hotel. He then acted as guard over the bodies as they were transported back to Nauvoo.191
Samuel risked his life in trying to protect his older brothers. As it turned out, Samuel actually gave his life in attempting to secure their safety. A growing pain in his side, a result of being chased by the mob, was reported as the reason for his death only a month after his brothers were murdered.192 Perhaps this unrelenting devotion is what led older brother Joseph to comment, “There is [94] Brother Samuel H. Smith, a natural brother—he is even as Hyrum.”193 In light of Hyrum and Joseph’s relationship, no higher compliment could be paid to Samuel.
Although the relationships among all the Smith siblings appear to be close, perhaps none was closer or has been as well documented as that of Hyrum and Joseph’s. Though almost six years apart, they bonded from their earliest years. Their closeness was first evident during Joseph’s leg operation (see chapter 5), when he was seven and Hyrum was twelve or thirteen. During a particularly difficult and painful period before Joseph’s operation, Hyrum relieved his mother by lending assistance. Lucy recounted,
Hyrum, who was rather remarkable for his tenderness and sympathy, now desired that he might take my place. As he was a good, trusty boy, we let him do so; and, in order to make the task as easy for him as possible, we laid Joseph upon a low bed, and Hyrum sat beside him, almost day and night, for some considerable length of time, holding the affected part of his leg in his hands, and pressing it between them, so that his afflicted brother might be enabled to endure the pain, which was so excruciating, that he was scarcely able to bear it.194
It was characteristic of Hyrum to demonstrate this type of care, as he had similarly [95] cared for Samuel and Sophronia when they were ill.195 But Hyrum’s special watchfulness over his younger brother in a most difficult hour cemented the brothers’ relationship. In fact, Hyrum gradually assumed the role of protector of his younger brother. Several years later, when the family moved from Norwich, Vermont, to Palmyra, New York, a man by the name of Caleb Howard was hired to assist the family. During the course of the journey, this man reportedly singled out Joseph and made him walk in the snow, notwithstanding Joseph had just recently stopped using his crutches. It was then that Joseph’s brothers Alvin and Hyrum attempted to defend their younger brother from this abuse, only to be knocked down by Howard.196
Hyrum’s protectiveness of his younger brother continued throughout their lives. Hyrum would often warn Joseph of potential danger. On one such occasion he recalled, “My brother Hyrum called in the evening, and cautioned me against speaking so freely about my enemies . . . in such a manner as to make it actionable.”197 When Joseph selected twenty men to be his bodyguards, he indicated that Hyrum should be captain over the group.198 Hyrum took this commission seriously. When the Prophet was secretly kidnapped in June 1843, it was Hyrum who led the way to ensure a safe return. On learning of his brother’s [96] circumstances, Hyrum summoned a large group of citizens in Nauvoo and led out in raising funds and organizing volunteers for a rescue mission for his brother. Eventually the organized company intervened and secured the Prophet’s safe return to Nauvoo. After Joseph arrived, the brothers embraced, and Hyrum “wept tears of joy” on seeing his brother delivered from his captors.199
However, the relationship was not simply based on an older brother’s protective role. These brothers enjoyed a close association into their adult years. In fact, in 1843 Hyrum indicated that he had “been acquainted with him [Joseph] ever since he was born, which was thirty-seven years in December last; and I have not been absent from him at any one time not even for the space of six months, since his birth, to my recollection, and have been intimately acquainted with all his sayings, doings, business transactions and movements, as much as any one man could be acquainted with another.”200
They appear to have stayed in close proximity to one another throughout their lives. Hyrum was one of the few unwavering followers of the prophet and one who had known him from the very first. Because of this unwavering loyalty, Hyrum was trusted by Joseph to serve in many leadership positions. Even prior to the official organization of the Church, it was Hyrum who was trusted with the printer’s copy of the manuscript of the Book of Mormon. Later on he would serve on the Kirtland Temple building committee and the Kirtland high council, as an Assistant and then Second Counselor [97] in the First Presidency, and finally as Patriarch and Assistant President of the Church.201 This last position was significant because it represented a position second only to the Prophet himself. In fact, even Brigham Young indicated that Joseph had ordained Hyrum to take his place should he have lived.202 Thus, Hyrum was one of most trusted and loyal of all Joseph’s followers.
