| Joseph is dragged from his bed,
tarred and feathered by a mob led by former Mormon and Campbellite preacher
Symonds Ryder. Others former Mormons include Methodist minister Ezra Booth,
John Johnson Jr., and brothers Eli and Edward Johnson. Sidney suffers the
same fate. Joseph thinks Sidney is dead but discovers he only "crazy." Sidney
wants a knife to kill his wife, then to kill Joseph. Condition persists
for some time. |
|
| |
|
Manuscript History
Scribe: Willard Richards
[January–September 1843]
|
|
History of the Church
B. H. Roberts, ed.
[1901] |
|
MH-A
Manuscript History of the Church (December 1805-August 30, 1834), 553 pages numbered from the "back" of Joseph's "large journal" (A-1), written June 11, 1839-Aug. 24, 1843. Selected Collections 1:1, Volume 1 // “Joseph Smith History, 1839” (first 93 pages), Early Mormon Documents 1:56-148; “History, 1839” (first 240 pages), Papers of Joseph Smith 1:265-386. Original, Church Archives, CR 100 102, Volume 1.
,
204–209.
HC
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by B. H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1902-1912, 1932).
,
1:260–265. |
Plan
to visit Missouri
Murdock twins 11 months |
¶ |
According to previous calculation we now began to make preperations
to visit the brethren who had removed to the land of Missouri. |
|
According to previous intentions, we now began to make preparations
to visit the brethren who had removed to the land of Missouri. |
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|
| |
|
Before going
to Hiram, to live with Father Johnson,
my wife had taken two children (twins) of John
Murdock, to bring up.
She received them <when> only nine days old; they were now nearly
eleven months. |
|
Before going
to Hiram to live with Father Johnson,
my wife had taken two children (twins), of John
Murdock's, to rear.
She received them <when> only nine days old; they were now nearly
eleven months. |
|
|
Living
at Father Johnson's
Uneventful |
|
I would remark
that nothing important had occurred since I came to reside in Father Johnson's
house in Hiram; I had held meetings on the sabbaths and evenings. and baptized a number. |
|
I would remark
that nothing important had occurred since I came to reside in Father Johnson's
house in Hiram, except that I had held meetings on the Sabbaths and evenings, and baptized a number. |
|
|
| Warns
Olmsted Johnson |
¶ |
Father
Johnsons Son, Olmsted Johnson, came home on a visit, during which I told him if he did not obey the gospel,
[205] the spirit he was of would lead him to destruction, and when he went away,
he would never return or see his father again. |
¶ |
Father
Johnson's son, Olmsted Johnson, about this time came home on a visit, during which I told him if he did not obey the Gospel, the spirit he was of would lead him to destruction, and when he went away,
he would never return or see his father again. |
|
Olmsted
Johnson (1809–1834) |
| |
|
He went to the southern states
and Mexico, and on his return, took sick, and di<e>d in Virginia. |
|
He went to the southern states
and Mexico; on his return, he took sick and died in Virginia. |
|
Eli
and Edward Johnson are not sons of John Johnson Sr.
|
| Apostates |
|
In
addition to the apostate Ezra Booth, Symonds
Rider, Eli
Johnson, Edward Johnson and John Johnson Jr., had apostatized. |
¶ |
In
addition to the apostate Ezra Booth, Simonds Ryder, Eli
Johnson, Edward Johnson and John Johnson Jr., had apostatized. |
Symonds Ryder |
March
24
Twins have measles |
¶ |
On the 24th of March;
the twins before mentioned, which had been sick of the measles for some
time, caused us to be broken of our rest in taking care of them, especially
my wife, |
¶ |
[261] On the 24th of March,
the twins before mentioned, which had been sick of the measles for some
time, caused us to be broken of our rest in taking care of them, especially
my wife. |
|
| |
|
in the evening I told her she had better retire to rest with one
of the children, and I would watch with the sickestchild. |
|
In the evening I told her she had better retire to rest with one
of the children, and I would watch with the sicker child. |
|
¶
Luke Johnson (h): Carnot Mason dragged Joseph out of bed by the hair
of his head.
¶ Luke Johnson (h)
Dr. Dennison was there to emasculate Joseph but decided not to.
