Elder and Sister Openshaw  

We really love this couple..he used to teach religion at BYUI and she is quite an artist...they are going home in August and we will really miss them.  Elder Openshaw played the piano in our cast and is so talented with music.  They will be sorely missed.

Craig and I in our Debut as Peter and Abagail in Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo!  What a hoot...we are actually starting to have a little fun with this now that we know our parts pretty well!

This is the Pageant Bagpipe band playing on the streets in uptown Nauvoo!  In front of Annie's Custard..Our favorite place to hang out after Sunset on the Mississippi!

                                                     June 27th, Martyrdom Commemoration

      On June 27th we went to Carthage to attend the Martyrdom Commemoration which is held at the Carthage Jail..It was a very emotional and sacred.  President Gilliland spoke and it was interspersed with music by the Young Performing Missionaries, the Nauvoo Brass Band and Vocal Point...absolutely beautiful. When you think about all that happened that day and the miracle that Williard Richard wasn't killed or even that John Taylor survived about 5 bullet wounds, you realize that Joseph had to seal his testimony with his life and they had to be preserved as witnesses.  John Taylor was destined to be a prophet and a great leader.  Brigham Young and Willford Woodruff were on a mission in Boston.  Joseph knew he was going to die and told the Saints that his work was done and was ready to meet God.

This is President Conde, the President of the Nauvoo Temple...He is an Emeritis member of the First Quorum of Seventy...Wonderful man with an incredible sense of humor...Love him.

Martyrdom (cont.0

Wednesday, June 26, 1844
During breakfast, jailer Stigall told the Prophet that runners had been sent to all the nearby counties and across the river into Missouri the week previous in an attempt to build an army to attack Nauvoo, but Joseph's move in calling out the Nauvoo Legion and declaring martial law had  caused the mobs to think twice and abandon their plan to attack then.
After breakfast Stigall had the men take over his own bedroom up stairs to make them more comfortable.

There is much written of this day, and therefore it would be redundant to recount it all, but one item that is often not mentioned was that a man named Royal Southwick from Texas, was in town to see Joseph Smith, and came to Carthage. He was in the Hamilton Hotel this afternoon, and being a stranger, no one knew who he was.  Later this evening he would visit the Prophet and tell him that he had been sitting in a public room at the hotel, when in walked a large group of men, including Gov. Ford, and started a meeting.  It appeared that they thought he was there for the meeting, as well as the others who were also from out of town. Their discussion centered around Gov. Ford, saying that they were all very concerned about Joseph's political ambitions and stated that his views were catching on in the rest of the country like wildfire and that if he did not win the Presidential election this year it was almost certain that he would the next election. Therefore, he must be stopped.  They said to Gov. Ford, we have got him here now and you must make sure he is stopped.  Gov. Ford stated, you can consider it done.  I have it all arranged.  As it turns out, there were present in this meeting in Carthage, a delegate from every state in the Union, save three states!  There was more going on than just religious intolerance. This was also a deliberate  political assassination in the making. (see Dalin H. Oaks, Carthage Conspiracy, p.6)

Martyrdom (cont.)

