Johnson came to me and inquired if Mr. Smith had returned home. This frightened me very much, and I exclaimed, "Luke, you have killed my husband." He denied it, but gave no further explanation. In a short time I found out where he was, and sent him both money and clothes to travel with, so that in a few days he started with Don Carlos and Brother Wilber. By this time hand-bills were stuck up on every public as well as private road, offering a reward for him, and describing his person, in order, if possible, to prevent his escape. Runners were also sent throughout the country to watch for him, with authority to bring him back, in case he should be found; but, in spite of all their diligence, he succeeded in making his escape, and getting to New Portage, where he stopped with Brother Taylor. Don Carlos, having accompanied his father to the above-named place, returned home again to his family: but, immediately discovering that the mob contemplated taking him for the same offense, he moved with his family to New Portage, and was there with his father, until the rest of the family were ready to remove to Missouri. Hyrum had already moved there with his family.
Shortly after they left, a man by the name of Edwin Woolley came to Kirtland to see Mr. Smith; not finding him there, he went to New Portage, and persuaded my husband to accompany him to Rochester, Columbia Co.
After Mr. Smith had been at this gentleman's residence about two weeks, we became very uneasy about him; and, as we did not know at that time whither he had gone, William set out in pursuit of him, in order to learn, if possible, whether he had met with friends, and was well provided for, or had fallen into the hands of his enemies, and been murdered, for we had as much reason to apprehend the latter calamity, as to hope for the former good fortune.
It was some time after William arrived at New Portage, before he could ascertain where my husband had gone. But as soon as he did receive the desired information he proceeded to Mr. Woolley's, where he found his father in good health, but extremely anxious about the family.
Immediately after this, William returned home, and his father went again to New Portage. Here he remained with Don Carlos, until we were ready to start to Missouri.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
JOSEPH SMITH, SENIOR, MOVES WITH HIS FAMILY TO MISSOURI—COMMENCEMENT OF THE PERSECUTION IN CALDWELL.
When we were ready to start on our journey, I went to New Portage, and brought my husband to his family, and we all proceeded together on our journey, highly delighted to enjoy each other's society again, after so long a separation.
As soon as we had got fairly started, our sons began to have calls to preach, and they directly discovered that if they should yield to every solicitation, our journey would be a preaching mission of no inconsiderable length, which was quite inconsistent with the number and situation of our family. They therefore stopped preaching while on their journey, and we proceeded as fast as possible, under the disadvantageous circumstances with which we were frequently surrounded. Sometimes we lay in our tents, through driving storms; at other times we were traveling on foot through marshes and quagmires. Once in particular, we lay all night exposed to the rain, which fell in torrents, so that when I arose in the morning, I found that my clothing was perfectly saturated with the rain. However, I could not mend the matter by a change of dress, for the rain was still falling rapidly, and I wore my clothes in this situation, three days; in consequence of which I took a severe cold, so that when we arrived at the Mississippi river, I was unable to walk or sit up. After crossing this river, we stopped at a negro hut, a most unlovely place, yet the best shelter we could find. This hut was the birth-place of Catharine's son Alvin.