Marinda Johnson said the men were disguised "as black men."
Women
Women of Mormondom, Edward W. Tullidge (New York: author), 1877.
,
404. |
Emma
screams murder
A dozen men grab Joseph |
|
In the night she told me I had better
lie down on the trundle bed, and I did so, and was soon after awoke by her screaming Murder! when
I found myself going out of the door, in the hands of about a dozen men;
some of whose hands were in my hair, and some hold of my shirt, drawers and limbs, The foot of the trundle bed was towards
the door, leaving only room enough for the door to swing. |
In the night she told me I had better
lie down on the trundle bed, and I did so, and was soon after awakened by her screaming murder, when
I found myself going out of the door, in the hands of about a dozen men;
some of whose hands were in my hair, and some had hold of my shirt, drawers and limbs. The foot of the trundle bed was towards
the door, leaving only room enough for the door to swing open. |
|
|
My wife heard a gentle tapping on
the windows which she then took no particular notice of (but which was unquestionably
design'd for ascertaining whether we were all
asleep,) and soon after the mob burst open the door and surrounded the bed
in an instant, and, as I said, the first I knew I was going out of the door
in the hands of an infuriated mob. |
My wife heard a gentle tapping on
the windows which she then took no particular notice of (but which was unquestionably designed for ascertaining whether or not we were all
asleep), and soon after the mob burst open the door and surrounded the bed
in an instant, and, as I said, the first I knew I was going out of the door
in the hands of an infuriated mob. |
Struggle
Knock one down
|
|
I made a desperate struggle, as
I was forced out, to extricate myself, but only cleared one leg, with which
I made a pass at one man, and he fell on the door steps. |
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I made a desperate struggle, as
I was forced out, to extricate myself, but only cleared one leg, with which
I made a pass at one man, and he fell on the door steps. |
|
one man:Warren
Waste. ¶
George A Smith: Apostaates |
|
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I was immediately confined again; and they swore by God,
they would kill me if I did not be still, which quieted me. |
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I was immediately overpowered again; and they swore by G – –,
they would kill me if I did not be still, which quieted me. |
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As they passed around the house
with me, the fellow that I kicked came to me and thrust his hand into my
face,(for I hit him on the nose,) and with an exulting
horse laugh,
muttered, God dam
ye;
I'lI fix ye." |
|
As they passed [262] around the house
with me, the fellow that I kicked came to me and thrust his hand all covered with blood, into my face and with an exulting hoarse laugh,
muttered: Ge, gee, G— d— ye, I'll fix ye." |
|
|
| Choke,
passes out |
|
They then seized me by the throat,
and held on till I lost my breath. |
¶ |
They then seized me by the throat,
and held on till I lost my breath. |
|
|
| Sidney
appears dead |
|
After I came to, as they passed
along with me, about thirty rods from the house, I saw Elder Rigdon stretched
out on the ground, whither they had dragged him by his heels. I supposed
he was dead. |
|
After I came to, as they passed
along with me, about thirty rods from the house, I saw Elder Rigdon stretched
out on the ground, whither they had dragged him by his heels. I supposed
he was dead. |
|
|
| Pleads
with mob |
¶ |
I began to plead with them, saying,
you will have mercy and spare my life, I hope:— |
|
I began to plead with them, saying,
"You will have mercy and spare my life, I hope." |
|
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| No
mercy |
|
To which they replied,
"God dam ye;
call on yer God for help, we'll show ye no mercy:"— |
|
To which they replied,
"G—d—ye;
call on yer God for help, we'll show ye no mercy;" |
