Infant Louisa Smith was born 30 April 1831 in Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio to Joseph Smith (1805-1844) and Emma Hale (1804-1879) and died 30 April 1831 Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio of unspecified causes.
Biography[]
Baby Louisa Smith, Twin of Thadeus Smith (1831-1831). Both Died in Infancy when only a few hours old. His unmarked grave is most likely some place on the farm of Isaac Morley (1786-1865) near Kirtland, Ohio. The twins have been memorialized in the Kirtland North Cemetery.
The Premature Twins of 1831[]
Kirtland Memorial Marker for the infant twins - Born & Died 1831 in Kirtland Ohio
In 1830 Joseph Smith (1805-1844), the Mormon prophet, published the Book of Mormon and founded the new church in Palmyra. However, persecution became pretty intense there. In January 1831, Joseph and a pregnant Emma Hale (1804-1879) moved to Kirtland, Ohio where missionaries had converted Sidney Rigdon and large group from his Disciples of Christ congregation. Joseph and Emma settled nearby at Hiram, Ohio.
On 30 April 1831, Emma prematurely gave birth to twins, a boy they named Thaddeus Smith and a girl named Louisa Smith. Both died the same day. The memorial marker is located in the Historic Kirtland North Cemetery.
- Infant Smiths Gravesite - Find-A-Grave Memorial #30247146
Adopted Murdock Children[]
In addition to their own children, several of whom died quite young, Joseph and Emma adopted two children from John Murdock:
- Joseph Murdock Smith (1831-1832) - died in Kirtland from exposure caused when a mob assaulted the family home
- Julia Murdock Smith (1831-1880) - married to John J. Middleton - oldest surviving child of Joseph and Emma Smith
On the same day (30 Apr 1831 - as recorded in John Murdock's Journal, ca. 1830–1859. CHL.) when Joseph and Emma lost their twins, a fellow chuch member, John Murdock, lost his wife, Julia Clapp (1796-1831), in the midst of giving birth to twins nearby in Warrensville, Ohio. This left him with five children to take care of, the last two of which were barely six hours old. He offered his twins to Joseph and Emma who quick made arrangements to adopt them. Records show the adoption being made when the twins were only nine days old. (Ref: Murdock, Autobiography, 4; “History of Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 15 Aug. 1844, 5:611)
Sometime in late March 1832, the infant Joseph became ill. Consequently Emma decided to have the babies sleep separately to prevent a spread of the disease. Joseph Smith had taken baby Joseph to bed with him and Emma was in the other room with Julia. That night a mob came and stormed the Smith home and dragged Joseph outside. This left the door open and baby Joseph was exposed to the cold air. He died several days later on 29 Mar 1832 from complications of measles, just six days after the mob attack at Hiram, Ohio.
Siblings[]
Vital Records[]
Kirtland Memorial[]
- Infant Smiths Gravesite - Find-A-Grave Memorial #30247146
The memorial marker is located in the Historic Kirtland North Cemetery.
References[]
- Louisa Smith at Find A Grave #151134266
- Joseph Smith - Wikipedia
- Emma's lost Infants - Joseph Smith Family Association