Nearly a century and a half after the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred in this western Illinois town, the newly renovated $1 million Carthage Jail complex was dedicated here as a "place hallowed and sacred."
In the dedicatory ceremony June 27 on the Carthage block - a site "sanctified by the blood of martyrs" - President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency, gave the dedicatory address and prayer.President Ezra Taft Benson attended the ceremony, held outdoors on a warm summer morning under sunny skies, and spoke briefly. "I am greatly honored to be at this magnificent gathering," President Benson said. "God bless you one and all."
Other General Authorities participating were the presidency of the North America Central Area, consisting of Elder Loren C. Dunn, who conducted the ceremony, and his counselors, Elders Jacob de Jager and John Sonnenberg. Members of the area presidency are also the officers of Nauvoo Restoration Inc., which was responsible for the renovation of the Carthage complex. James C. Taylor, manager of Nauvoo Restoration, supervised the renovation, under the direction of the area presidency.
Sisters Flora Benson, Marjorie Hinckley, Sharon Dunn and Joyce Sonnenberg accompanied their husbands to Carthage.
The newly renovated complex includes the old Carthage Jail, restored as nearly as possible to 1844 standards; an expanded visitors center, which features some new artwork and a theater that will show a 19-minute movie on the life of the Prophet; six commemorative monuments containing selected quotations from Joseph and Hyrum Smith; and a new statue of the two brothers, which was unveiled by President Hinckley after the dedicatory ceremony.
The statue, the work of Dee Jay Bawden of West Valley City, Utah, depicts Joseph and Hyrum standing close together, "as brothers might in times of trouble, supporting each other and loving each other." During the past 10 years, Bawden has done 15 statues of Joseph and seven of Hyrum for various Church projects and personal use.
The six slate commemorative monuments, five of which are in the plaza area leading from the parking lot to the jail and visitors center, were carved and inscribed by Jeffrey L. Anderson of Austin, Minn.
Dedication of the complex, attended by an estimated 4,000-5,000 people, some of whom arrived 2 1/2 hours before the ceremony, was held under much different conditions than were present when the martrydom occurred.
On June 27, 1844, an armed mob of 150 to 200 persons broke into the jail, where Joseph and Hyrum, John Taylor and Willard Richards were incarcerated under supposed state protection, and killed the Prophet and his brother. Less than two years later, the Church was driven from Illinois.
With the healing of time, the dedication 145 years later was held amid feelings of peace and goodwill, and attended by several Illinois officials, as well as many Carthage townspeople. Area newspapers gave wide coverage to the dedication.
Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson was scheduled to speak at the ceremony, but because the State Legislature was in the last week of its session, he was unable to attend. His wife, Jayne C. Thompson, attended and spoke. During the ceremony, President Benson presented Mrs. Thompson with the genealogy of her husband.
Also attending were Mayor Vern Hagstrom of Quincy, Mayor Gary Treatch of Warsaw, and Councilman and mayor-elect Verlyn Bethard of Carthage, from three cities that figured prominently in Church history during the Illinois period. Following the ceremony, the city of Carthage hosted a luncheon for the visiting LDS dignitaries.
Music for the ceremony was performed by the Nauvoo and Carthage Area Choir, conducted by Maughan McMurdie, professor of music at Western Illinois University in Macomb. The choir sang three LDS hymns that honor Joseph Smith and the events of the Restoration: "Joseph Smith's First Prayer," "Praise to the Man," and "The Morning Breaks." McMurdie also sang a solo "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief." (See separate story on this page.)
In his dedicatory address, President Hinckley said the Carthage Jail grounds have been "made beautiful out of respect and love for Joseph and Hyrum Smith." After tracing the events before and after the martrydom, President Hinckley declared, "All of us are grateful for the reconciliation which has come with the passage of time.
"We thank God our Eternal Father for a more tolerant day and greater understanding. Gone are the days of the burnings and forced marches, of the pillaging and murder and rape of our people. The sunshine of goodwill shines upon the Latter-day Saints. We have come back to Illinois, welcomed and respected. The presence here of Mrs. Thompson today says more than mere words can say. It is a new era, a wonderful season."
