Posts

Posted on

Solomon Mack Family Graves Background

Gilsum, New Hampshire – May 1996

From an article in the Smith Family Newsletter May 1996 we have a little background on the resting place for Solomon Mack:

“Solomon Mack’s headstone is broken beyond repair!”  This was the message transmitted to our family last year.  The Centennial Cemetery in Gilsum, New Hampshire, is the final resting place of Solomon Mack, Lucy Mack Smith’s father.  Many other Mack family headstones stand there in a row.  Unfortunately, the years have taken their toll on Solomon’s headstone.  Years ago, it was cracked in half.  Someone repaired it by bolting iron supports together which have over the years expanded and intensified the damage.  Two years ago a visitor to the cemetery unintentionally leaned against the headstone and provided further breakage.” 

Solomon Mack by Alchetron
Solomon Mack by Alchetron

“The headstone of Betsy A. Mack, sister-in-law to Lucy Mack Smith was also broken and not repairable.  Through a miraculous set of events, a monument maker and friend of the Smith family, Monte Hendrickson, happened to hear about the damage and volunteered to take additional time on a trip to Vermont to assess what needed to be done.  Monte and his wife, Betty, found the cemetery and concluded that no further repair was possible.  They removed the portion of Solomon’s headstone with the old engraving on it.  They have inset the old engraving into a new headstone which will be erected on Solomon’s grave in June.  They have also made a new headstone for Betsy Mack.  Monte and Betty have generously contributed labor, materials and significant time to honor Solomon and Betsy.  Thank you Monte and Betty for your love of the Smith family and for your selfless service!”

Solomon’s self-published history, “Narrative of the Life of Solomon Mack”, sharing his conversion to Christianity

Solomon Mack Narrative

At the end of Solomon Mack’s Narrative, he says:

“My friends when you read this journal remember your unfortunate friend Solomon Mack, who worried and toiled until an old age, to try to lay up treasures in this world, but the Lord would not suffer me to have it, but now I trust I have treasures laid up that no man can take away, but by the goodness of God through the blood of a bleeding Saviour.”

“Although I am a poor cripple unable to walk much, or even to mount or dismount my horse I hope to serve my God by his assistance to [divine] acceptance, that I may at last leap for joy [to] see his face and hold him fast in my embrace.”

Solomon Mack Family Graves before 2022
Posted on

Moroni Celebration

Smith Family Home in Palmyra, New York – September 2023 – photos by Joey Orton
Moroni Appears to Joseph Smith in His Room by Tom Lovell

Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Moroni’s visit to Joseph Smith Jr. – September 21-22, 2023

Smith Family gathered in Palmyra, New York on Thursday, September 14 to produce a video to share as a family, celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Moroni appearing to young Joseph Smith.

The Smith Family is the core family of the restoration. The Prophet Joseph’s work could never have been done by him alone. It became a family responsibility. They not only shared in its glorious events, but they suffered persecution, abuse, imprisonment and even death. All these things seemed to strengthen their testimonies. Each family member believed Joseph’s work was of God. Following is a short, but representative compilation of Book of Mormon testimonies, borne by Smith family members. On the 200th anniversary of Moroni’s first visit to the Prophet Joseph, it is appropriate that we pause and be reminded that each family member knew and testified that it was true. Their testimonies reflect our ancestor’s deep faith and devotion. There are many more that could have been published. There are many, many more that were unspoken. Hopefully, you will become acquainted with their testimonies. Hopefully your children, grandchildren and generations to come will become acquainted with their testimonies. As you learn, teach and share, your testimonies will grow. You will gain a greater appreciation for the price that was paid by the whole Smith family at the beginning of this work. We pray that these testimonies will build our faith and cause us to follow in their footsteps.

Testimonies from the Smith Family of the Book of Mormon

Moroni Celebration Program

Children’s Coloring Page

Moroni Celebration Talk by Daniel Adams

Daniel Adams Power Point

An Angel From On High – arrangement by Claire Nabrotzky

(Add some fun when you sit down to watch the Moroni Celebration by enjoying some angel food cake on golden plates or dishes.)

Recorded Moroni Celebration Link

Posted on

Scholarship 2023 Winners

Announcements were made during the 200th Anniversary Year of Moroni appearing to Joseph and changing the path of the Smith family. You receive check # 1071 in the amount of $1,000 to be used toward furthering your education goals.

The Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family Association is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. This family Association is involved with outreach, locating and preserving family sites, education, commemorating historical events, and continuing the family’s efforts to publish Joseph’s name for good.

Posted on

Scholarship 2023 – 1st Place

Chloe Isom “Cricket”
755 S Main St. Suite 4-337
Cedar City, UT
cricketreads@1beckyjsmithgmail-com
Brigham Young University

Slam Poem “Related” (video and written copy)

The Smith family are largely known for Jospeh Smith’s role in bringing about the
Restoration of the gospel in full. Because of the miraculous and impactful nature of his work and accomplishments, his and his family’s lives are elevated to illustrious and almost mythic proportions. As a consequence, it can sometimes feel like they are more heroes from stories than real people. While reading and contemplating about their family as a whole, I was struck with how many relatable experiences they did have in between and interwoven with what they were called to do; mainly, the trials and struggles they faced that were not only unique to their position, but are still relevant to what we face today. With this understanding, I have felt a closer connection to them and a desire to follow their examples of endurance and integrity through hardship.

