Carthage Jail

 One of the places Alyse wanted to go was Carthage Jail.  We had a very nice sister missionary who was from Hawaii.  It always brings a sense of sadness to my heart when I go here but it was in the building that prophecies came to pass!

On June 25, 1844, Governor Thomas Ford of Illinois told the state militia that Joseph and his brother Hyrum were "dangerous men" (History of the Church, 5:563) and guilty of treason. The two brothers went to Carthage, Illinois , to deliver themselves up to the "pretended requirements of the law" (Doctrine and Covenants 135:1), according to the demands of the governor. Joseph Smith said of the event, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men. I shall die innocent, and it shall be said of me—He was murdered in cold blood" (Doctrine and Covenants 135:4).

The fireplace inside the jail/home. 

After delivering themselves up, Joseph and Hyrum were confined in Carthage Jail. The men were accompanied by John Taylor and Willard Richards, members of the Church administrative body known as the Quorum of the Twelve. The four men remained in the jail for two days, during which time the jailers treated them well and friends visited them. On June 27, 1844 a mob, made up of members of the town militia who were in charge of protecting Joseph, overran the jail. The mob, later described by John Taylor as men who were "armed" and "painted black" (Doctrine and Covenants 135:1) entered the room in which the men were being held. The room was on the second floor of the jail, at the top of the stairs. The mob forced the door open and poked their gun barrels into the room. They began shooting, despite efforts by Willard Richards to deflect the gun barrels with his walking stick. Hyrum Smith was shot multiple times and died, falling to the floor. John Taylor was also shot in several places. He was not killed but sought refuge by rolling under the bed. Joseph Smith ran toward the window where he was shot in the back from inside the jail and shot in the chest from outside the jail. He either fell or leaped out of the window, landing on the ground outside the jail, where he was again shot by members of the mob. The Prophet Joseph Smith died at that time. (See History of the Church, 6:602-618, also Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, 348).

 This is looking out the window of the downstairs bedroom.  The days were so hot that the jailer brought the Joseph and the others down so they would be more comfortable.  He then realized that anyone could see inside and knew there there were men who had said they wanted to kill Joseph.  So he moved them back upstairs. 

 The dungeon room where some of their time was spent.  This is where John Taylor was drug to hid him from the mob.  What was not known at the time is the weight of the straw and the straw in his wounds were what saved his life.  John Taylor had more work on this earth.

 The window in the dungeon cell.  Didn't give forth much light. 

 I loved the floorboards in the home... these happen to be in the room where Joseph and Hyrum were killed. 

 The window on the second floor.  This was the jailer and his wives bedroom.  So it wasn't as secure as it could have been.  But both Joseph and Hyrum had pistols with them.  

On June 27, 1844 a mob, made up of members of the town militia who were in charge of protecting Joseph, overran the jail. The mob, later described by John Taylor as men who were "armed" and "painted black" (Doctrine and Covenants 135:1) entered the room in which the men were being held. The room was on the second floor of the jail, at the top of the stairs. The mob forced the door open and poked their gun barrels into the room. They began shooting, despite efforts by Willard Richards to deflect the gun barrels with his walking stick. Hyrum Smith was shot multiple times and died, falling to the floor. John Taylor was also shot in several places. He was not killed but sought refuge by rolling under the bed. Joseph Smith ran toward the window where he was shot in the back from inside the jail and shot in the chest from outside the jail. He either fell or leaped out of the window, landing on the ground outside the jail, where he was again shot by members of the mob. The Prophet Joseph Smith died at that time. (See History of the Church, 6:602-618, also Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, 348).

 The bullet hole from the inside.  Hyrum was pressing against the door and a ball went through this door and into his head.  Hyrum is dead

John Taylor and Willard Richards were both present at the martyrdom and survived. John Taylor, who later became the third President and Prophet of the Church, wrote: "Hyrum was shot first and fell calmly, exclaiming: I am a dead man! Joseph leaped from the window, and was shot dead in the attempt, exclaiming: O Lord my God! They were both shot after they were dead, in a brutal manner " (Doctrine and Covenants 135:1).

 A picture of the door shut looking into the room where Joseph was shot and killed.  It shows the window perfectly.  Like many of "the Lord's anointed in ancient times," they sealed their works with their own blood; "in life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated"

 The stairs leading up to the upper level of the jail/home

The window Joseph fell from

After Joseph was shot he fell from the window and landed next to this well.

Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fullness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum" (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3).