Thursday, August 20, 2009

The Martyrdom of The Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum

(click on image to enlarge)
Time Line of Events Leading To the Martyrdom:
(taken from Church History in the Fullness of Times pp. 273-285 click here to go to the chapter on the Martyrdom.)

24 March 1844 - Joseph Smith revealed to the Saints a conspiracy against him.

6 April 1844 - Joseph thwarted designs of conspirators at general conference.

7 April 1844 - The Prophet gives the King Follett Discourse.

7 June 1844 - Conspirators publish the Nauvoo Expositor.

10 June 1844 - Nauvoo City Council ordered destruction of the Expositor.

16 June 1844 - The Prophet gives the Sermon in the Grove (the conclusion of the King Follett discourse see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pp. 369-376).

18 June 1844 - The Prophet placed Nauvoo under martial law.

22 June 1844 - Gov. Ford insisted Joseph and Hyrum come to Carthage to answer charges against them.

23 June 1844 - Joseph and Hyrum leave Nauvoo to escape their fate. Some saints fear that the mobs will destroy them with Joseph being gone, so Joseph and Hyrum return to Nauvoo.

24 June 1844 - Joseph and Hyrum go to Carthage and arrive just before midnight.

25 June 1844 - Joseph and Hyrum are charged with treason against the State for declaring martial law.

26 June 1844 - A hearing was held on the charges of treason. They had no witnesses so they were to be held in jail for another hearing on June 29.

27 June 1844 - Joseph and Hyrum are murdered in Carthage.

3 comments:

Livin' Life Day-by-Day said...

Click on the link of my Sarah Coleman & Averett ancestors I now have listed on my blog. I think you'll find their stories incredible in light of what you have listed here on your blog. I find it sobering I have ancestors who knew the Prophet Joseph and all of these things intimately. I never knew, having grown up back east in Va. When I read them for the first time with my Dad we were both stunned. In connecting w/ a relative on my Ellis M. Sanders' line, I learned just last night that Joseph Smith was wearing something in his pocket my ancestor (Ellis) gave him when he died. I've yet to find out what that was! I assume it was a watch. Turns out my Colemans were living on Hyrum Smith's farm on that sad day. I come thru Prime T. Coleman and have read his sister's journal entry about the horrors of all that. Namely, Hyrum's wife begging them all to leave b/c of her fear of the mob coming to kill all of them! And how there was just screaming and sobs all night. Sincerely, Jackie

Livin' Life Day-by-Day said...

You can find the Averett histories I'm referring to under www.stewartkin.com (histories). I come thru Elijah, but his twin, Elisha, & brother George have incredible accounts about all of this as well. I think Elijah's is pretty impactful, tho, so read his first!

Livin' Life Day-by-Day said...

Just got this from that relative:


The book NAUVOO FACT BOOK --QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR NAUVOO ENTHUSIASTS BY GEORGE AND SYLVIA GIVENS, PAGE 22 ITEM 74 ASKS:

What personal effects were found on Joseph's body after his death?

ANS: J. W. Woods, Joseph's principal lawyer in those final days at Carthage, received from Emma Smith a receipt for items he found on the body of the Prophet and returned to the widow.
"Received, Nauvoo, Illinois, July 2, 1844, of James W. Woods one hundred and thirty-five dollars and fifty cents in gold and silver and receipt for shroud, one gold finger ring, one gold pen and pencil case, one penknife, one pair of tweezers, one silk and one leather purse, one small pocket wallet containing a note of John P. Green for $50, and a receipt of Heber C. Kimball for a note of hand on Ellen M. Saunders (Ellis M. Sanders) for one thousand dollars, as the property of Joseph Smith, Emma Smith." The most interesting item, in these authors' opinion, is the receipt for a shroud. For whom was it intended?

Of course for me the most interesting item is the note from Ellis for one thousand dollars.........another donation to the temple fund????????