Written by Mark L. Staker Published: 08 June 2015 Mark Lyman Staker serves as a Senior Researcher in the Church History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has beeninvolved in historic sites restoration for more than fifteen years. His Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith’s Ohio Revelations(2009) […]
In order to begin to understand and properly appreciate Joseph Smith’s First Vision, it is advisable to first explore some of its background and underlying themes. Some of the historical elements that call for due consideration include the reason for the Smith family living in upstate New York in the year 1820, the religious affiliations […]
There are some surprising information most did not know about Emma, Joseph Smith’s wife: Midwife – Nauvoo had a doctor, however, when it came to pediatric care the doctor requested all his patients to go to Emma Bidamon as she “knows more about babies than I do”. Greatly Loved – During the viewing of Emma’s death, […]
April 6, [Tuesday] 1841 – At an early hour the several companies comprising the “Nauvoo Legion,” with two volunteer companies for Iowa Territory, making sixteen companies in all, assembled at their several places of rendezvous, and were conducted in due order to the ground assigned for general review.1 This was the first Nauvoo Legion review […]
In 1846, Lewis decided to move to Nauvoo where he was able to purchase goods and property being sold cheap by Latter-day Saints who were moving west after being driven out of Illinois in the wake of the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.3 During the months after the Nauvoo Charter was canceled by the State […]
Emma Hale Smith Bidamon giving compassionate service is a theme which runs consistently throughout her life story. One such story illustrating this character is her tending of a gunshot wound resulting from a tragic mistake. The family of David White Rogers had become good friends with the Smiths after David was instrumental in helping scout […]
Thomas Carlin (July 18, 1789 – February 14, 1852), a farmer, soldier and Jacksonian Democrat, was the seventh Governor of Illinois (from 1838 to 1842) and also served in both houses of the Illinois General Assembly.[1] He became the first Democrat nominated at an Illinois state convention, as well as the last Illinois governor who […]
Lucy Mack Smith: “I have never seen a woman in my life who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship from month to month and from year to year with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience which she ever has done.”
Some time shortly before Joseph was leaving for Carthage, Emma asked him for a blessing. The Prophet told her he didn’t have time just then to give her a blessing, but for her to write the best blessing she could and he would sign it when he returned. Emma wrote [the desires of her heart […]
Emma was promised throughout her relationship with her husband, Joseph, the Prophet of God, she would have all of her children. That promise continually gave her strength and hope as she would lose many of her children. Emma had 9 children of birth and 2 she adopted, but only 5 lived to adulthood. Even then […]
