Just before arriving at Nauvoo we stopped at Carthage Jail for a tour there. I did not like Carthage, the township, very much at all. I imagine it has not grown a whole lot since the 1840’s, and certainly has not prospered greatly either. It did not have a nice feel about it at all. But I did really enjoy the tour of the jail.
Dallan & Wayne next to the memorial to Joseph and Hyram, at Carthage Jail.
There were a couple of things I never realised about the jail. The first is that it was also a residence for a family at the time. The family lived in most of the house, and there were two holding areas, which contained bars and locks. At the time of the Prophets death they were actually being held in the bedroom of the jailor, and it was quite comfortable with a large double bed, a desk and fireplace. There was also extra bedding supplied for the rest of the detainee’s.
One of the holding cells within the jail. The men were moved from this downstairs cell to an upstairs bedroom because the jailor thought it would be safer, and more comfortable, for them.
The second thing was that in comparison to Liberty Jail, their stay here was much more comfortable and relaxed. Apart from the ultimate outcome of their stay here, they didn’t suffer too much from cold or deprivation. In fact, the jailor felt that the cell that they were originally in was too hot and crowded for them and thus moved them to the upstairs bedroom where it would be much more comfortable and airy. However, their struggles were not so much in the physical sense, but more in the psychological sense. The mobs were surrounding the jail for some time and there were many rumours about what was going to happen. So even though they were physically comfortable, psychologically they must have been on the edge.
The second cell upstairs. It was under this straw mattress that Willard Richards dragged seriously injured John Taylor to, when there was a lull in the attack. This saved his life.
A view into the room where the Prophet was martyred.
The gunshot hole in the door that killed Hyrum Smith instantly.
The window through which Joseph fell when he was shot.
The view through the window
An outside view of the window that Joseph fell through.
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