Get to Know Joseph Smith Part 9: Pennsylvania
Once it became known that Joseph Smith had the golden plates, the persecution and threats became unbearable. Joseph and Emma knew they could no longer stay in Manchester, New York. They made the decision to relocate to Harmony, Pennsylvania, in Susquehanna County, Emma’s childhood home. But there was one major problem: Joseph and Emma were very poor and couldn’t afford to make the move.
Fortunately, help came in the form of a generous $50 gift from a farmer by the name of Martin Harris, who believed in Joseph’s calling. This act of faith would not only help Joseph Smith move, but would soon play a pivotal role in the translation of the Book of Mormon.
Even with the fund secured, the journey would prove to be a problem for Joseph and his wife. Though many scoffed at the idea and claimed to not believe that Joseph had the gold plates, they were certainly anxious to get their hands on them. Determined to protect the sacred record, Joseph hid the plates in a wood box and buried it in the bottom of a cask filled with beans.
Joseph Smith and the Hard Road to Harmony
Word spread quickly, and soon a mob of about fifty men formed with the intent to steal the plates. The mob approached Dr. McIntyre to be their leader. Instead of joining them, he rebuked them calling them a “pack of devilish fools” and ordering them to go home. Without leadership, the mob fell into quarreling about who would then become their leader and soon disbanded.
But danger still loomed. During the journey, Joseph and Emma were stopped by a law officer who presented Joseph Smith with a search warrant. The officer believed he could get the plates. When the officer found nothing, he left disappointed.
Their troubles weren’t over yet. Later, a second officer stopped them again. This time the officer meticulously ransacked the Smiths’ wagon, but wasn’t able to find anything. The plates remained safe.
Despite repeated attempts to steal or seize the plates, Joseph and Emma eventually arrived safely in Pennsylvania. Once there, Joseph wasted no time. He quickly began the sacred work of translation of the golden plates, bringing forth what would become the Book of Mormon.
Learn more about the Joseph Smith home in Harmony, Pennsylvania at churchofjesuschrist.org
Continue reading in Get to Know Joseph Smith Part 10: “I Cannot Read a Sealed Book”
Image Credit: Cover: Dallas Golden
Smith Home: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
