TO EMMA SMITH
1836 AUGUST 19

P. Joseph Smith, Salem, Massachusetts to Emma Smith, Kirtland, Ohio, 19 August 1836, MS not found; reprinted from "Letters of Joseph Smith, The Martyr," The Saints' Herald 26 (1 December 1879): 357. A notation following the publication indicates that the letter bore no postmark but was addressed to Geauga County, Ohio, and presumably carried by Hyrum Smith.

In July 1836, faced with heavy financial obligations, Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery, and Hyrum Smith traveled to Salem, Massachusetts. According to Ebenezer Robinson, the trip to Salem was motivated, at least in part, by the claim of a Church member named William Burgess "that a large amount of money had been secreted in the cellar of a certain house in Salem, Massachusetts, which had belonged to a widow, and he thought he was the only person now living who had knowledge of it, or to the location of the house." Convinced of the veracity of the claim, Burgess took steps "to try and secure the treasure."

The Prophet and his associates left Kirtland on 25 July. But upon arriving in Salem, Mr. Burgess was unable to identify the particular house because "time had wrought such a change" to the area since he was last there. Although Joseph Smith and his friends found a house "they felt was the right one" and rented it, they failed to locate the treasure and returned to Kirtland in September after a revelation had directed their attention to the human "treasure" in the city.525

The following letter of Joseph to his wife Emma was written from Salem on 19 August.

Salem, Mass., August 19th, 1836.

My beloved Wife:—

Bro. Hyrum is about to start for home before the rest of us, which seems wisdom in God, as our business here can not be determined as soon as we could wish to have it. I thought a line from me by him would be acceptable to you, even if it did not contain but little, that you may know that you and the children are much on my mind. With regard to the great object of our mission, you will be anxious to know. We have found the house since Bro. [William] Burgess left us, very luckily and providentially, as we had one spell been most discouraged. The house is occupied, and it will require much care and patience to rent or buy it. We think we shall be able to effect it; if not now within the course of a few months. We think we shall be at home about the middle of September. I can think of many things concerning our business, but can only pray that you may have wisdom to manage the concerns that involve on you, and want you should believe me that I am your sincere friend and husband. In haste. Yours &c.,

Joseph Smith, Jr.

Emma Smith