During their final days, the brothers’ mutual affection for one another was clearly manifest. Their final days in Nauvoo were spent in hiding together. They debated whether to turn themselves in, as a warrant for their arrests had been issued. Joseph, out of respect for his older brother, deferred to Hyrum, who felt that they should turn themselves in. Although Joseph felt that turning themselves in would be certain death, he followed Hyrum’s counsel, stating, “If you shall go back I will go with you.” As it turned out, Joseph was more concerned about his brother’s safety than he was his own. Joseph lamented to a close friend, “I want Hyrum to live to avenge my blood, but he is determined not to leave me.” Even during their final hours, Joseph regretfully reflected, “Could my brother, Hyrum but be liberated, it would not matter so much about me.”203
Joseph aptly expressed his respect for his older sibling. Said he, “There was Brother Hyrum . . . a natural brother. Thought I to myself, Brother Hyrum, what a faithful heart you have got! . . . O how many are the sorrows we have shared together.”204 This last statement appeared characteristic of the family at large. That [98] is, their common suffering bonded them ever closer together. Perhaps Joseph and Hyrum had more trials in common than any other members of the family. Their brotherhood was especially deep felt. On another occasion Joseph reflected, “And I could pray in my heart that all my brethren were like unto my beloved brother Hyrum, who possesses the mildness of a lamb, and the integrity of a Job, and in short, the meekness and humility of Christ; and I love him with that love that is stronger than death, for I never had occasion to rebuke him, nor he me, which he declared when he left me to-day.”205
They stood fast by one another. Theirs was a lifelong friendship that was forged during their earliest years and continued until their deaths. Many have reflected on how fitting it was that they should die together. As one close friend of the brothers put it, “In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!”206
All of the siblings appeared to have been close to each other. The same-gender siblings enjoyed the closest associations with one another. The connections between Alvin and Joseph and Hyrum and Joseph are well documented. Yet all of the brothers [99] continued to maintain close associations throughout their lives. With the exception of Joseph and William’s relationship, there was very little conflict between siblings. Even in this relationship the brothers continued to support each other following their difficulties. (See chapter 6 for a discussion of the brothers’ difficulties.)
One last indication of the closeness of the entire family was the naming of their children. Hyrum named his first child Lovina, after his deceased aunt, whom Mother Lucy had enjoyed a close relationship with but whom Hyrum had never known. He also had a daughter Mary, so named for his grandmother Smith, and a son named for his Uncle John Smith. Lastly, Hyrum’s first son from his second marriage was named after his brother Joseph.
Joseph Jr. also named his children after various family members. His firstborn son he named Alvin, after his deceased brother, of whom he was very fond. Joseph also named two sons, David Hyrum and Don Carlos, for his brothers. Samuel had two daughters whom he named Lucy, after his mother and sister. Both of these children died in infancy. William also had a daughter named Mary, possibly named for his grandmother Smith. He also had a son he named for Hyrum and a son named Edson Don Carlos, after his younger brother.
Katharine named children after her mother, Lucy, and her Grandfather Solomon. In addition, she named two of her sons for her brothers Alvin and Don Carlos. She also named one child for her sister-in-law Emma. Don Carlos Smith named a child after his oldest sister, Sophronia. He also named a daughter Josephine, after his brother Joseph. [100] Lucy, the youngest daughter in the family, had sons named for Don Carlos, William, and Hyrum. (For further information on the Smith children’s families see the appendix.)
Although naming children after family members was common for the day, it still gives an indication of the closeness of the family. It also reveals the bond between siblings, who so frequently named their children for brothers and sisters. This naming of children for siblings was less common in history than naming children for ancestors.
Familial Relationships after the Martyrdom
By the end of the summer of 1844, over half of the Smith siblings who had grown to maturity were now deceased. Given that Father Smith had passed away in 1840, only five of the eleven family members were still alive. Mother Smith, the three daughters, and William, the only surviving son, were left to try and hold together the remainder of their severed family.
When the martyrdom occurred, William was on a mission in the east caring for his ill wife, Caroline. Her illness prevented him from returning immediately to Nauvoo. Thus, the female portion of the Smith family, including the daughters-in-law, was left alone to mourn the loss of the three men. This was a most difficult period for the family. William, who certainly felt the pressure of being the only surviving male member of the family, sought to comfort those who mourned in distant Nauvoo. He wrote from New Hampshire requesting Brigham Young “to go & see mother & read this letter to her & rem[em]bre me to Emma[,] Mary[,] Lucy[,]207 Catharin[,] Sophronia[,] [101] Agnes[,]208 Arther[,]209 Mc[Cleary]210 & Jenkins.”211 When Young visited them, he reported that the Smith family “rejoiced exceedingly to hear from you.”212 A month later William wrote to W. W. Phelps, again asking him to “call and see my mother, and give her a word of consolation from me.” William further requested Phelps to “remember me also to my sisters Sophronia, Catherine, Lucy and their husbands, and the martyrs’ widows.”213 Upon being informed of William’s letter, Mother Smith reportedly “cried for joy” and “blessed [him] in the name of the Lord.”214
While William remained in the East, Mother Smith took comfort by living with her daughter Lucy and her husband, Arthur Millikin. At the time of the assassinations, Mother Smith was living with Emma but had moved in with Lucy and Arthur by September. Mother Smith may have moved in to assist the Millikins because they were expecting their second child.215 They lived in the Jonathan Browning home, which was provided for them by the Church. Here they resided for approximately a year, when they all moved together to the William Marks home. The following year, in April 1846, Mother Smith moved into the Joseph Noble home, as Church leaders had deeded this property to her.216 [102]
On May 4, 1845, William returned to Nauvoo with his wife, whose health continued to deteriorate. Eighteen days later, Caroline Grant Smith passed away, leaving William a widower to care for their two young daughters. William lived at the William Marks home with his mother and sisters during this time, and they undoubtedly assisted him in caring for the young girls.217 It was not long, however, before theological differences emerged between William and other leaders of the Church.
