Introduction: This section of Lucy’s history shows the Smith Family being led by the hand of the Lord to the state of New York. At this time Joseph Sr. and Lucy decided to leave Vermont due to crop failure and famine. However, the Lord was moving them to Palmyra, New York for His own purposes, that His gospel could be restored through their son, Joseph. The family couldn’t live just anywhere in New York. They had to live in Palmyra, but not just anywhere in Palmyra. The piece of land for their farm had to be near the Hill Cumorah in Manchester, two miles out of Palmyra. What was contained in the Hill Cumorah was necessary for the establishment of the true religion on the earth. The Lord orchestrated the events of their lives to make this happen. Let’s listen to Lucy tell their story of moving to Palmyra, despite poverty and persecution.
When health returned to us, we found ourselves in quite low circumstances. We had many doctor bills and medical expenses to pay. We were compelled to use all our energy to provide for our necessities. Shortly after sickness left our family, we moved to Norwich, in the state of Vermont. We established ourselves on a farm belonging to Squire Moredock.
The first year our crops failed. By selling the fruit which grew on the place, we succeeded in obtaining bread for the family, and through great exertion we were able to sustain ourselves. The crops the second year were as the year before— a perfect failure. My husband decided to plant one more season and if he should meet with no better success than he had the two preceding years, he would then go to the state of New York, where wheat was raised in abundance.
The next year our son Don Carlos was born on March 25, 1816. Our family was increased to eight living children and two in heaven. In this year an untimely frost destroyed the crops and being the third year in succession in which the crops had failed, it well-nigh caused a famine.
This was enough; my husband decided upon going to New York. He came in one day, in quite a thoughtful mood, and sat down; after meditating for some time, he observed that if he could arrange his affairs, he would start soon for New York with a Mr. Howard, who was going to Palmyra. But he didn’t know how the family could get along in his absence; besides, he had debts that must first be paid. I pointed out that there were those who owed him money, and something may be worked out between his debtors and creditors to everyone’s satisfaction. I also assured him that I and the children could make the needed preparations and be able to follow him.
My husband was able to work out his financial matters to what he felt was to everyone’s satisfaction and set out for Palmyra, New York with Mr. Howard. The day he left our sons, Alvin and Hyrum, followed their father with a heavy heart for some distance. The children and I worked faithfully until we were fully prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
We shortly received a letter from Joseph Sr., requesting us to make ourselves ready to leave. In a short time after this, a team came for us.
When we were about to start on our journey and the team was waiting, several gentlemen who had withheld their books at the time of settlement with my husband, now brought them forward. They claimed the accounts had not been settled, and I knew they had been in the presence of witnesses. Under the circumstances I concluded it would be more to our advantage to pay their unjust claims than to hazard a lawsuit. I gave them the one hundred and fifty dollars they demanded out of the money needed to travel to Palmyra. I was left with $60 or $80 for the journey.
We set out with Mr. Howard, a cousin of the gentleman who took my husband to New York. My aged mother who had been living with us came with the family on our journey. The sleigh she was riding in was upset during our travel, and she was injured. When we got to Royalton, I had to say good-by to my God-fearing and affectionate mother. My mother was going to stay here and live with my brother Daniel Mack. Our parting was very sorrowful and affected me greatly!
My mother wept over me , long and bitterly and told me that most likely she would never see my face again; “But, my dear child,” said she, “I have lived long— my days are nearly numbered— I must soon exchange the things of this world for those which pertain to another state of existence, where I hope to enjoy the society of the blessed; and now, as my last admonition, I beseech you to continue faithful in the service of God to the end of your days that I may have the privilege of embracing you in another and fairer world above.” True to my mother’s words, I never saw her again. I believe she never recovered from her injury and died 2 years later.
After traveling a short distance, I discovered that Mr. Howard, our teamster, was an unprincipled and unfeeling wretch, by the way in which he handled both our goods and money, as well as by his treatment of my children, especially Joseph. He would compel him to travel miles at a time on foot, notwithstanding he was still lame. Our Joseph was about 10½ years old at this time.
We bore patiently with his abuse, until we got about twenty miles west of Utica, New York. As we were getting ready to continue our journey, my oldest son Alvin came to me and said, “Mother, Mr. Howard has thrown our goods out of the wagon and is about to start off with the team.” Upon hearing this, I told him to call the man in. I met Mr. Howard in the barroom, in the presence of a large company of travelers. I asked his reason for the course which he was taking. He told me the money which I had given him was all expended, and he could go no further. I then turned to those in the room and said, “Gentlemen and ladies, please give me your attention for a moment.
“Now, as sure as there is a God in heaven, that team, as well as the goods, belong to my husband, and this man intends to take them from me, or at least the team, leaving me with eight children, without the means of proceeding on my journey.” Then turning to Mr. Howard, I said, “Sir, I now forbid you touching the team or driving it one step further. You can go about your own business; I have no use for you. I shall take charge of the team myself, and hereafter attend to my own affairs.” I accordingly did so, and we proceeded on our journey, and in a short time we arrived at Palmyra, with a small portion of our effects, and barely two cents in cash.
The joy I felt in throwing myself and my children upon the care and affection of a tender husband and father doubly paid me for all I had suffered. I am sure that the sorrows of my children were all washed away when they saw their father. The children surrounded him, clinging to his neck, covering his face with tears and kisses that were heartily reciprocated by him.
We all sat down and counseled together what course was best for us to take in our destitute circumstances, and we decided to unite our strength, energy and money towards taking care of the family and obtaining our own piece of land. In the past I painted oil-cloth coverings for tables, stands and such to help with the family finances.
Again, I set up the business and did extremely well. I furnished all the provisions for the family, and, besides this, began to replenish our household furniture which I had sacrificed entirely in moving. My husband and our sons, Alvin and Hyrum, set themselves to work to pay for one hundred acres of land.
Joseph Sr. had contracted with a land agent for one hundred acres in Manchester, 2 miles out of Palmyra. In a year, we made nearly all of the first payment, erected a log house, and commenced clearing. It was not long before we had thirty acres of land ready for cultivation in the first year.
End Notes: Joseph describes their journey to Palmyra with these words, “We fell in with a family by the name of Gates, who were traveling west, and [a Mr. Howard] drove [forced] me from [our] wagon [and] made me [walk] travel in my weak state through the snow 40 miles per day for several days during which I suffered the most excruciating weariness and pain and all this that Mr. Howard might enjoy the society of two of Mr. Gates’ daughters which he took on the wagon where I should have rode. And thus, he continued to do day after day through the journey. And when my brothers remonstrated with Mr. Howard for his treatment of me, he would knock them down with the butt of his whip.
“On our way from Utica, I was left to ride on the last sleigh in the company but when that came up, I was knocked down by the driver, one of Gates’ sons, and left to wallow in my blood until a stranger came along, picked me up, and carried me to the town of Palmyra. [Mr.] Howard spent all of our money and my mother was compelled to pay our lodging bills from Utica to Palmyra with bits of cloth, clothing, etc. The last payment was made with ear drops (or earrings) taken from my sister Sophronia’s ears for that purpose.” (“The Papers of Joseph Smith” vol.1 by Dean C. Jesse, 1984, pp. 268–269.) Lucy’s narrative is taken from “History of Joseph Smith” by His Mother Lucy Mack Smith and “The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother,” edited by Scot Facer Proctor and Maurine Jensen Proctor, 1996.