Posted on

Scholarship 2023 – 2nd Place

David Pinegar Jr
176 Twin Brook Road
Chesterfield, New Hampshire
davidothesecond@gmail.com
Keene High School

A musical arrangement

I have formed a medley arranged for a full orchestra. Complete sheet music and a recording was submitted.

“The selection of this particular work comes from my respect for Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith’s family. They consistently, throughout the raising of their family, taught their children to believe. This principle of teaching faith is one that is so important in our world today, especially given the advances of the adversary in leading youth away from the priorities that matter most. Referring to the Ammonite stripling warriors, in Alma 57:26, it reads, “And we do justly ascribe [their preservation] to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe.” The Smith family’s devoted teaching of faith provided the setting for the Prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith, to be preserved.

This medley of hymns is meant a tribute to the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in His Atonement and an homage to Joseph Smith, who “has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (D&C 135:3). Like the Smith family, I have always believed in the importance of teaching faith and teaching to believe. As a result, I will be serving a mission this coming July, in the Buenos Aires Argentina South Mission. As I prepare for this, I try to find more and more opportunities to teach others about what I know and believe. Particularly through music, I am able to teach others about my faith in Christ.”

Posted on

Scholarship 2023 – 3rd Place

Jeannette Baird
1024 E Golden Ct
Spokane Washington
gobaird@msn.com
Brigham Young University
Service Through Music – Inspired by Lucy Mack Smith

She learned how to serve others by studying Lucy Mack Smith’s life. Jeannette used her musical skills to serve in the community nursing homes. She also raised proceeds through service donating to local charities. She learned she can use her skills to bring her community together.

Posted on

Smith Family Smith Family Heir-Blooms: “Love of the Lilacs”

Meridian Magazine – Church History

By Vivian McConkie Adams and Debbie Porter Nelson 

View the article on Meridian Magazine

Posted on

The Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Newsletter Goes Paperless

For years, the Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family Organization has provided a hard-copy newsletter with information related to the descendants and friends of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. Now a digital copy is available. This helps us to stay connected, save trees and reduce printing costs.

To go paperless, please subscribe for future email newsletters by clicking on the button below.

SUBSCRIBE
Posted on

Plans for 2023 Dig

TIMES AND SEASONS BUILDING

We had great success with last year’s dig (2022) in exploring more of the Times and Seasons printing office location. We were able to identify the steps that lead to the basement entry. This discovery is crucial once we begin reconstruction to restore the building. Additionally, type from the printing press and glass from the windows of the building were uncovered.

What we hope to discover and excavate this year is more of the foundation of the building. It would also be helpful to find the privy because it is a treasure trove of artifacts.

The Times and Seasons printing office housed the printing press that was used to print the Times and Seasons periodical— an important source of information to the early settlers of Nauvoo and the surrounding area. Issues were published at least monthly from November 1839 to February 1846. The motto of the paper was “Truth will prevail.”

Editors included Ebenezer Robinson, Don Carlos Smith, Robert B. Thompson, Willard Richards, Joseph Smith, Jr., John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff.

We are looking forward to the participation of students from Western Illinois University Archaeological Department to this year’s dig. Their addition to the efforts of students from Brigham Young University and other volunteers will help make this dig even more productive. The idigNauvoo archaeological discoveries have only been made possible by the contributions of many volunteers throughout the past ten years.

Posted on

Smith Family Gardens — Phase II

PHASE II

This Spring (2023), Phase II of the creation of the Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family Garden has begun. Seedlings of heirloom flowers and vegetables have been chosen and germinated. Volunteers will begin planting as the temperature warms. Plants will be arranged using the three-sister gardening method developed in the 1800s. Some of the garden beds will use a rain garden elevation landscape. Vegetables were chosen based upon what was historically used by the early settlers of Nauvoo, Illinois.

Upon completion, the garden will be something that would make “Mother Smith” and all of the founding women of Nauvoo proud.

PHASE I

In August of 2022, with the combined efforts of many volunteers — most of which were attendees of the Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family Reunion — Phase I was completed.

The construction process included building a spilt-log fence, and staining a picket fence that was then installed around the hotel wing of the Joseph and Emma Smith Mansion House.

PURPOSE

The garden is a tribute to the founding family of the restoration — Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith and their children. They, with many stalwart families transformed a swamp land into a city that was more like a “garden of gardens.”

The founding settlers loved this bustling haven and worked together to make it beautiful. They planted gardens and shared in its bounty.

 Joseph Smith Senior emphasized the importance of sustaining “family and friends.” It was a favorite motto of his. The purpose for building this garden is to promote that legacy of strengthening family, friends, and community.

DONATIONS

Through the ANS Legacy Foundation, donations can be made toward the Smith Family Gardens. The ANS Legacy foundation is a 501(3)(c) operational non-profit organization, and 100% of all donations go toward the project.

You can choose specific items to donate. There are also opportunities to volunteer at various times of the year. To learn how you can help with this project, click on our donations or volunteer link.