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| Plank |
|
and the people began to shew themselves in every direction: one coming
from the orchard had a plank. and I expected they would kill me, and carry
me off on the plank. |
|
and the people began to show themselves in every direction; one coming
from the orchard had a plank; and I expected they would kill me, and carry
me off on the plank. |
|
|
Sidney
lying in meadow
Symonds Ryder |
¶ |
They then turned to
the right and went on about thirty rods further;— about sixty rods
from the house. and thirty from whence I saw Elder Rigdon;— into the meadow, where they stopped, and one
said, "Simonds,
Simonds" (meaning I supposed, Simonds Rider,)
"pull up his drawers, pull up his drawers, he will take cold." |
|
They then turned to
the right, and went on about thirty rods further; about sixty rods
from the house, and thirty from where I saw Elder Rigdon, into the meadow, where they stopped, and one
said, "Simonds,
Simonds" (meaning I supposed, Simonds Ryder,)
"pull up his drawers, pull up his drawers, he will take cold." |
|
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| Kill
him |
|
Another replied "a'nt
ye goin to kill 'im." ? "a'nt ye goin to kill
'im."? |
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Another replied: "Ain't ye going to kill 'im? in't ye going to kill 'im?" |
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| Keep
Joseph off the ground |
|
when a group of mobbers collected
a little way off and said. "Simonds, Simonds come here;" and
Simonds charged those who had hold of me to keep me from touching the
ground, (as they had done all the time) lest I should get a spring upon
them. |
when a group of mobbers collected
a little way off and said: "Simonds, Simonds come here;" and
"Simonds" charged those who had hold of me to keep me from touching the
ground (as they had done all the time), lest I should get a spring upon
them. |
| Mob
discuss killing Joseph |
|
They went
and held a council, and as I could occasionally over-hear a word,
I supposed it was to know. whether it was best to kill me. |
|
They held a council, and as I could occasionally overhear a word,
I supposed it was to know whether or
not it was best to kill me. |
|
|
| Decide
not to kill |
¶ |
They returned after a while when
I learned that they had concluded not to kill me, but pound and scratch me well, tear of[f] my shirt
and drawers and leave me naked |
|
They returned after a while, when
I learned that they had [263]
concluded not to kill me, but beat and scratch me well, tear off my shirt
and drawers, and leave me naked |
|
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| Call
for tar |
|
One cried "Simonds, Simonds,
where's the tar bucket"? |
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One cried, "Symonds, Symonds, where's the tar bucket?" |
|
|
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"I don't
know" answered one, "where 'tis, Eli's left it." |
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"I don't
know" answered one, "where 'tis, Eli's left it." |
|
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| Try
to force tar into mouth |
|
They ran back and fetched the bucket
of tar, when one exclaimed "God
dam it,—let us tar up his mouth;" and they
tried to force the tar paddle into my mouth; I twisted my head around,
so that they could not; and they cried out, "God
dam ye hold up yer head and let us give [207] ye some tar." |
They ran back and fetched the bucket
of tar, when one exclaimed with an oath, "Let us tar up his mouth;" and they
tried to force the tar-paddle into my mouth; I twisted my head around,
so that they could not; and they cried out, " G— d— ye, hold up yer head and let us giv ye some tar." |
| Vial
breaks |
|
They then tried to force a phial into my mouth, and broke it in my teeth. |
¶ |
They then tried to force a vial into my mouth, and broke it in my teeth. |
|
¶
Luke Johnson (h) says it was a vial of "some obnoxious drug."
The vial was dropped and the contents killed the grass.
