Nauvoo Tours: Martyrdom Trail Tour with Shane Kester

 I took the Nauvoo Tour with Shane Kester through Nauvootours.com as I was traveling through Nauvoo from Indiana to home.  One of the most informative things I have ever done.  The tour was not all chronological.  But it was all informative.  

The AntiMormon Party and those from Warsaw who spoke openly about killing Joseph Smith knew that to have any chance to get Joseph Smith they had to get him out of Nauvoo.  The Nauvoo Expositor published their paper which included many slanders against the town and suggested Nauvoo should lose its charter. The Exositor was printed on Mulholland street with a press provided in large part by the Whig Party.   The council debated what to do and after two days determined the press was a town nuisace and should be destroyed.  This gave those enemies to the Mormos an opening.  However they did not charge them with destroying the press but with riot.  It was lawful to remove libelous nuisances.

The arms for the Nauvoo Legion were stored in the 70s Hall in the basement.  So when Joseph came back to Nauvoo when went with them to give the state provided arms back to the state, this is where he would have gone.  

When Joseph was served with a summons to appear in Carthage, the summons said any judge could hear the case.  Joseph went before Judge  Aaron Johnson who lived close to the river.  It was then suggested the case be reviewed by a non-Mormon judge.  Daniel H. Wells heard the case.  In both cases the charges were dismissed.  They accused the men of riot, and there had been no riot.  

However Governor Ford still insisted that he men come to Carthage.  Joseph knew if he did thus his life would be taken.  He crossed the river with thoughts of excaping to the West.  However Emma and others convinced Joseph to return.  That it looked cowardly for him to leave.  

When Joseph went to Carthage, after having come back across the river, He started from his home.  There was a scaffolding and this was made into a platform from which he spoke to the Nauvoo Legion.  His mother wanted assurance he would return.  Instead he said he went to die for Nauvoo.

Joseph traveled in uniform.  The the party that went with him, over 30 people including the City Council, also charged with riot, and those traveling to give support traveled up Mulholland street which goes past the temple.   Here Joseph Smith said, looking back at the city and river, "This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heavens; little do they know the trials that await them."  They passed the home of Daniel H. Wells, as they road out of town.

There is only one place where the original Nauvoo to Carthage road is intact.  Most of the road is covered with farming operations and fields.  The road was strait on a diagonal, and now the roads are rectangular folling the fields.

Upon the way passed Joseph Smith's farm.  We stopped at Goden Corner's.  This is now a small church.  However when Governor Ford brought the militia with him to visit Nauvoo, this is wher he dismissed the majority of the militia taking only one group with him to Nauvoo.   Consequently many men were able to do whatever havoc they chose.  We went pass the farm of Albert Fellows.  Here Joseph and party were met by Captain Dunn and militia from Augusta which is southeast of Carthage.  They were traveling from Carthage with the assignment to disarm the Mormon militia.  It is in this confrontation that Joseph said, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning."  Joseph returned to Nauvoo with Captain Dunn and the state weapons were handed over.  This included several canon.  Joseph changed out of his military uniform in light ot the Nauvoo Legion being disbanded from state service.

We drove past a creek where it is assumed that the Carthage Greys and the Warsaw militias mixed gunpowder with water to blacken their faces on their way back from Golden's Corners.  Of course they were no longer serving as militia.  This happenned just before they attacked the jail.

Joseph and company arrived at about midnight to Carthage.  There was much catcalling but the governor asked the people to kep their peace and they could see Joseph in the morning.  The stayed at the Hamilton House in Carthage.

 

The next day the men presented themselves at the court house to post bail so they could return to Nauvoo.  Generally bail for riot would be about $5.  However Justice Robert F Smith, a Carthage Gray and president of the Anti-Mormon Party set baile at $500.  They men had to mortgage their homes to get bail money.  Bail having been paid Justice Smith brought charges of treason agianst Joseph and Hyrum.  He then signed an order for them to go to jail, without hearing b ut saying a hearing was held.  He then left.  In this way the Anti-Mormons got what they wanted, Joseph Smith in jail.

An appeal to the governor was not successful in winning release.  It seems the governor had met with many of the conspirators in a secret meeting a few days prior.  All were on board with regards to their plans.  The governor did say if he went to Nauvoo he would take Joseph.  However a couple days later he did go to Nauvoo, but did not take Joseph.  He left the Carthage Greys in charge of guarding the jail.  

The story in the jail is well known.  John Taylor sand "Poor wayfaring Man of Grief.  A mob of 100-200 men stormed the jail.  They met no resistance from the Carthage Greys.  There rifles may have been filled with blanks and the fired over the mob.  Willard Richards and John Taylor fought to keep the jail shut.  Hyrum was the first struck with a bullet gong through the door and hitting his face.  This was with a rifle as confirmed by the angle of the hole in the door.  The bullet travelled downward as the rifle could not be leveled in the hall.  Jose0h was struck in the leg.  There are now two versions.  Willard Richard reportd that Joseph went to the window.  He was struck from with in and without and fell to the ground below dead.  The other version, from William Daniels is that Joseph was trying to climb down, but fell.  He was dazed but not dead.  There he was propped against the well, and four men shot him execution style, ending his life.  Then a young man came forward, saying something to throw the blame on Missouri.  He then attempted to cut of the prophet's head as there was a reward offered for the head of Joseph Smith.  Daniels said a bright light stunned the young man and he was not able to complete his desired task.  

This bit of information was used to discredit his testimony, as no one else witnessed this light.  Only more recently has a second testimony agreed with this in that Mary Elizabeth Rollins who had saved the Book of Commandments from the mob in Missouri, heard several ruffians talk of this same light.  All who were questioned in court denied the light.

Samuel Smith the brother of Hyrum and the prophet, arrived too late in town.  He was able to get a horse and wagon to take his brothers home.

There is a question of conspiracy and whether this was a political assassination.  Also how involved was Governor Ford involved.  Many men met a planned and schemed including Whig politicians who were losing the Mormon vote with Joseph running for president.  The governor had been warned something is afoot.  Yet he left the Carthage Greys the guard the jail, while taking the only nutral militia with him to Nauvoo.