Spotlight on historic sites
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HYRUM SMITH HOME IN KIRTLAND
The home occupied by Hyrum Smith in Kirtland, Ohio, in the 1830s is one of 78 Church historical sites in the area today. Located a block south of the Kirtland Temple on Joseph Street, a street named after Joseph Smith, the home was the setting where Hyrum endured one the greatest ordeals of his life.
In 1837, he was away serving a mission in Missouri when his wife of 11 years, Jerusha, died several days after giving birth to their sixth child in Kirtland. On her deathbed, she left a message for Hyrum with one of their children. "Tell your father," she said, "that the Lord has taken your mother home."
The home changed ownership after the Church left in 1838. Several additions to the home were added over the years. The home is now owned by the Church, though it is not open to public tours. It is currently marked with a plaque and occupied by couple missionaries serving in the area.
