Madison Daniel Hambleton, part 2 - The Mobs

Madison Daniel Hambleton probably wrote the excerpts from his personal history that I shared with you last week right around the time of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Prior to that time everything is written in a narrative form.  After that, the rest seem to be journal entries.  From these entries we get a unique perspective of the Saints and their afflictions by the mobs that ultimately forced them to leave Nauvoo.  I will include a few journal entries below.  You will get a charge out of some of his comments about the Nauvoo Temple and the dances they had in the endowment room. 

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May 6th, 1845 the Twelve Apostles met with the city police to contemplate the policy of having the Nauvoo Legion in good order in case of trouble. Adjourned until tomorrow at 5 A. M. I stood guard at H. C. Kimball’s. (7th), the police met with the officers of the Legion according to appointment and were addressed by General Brigham Young and others who made such remarks as were necessary and they adjourned. 8th, the police assembled and took an account of our arms to know that all was in order. Afterward I was on guard at H. C. Kimball’s part of the night

May 9th, 1845 Brigham Heber Hambleton was born at 25 minutes after 8 o’clock P. M. Witnesses: Roxane Repsher, Emily Haws, Harriet Parker and Mrs. Winslow Farr.

May 12th, 1845I was appointed constable and was qualified. 15th, searched the house of Amos Hodges and Mr. Bruffet for stolen property and assisted in the arrest of William Badges and his brother for murder. Attended court in the examination and they were found guilty and delivered to the sheriff of Lowey Territory and afterward suffered the extreme penalty of the law. Charles Sherwood got home from New Orleans and brought with him three pieces of the iron cannon for the Legion, not mentioned. Hasa Stout sent spies to the surrounding parts of the country to learn the movements of our enemies as they began to make threats again and to trouble us. 18th, the cannon was moved to the basement of the Temple for the purpose of boarding and mounting on carriages ready for use. May 24th, 6 A. M. the capstone of the Temple was laid by Brigham Young.

June 25, 1845 there seemed to be some jealousy arising on the part of Wm. Smith (the brother of Joseph) against the police and some words passed between him and policeman Tuffts and some blows issued. 10 P. M. Irvine Hadger was knocked down and stabbed with his own knife 5 or 4 times and died in a few minutes.  24th, Gen. Deming of Carthage in dispute shot one Doctor Marshall in the Court House who died in a few minutes. Said Marshall is one of the persons concerned in the murder of the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum Smith. The disputes took place about Deming not serving a writ on Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball when they were not to be found in the city of Nauvoo.  25th, the Twelve met with the police and also bishops and some others to hear from William Smith concerning his disapprobation of the police saying his life had been falsely and without provocation taken. After getting a sharp rebuke from Pres. Brigham Young he stated he had no feelings against the police and claiming their protection. We agreed to accept his acknowledgement on our part so long as Bro. William does the work of righteousness.

 

27th— Mother Smith told of a vision reporting to be the police with the twelve assembled in a room with weapons of death, with the intention of taking the life of William Smith, and there was among the number, some more wicked than the rest and they were Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball.  I was one of the number and know that there was no such thing contemplated, and if she had such a vision it was from the devil.

 

August 16, l845 Brigham Heber Hambleton died, son of Madison Daniel and Chelnecha Smith Hambleton, age three months and seven days. We buried him in the garden west of the house.

 

Sept. 10th, 1845 we are informed that a meeting of the mob was held on the 9th at the school house in Green Plains Precinct, Hancock Co.  We have not been apprised of the nature of the meeting but can judge from their former conduct a preconcerted plan had been entered into.  Several shots were fired by their own party through the windows and doors of the school house where they assembled.  Nothing was known of the pretended pretext until the next day when the mob commenced firing on the houses in the Morley settlement.  Eleven dwelling houses and three outhouses have been burned.  Sept. 11, a messenger has just arrived bringing word that the most of the settlers of the East part of the settlement have moved to the West part in order to protect themselves from the mob.

Sunday Sept. 28th, 1845 the Governors troops under command of General Hardin, 320 in number, arrived at Carthage and took possession of the Court House, which was under the command of Captain Egan, who returned to Nauvoo on Sunday night.  Monday morning the Nauvoo Legion was disbanded and each went to their usual occupations.  Tuesday 29^th, General Hardin arrived in Nauvoo with his troops at 11:30.  They searched the Temple for the dead body of a Mr. Willcon but did not find it. From there they went to the Masonic Hall and searched there with the same result; from there to a camp ground down the river some three miles. Wednesday they marched into the city again and searched some houses for State arms but found none.

Oct. 5th, 1845 a meeting was called in the Temple on the first floor (a temporary one). Some four thousand persons were present. In the afternoon the male members only were requested to meet to organize some companies for our removal from the city to some place unknown by us.  Oct. 11th the Nauvoo Legion was called together, each regiment by itself, to hold a prayer meeting and to see that each one had his arms in good order. This, in order that in case of an attack we might be ready for the worst. We were instructed to continue in prayer to almighty God by day and night, that he would deliver us from this place and from our

December 21st, 1845— the Temple was dedicated by the twelve Apostles.  That is, the upper part of it.  Dec. 22nd my wife and myself were called upon to go to the Temple and receive our washings and annointings and our endowment, which we cheerfully obeyed. After we had received our blessings we were requested to stay there and assist in the labor of the endowment, which we also cheerfully obeyed, and continued to do for the best part of the time until the endowment was closed.

 

February 6, 1846, my wife Chelnecha was sealed to me at the altar in the Temple under the hands of President Brigham Young.  Then was sealed to us an adopted child, for all eternity under the hands of Pres. Heber C. Kimball.  Feb. 8th the endowment was ended in the Temple at Nauvoo and we danced before the Lord.  Feb. 9th, the Temple took fire from the stove pipe through the roof. Although extinguished in a very few minutes the fire did considerable damage. In the evening we enjoyed a dance in the endowment room after the canvass was taken out.  Pres. Brigham Young, Pres. Heber C. Kimball and Pres. Orson Hyde of the Twelve with the other brethren. We had a good time of social recreation and partook of a glass of pure wine of our own making.

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A week later, Madison Daniel Hambleton and his family left Nauvoo.  They were not quite sure where they were going.  But one thing they did know, they were going to follow the Prophet Brigham Young.  Next week I will conclude with his crossing the Plaines and life in Utah.

Madison Daniel Hambleton was sometimes called Crook-neck Hambleton because of an abscess he had had on his neck and which had shrunk the cords of his neck until it pulled his head to one side.