Jennetta Richards & Her Glorious Nauvoo Photo

This glorious photo (actually a daguerreotype) of Willard, Jennetta, & Heber John Richards was taken by Lucien Foster on March 26, 1845 in his Nauvoo, Illinois studio on Parley Street. The background story is even more glorious.

Preface: Suppose Mormon Times held a giant contest to find the single most representative photo (taken in any period of time) that captured the essence of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If there were such a contest, then I would nominate the photo above, without hesitation.

One could imagine beautiful color photos of temples or Church houses being nominated. Certainly, the contest would receive a scenic picture of white-shirted & helmeted missionaries riding their bicycles on a remote road of the Yucatán. No doubt contest-officials would have to examine a putative photo of Joseph Smith with a provenance never nailed down.

Despite all the great competition, I think an argument can be made that the Richards family photo should win.

Since there are no photos of Jesus, what could be more central in the gospel plan than a photo of an LDS family? But, which LDS family is iconic, representative, and captures a big story? The Richards family photo meets all the necessary criteria.

*****The Family Portrait*****

From Willard Richards' journal we know this particular daguerreotype was taken on March 26, 1845 in Nauvoo. Willard was forty; Jennetta was twenty-eight; and Heber John was four and a half. Their home was on the south side of White Street, between Durphey and Partridge. Clearly, they spent some time getting themselves dressed in their best clothing. Heber John's hair had been nicely combed by his mother. Clearly, Willard's ratty hair was never going to be helped by a comb. Jennetta looked immaculate. They likely took a walk four blocks south on Partridge Street toward the location of the studio on Parley Street.

We can almost imagine the conversations that took place during that short walk. Jennetta might have said, "Heber John, don't go near that puddle. Your clothes need to stay clean." Then, you can almost see her turning to Willard and saying, "I wish you would have let me clip and groom your hair." He might have replied, "Your beauty will dilute all my imperfections." It did.

The daguerreotype image was a new French invention made public in 1839, and it spread rapidly to the United States. In April of 1844 Nauvoo was lucky enough to obtain a daguerreotypist, Lucien Foster of New York.

The mechanical and chemical processes behind daguerreotypes were technical. Good pictures required exposure times of five to fifteen minutes. People would have to be posed and told to stay still until the long exposure time was competed. The strain of staying motionless for such lengths of time usually prohibited any form of emotional expression, especially smiling.

But, the beauty of the Richards family portrait is that great emotion somehow made it through the daguerreotype camera. Jennetta is leaning into and almost hugging Willard with her right arm. At the same time, she is holding Heber John's outstretched arm with her left. Willard's gigantic right hand secured Heber John from moving. His left arm must have been hidden around Jennetta. This lovely family is literally sealed.

Of course, the people in the Richards family daguerreotype are MOST notable. The life of Elder Willard Richards is well known. Heber John would become a notable LDS physician in Salt Lake City. The story of how Heber John went to medical school in New York, and how he was sponsored by Brigham Young is beautifully described by Ardis E. Parshall in her essay, "The Surgeon and Brigham Young."

Setting the others somewhat to the side, the focal point of this essay is Sister Jennetta Richards. Why? Her story is just as amazing, maybe more so than the men in her life.

*****Sister Jennetta Richards Richards*****

Jennetta was born on August 21, 1817 in Lancashire, England to Reverend John & Ellen Richards. In 1837 Jennetta's family was living in Walkerfold, England, where her father was a Protestant minister. On Wednesday August 2nd of that year, she was paying a visit to friends in nearby Preston when she ran into Elders Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde. The following Friday, Jennetta was baptized by Elder Kimball in Preston's River Ribble. She was the first overseas convert to the Church (see: Times and Seasons, Vol.4, p.880-881).

After the baptism Elder Kimball composed a letter to his fellow missionary Willard Richards, who was serving in another part of England. He wrote, "I baptized your wife today" (see: Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1967, p. 143). Willard took him seriously.

On March 10th 1838 Willard wrote in his autobiography:

While walking in Thornly, I plucked a snowdrop [flower], far through the hedge, and carried it to James Mercer's, and hung it up in his kitchen; soon after Jennetta Richards came into the room, and I walked with her and Alice Parker to Ribchester, and attended meeting with Brothers Kimball and Hyde at Brother Clark's.

While walking with these sisters I remarked, `Richards was a good name--I never want to change it, do you, Jennetta?' `No, I do not,' was her reply, and I think she never will. [Willard Richards autobiography, in MS 27, p.151].

Perhaps prompted by Jennetta's hint of interest and Elder Kimball's prophecy, some kind of courtship developed. We do not have the details. We do know they were married on September 24, six months later.

In March of 1839 some dissension broke out among the Mormon Elders. Much of the concern revolved around Jennetta:

Some were tried and tempted because Elder Richards took to himself a wife; they thought he should have given himself wholly to the ministry, and followed Paul's advice to the letter. Some were tried because his wife wore a veil, and others because she carried a muff to keep herself warm when she walked out in cold weather; and even the President of the Church [Joseph Fielding] there, thought "she had better done without it;" she had nothing ever purchased by the Church; and to gratify their feelings, wore the poorest clothes she had, and they were too good, so hard was it to buffet the storm of feeling that arose from such foolish causes. Sister Richards was very sick for some time, and some were dissatisfied because her husband did not neglect her entirely and go out preaching; and others, that she did not go to meeting when she was not able to go so far. [History of the Church, Vol.3, Ch.19, p.277]

On July 17th, 1839 Jennetta bore a son named Heber John (not the child in the daguerrotype). Five months later the baby broke out with small pox and died [Willard Richards autobiography, in MS 27, p.165]. She quickly became pregnant, and in October of 1840 gave birth to a second boy, also named Heber John – the one pictured above.