The chasm between William and rest of the Twelve Apostles began to widen, as he felt the Smith family was not being properly recognized in ecclesiastical ranks. In June, William wrote to Brigham Young, the recognized leader of the quorum, and expressed his view that he wanted “all men to understand that my Father’s family are of the royal blood and promised seed and no men or set of men can take their crown or place in time or in eternity.”218 This statement would become William’s claim for years to come. Often he would state unmistakably that he felt the rights of the Smith family had been trampled upon. He took exception to the fact that the Smith family “should be deprived of all honor and station in the church, [and] have no word of controlment in the affairs of the church.”219 Within a few months, he was severed from fellowship with the quorum, only this time neither Joseph nor Hyrum were available to make intercession. William was subsequently excommunicated from the Church on October 19, 1845.220
Following his excommunication, William increased his distance from the Church. Feeling that he had been wronged, he attempted to undermine Brigham Young and his [103] followers. This created a dilemma for the remaining family members, particularly Lucy Mack Smith. She increasingly felt as though she had to choose between her family and the Church. Mother Smith failed to see the difference—her family was intertwined with the very foundations of the Church. As Jan Shipps observed, “The Mormonism that emerges in Mother Smith’s history explains why William would claim that the Saints were dependant on the Smith family for the priesthood. Lucy’s story makes constant use of the pronouns ‘we’ and ‘us’ instead of simply referring to ‘Joseph.’ The martyrdom had caused a fundamental shift in perceptions of the right to church leadership.”221
Yet the remaining Smith family members had difficulty making that shift. William certainly played a part in the family’s failure to make the transition. He used the family to try and further his own agenda as he maneuvered for positions of prominence in the Church and in two break-offs of the Church, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Strangites. To Brigham and the Twelve, William threatened “that if he went away, he would take along with him, his sisters, his mother, and the last remains of the family.”222 He promised Strang “the whole Smith family,” along with the Egyptian mummies and accompanying papyri.223 At other times, in order to strengthen his cause, William falsified the signatures of [104] siblings in documents.224 William likely did not perceive his behavior as manipulative of his mother and sisters, as the family had normally been united in whatever cause they had undertaken. The family was connected to the point that when William spoke he felt he represented the entire family. As the last remaining male member of the family, he viewed himself as the spokesperson and leader. William felt that no matter the direction he chose, the rest of the family would naturally follow.
When the Church deeded the Joseph Noble home to Mother Smith in 1846, it came with stipulations. Brigham Young, along with the other remaining Apostles, reportedly would allow Lucy Mack Smith to take possession of the Noble home only if she would not allow William to live there. Mother Smith stood fast by her son. She wrote immediately to Brigham Young, stating firmly that she felt the brethren were “put[ting] limits to my affections . . . if I do not drive my children from my door. . . . I am called upon to banish from my home the few of my family who are left as my only solace.” She further stated that she felt to “thank kind Heaven that has implanted in my bosom affection which gold cannot buy . . . the cords of affection [105] that binds me to the children of my bosom even eternity itself cannot break, they are interwoven with the finest arteries of my heart, and the love that flows through them is the only principle that enlivens and cheers me in this vale of tears.”225
Mother Smith made clear her undeviating support of William. She also struggled with not having the family at the center of Church authority. The rest of the family was certainly aware of William’s conflicts with the Twelve Apostles, and it was a focus of deliberation among the family in the years following the martyrdom. Even after William’s excommunication, Mother Smith continued to defend her son publicly.226 William’s brothers-in-law also stood by him, acting as his protectors against any harm that might befall him.227 In the summer of 1845, William left Nauvoo and went to Galena, Illinois, and later to St. Louis, Missouri, while the rest of the family group remained in Nauvoo.228
The Smith family shared the belief that the right of presiding belonged in the family. To what extent William influenced this attitude through his behavior following his return to Nauvoo remains unknown. These sentiments may have already existed, but even if that were true, it is very likely that William solidified this belief within the family.
