JOSEPH SMITH, SENIOR, MOVES WITH HIS FAMILY TO MISSOURI--COMMENCEMENT
OF THE PERSECUTION IN CALDWELL.
When we were ready to start on our journey, I went to New Portage, and
brought my husband to his family, and we all proceeded together on our
journey, highly delighted to enjoy each other's society again, after so
long a separation.
As soon as we had got fairly started, our sons began to have calls
to preach, and they directly discovered that if they should yield to
every solicitation, our journey would be a preaching mission of no
inconsiderable length, which was quite inconsistent with the number
and situation of our family. They therefore stopped preaching while
on their journey, and we proceeded as fast as possible, under the
disadvantageous circumstances with which we were frequently surrounded.
Sometimes we lay in our tents, through driving storms; at other
times we were traveling on foot through marshes and quagmires. Once
in particular, we lay all night exposed to the rain, which fell in
torrents, so that when I arose in the morning, I found that my clothing
was perfectly saturated with the rain. However, I could not mend the
matter by a change of dress, for the rain was still falling rapidly,
and I wore my clothes in this situation, three days; in consequence of
which I took a severe cold, so that when we arrived at the Mississippi
river, I was unable to walk or sit up. After crossing this river, we
stopped at a negro hut, a most unlovely place, yet the best shelter we
could find. This hut was the birth-place of Catharine's son Alvin.
The next day my husband succeeded in getting a comfortable place, about
four miles distant, for Catharine and her infant, and they were carried
thither on a lumber wagon, the same day. We then agreed that Sophronia,
and her husband, McLerie, should stop and take care of Catharine, while
Mr. Smith and the remainder of the party, should take me, and make what
speed they could to Huntsville.
Our progress was but slow, for I was unable to travel far in a day, on
account of a violent cough with which I was afflicted; however, we at
length arrived there, and succeeded in getting a place where we could
stay for some considerable length of time, if we should think proper to
do so.
The next morning after our arrival, the family being absent, I seized
the opportunity to make an effort to get far enough from the house to
pray without interruption. Accordingly I took a staff in each hand,
and, by the assistance which they afforded me, I was enabled to reach a
dense thicket, which lay some distance from the house. As soon as I was
sufficiently rested to speak with ease, I commenced calling upon the
Lord, beseeching him to restore me to health, as well as my daughter
Catharine. I urged every claim which is afforded us by the Scriptures,
and continued praying faithfully for three hours, at the end of which
time I was relieved from every kind of pain; my cough left me, and I
was well.
At one o'clock, Wilkins J. Salisbury, Catharine's husband, came to
Huntsville, and informed us that Catharine was so much better, that, if
she had a carriage to ride in, she could proceed on her journey.
After getting a carriage, Salisbury returned to his wife, who was forty
miles from Huntsville, and the first day she traveled, she rode thirty
miles. The second day, it commenced raining quite early in the morning,
and continued to rain all day. However, this did not stop Catharine;
she started about eight o'clock, and arrived a little before noon. When
she got to Huntsville she was wet and cold. We put her immediately into
a dry bed, and soon after she had an ague fit. The Elders were called
to lay hands upon her, after which she seemed better, but continued
weak and inclined to chills and fever sometime.
The day following I washed a quantity of clothes, and then we proceeded
on our journey, and met with no further difficulty until we arrived at
Far West.
We moved into a small log house, having but one room, a very
inconvenient place for so large a family. Joseph saw how uncomfortably
we were situated, and proposed that we should take a tavern house,
which he had recently purchased. We took the tavern, and moved into
it. Samuel, previous to this, had moved to a place called Marrowbone,
Daviess county. William had moved thirty miles in another direction. We
were all now quite comfortable. But this state of affairs was of short
duration, for it was not long before our peace was again disturbed by
the mob. An election took place at Gallatin, the county seat of Daviess
county; the brethren went to the poll as usual, but, on attempting to
vote, they were forbidden by the mob. They, however, paid no attention
to this, but proceeded to vote; upon which one of the mob struck a
brother a heavy blow, which was returned by the latter, with a force
that brought his antagonist to the ground. Four others came to the
assistance of the fallen man, and shared the same fate. The mob saw the
discomfiture of their champions with shame and disappointment, and not
choosing to render them any present help, they waited till evening,
when, procuring the assistance of the judge of the election, they wrote
letters to all the adjoining counties, begging their assistance against
the "Mormons." They stated that Joseph Smith had, himself, killed seven
men, at the election the day previous, and that the inhabitants had
every reason to expect that he would collect his people together, as
soon as possible, and murder all that did not belong to his Church.
These letters were extensively circulated, and as widely believed.
A few days subsequent to this, Joseph was at our house writing a
letter. While he was thus engaged, I stepped to the door, and looking
towards the prairie, I beheld a large company of armed men advancing
towards the city, but, as I supposed it to be training day, said
nothing about it.
