Carthage Jail Assassination of Joseph Smith
1844-06-27
AssassinationDescription
The Carthage Jail assassination occurred on June 27, 1844, when Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS Church, was murdered by an attacking mob. Willard Richards, who was serving as Joseph Smith's private secretary and the Church Historian, was present in the jail during the assault. Richards survived the attack and his notes and recollections became the basis for his account titled 'Two Minutes in Jail,' which remains the principal pro-Latter-day Saint narrative of the martyrdom. During their final hours in Carthage Jail, Joseph Smith had reportedly instructed Richards to continue compiling the Church's official history.
Significance
Foundational event in LDS history. Willard Richards controlled the narrative of the martyrdom, establishing the pattern of institutional narrative control that recurs throughout the Theodemocracy series.
Themes