Vial of aquafortis. ¶
George A Smith: Apostates |
| Stripped,
scratched |
|
All my clothes were
torn off me except my shirt collar; and one man fell on me and scratched
my body with his nails like a mad cat, and then muttered out, "God
dam ye, that's the way the Holy Ghost falls on folks." |
All my clothes were
torn off me except my shirt collar; and one man fell on me and scratched
my body with his nails like a mad cat, and then muttered out: "G—d—ye, that's the way the Holy Ghost falls on folks!" |
| Makes
way to Father Johnson's |
¶ |
They then left me, and I attempted
to rise, but fell again. I pulled the tar away from my lips &c,
so that I <could> breathe more freely, and after a while I began
to recover, and raised myself up, when I saw two lights: I
made my way towards one of them, and found it was father Johnson's. |
They then left me, and I attempted
to rise, but fell again; I pulled the tar away from my lips,
so that I could breathe more freely, and after a while I began
to recover, and raised myself up, whereupon I saw two lights. I
made my way towards one of them, and found it was Father Johnson's. |
| Emma
faints |
|
When I came to the door, I was naked,
and the tar made me look as though I had been
covered with blood, and when my wife
saw me she thought I was all mashed
to pieces, and fainted. |
|
When I came to the door I was naked,
and the tar made me look as if I were covered with blood, and when my wife
saw me she thought I was all crushed to pieces, and fainted. |
|
|
Sisters
gather
Blanket |
|
during the affray abroad, the sisters
of the neighborhood had collected at my room. I called for a blanket, they
threw me one and shut the door; I wrapped it around me, and went in. |
|
During the affray abroad, the sisters
of the neighborhood had collected at my room. I called for a blanket, they
threw me one and shut the door; I wrapped it around me, and went in. |
|
|
| Father Johnson held in house |
¶ |
In the meantime, Brother John Poorman
heard an outcry across the cornfield, and running that way met father Johnson,
who had been fastened in his house at the commencement of the assault, by
having his door barred by the mob, |
¶ |
In the meantime, Brother John Poorman
heard an outcry across the corn field, and running that way met Father Johnson,
who had been fastened in his house at the commencement of the assault, by
having his door barred by the mob, |
|
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| Calls
for gun |
|
but on calling to his
wife to bring his gun, saying he would blow a hole through the door, the
mob fled, |
|
but on calling to his
wife to bring his gun, saying he would blow a hole through the door, the
mob fled, |
|
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| Knocks
down one mobber |
|
and father <Johnson>
seizing a club, ran after the party that had Elder Rigdon, and knocked down
one man, and raised his club to level another. exclaiming. "What
are you doing here"? when they left Elder Rigdon and turned upon
father Johnson, |
|
and Father Johnson,
seizing a club, ran after the party that had Elder Rigdon, and knocked down
one man, and raised his club to level another, exclaiming. "What
are you doing [ 264] here?" when they left Elder Rigdon and turned upon
Father Johnson, |
|
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Runs for home
Poorman strikes
shoulder |
|
who, turning to run
toward his own house, met Brother Poorman coming out of the cornfield; each
supposing the other to be a mobber, an encounter ensued, and Poorman gave
Johnson a severe blow on the left shoulder with a stick or stone. which brought
him to the ground. |
|
who, turning to run
toward his own house, met Brother Poorman coming out of the corn field; each
supposing the other to be a mobber, an encounter ensued, and Poorman gave
Johnson a severe blow on the left shoulder with a stick or stone, which brought
him to the ground. |
|
Father Johnson's collar bone was broken but promptly healed by David Whitmer.
¶ Luke Johnson (h) |
|
|
Poorman ran immediately
towards father Johnsons, and arriving while I was waiting for the blanket,
exclaimed. "I'm [208] afraid I've killed him." |
Poorman ran immediately
towards Father Johnson's, and arriving while I was waiting for the blanket,
exclaimed, "I'm afraid I've killed him." |
| Poorman
hides |
|
Killed who? asked some one;
when Poorman hastily related the circumstance of the rencounter [encounter] near the cornfield,
and went into the shed and hid himself. |
|
Killed who? asked some one;
when Poorman hastily related the circumstances of the rencounter [encounter] near the corn field,
and went into the shed and hid himself. |
|
|
| Johnson
arrives |
|
Father Johnson soon recovered so
as to come to the house. when the whole my[s]tery was quickly solved concerning
the difficulty between him and Poorman, who, on learning the facts, joyfully
came from his hiding place |
|
Father Johnson soon recovered so
as to come to the house, when the whole mystery was quickly solved concerning
the difficulty between him and Poorman, who, on learning the facts, joyfully
came from his hiding place. |
|
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| Scrape
tar |
¶ |
My friends spent the
night in scraping and removing the tar, and washing and Cleansing my body.