By the time the Saints began the exodus to Utah, Lucy and her children had decided to [106] remain behind. Perhaps Lucy felt that her salvation was assured. After all, she had received the highest ordinances of the temple, including an assurance that her calling and election was made sure.229 Hence, her salvation was not dependant on whether she went west, as many of those who gathered to Utah were prone to think. For Lucy, she could have the best of both worlds—her family close by and the assurance of eternal life. Yet at the same time, it must have been disappointing for her to lose the formal organization of the Church, something she had searched for the first fifty years of her life. This may have been a contributing factor in her vacillatory behavior when she was deciding whether to go west with the Saints or remain with her family in Illinois. Ultimately she chose the latter.
There is evidence that Mother Smith, Katharine, and Lucy all felt that the rights of leadership belonged to the Smith family, but they were not as opposed to the LDS migration as is sometimes thought. Mother Smith was often visited by LDS leaders from the West prior to her death. On one such occasion she “clasped” the visitor in her arms and remarked, “I am glad to see a man again from Salt Lake. She cried for Joy, and said she had desired for two years to be with the Saints in the vallies of the Mountains.”230 During the 1860s, Katharine was not opposed to a unification with those who went west. She wrote to her nephews in Utah, “[I] would be excedind[ly] glad if all of us . . . connescion one and all could live in a Society together and believ in one Lord one Saveioure one faith one baptism and See eye to eye . . . this [107] [is] the Sincere desire of my heart.”231 Similarly, Arthur and Lucy Millikin wrote to their nephew John Smith (Hyrum’s son), who lived in Utah. They stated, “I think you & all the Smith family should look into this matter & see if you are not the successors of Joseph the Prophet & Hyrum the Patriarch & should lead & govern the Church in the last days.”232
The remaining family members shared the belief that the right to govern in the Church belonged to the Smith family, and yet they were not opposed to those members of the family in Utah assuming such leadership. Eventually, the three sisters and their families all joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (led by Joseph Smith III), a church which conformed with their belief that some member of the Smith family should govern the affairs of the Church.233
The family not only held similar convictions, but stayed in close proximity to each other for the remainder of their lives. Prior to the Saints leaving for Utah, Mother Smith had moved with Lucy and Arthur to Knoxville, Illinois, to avoid the battle of Nauvoo. It wasn’t until the spring of 1847 that they returned to Nauvoo. Here they lived in the Noble home until 1849. Mother Smith, the Millikins, and Samuel’s orphaned daughter, Mary Bailey Smith, all moved to Webster, Illinois, in the fall of 1849. Jenkins and Katharine had moved to this area three years prior and likely were the impetus for the family move. Recently widowed, Sophronia and her daughter, Maria, moved in with Mother Smith and the Millikins in Webster as well. For a time then, Mother Smith and her daughters and their families all lived together in and around Webster/Fountain Green. Eventually, in the spring of 1852, Lucy returned to Nauvoo to reside in the Mansion [108] House. Here she would spend the remaining four years of her life, being cared for by Emma, her grandchildren, and Lewis, Emma’s second husband.234 The three sisters stayed in close contact for their remaining years, as they lived only a short distance from each other the rest of their lives.
Summary
Early-nineteenth-century families appear to have had more opportunities for bonding than modern families. Of necessity, families spent more time together then. They often spent considerable amounts of time working side by side on the family farm, all for a common purpose and goal. In addition, parents typically provided temporal support, including land, for the succeeding generation, which meant generations usually lived in close proximity to one another. Be that as it may, the cohesiveness of the Smith family was extraordinary.
First, when outsiders persecuted and shunned the family, its members drew together even more closely. Following Joseph Jr.’s visionary experiences, the Smiths clung together due to their unorthodox religious views, which ostracized them from the society in which they lived. Besides a few believing neighbors, the Smiths’ only friends were family. This extrafamilial persecution served to increase intrafamilial solidarity.
A second reason this family had an especially strong bond was their religious beliefs. Nowhere is this more evident than in the early years of the Restoration. The family was still largely intact, and all family members rallied around [109] Joseph Jr. and his call to lead out in reestablishing the kingdom of God. The entire Smith family felt strongly that they, one and all, played critical roles in bringing this about. Even messages from heavenly visitors served to create a sense of hypervigilance in looking out for one another. These beliefs fostered a special cohesiveness in the family, as the entire family unitedly labored in this common cause.
The loyalty continued after the martyrdom of Joseph Jr. and Hyrum. Family members clung to each other and felt strongly that they were the first family of Mormonism—and as such were entitled to special privileges and rights. This attitude certainly influenced Lucy Mack Smith, the Smith sisters, and William to remain behind when the larger company of Saints went west. All remaining Smith family members felt that the right to preside in the Church belonged to the Smith family—a testament to their strong family identity. The closeness of the family, forged during the children’s formative years, lasted throughout their lives. [110]