Willard finished his mission in 1841, and his family returned to the United States that summer. Willard arranged for Jennetta and Heber John to stay with relatives in Richmond, Massachusetts while he setup a household in Nauvoo, Illinois. Willard's intention was to make a quick return to gather his family, but his Church duties became consuming resulting in the passage of many months.

Understandably, Jennetta was anxious to be with Willard, and no doubt she yearned to be with the Saints in Nauvoo. Consequently, she wrote a letter to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo telling him that she did not wish to be forgotten – a reasonable inference based upon Joseph's June 23rd, 1842 response sent to Richmond, Massachusetts:

[Condensed with spelling corrections and grammatical changes]

Sister Jennetta Richards;

… I now embrace a moment to address a few words to you… to know that you too are remembered by me as well as all the saints… . [Y]our husband … has done me great good and taken a great burden off my shoulders since his arrival in Nauvoo. Never did I have greater intimacy with any man… . We are about to send him in a few days after his dear family. He shall have our prayers fervently for his safe arrival to their embraces, and may God speed his journey and return him quickly to our society… .

Joseph Smith

[See: Dean C. Jessee: The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, Deseret Book.; also see History of the Church, Vol.5, Ch.2, p.40-41].

Willard departed Nauvoo on July 1, 1842 and returned with his family on November 21st.

Jennetta had made extraordinary sacrifices to get to Nauvoo. She had left her extended family in England. She had to live with her in-laws on the American east coast for well over a year without her husband. She possibly thought she had been forgotten. Her entry into the Nauvoo of 1842 must have been a mix of relief and hope. Her faith must have been the type that moved mountains.

Two years would pass. During that time there would be both bliss and horror. In May of 1843 Jennetta was sealed to Willard for all eternity under the auspices of the priesthood. In June of 1844 Joseph Smith was martyred in the Carthage Jail. Her husband witnessed the death and was lucky to have escaped with his life. The funeral and its associated tensions were overwhelming. By contrast, it must have been a relatively peaceful day on March 26th, 1845. This was the day the family took their walk to get their family portrait. The result was beautiful. The image was priceless, more than the family could realize on that spring day.

Unexpectedly, Jennetta passed away three and a half months later on July 9th.

Here is what we know of that final drama:

Wednesday July 9, [1845] At day light dressed… . [Jennetta] very weak. [I] kneeled, prayed, and laid hands on her three times… . I gave her encouragement as I felt. She said, "How can I die under such progress?" About sunrise [I] sent for Levi [Richards] [and] about 6 [A.M.] sent for Elder H. C. Kimball, who came and laid on hands and prayed, she revived. [I] also sent for Father John Smith, John Taylor [and] George A. Smith. Heber Kimball, John E. Page, Levi Richards, and myself dressed [in temple clothing and] prayed and went into her room anointed and prayed for her and felt encouraged. At fifteen minutes past 10 A.M. Jennetta stopped breathing… . Sister Wilcox and Lucy Clayton watched and I slept in room on the floor.

Thursday July 10, 1845 … Heber [John] said, "Pa, will you bury Ma in the garden, if you do I can bear it. If you do not I cannot bear it." I told him I would bury her in the garden.

Friday July 11, [1845] At dinner Rhonda Ann [Willard & Jennetta's third child, now age 2] spoke out very pleasantly and said "Ma is gone away. She is gone to see Uncle Joseph and Hyrum and my little brother." I wept for joy to think of the happy meeting of Jennetta and Heber John.

[See: Willard Richards journals, cited in: R. N. Holzapfel & T. J. Cottle (1991). Old Mormon Nauvoo and Southeastern Iowa, Santa Ana: Fieldbrook, p. 76.]

Glorious is the restored understanding of the afterlife, which is of great assistance to those bereaved.

*****Finale*****

Stuck in Richmond, Massachusetts, Jennetta was worried that she had been forgotten by the Church. Jennetta should never be forgotten. In fact, the reality is that the very process of the Restoration in these latter-days was fully dependent upon women like Jennetta.

Take one last good look at the daguerreotype posted at the top of this essay. Does it not capture in many ways the historical essence of this Church? It represents more than the Richards family in Nauvoo. It captures the love, bonding, sacrifice, and commitment that were required to build this Church.

The picture is truly priceless.

***** Basic References *****

Daguerreotype: "Temple on the Hill" by Lucian R. Foster taken in 1846, probably from his studio on Parley Street, Nauvoo, Illinois.

Portrait: "Jennetta Richards Richards," by William W. Major, 1845.

Photos: For some beautiful pictures of sites in England associated with Jennetta, see: Pioneer Love.

Francis M. Gibbons & Daniel B. Gibbons (2002). A Gathering of Eagles: Conversions from the Four Quarters of the Earth, Bloomington: iUniverse.

D. Michael Quinn (1980). "They Served:
The Richards Legacy in the Church," Ensign, January, p. 25.

Orson F. Whitney (1904). "Willard Richards," History of Utah: Biographical.

Note: The Richards family portrait was a prominent item in a 1992 exhibit by the Museum of Church History entitled: "A Vision of Zion: Photographs of Latter-day Saint Life, 1845–1991."

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Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




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