Presently the main body came to a halt. The officers dismounting,
eight of them came into the house. Thinking they had come for some
refreshment, I offered them chairs, but they refused to be seated, and,
placing themselves in a line across the floor, continued standing. I
again requested them to sit, but they replied, "We do not choose to sit
down; we have come here to kill Joe Smith and all the 'Mormons.'"
"Ah," said I, "what has Joseph Smith done, that you should want to kill
him?"
"He has killed seven men in Daviess county," replied the foremost, "and
we have come to kill him, and all his Church."
"He has not been in Daviess county," I answered, "consequently the
report must be false. Furthermore, if you should see him, you would not
want to kill him."
"There is no doubt but that the report is perfectly correct," rejoined
the officer; "it came straight to us, and I believe it; and we were
sent to kill the Prophet and all who believe in him, and I'll be d--d
if I don't execute my orders."
"I suppose," said I, "you intend to kill me, with the rest?"
"Yes, we do," returned the officer.
"Very well," I continued, "I want you to act the gentleman about it,
and do the job quick. Just shoot me down at once, then I shall be at
rest; but I should not like to be murdered by inches.
"There it is again," said he. "You tell a 'Mormon' that you will kill
him, and they will always tell you, 'that is nothing--if you kill us,
we shall be happy.'"
Joseph, just at this moment finished his letter, and, seeing that he
was at liberty, I said, "Gentlemen, suffer me to make you acquainted
with Joseph Smith, the Prophet." They stared at him as if he were a
spectre. He smiled, and stepping towards them, gave each of them his
hand, in a manner which convinced them that he was neither a guilty
criminal nor yet a hypocrite.
Joseph then sat down and explained to them the views, feelings, etc.,
of the Church, and what their course had been; besides the treatment
which they had received from their enemies since the first. He also
argued, that if any of the brethren had broken the law, they ought to
be tried by the law, before anyone else was molested. After talking
with them some time in this way, he said, "Mother, I believe I will go
home now--Emma will be expecting me." At this two of the men sprang
to their feet, and declared that he should not go alone, as it would
be unsafe--that they would go with him, in order to protect him.
Accordingly the three left together, and, during their absence, I
overheard the following conversation among the officers, who remained
at the door:
1st Officer. "Did you not feel strangely when Smith took you by the
hand? I never felt so in my life."
2nd Officer. "I could not move. I would not harm a hair of that man's
head for the whole world."
3rd Officer. "This is the last time you will catch me coming to kill
Joe Smith, or the 'Mormons' either."
1st Officer. "I guess this is about my last expedition against this
place. I never saw a more harmless, innocent appearing man than the
'Mormon' Prophet."
2nd Officer. "That story about his killing them men is all a d--d
lie--there is no doubt of it; and we have had all this trouble for
nothing; but they will never fool me in this way again, I'll warrant
them."
The men who went home with my son promised to disband the militia under
them and go home, which they accordingly did, and we supposed that
peace was again restored. After they were gone, Joseph and Hyrum went
to Daviess county, and, receiving the strongest assurances from the
civil officers of the county that equal rights should be administered
to all parties, they returned, hoping that all would be well.
About this time, we heard that William and his wife were very sick.
Samuel, who was then at Far West, set out with a carriage to bring them
to our house, and in a few days returned with them.
They were very low when they arrived; however, by great care and close
attention, they soon began to recover.
Soon after Samuel brought William and Caroline to our house, there
was born unto Samuel a son, whom he called by his own name. When the
child was three weeks old, his father was compelled to leave, and
on the next day his mother was informed that she must leave home
forthwith, and take a journey of thirty miles to Far West. One of the
neighbors offered to furnish her a team, and a small boy to drive it,
if she would start immediately. To this she agreed. A lumber wagon was
brought, and she, with her bed, her childten, and very little clothing,
either for them or herself, was put into it and sent to Far West, under
the care of a boy of eleven years of age.
The day following, Samuel started home from Far West, although the rain
was falling fast, and had been all the night previous. He had proceeded
but ten miles when he met his wife and children, exposed to the
inclemency of the weather, and dripping with wet. He returned with them
to Far West, where they arrived in about thirty-six hours after they
left Marrowbone, without having taken any nourishment from the time
they left home. She was entirely speechless and stiff with the cold. We
laid her on a bed, and my husband and sons administered to her by the
laying on of hands. We then changed her clothing and put her into warm
blankets, and, after pouring a little wine and water into her mouth,
she was administered to again. This time she opened her eyes and seemed
to revive a little. I continued to employ every means that lay in my
power for her recovery, and in this I was much assisted by Emma and my
daughters.
My children soon began to mend, and I felt to rejoice at the prospect
of returning health.