by George S. Nelson, son of Leonora – Sarah
My first recollections of my kind, wonderful Grandfather, Joseph F. Smith, go back to about the years 1902 or 03 when he used to come to our home on West North Temple and hold my brother Joseph and me on his lap while he talked to Father and Mother. He always had a pocket full of candy “musks” or raisins that he filled our hands with. I couldn’t understand the conversation, but on one understood how good the goodies were more than I. His long, soft white beard would brush the top of my head as he talked and turned from side to side. Joseph and I were his first two grandsons. I wish I could have appreciated then what I learned year later about his great love for his children and grandchildren.
On his birthdays Grandpapa used to invite his children and grandchildren to the Beehive House where we would be given refreshments and gifts. I still have a sturdy oak rocking chair with a leather seat that he gave to me. I used to wonder what was upstairs in the Beehive House, be never dared go up to see.
One day Mamma took us over to visit Grandmother (Sarah) at her home. The blinds were all drawn and the doors were locked on the main floor. We did our visiting upstairs where we could have the blinds up to five us light. But I got thirsty and went down for a drink. While I was getting it there was a loud knocking on the back door. I waited for someone to come answer the door but no one cam, so I opened the door myself. I was confronted by a gruff bully who demanded to see Grandpapa! I stood there speechless until Jeannetta came down and talked to the man. She finally convinced him that Grandpapa wasn’t there and he went away. It was then that I learned about the bitter persecution of the Church and its leaders. Grandpapa was on the “underground” and his enemies were trying to find him. If he had any more grandsons like me maybe they would have.
Grandpapa used to invite us to his lower “box” on the east side of the old Salt Lake Theatre. He would sit in the back where he couldn’t be seen and we would sit up front. There I say Maude Adams in Peter Pan and George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. There was still much bitterness against the Church at that time. I recall that on one occasion when one of the actors saw President Smith in the box he made some slighting remark. The management made him apologize.
When I was a child the Church was much smaller and poorer financially. Grandpapa and his counselors met in a room between the Lion House and the Beehive House. Grandpapa was nice enough to make me feel welcome when I strayed into one of these meetings.
Before I joined the Army in World War I Grandpapa ordained me an Elder. I have wondered since how a man as busy and burdened with such great responsibilities as he was, could have the interest and take the time to be so thoughtful of me. He died while I was stationed back at Fort Monroe.