American Crucifixion

The Murder of Joseph Smith and the Fate of the Mormon Church

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Alex Beam: American Crucifixion (2014, PublicAffairs)

353 pages

English language

Published Dec. 13, 2014 by PublicAffairs.

ISBN:
978-1-306-77412-3
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On June 27, 1844, a mob stormed the jail in the dusty frontier town of Carthage, Illinois, hunting down a man they saw as a grave threat to their quiet lives: the founding prophet of Mormonism, Joseph Smith. In addition to starting his own religion and creating the Book of Mormon, Smith had worked as a water-dowser and treasure hunter. He'd led his people to Ohio, then Missouri, then Illinois, where he founded a city larger than fledgling Chicago... and secretly, he had married more than thirty women. Beam tells how Smith went from charismatic leader to public enemy, and could not escape the consequences of his ambition and pride.

2 editions

Subjects

  • Smith, joseph, jr., 1805-1844
  • Church of jesus christ of latter-day saints
  • Mormon church, history