Welcome to our final episode in our Joseph Smith: The Podcast series, where we cover John Turner’s new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” In this episode, we explore the immediate aftermath of Joseph Smith’s assassination and the profound consequences that followed his family, plural wives, and the early Latter-day Saint movement.
The chapter we are covering today is the Epilogue.
We look at the chaotic hours and days after his death in Nauvoo, including how his body and Hyrum’s were handled, the conditions of their temporary burial, and the secrecy surrounding their remains. The episode also examines Emma Smith’s role in the aftermath --her grief, her control over Joseph’s body, and the difficult position she found herself in as both widow and critic of polygamy.
We also discuss how Joseph’s plural wives responded to his death, the emotional and political complexities of their mourning, and the uneasy reality of their realtionships with Brigham Young and other church leaders. From there, we move into the succession crisis that followed --how leadership shifted, why Brigham Young ultimately prevailed over Sidney Rigdon, and how competing visions of the church began to emerge.
Finally, we step back to consider Joseph Smith’s broader legacy, the scale of opposition he faced, and how his influence continued to shape American religious history long after his death.
If you’d like to help keep this project going, please consider donating to support this series here. Your support makes long-form, in-depth historical discussion like this possible!
Purchase John Turner’s book here.
Let us know your thoughts on a Brigham Young series (comprising ten episodes) covering John Turner’s book Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet.
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Show Notes
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