Our Road Trip #5 - To Carthage Jail

I enjoyed our visit to Carthage. It seemed a quiet, small, peaceful town. Here at Carthage Jail where Joseph and his brother Hyrum were both martyred for what they believed, I couldn't help but reflect on these great men~ their faith, their obedience and their unwavering testimonies of the restoration of the gospel.

This photo of two of my sons, standing with Joseph and Hyrum was a poignant reminder not only of the great loss that the Saints felt at their death, but also the sorrow their mother experienced when she lost them both at once. . . I can't even imagine how difficult that would be for her and their wives and children. I stand in awe of these early Latter-Day Saints and what they faithfully endured.

Grant checks out the dark, gloomy jail cell in the upper story at Carthage Jail. Something that I didn't know before and learned on the tour was how kind the jailer and his family were to the prophet Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum, Willard Richards and John Taylor as they were incarcerated there. The jailer and his family lived downstairs and were kind to the prophet and his companions; they were able to eat with them, and socialize with them. Because it was so hot in the jail cell, they were allowed to move into the jailer's bedroom, where there were windows for ventilation and the jailer and his family slept downstairs.

The bullet that went through this door killed Hyrum instantly, then
Joseph was shot four times as he leaped through this upper story window.

Brittany, Hunter, Jesse, Cori & Ray - at Carthage.

"Hey, guys, I think it's time to wake-up!" Gracie was kind to be the center pillow for Megan & Ethan. We went to a park so the kids could play and have a picnic of some "New York style" pizza after our visit to the jail, but found it just another cardboard pizza, expensive and tasteless . . . we'll stick with our good pizza here in the West! We all drove to Keokuk and spend the night . . . then it was hard, as always, to say good-bye to our Illinois family, but we had to part ways here . . . we drove west and they drove north.