President Hinckley said that only the foundation stones of the "once beautiful temple are left of that structure in Nauvoo. But there is a beautiful chapel and the headquarters of a strong stake of Zion. Large and active congregations of our people are found throughout this great state. And just north of Chicago is a magnificently beautiful temple in which is carried forward the great work of salvation to benefit the sons and daughters of God of all generations, this work which comes through the priesthood revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
"Ours," counseled President Hinckley, "is the duty to forgive and put behind us the troubles of the past. Ours is the obligation to rise above old animosities. Ours is the privilege to build well on that foundation laid long ago."
In the dedicatory prayer, President Hinckley dedicated the site "as a place hallowed and sacred to which people of all faiths may come and learn, may ponder and reflect, may meditate and pray while thinking upon the lives and works of those who died here."
Elder Dunn, in his introductory remarks, said as the Church grew in Illinois, "curiosity of its neighbors gave way to misunderstanding and misunderstanding to conflict." Of Joseph and Hyrum, he said, "They stood true to the end to their strong faith in the Savior and the restored gospel. It is in honor of these two great men and their legacy that we are gathered here today."
Elder Dunn emphasized the restoration projects were accomplished with donated funds. The fund-raising effort was started by Dr. J. LeRoy Kimball, former president of Nauvoo Restoration Inc.
Mrs. Thompson told the audience, seated in folding chairs in the parking lot and standing along the walkways and driveways, "I'm sure visitors to this site will be reminded of the contributions of the Mormon people.
"And perhaps they willT show in their tolerances of the various religions - not only the Mormons but other religions, other political views, other social views - what we have come to accept as part of the fabric of not only Illinois but of America."
Elder Dunn, in summing up the dedicatory events, explained, "The message of the renovated Carthage complex is, we feel, one of healing and reconciliation. Among the thousands at the dedication were mayors, civic leaders and townspeople from the local communities, and representatives from the various ministerial associations, all mingling with saints from the Midwest in the spirit of goodwill.
"Carthage has become more than a place of martyrdom," Elder Dunn continued. "It marks the triumph of Joseph Smith the Prophet and his brother Hyrum as servants of the Lord in bringing forward this great latter-day work."
(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
Carthage Jail was built in 1839
Constructed in 1839, the same year the Mormons arrived from Missouri; the two-story stone jail was built to confine persons awaiting trial or those from Hancock County in process of trial.
George Stigal was the jailer; he had a large family consisting of about seven children.
DOWNSTAIRS ROOMS:
Dining room/provision room - Most prisoners, as well as the jailer's family, ate their meals in this room, usually together. More serious offenders were fed in their cell. In addition, the family performed other tasks in the room, such as washing clothes.
Kitchen/workroom/parlor - Meals were prepared in this room for the jailer's family and for the prisoners. The family spent most of their time in this room when they were inside.
Debtors cell - Those placed here were incarcerated for less-serious crimes, including those who willfully tried to avoid payment of debts. Bedding was of straw, but fresh straw was infrequently brought in.
(A summer kitchen was added to the jail on the ground level about 1850; the present summer kitchen was added in the late 1930s.)
UPSTAIRS ROOMS:
Dungeon room - A dark, dirty and smelly place, where offenders committing serious crimes such as murder, rape, horse thievery, arson were placed. Once sentenced, felony offenders were sent to the state penitentary.
Jailer's bedroom - This was the martrydom room.
CHRONOLOGY:
June 25, 1844, the Prophet Joseph Smith voluntarily surrendered to the constable in Carthage and was later incarcerated in the Carthage Jail; he and the others were first placed in the dungeon room and then later moved into the debtors room, where they spent the night.
June 26, the Prophet spent the night in the jailer's bedroom, which had been given to him for his use at the kindness of the jailer or perhaps at the request of the magistrate.
June 27, Joseph and his brother Hyrum, John Taylor and Willard Richards were in the jailer's bedroom when the attack by the mob, which resulted in the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum and the serious wounding of Elder Taylor, occurred about 5 p.m.
