Nauvoo 1843-1844

On March 19, 1843 Robert and Ann received their Patriarchal blessings from Hyrum Smith.[1] However, all was not going well in Nauvoo. Because of a severe lack of rain from July through September in 1843, the harvest was very poor and caused a shortage of food in the city. A special committee was appointed to solicit food donations from the church members in the surrounding countryside to relieve the hunger.[2]

1844 proved to be another noteworthy year. In January, it was purposed that Joseph Smith run for President of the United States (by members of the church) to oppose Martin Van Buren and Henry Clay.[3] In February, at the request of Joseph Smith, volunteers agreed to explore California and Oregon for western removal of the Saints.[4] On April 7, 1844 our ancestor, Sarah Amanda Wright, was born to Robert and Ann, less than three months before Joseph Smith would be martyred.[5] On the same day that Sarah Amanda was born about 8,000 people attended April Conference in Nauvoo at the grove. That day, Joseph Smith preached the King Follett discourse on mankind’s potential to become like God.[6] On June 10^th the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor was declared a public nuisance and destroyed for misrepresenting the truth.[7] On June 22^nd, Joseph felt it necessary to flee to the Rocky Mountains to save his life from mobocracy after causing the printing press to be destroyed.[8] He crossed the Mississippi River to Iowa on June 23^rd, but returned to Nauvoo that same day when his wife implored him by letter to return. Joseph knew that he would be killed by those who were offended at his religion.[9] On June 24^th, Nauvoo surrendered its’ military weapons, as asked by Governor Ford.[10] Now that Nauvoo was unarmed, Joseph Smith was arrested and charged with treason on June 25^th. True to his prophetic premonition, Joseph was murdered while in jail on the 27^th.[11] Two days later, his funeral was held and an estimated 15,000 people attended the viewing, most likely including Robert and Ann.[12]

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[1] “Book of Memoranda,” 1839.

[2] George W. Givens, In Old Nauvoo, p. 65.

[3] Carter Eldredge Grant, The Kingdom of God Restored, p. 299-300.

[4] Ibid, p. 303.

[5] “Book of Memoranda,” 1839.

[6] Arnold K. Carr, Donald Q. Cannon, Richard O. Cowan; Encyclopedia of Latter-Day Saint History (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 2000), pp. 615-616.

[7] Carter Eldredge Grant, The Kingdom of God Restored, p. 305

[8] Ibid, p. 312.

[9] Ibid, p. 313.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Arnold K. Carr, Donald Q. Cannon, Richard O. Cowan; Encyclopedia of Latter-Day Saint History, p. 715.,

[12] Carter Eldredge Grant, The Kingdom of God Restored, p. 319.