Tuesday, June 25, 1844
The "legal charades" began.
Sunrise, Gov. Ford assembled all the various militias in the town square, 2 blocks from the Carthage jail.
He had called up 7 or 8 of the town militias from the surrounding area.  Most of them were "indifferent" about the situation, i.e. they were curious, but not committed in hatred towards the Mormons, and were perhaps to be considered "loyal" to their leaders, who seemed to be interested in defending true justice, whatever that was.  The Carthage Grays were pure "trash" led by Captain Robert F. Smith, who was also the Justice of the Peace in Carthage and was a true accomplice to Gov. Ford in this matter.  The Warsaw militia was composed almost entirely of the most vicious of the mobs against the Mormons, stirred up continuously by Thomas Sharp, editor of the Warsaw Signal. The Warsaw militia was so disorganized and undisciplined that they weren't yet in Carthage, perhaps at Gov. Ford's request(?).
Gov. Ford announce to all present that Joseph and Hyrum were "dangerous men and guilty of all that would be charged against them, still they were in the hands of the law, which must have its course."
(The Gov. now acted as judge and jury and before the week was over would play his part as executioner as well.)
9 a.m. Joseph and all the 24 accused were paraded before the militia.
Then some of the officers of the various militias interviewed Joseph in the Hamilton House, which is a very interesting meeting but too lengthy for here.
Late afternoon was held the first hearing (for a "riot" in the case of the Expositor )  in the Courthouse, which was a "farce". It was supposed to be under the Justice that issued the original order, a judge Morrison of Carthage, but at the last minute Gov. Ford replaced him with none other than Robert F. Smith, the most virulent Mormon hater. They did release all but Joseph and Hyrum, who were charged again by Robert Smith on a treason charge. and demanded they be "violently put in jail immediately".  Gov. Ford and Robert Smith left the room immediately...John Taylor was so outraged that he almost chased Gov. Ford into his quarters, giving him a legal tongue lashing, due of his setting aside of all legal protocol.
About 10 stayed with Joseph in jail.
They were first put into the criminals cell at the top of the stairway.
After a very short time the jailor, George Stigall compassionately  disregarded the sheriff's order and moved them downstairs to the debtors apartment.
The ten men spent the night there.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Becky and I attended the Temple this morning, before our service today at the Family Living Center and the Brigham Young Home.

Martyrdom (cont.)

Monday, June 24, 1844      As I begin writing this, Monday, June 24, 2013, it is 6:10 a. m..  Joseph is about to come out of the Mansion House to join the members of the City Council (some 24 men)who will travel with him to Carthage.  He will come out of his house in 20 minutes (6:30), dressed in his Nauvoo Militia  military uniform, mount up on his horse and they will all start going north on Main St.  They will turn east on Mulholand St, and will stop at the Temple to look at it (it is now finished up to the level of the circle windows), and to look over the City below and comment: "This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heavens; little do they know the trials that await them."

They will then continue east on Mulholand and stop again at the home (the original home, above)of Squire Daniel Wells, a non-member  Justice of the peace and say goodbye to him "Squire Wells, I wish you to cherish my memory, and not think me the worst man in the world either."  (He later will join the Church and become a counselor to Brigham Young in Utah).

He will continue again east and cross south to Parley St. and continue east until he comes to a small stream just west of the burial ground and after crossing the stream will turn  right, taking the road along the stream ( this road is still here today, just as it was in 1844, and is the only part of the original  Nauvoo road remaining today).

This road continues a little less than a mile, curving its way along the stream and up onto the prairie farmlands to continue on to Carthage.

As it gets up onto the prairie it now dissapears. In about 1850 the local farmers petitioned the State to realign all county roads to go along their farm property lines, instead of the diagonal, the way the original road did to Carthage.  The rest of the road was obliterated from this point on, until just before it enters Carthage.

Joseph again stopped to see his farm for what he thought would be his last.  (Above, is the actual Joseph Smith Farm house, still standing, on his farm property, now owned by non members. The rear portions were later added to the original front part.)

At ten a. m., and four miles from Carthage, was the Albert G. Fellows farm, and at that point the group saw a company of 60 militia (called up by Gov. Ford), under the command of Captain Dunn coming to meet them. Some in the group were frightened to which Joseph counselled: "Do not be alarmed, bretheren, for they cannot do more to you than the enemies of truth did to the ancient saints - -- they can only kill the body".

The Carthage road is in the foreground and and the little road is the driveway that goes back to the house. 

This is the driveway. The house in the back is today a private, more modern home that was rebuilt on the same place as the original, that was then owned by Fellows, a member of the Church. 

They went inside the farm house to talk with Captain Dunn, who was sent to disarm the entire Nauvoo legion.  They told Joseph  he would have to return with them, as they felt the Legion would not relenquish their guns with out Joseph being with them.

