Difference between revisions of "Emma Hale Smith"
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
In 1838 the Saints were forced from [[Missouri Period| Missouri]] and Joseph was put in jail. Emma had four young children and was forced out of her home by the mob in the middle of winter. She walked across Missouri to refuge in Illinois caring for her four young children and smuggling [[Joseph Smith Translation|Joseph’s translation of the Bible]] out of the hands of the mob. | In 1838 the Saints were forced from [[Missouri Period| Missouri]] and Joseph was put in jail. Emma had four young children and was forced out of her home by the mob in the middle of winter. She walked across Missouri to refuge in Illinois caring for her four young children and smuggling [[Joseph Smith Translation|Joseph’s translation of the Bible]] out of the hands of the mob. | ||
| − | While in [[Nauvoo and the | + | While in [[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom|Nauvoo]] Emma gave birth to three more sons. The first two died in infancy and the third was born after Joseph was martyred in 1844. In 1842, Emma was elected as the first president of the [[Relief Society]] and helped many of the needy and poor. After Joseph’s death Emma choose not to follow the Church to Utah. Her separation from the Church in the last part of her life does not however, take away from the important role she played in the history of the Church. Her mother-in-law Lucy Mack Smith wrote, |
:have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which she has ever done (Lucy Mack Smith, ''History of Joseph Smith'' Revised and Enhanced, Bookcraft, 1996). | :have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which she has ever done (Lucy Mack Smith, ''History of Joseph Smith'' Revised and Enhanced, Bookcraft, 1996). | ||
Revision as of 14:32, 8 March 2006
Emma Hale Smith was the wife of Joseph Smith Jr. the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Emma was born on July 10, 1804, the seventh of nine children and grew up in Harmony, Pennsylvania. She was educated well and even had an extra year of school outside of the normal grammar school.
Emma met Joseph Smith for the first time in 1825. Joseph was stricken with her, which wasn’t surprising since she had grown up to be a tall, attractive woman with a dark complexion, brown eyes, and black hair. She possessed a singular regal beauty of form and of character. Joseph boarded with Emma’s family for two years and twice asked her father for permission to marry her, but was refused.
Finally on January 18, 1827, Emma and Joseph were married without her father’s permission. After their marriage the Hale family told them that they were always welcome in their home. On June 15, 1828 Emma gave birth to their first child, unfortunately the little boy only lived a few hours. Emma nearly died from complications and Joseph spent two weeks by her side while she recovered.
During the winter of 1828-1829 Emma helped Joseph translate the Book of Mormon by working as a scribe. On June 28, 1830 Emma was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In that same year Joseph received a revelation about Emma. Which can now be found in D&C 25. In the revelation Emma was asked to put together a hymnal for the Church. She fulfilled this job and the hymnal was printed five years later.
In February of 1831, Emma and Joseph moved to Kirtland. It was a hard time for Emma because she was six month pregnant and had just recovered from an illness. In April, 1831 Emma gave birth to twins. The twins lived only three hours. A month later the Smith’s were able to adopt twins whose mother had passed away, they named them Julia and Joseph. In 1832 and again in 1836 Emma gave birth to a son. Both lived to adulthood.
In 1838 the Saints were forced from Missouri and Joseph was put in jail. Emma had four young children and was forced out of her home by the mob in the middle of winter. She walked across Missouri to refuge in Illinois caring for her four young children and smuggling Joseph’s translation of the Bible out of the hands of the mob.
While in Nauvoo Emma gave birth to three more sons. The first two died in infancy and the third was born after Joseph was martyred in 1844. In 1842, Emma was elected as the first president of the Relief Society and helped many of the needy and poor. After Joseph’s death Emma choose not to follow the Church to Utah. Her separation from the Church in the last part of her life does not however, take away from the important role she played in the history of the Church. Her mother-in-law Lucy Mack Smith wrote,
- have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which she has ever done (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith Revised and Enhanced, Bookcraft, 1996).
