“In as much as we are in prison and for a little season if need be the management of the affairs of the church devolves on you, that is the twelve.” — Joseph Smith¹

During the harsh winter of 1838-1839, the Saints faced intense persecution and were forced to leave Far West, Missouri. Brigham Young, who had assumed leadership of the Twelve Apostles after the death of David Patten and the apostasy of Thomas Marsh, organized the evacuation efforts. General Clark had ordered the Saints to leave Missouri by spring, but violent mobs threatened their lives, forcing many to flee sooner.

Emma Smith and her four children were among the early refugees. They traveled through Missouri's frozen terrain and crossed the ice-covered Mississippi River on foot. Upon reaching Quincy, Illinois, the Saints were met with unexpected kindness. The residents of Quincy provided food, clothing, shelter, and employment to the destitute Saints. As more refugees arrived, leaders like Edward Partridge and Wilford Woodruff coordinated relief efforts and continued to assist those still fleeing Missouri. The Saints' sense of community and mutual support was crucial during this period of extreme hardship. Eventually, the Saints began to settle on new lands in Illinois, thanks to negotiations with Isaac Galland, who sold them property along the Mississippi River.²

1. Letter to Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young, 16 January 1839, p. 1, The Joseph Smith Papers

2. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 32, 376-383