so that by morning I was ready to be clothed again. |
¶ |
My friends spent the
night in scraping and removing the tar, and washing and cleansing my body;
so that by morning I was ready to be clothed again. |
|
Philemon
Duzette witnesses cleansing, is baptized. ¶
George A Smith: Apostates |
Sunday
service
Mobbers attend |
¶ |
This being sabbath
morning, the people assembled for meeting at the usual hour of worship,
and among them came also the mobbers; viz, Simonds Rider, a campbellite Preacher. and leader of
the mob; one McClentic, who had his hands in my hair; one Streeter, son
of a campbellite minister;
and Felatiah Allen, Esquire, who gave the mob a barrel of whiskey to raise
their Spirits;
and many others; |
|
This being the Sabbath
morning, the people assembled for meeting at the usual hour of worship,
and among them came also the mobbers; viz, Simonds Ryder, a Campbellite preacher and leader of
the mob; one McClentic, who had his hands in my hair; one Streeter, son
of a Campbellite minister;
and Felatiah Allen, Esq., who gave the mob a barrel of whiskey to raise
their spirits. Besides these named, there
were many others in the mob. |
|
|
| Joseph
preaches, baptizes |
¶ |
With my flesh all scarfied
and defaced. I preached to the
congregation as usual, and on
the afternoon of the same day baptized three individuals. |
|
With my flesh all scarified and defaced. I preached to the
congregation as usual, and in the afternoon of the same day baptized three individuals. |
|
|
Visits
Sidney on Monday
Crazy |
¶ |
The next morning [March 26] I
went to see Elder Rigdon, and found him crazy, and his head highly inflamed,
for they had dragged him by his heels, and those, too, so high from the earth
he could not raise his head from the rough frozen surface, which lacerated
it exceedingly; |
¶ |
[265] The next morning I
went to see Elder Rigdon, and found him crazy, and his head highly inflamed,
for they had dragged him by his heels, and those, too, so high from the ground that he could not raise his head from the rough frozen surface, which lacerated
it exceedingly; |
|
|
| Asks
for razor to kill wife, Joseph |
|
and when he saw me he called to his wife. to bring him his
razor: She asked him what he wanted of it?
and he replied, to kill me. Sister Rigdon left the room and he
asked
me to bring his razor. I asked him what he wanted of it, and he
replied he wanted to kill his wife, and he continued delirious some days. |
|
and when he saw me he called to his wife. to bring him his
razor. She asked him what he wanted of it; and he replied, to kill me. Sister Rigdon left the room, and he
asked me to bring his razor; I asked him what he wanted of it, and he
replied he wanted to kill his wife; and he continued delirious some days. |
|
|
| Sisters
detain mob member |
|
The feathers which were used with the tar on this occasion,
the mob took out of Elder Rigdens house. After they had seized him. and
dragged him out. one of the banditti returned to get some pillows, when
the women shut him in and kept him some time. |
|
The feathers which were used with the tar on this occasion,
the mob took out of Elder Rigdon's house. After they had seized him, and
dragged him out, one of the banditti returned to get some pillows; when
the women shut him in and kept him a prisoner some time. |
|
|
| Son
dies |
¶ |
[209] During the mob[bing] one
of the twins received
a severe cold, and
continued to grow worse till
friday, and died |
¶ |
During the mobbing one
of the twins contracted a severe cold, continued to grow worse until Friday, and then died |
|
Without comment
on the discrepancy,
HC
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by B. H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1902-1912, 1932).
1:265n has the death of "Joseph S.
Murdock" on March 29, which was a Thursday. |
Mob
continues to harrass Johnson home
|
|
The Mobbers were composed of various religious
parties, but mostly Campbellites, Methodists and Baptists, who continued
to molest and menace father Johnson's house for a long time. |
|
The mobbers were composed of various religious
parties, but mostly Campbellites, Methodists and Baptists, who continued
to molest and menace Father Johnson's house for a long time. |
|
|
| Sidney
moves to Kirtland, then Chardon |
|
Elder Rigdon removed to Kirtland with his family, then
sick with the meazles, the following wednesday; and. on account of
the mob he went to Chardon, Saturday April
first [sic]. |
|
Elder Rigdon removed to Kirtland with his family—then
sick with the measles—the following Wednesday; and, on account of
the mob he went to Chardon on Saturday March 31st. |
|
The tarring triggered Joseph's
trip to Missouri. ¶
Joseph Remembered
Mason had an attack of the spinal affection, Fullars died of cholera in
Cleveland, Dr. Dennison was sent to the penitentiary for ten years, and
died before the term expired. ¶
Luke Johnson (h)
Citing Luke Johnson, George A. Smith reports different persecutor fates.