Joseph, of course now knew very well how these events would conclude and knew it was futile to attempt any other course,  and did not even argue.

The entire group returned to Nauvoo and Joseph went home to Emma, Lucy and the family one last time, while Capt. Dunn collected all the arms.

When  they again left Nauvoo, Joseph had changed out of his military uniform, since the Nauvoo militia was now disbanded.  They left about 4 p.m.and arrived in Carthage at midnight, staying in the Hamilton Hotel.

There are a great many interesting events that occurred today that are not included here, such as Joseph talking to several bretheren about the trip they would be making west to the rocky mountains, saying he would not go with them, as he would be dead within the week.  Emma was now realizing the same thing.

Martyrdom (cont)

Sunday, June 23, 1844
This morning at about 2 am, Joseph and Hyrum  began to carry out a plan they devised, to go west, by going down Water St. from the Mansion house to Aaron Johnson's home (which is still standing today in 2013 on its same location) and they borrowed his rowboat.  Porter Rockwell rowed them across the Mississippi river to Montrose. (We have a senior missionary now here in our mission district, who is a direct descendant  of Aaron Johnson).
This is a most interesting account, but too lengthy to recite here.  Suffice it to say, that some were calling Joseph a coward, when they found him gone later this morning. Even Emma was party to this plea, for him to come back, and face what would come.  It is now, that he makes the famous statement: "If my life is of no value to my friends, then it is of none to myself."
He returned to Nauvoo this afternoon, but he was now a "different man", resigned to his fate. From that point   on, he was not the boyant,  optimistic person that he used to be.  Those around him definitely noticed this change.
He then, will, this afternoon, write a letter to Gov. Ford saying that he would come to Carthage tomorrow, Monday, June 24, 1844.

Martyrdom (cont.)

Saturday, June 22, 1844
John Taylor and John Bernhisel, met with Governor Ford, but it was not a private meeting that they expected. Instead the Gov. allowed about 20 other men to  attend as well.  John Taylor describes them as " some of the vilest and unprincipled men in creation. .. . .  .recreant to virtue, honor, integrity, and everything that is considered honorable among men".
As they tried to give their side, they were constantly heckled and interrupted  "in the rudest manner and foul language".  Throughout, Gov. Ford sat "straight faced in silence", without any effort to curb the interruptions.
Gov. Ford then pushed the affidavits aside, and demanded the Joseph and the others responsible come to Carthage and surrender to the Sheriff who had issued the original warrant.
John Taylor warned the Governor that he would be putting these men's lives in danger if they came.  The Governor "pledged his faith as governor, and the faith of the state, that he would guarantee our perfect safety". He made them wait over 4 hrs, while he wrote a letter  for them to take to Joseph.
It was late tonight that they returned to Nauvoo to report to Joseph.  He gathered some of his closest associates to discuss what to do.  Reading the letter,  he stated "there is no mercy, no mercy here".  "If I and Hyrum are ever taken again we will be massacred, or I am not a Prophet of God".
They met until early tomorrow morning.

Martyrdom (cont.)

Friday, June 21, 1844  --
Governor Ford arrived today in Carthage.  The first thing he did was activate the town militias under his command from all the surrounding communities in the County.
Next he wrote Joseph Smith and requested that one or more "well informed persons who will be capable of laying before me your version of the matter" come to Carthage immediately.
The two selected to go were John Taylor and John Bernhisel.  They arrived at the Hamilton Hotel late in the evening and spent the night with pistols under their pillows.
Friday, June 21, 2013.
Today, we went to Iowa City for the first time.  Went to Costco, visited a colleague of mine at the Univ. of Iowa Dental School who is the head of the Grad Perio Department, and went to the Mormon Handcart Park which is on the Univ. of Iowa campus. This was the staging area for building the handcarts and getting everyone outfitted as they got off the train in Iowa City, from 1856 through 1860.  It is a nice small park with "reader boards" describing the campsites, cemetery,  and how they left for Utah.