Carthage, Illinois

/ Places of the D&C / Carthage, Illinois

1844

Photo Credit: Christina Broberg, 2012

Significant Events At a Glance

Carthage Jail

Key Points of Interest

Joseph Smith, Jr., Hyrum Smith, and multiple other leaders were arrested after the Nauvoo City Council had the printing press, type and other materials of the Nauvoo Expositor, a local newspaper, destroyed
Illinois Governor Thomas Ford promised the men his protection if they surrendered and went to stand trial in Carthage
Soon after their arrival, all the leaders were released on bail except Joseph and Hyrum: They were charged with treason and placed in Carthage Jail
On 27 June 1844 John Taylor and Willard Richards were staying with Joseph and Hyrum in a room on the second story of the jail. A mob came to the jail, and the men tried to keep them out, but ultimately every man was shot multiple times except Willard Richards, who only had a grazed ear
Hyrum died first, after being struck in the face by a musket ball and then in the back by a ball coming from the east window. His last words were “I am a dead man”
John Taylor was shot with five balls, first in his leg, and then in his chest. The first shot to his chest hit his pocketwatch
After John had been shot, Joseph moved to the window and was shot twice in the back and once in the chest. He went out the window and fell 25 feet to the ground. His last words were, “Oh Lord, My God!”
Once Joseph was outside the jail, the members of the mob moved outside. Willard then dragged John to the nearby cell room and covered him with a mattress to hide him
Though John was severely wounded, John and Willard both survived and returned to Nauvoo
The murders of Joseph and Hyrum were later acquitted