Liberty Jail

Liberty Jail. From December 1838 to April 1839 the Prophet Joseph Smith, along with several other Church leaders, was unjustly imprisoned in a rough stone dungeon measuring 14 by 14 feet, with a ceiling just over 6 feet high. Only two small, barred windows allowed light and air into the cell. The six prisoners suffered from the cold winter weather, filthy conditions, hunger, and illness. While in Liberty Jail, the Prophet wrote letters to his family and the Saints. His correspondence contains some of the most poignant revelations found in scripture. Gary Boatright Jr., Amy Nuffer, and Melanie Hinton from the Church History Department discuss Liberty Jail and the events leading up to Joseph Smith’s imprisonment.