The Story of Martha

The Martha I am referring to here, was first married to Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. He had a way with women and she (and many other women) fell for him and was part of his rising to become an important religious leader.

This part of her story I will not dwell on here but will concentrate on what happened to her after Joseph Smith was killed by a mob in 1844.

She was left in the ruins of Nauvoo, Illinois that he had built, that was now too dangerous for his followers to live in, and had been abandoned by them. She left also, with her three small sons, until it was safe to go back.

When she did go back she was in a difficult position, financially. She had inherited all of Joseph's assets, but also his debts. She remarried, hoping her new husband, who had a military reputation, would help her.

He protected her from mob violence and rebuild the ruins of the Nauvoo House into a fine three-story building that they used as a combination hotel and residence.

At this time in her life, she made some interesting practical changes. Her sons had inherited their father's unstable religious temperament and had married some local women. But had no way of making a living. What to do with them?

She had a lucky break, in the form of the RLDS church, who needed a spiritual leader. And the obvious choice was her oldest son, Joseph Smith III. He was not interested.at first, but had no money of his own.

He finally yielded to family pressures and accepted the leadership of their church. Believing he could continue to live in Nauvoo. Which he and his three brothers, and their wives did. Note the presence of the wives, who had no interest in the church, except financially. They will become important, indirectly, in the history of the church.

Eventually, they all had to move to the church headquarter, in Plano, Illinois, near Chicago, This ended Martha's involvement with the RLDS church - although the church felt differently, and insisted she was one of them and buried her next to the first husband. And eventually, removed all traces of her second husband.

When Joseph Smith III died he made an important decision, that the church accepted. All future leaders of the church would have to be direct descendants of the first Joseph. This doomed the church to mediocre leadership - and eventually, to no leadership at all.