Without Disclosing My True Identity
related in the record were very similar to the dreams conveyed in Lucy’s biography of her
son. It was explained previously why these dreams were important in helping Joseph’s
parents to accept his divine claims; in addition, they were used to give Joseph Sr. some
much-needed self-esteem at the time.
Joseph Sr. is Influenced by “Homer”
In the year of 1816, in what had become an oft-repeated story of Joseph’s Sr. life, the
crops failed in Vermont, only this time everyone’s crops failed. In a year that has been
described by some as “the year without a summer,” as a result of the strong volcanic
eruption of Mt. Tambora in Indonesia in 1815,^16 the Smith family’s outlook was dire. They
found themselves in extreme poverty, which further demeaned father Joseph’s self-esteem.
Lucy’s constant badgering, coupled with the fact that she was correct about her
husband failing in everything he tried, sent Joseph Sr. into deep depression. Under the
influence of the bottle, the Smith patriarch decided that he would better serve his family if
he were away from them, or dead. He believed that a widow and her children would be
shown more compassion and cared for by society^17 and have their debts more readily
forgiven if the husband and father, who should have been taking care of them, was dead,
missing, or had abandoned them.
The only reference to this time period was given by Lucy Smith in the interview notes
she provided after the death of her husband and most of her sons. Of course, Lucy was unable
to acknowledge what she could not or would not perceive; namely: the amount of mental
abuse she caused her husband. In fact, when one considers that a large portion of her
biography, ostensibly written about her son Joseph, was about her own life, one soon realizes
that she was prone to conveniently leave out some intimate family secrets that she did not
want known. Joseph Sr.’s problem with drinking, for example, was scarcely mentioned.
However, Lucy had no control over what she was never told. Joseph Sr.’s tender
love for his wife, in spite of his broken heart, would not permit him to tell her the truth
about the time he decided to leave his family. Late one night when his wife and children
were asleep, Joseph Sr. took the last sip from the only remaining bottle of whiskey and
slipped out into the night. He traveled about 10 miles before he was joined by a stranger
who called himself “Homer.” Joseph Sr. was too despondent to recognize the man as the
laborer who had worked with Alvin a few years previous. Of course, that didn’t matter
at this juncture; and “Homer” was certain not to make a point of familiarity or
coincidence by reminding him of it.
They sat along the side of the road into the early hours of the morning when, just
before the sun began to come up, Joseph Sr. wept to the stranger, pouring out his heart about
the love he had for his family and his reasons for abandoning them. “Homer” cheered Joseph
Sr. up with a few good stories about the opportunities for farming and business he had
witnessed while traveling through the State of New York. With a gentle smile and a
convincing tone that only one of the “Three Nephites” could have, Joseph Sr. was persuaded
to believe that there was a tangible hope for a better future and his family elsewhere. Timothy
offered Joseph Sr. some money, which he initially refused. But when Timothy explained that
he had no family and that he would probably give it away to the next person he found in
need, Joseph Sr., reluctantly and humbly, accepted the 75 dollars in cash.
After a few hours spent with one of the “Three Nephites,” anyone would feel better!
When the family awakened that morning, no one seemed bothered that their father and