Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2002 American Prophet, New England Town: The Memory of Joseph Smith in Vermont Keith A. Erekson Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the History of Religion Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Erekson, Keith A., "American Prophet, New England Town: The Memory of Joseph Smith in Vermont" (2002). Theses and Dissertations. 4669. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4669 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. ABSTRACT AMERICAN PROPHET NEW ENGLAND TOWN THE MEMORY OF JOSEPH SMITH IN VERMONT keith A erekson department of history master ofarts in december 1905 a large granite monument was erected at the birthplace of joseph smith on the one hundredth anniversary of his birth this thesis relates the history of the joseph smith memorial monument from its origins through its construction and dedication it also explores its impact on the memory of joseph smith in the local vermont and national context I1 argue that the history of the joseph smith memorial monument in vermont is the story ofthe formation and validation of the memory of joseph smith as an american prophet nineteenth century cormonsmormons remembered a variety of individual memories of joseph smith that were aggregated through reminiscences hymns and commemorations into three dominant collective memories joseph smith as prophet martyr and vermont schoolboy during the first decade of the twentieth century these three memories of joseph smith were filtered through the social religious and political interests and concretized into the joseph smith memorial birthplace monument the dedication of the joseph smith monument on 23 december 1905 and the messages presented at the site by junius F wells over the next five years shaped a broader interpretation of joseph smith as an american prophet the impact of the monument in vermont is examined through a case study of royalton vermont vermontisvermontsVermonts past had been aggregated into a tradition emphasizing the virtue patriotism and individuality vermontersofofvermontersVermonters and royalton residents responded to the joseph smith monument by concretizing their own memory of royalton as a typical new england town through monuments a town history and an annual town holiday competing memories of an american prophet and the new england town collided during construction of the royalton memorial library in 1922 and settlement of royaltonsRoyaltons division over the definition of a new england town validated the memory of joseph smith as an american prophet throughout the twentieth century the memories of an american prophet and new england town accommodated each other vermontisvermontsVermonts validation of the memory of joseph smith as an american prophet represents a national transformation in the memory of joseph smith AMERICAN PROPHET NEW ENGLAND TOWN THE MEMORY OF JOSEPH SMITH IN VERMONT by keith A erekson A thesis submitted to the faculty of brigham young university in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts department of history brigham young university august 2002 copyright 0 2002 keith A erekson all rights reserved BRIGHAM YOUNG university GRADUATE COMMITTEE APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by keith A erekson this thesis has been read by each member ofthe following graduate committee and by majority vote has been found to be satisfactory U date susansan S rugh chair U A QZ date RicrichardlerichardmehardiehardlE bennett M 0 2 date 7 gary BRIGHAM YOUNG university As chair of the candidates graduate committee I1 have read the thesis ofkeith A erekson in its final form and have found that 1 its format citations and bibliographical style are consistent and acceptable and fulfill university and department style requirements 2 its illustrative materials including figures tables and charts are in place and 3 the final manuscript is satisfactory to the graduate committee and is ready for submission to the university library y jw 1 z 0 date I susanan S rugh chair graduate committee accepted for the department zw thomas G alexander graduate coordinator accepted for the college leiatarealtareaatalegata forste associate dean college offamily home and social sciences acknowledgementsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS many of my childhood memories connect me to the joseph smith birthplace memorial but it was a grant from the brigham young university office of research and creative activities that led me to establish a scholarly connection richard E bennett of the department of church history and doctrine at brigham young university introduced me to the world of mormon history and sponsored my ORCA grant proposal J gary daynes opened my eyes to the significance of memory and its utility for historical inquiry my chair susan S rugh of the history department at brigham young university supported the project from the day I1 proposed it she read countless drafts and relentlessly pressed me deeper into the project while continually reminding me there is more to life than history the brigham young university history department provided funding for research and for travel to present my findings in vermont my grandparents robert L and virginia H mcshinsky graciously submitted to my questions about their history as well as that of the monument they introduced me to local church members G lester corwin II11 and elaine soule as well as to site director judson H flower jr all of whom have devoted much of their time to preserving the history of the monument and of the local LDS congregation in writing about royalton vermont I1 have benefited greatly by the work of town historians evelyn lovejoy hope nash and john dumville As my footnotes demonstrate this work would not have been possible without them I1 am equally indebted to theresa M harrington alison S gravel and janfrajanara D tompkins of the royalton town clerks office elaina griffith and karen anderson of the royalton memorial library dick drysdale and bob eddy of the herald of randolphofrandolph and beverly thomas of the south royalton comanswomans club paul carnahan and mamarjorieorieorlestrong from the vermont historical society and the staff at the bailey howe library at the university ofvermont provided valuable assistance in the LDS church archives ronald G watt bill slaughter steven R sorensen and ronald 0 barney lent their expertise as did LDS museum director glen M leonard and historical department members donald L enders and T michael smith larry C porter richard N holzapfel steven L olsen and sarah barringer gordon provided encouragement along the way my wife carolyn has lived through this project from the outset and her criticism and support have made it a better product CONTENTS list of tables x list of illustrations xi introduction crossed pasts I11 PART ONE FORMATION chapter 1 praise to his memory 1830190018301900.1830 1900 19 chapter 2 memories into monument 190119051901 1905 51 51.51 chapterchapters3 american prophet 1905191019051910.1905 1910 103 PART TWO validation chapter 4 royaltonsRoyaltons response 190519151905 1915 153 153.153 chapter 5 the mormon affair 191519351915 1935 189 chapter 6 new england prophet american town 20002311935200023119352000.231193520001935 2000 231 conclusion 281 illustrations 287 appendix A tables 307 B joseph smith memorial birthplace site personnel 328 328.328 C Timeline 329 D biographical sketches 333 bibliography 345 ix LIST OF TABLES table iili111.1 prominent nineteenth century cormonsmormons bomborn in vermont 307 307.307 121.2 Ververmontersmonters in early mormon history 308 212.1 construction of the joseph smith memorial monument309monument 309 22 222.2 dimensions of the joseph smith memorial monument 310 310.310 232.3 contents of the copper casket 311 313.1 local residents offering woodard hall to the latter day saintssaints312312 32 323.2 latter day saints attending monument dedication 23 dec 1905 314 314.314 333.3 Ververmontersmonters signing the guest register 23 dec 1905 316 316.316 343.4 joseph smith birthplace property purchases 317 353.5 vermont granite in latter day saint monuments and templestemples318318 363.6 latter day saint historic site purchases 319 414.1 early vermont monuments and markers 320 320.320 515.1 royalton memorial library donors and persons memorialized321memorialized 321 616.1gi distribution of 1967 press reports 324 626.2 visitors to the joseph smith memorial birthplace 1906199819983251906199832519061998.3251906 1998 325 636.3 royalton families in 1911 and 1975 326 646.4 latter day saint membership in vermont 327 x illustrations figure 1 vermont 289 289.289 2 junius F wells 1854193018541930.1854 1930 290 290.290 3 monument to daniel H wells salt lake city 290 290.290 4 royalton township 291 5 covered bridge over the first or tunbridge branch 292 292.292 6 setting the joseph smith memorial monument in place 292 292.292 7 julius orlando belknap 184019101840 1910 293 293.293 8 marvin H hazen 1856 293 9 john henry hewitt 1846 293 10 mark J sargent 1837 293 11 charles P tarbell 185019341850 1934 294 12 arthur G whitham 186619621866 1962 294 13 edgar J fish 18 5 1 294 14 charles henry woodard 185318 53 294 15 Os south royalton house woodard hallhalihailhalfhairigligi1910s191 295