Doctrine and Covenants

Week 29: Martyrdom of Joseph & Hyrum Smith; Brigham Young led the Saints west

Sections 135–136

15 May 2025

Lesson Materials

Notes and slides will be posted after the class has been held.

Notes

Slides

Download PowerPoint slides with animation

Handout

ardc29_handout.pdf

Lesson video

Additional reading and links

Audio

Road to Carthage: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast is an eight-part documentary miniseries that explores the history of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in 1844. The episodes focus on the historical events that led to the assassination of the Prophet and his brother by a mob, as well as the aftermath of that tragic event. Series host Spencer W. McBride interviewed historians and Church leaders for this podcast.

The episodes can be listened to on the Church website at the link above. You can also listen through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or by subscribing to the podcast’s RSS feed in your podcast app. 

Videos

While he was incarcerated in Carthage Jail, Joseph Smith received a six-shot pepperbox pistol from Cyrus Wheelock. Hyrum Smith remarked, “I hate to use such things, or to see them used.” The Prophet replied, “So do I, but we may have to, to defend ourselves.” When the armed mob stormed the jail, they fired first, killing Hyrum almost instantly. In defense of himself, John Taylor and Willard Richards, Joseph opened the door to their room slightly and snapped the pistol six times; only three of the barrels discharged. At least three members of the mob were injured by Joseph’s gun, but there is no evidence that any of them died.

Joseph’s pistol was a six-barrel Allen & Thurber pepperbox, patented in 1837 and manufactured in Massachusetts. Each smoothbore barrel was individually packed with gunpowder, a .32 caliber ball, and a wad. The double-action trigger rotated the barrel assembly and actuated a bar hammer that struck the six individual percussion caps that ignited the powder and discharged the ball and wad. It had no sights and was exceptionally difficult to aim beyond point-blank range (which is how Joseph used it).

This video from the Forgotten Weapons YouTube channel explains the history of the Allen & Thurber pepperbox and demonstrates how it was operated.