--- title: History of the Prophet Joseph by His Mother description: 1902 edition of Lucy Mack Smith's memoir about her son Joseph Smith. authors: - Smith, Lucy editors: - Smith, George A. - Smith, Elias collections: - history tags: - history - biography published: "1902" publisher: Improvement Era Office edition: As revised by George A. Smith and Elias Smith (Salt Lake City, 1902) language: en type: book reference: 'Lucy Smith, *History of the Prophet Joseph by His Mother*, rev. George A. Smith and Elias Smith (Salt Lake City, UT: Improvement Era Office, 1902), chap. 2, "History of Jason Mack," 15-17.' source: url: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/45619/pg45619-images.html identifier: gutenberg-45619 transcription: "Project Gutenberg eBook #45619 (Mormon Texts Project proofreading of the 1902 edition). The Gutenberg header, license and transcriber notes are not included, and no text from later editions is present." start_page: 15 end_page: 17 curator_note: Revised by George A. Smith and Elias Smith. rights: status: public-domain basis: 1902 US publication (Salt Lake City, Improvement Era Office; text of the 1853 original as revised by George A. Smith and Elias Smith); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45619 publication_year: 1902 note: "Verified: the text is the 1902 Improvement Era Office edition; it contains no introduction, notes or other matter from later editions (for example the 1945 Preston Nibley edition)." --- # Chapter II. History of Jason Mack Jason, my oldest brother, was a studious and manly boy. Before he had attained his sixteenth year, he became what was then called a Seeker, and believing that by prayer and faith the gifts of the gospel, which were enjoyed by the ancient disciples of Christ, might be attained, he labored almost incessantly to convert others to the same faith. He was also of the opinion that God would, at some subsequent period, manifest his power as he had anciently done—in signs and wonders. At the age of twenty, he became a preacher of the gospel. And in a short time after this, he formed an acquaintance with a young woman of wealthy parentage.[A] She was the pride of the place in which she resided, not so much on account of her splendid appearance, as the soundness of her mind, and her stately deportment, joined with an unaffected mildness of disposition, and a condescension of manners, which were admirably suited to the taste and principles of my brother. Jason became deeply in love with her, insomuch that his heart was completely hers, and it would have been as easy to have convinced him that he could exist without his head, as that he could live and enjoy life, without being united with her in marriage. These feelings, I believe, were mutual, and Jason and she entered into an engagement to be married, but, as they were making arrangements for the solemnization of their nuptials, my father received a letter from Liverpool, containing information that a large amount of money was collected for him, and that it was ready for his reception. [Footnote A: The name of this young woman was Esther Bruce; she was from the state of New Hampshire.] On account of this intelligence, it was agreed that the marriage of my brother, as my father desired that he should accompany him to Liverpool, should be deferred until their return. Accordingly, my brother left his affianced bride, with a heavy heart, and with this promise, that he would write to her and his sister conjointly, at least once in three months during his absence. In three months after his departure, according to agreement, a letter arrived, which indeed met with a very warm reception, but it was never followed by another from him. A young man who kept the post office where she received her letters, formed in his heart a determination to thwart my brother, if possible, in his matrimonial prospects, in order to obtain the prize himself. He commenced by using the most persuasive arguments against her marrying my brother; but not succeeding in this, he next detained his letters, and then reproached him for neglecting her. Being still unsuccessful, he forged letters purporting to be from a friend of Jason, which stated that he (Jason Mack) was dead, and his friends might cease to expect him. He then urged his suit again, but she still rejected him, and continued to do so until within four months of Jason's return, when she concluded that she had wronged the young man, and that he was really more worthy than she had expected. The time also which Jason was to be absent having expired without his return, she believed that the reports concerning his death must be true. So she accepted the hand of this young man, and they were united in the bonds of matrimony. As soon as Jason arrived, he repaired immediately to her father's house. When he arrived there, she was gone to her brother's funeral; he went in, and seated himself in the same room where he had once paid his addresses to her. In a short time, she came home; when she first saw him she did not know him, but whe n she got a full view of his countenance, she recognized him, and instantly fainted. From this time forward, she never recovered her health, but, lingering for two years, died the victim of disappointment. Jason remained in the neighborhood a short time, and then went to sea, but he did not follow the sea a great while. He soon left the main, and commenced preaching again, which he continued until his death