¶ George A Smith: Apostates |
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Discussion |
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| Joseph:
nothing important |
|
Joseph Smith seems unable to
find a direct cause for the March 1832 attack: he preached on Sundays, baptized
a few, and scolded Olmstead Johnson for not being baptized. Other than that,
"nothing important had occurred" since he had moved to Hiram on
September 12, 1831. |
|
|
| Ezra
Booth and Symonds Ryder |
|
Other factors were probably in play,
though to what degree it is impossible to say. First, all nine Ezra
Booth letters had been published by December 8, 1831, but it seems unlikely
that Ezra abandoned his anti-Mormon campaign, since he was in the March
1832 mob. Ezra and Symonds Ryder, whom Joseph
named as the leader of the band, were long-time residents in the Hiram area. |
|
Ezra
Booth Letters |
| John Johnson [Jr.] |
|
Other possible factors strike closer to home.
According to Joseph, John Johnson Jr., the eldest living son of John Johnson,
was one of the mob; and the son Joseph warned
he would be destroyed if he wasn't baptized —Olmstead—died in
Virginia on February 24, 1834. |
|
¶
John Johnson
Olmstead's death:
EMS
The Evening and the Morning Star
2, no. 19
(Apr. 1834): 151. |
| Hostile
sources: |
|
Three sources hostile to Mormonism proposed other
hypotheses. The fact that all three mistakenly include more than one of
John Johnson's sons in the mob suggests they were not intimately acquainted
with the facts. Nevertheless, their arguments merit consideration. |
|
|
| Hayden:
Johnson property |
|
In his 1876 history of the Disciples
in the Western Reserve, Amos S. Hayden states Johnson brothers
participated in the action because of "the horrid fact that a plot
was laid to take their property from them and place it under the control
of Smith."
John Johnson Sr. was a prosperous farmer, and Joseph was desperate to raise
funds for the United Firm. He no relied on John, which John Jr. and
Olmstead may have resented. |
|
Hayden history
Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio, A. S. Hayden (Cincinnati: Chase & Hall, 1876).
, 221. |
| Braden:
Marinda |
|
In an 1884 debate, Clark
Braden, a member of the Church of Christ (Disciples), alleges
that Marinda's brother Eli led the mob against Joseph because he had been
intimate with Marinda. Several factors lend plausibility to this theory:
Eli Johnson was in the mob; castration may have been considered appropriate
punishment for sexual misconduct; according to Todd Compton, Joseph tended
to marry women who stayed in his house or in whose house he stayed; there
is some evidence that Joseph was converted to the idea of plural marrage
as early as 1831 or 1832; and in fact, Joseph did marry Marinda, in 1842. |
|
Kelley-Braden debate
Public Discussion of the Issues between the Reorganized Church ... and the Church of Christ (Disciples): Held in Kirtland, Ohio, beginning February 12th, and closing March 8th, 1884: Between E. L. [Edmund Levi] Kelley ... and Clark Braden ... , (St. Louis: C. Braden, 1884). Special Collections, BYU, Americana BX 8691 .K28p
, 202
qtd. in
Sacred Loneliness
In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith, Todd Compton (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1998).
,
235–239. |
| Deming/Whitney:
Johnson property |
|
In comments about his1885
interview with Rev. S. F. Whitney, Arthur B. Deming reports additional
Whitney statements about the mobbing, followed immediately by, "Several
of Johnson's sons were of the party. They were angry because their father
was urged by Jo and Rigdon to let them have his property." It is not clear
whether John Johnson or someone else is the source of this information |
|
"Statement
of Rev.S. F. Whitney on Mormonism,"
NTAM
Naked Truths About Mormonism
,
Jan. 1888. Source |
| |
|
Several of Johnson's sons were of the party. They were angry
because their father was urged by Jo and Rigdon to let them have his property.
He finally did give them some of it, and moved to Kirtland and kept tavern,
and his son Luke became one of the first Mormon Twelve Apostles. |
|
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| We don't know |
|
Again, these hypotheses have plausibility but
lack evidence. Presently it is simply not possible to determine with any
certainty what the proximate cause of the attack was.
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Joseph Smith
Kirtland
Home
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