WEST LEBANON, New Hampshire
by Becky Cardon Smith

West Lebanon, New Hampshire was established in 1761 and is located very close to the Vermont border. Less than 5 miles away in Hanover, stood Moor’s Academy which was adjacent to Dartmouth College. Dr. Nathan Smith, founder and professor at Dartmouth Medical School (but no relation to Joseph) would become very important to Joseph Smith and his family after their move to this area.

In 1811, Joseph Smith Sr. moved his family from Royalton, Vermont into a rented home here in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Not long after their arrival, Joseph Sr. received a vision very similar to the tree of life vision recorded in the Book of Mormon (HJS p. 48-50).  Here too, they were soon blessed with the birth of their second daughter, Catherine, in July 1812. She was the ninth of eleven children born to Joseph Sr. and Lucy. During their two-year stay, Hyrum, their second son, attended Moor’s Academy while the rest of their school-age children attended a nearby school. 

The Smith children became ill with the typhus fever that ravaged the entire area in 1813 and took over 6,000 lives. Though all of the children eventually recovered, young Joseph developed a painful secondary infection that settled in his leg. After several unsuccessful attempts to contain the infection, doctors wanted to amputate his leg. But Lucy pleaded with the surgeons to make one last attempt. That Dr. Nathan Smith, a surgeon who pioneered the medical procedure needed to save Joseph’s leg, was at nearby Dartmouth College was very providential. Joseph underwent the painful operation without anesthesia and though he afterwards walked with a slight limp, his leg was saved.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

This is a very brief but meaningful stop. The site where the Smith family home was once located is just seconds from the freeway exit. Take a brief rest stop to drive to the site and discuss Joseph’s miraculous operation. If you are looking for dining choices, the largest variety of restaurants for the Sharon area is located in this vicinity.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, tells in the History of Joseph Smith by His Mother of the anguish she experienced when all of her children were struck with typhus fever. Sophronia was the first child who became ill, but soon Hyrum, Alvin, and then all of the other children became sick. The doctor attending Sophronia gave up hope that she would recover after taking care of her for eighty-nine days. As she lay almost lifeless, Joseph Sr. knelt at her bedside and prayed that his daughter’s life might be spared. With a testimony that she would recover, Lucy paced the floor tightly holding her daughter. After finally hearing Sophronia utter a few sobs and seeing that her breathing was less labored, Lucy collapsed on the bed with her daughter, overcome by both emotion and exhaustion. Sophronia did slowly recover (HJS p. 51-53).

Seven year-old Joseph had only been ill for about two weeks with the typhus fever before he seemingly recovered. But soon he developed a severe pain in his shoulders. First dismissed as a sprain by the doctors, the pain persisted until doctors discovered a large fever sore by his shoulder that “discharged fully a quart of matter” after it was lanced (see HJS p. 54). Joseph continued to suffer as the infection traveled down his side and settled into the bone of his left leg. Lucy took care of her son for almost two weeks until she became ill herself from exhaustion. Joseph’s old brother, Hyrum, took his mother’s place and stayed by Joseph’s side almost day and night, taking care of his brother and pressing down tightly on Joseph’s leg to help relieve some of the pain.

After unsuccessful attempts were made to contain the infection by making incisions, the doctors determined that amputation of the leg was the only solution to save Joseph’s life. Lucy pled with Dr. Nathan Smith, Dr. Stone, and several other doctors from Dartmouth Medical School to make one last attempt to save her son’s leg. Doctor Smith finally agreed to perform an extremely complicated surgery. The doctors wanted to bind Joseph to the bed but Joseph objected. He also refused brandy or wine usually given to dull the pain of surgery. Instead he asked that his father hold him in his arms and that his mother leave the room so that she would not have to witness his suffering.

The rarely performed surgery consisted of boring into the bone on both sides and breaking out three infected portions. Hearing Joseph scream, Lucy burst into the room but left again at Joseph’s urging. She reentered the room later to see “the wound torn open, the blood still gushing from it, and the bed literally covered with blood” (HJS p. 58).

The surgery proved to be a success and Joseph was sent to stay with his Uncle Jesse Smith in Salem, Massachusetts with hopes that the sea air would speed his recovery. Joseph walked with the help of crutches for the next three years and had a slight limp for the rest of his life.

SITES TO SEE            

• Smith Family Home Site – Though the Smith family home was torn down in 1967, you can visit the site and discuss the events that occurred here. The rented home beside the Mascoma River once stood about where the KFC/Taco Bell is located in Shaw’s Plaza. 

• Dartmouth College – As previously mentioned, twelve year-old Hyrum Smith attended Moor’s Academy that was once located adjacent to this college. Dr. Nathan Smith, one of Dartmouth’s prominent medical professors, with the help of about 10 of his colleagues and medical students, performed the surgery that saved Joseph’s leg and preserved his life. The college is located about 2 miles north of West Lebanon in the town of Hanover. To drive to Dartmouth, continue on 12 A until it runs into 10 N. Turn left onto 10 N. and continue into Hanover.

Next Week: Norwich, Vermont

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