Edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, David M. Whitchurch

The letters included in this volume provide a treasure-trove of personal insights into the lives of this early Church leader, Joseph F. Smith, and his sister, Martha Ann Smith Harris, during a unique era of Latter-day Saint history.

Seven decades of correspondence help demonstrate the tremendous devotion between these orphaned children as they share their innermost feelings, joys, heartaches, determinations, and family happenings. They also reveal Joseph F. Smith’s profound writing ability that vastly improves over time. The letters range in date from 1854 when Joseph F. Smith was a fifteen-year-old missionary in Hawaii, to 1916, just two years before his death.

Additional Joseph F. and Martha Ann letters were collected and added to those in possession of Carole Call King. The project now holds a total of 167 letters written by Joseph F. Smith and 44 letters from Martha Ann Smith Harris to her brother. Some matters of interest contained in these letters include comments by Joseph F. Smith about the apostate Walter Gibson; the visit of Emma and Joseph Smith’s sons, David and Alexander Smith (Joseph F.’s first cousins), to Salt Lake City from Nauvoo; his profound grief after the death of several children; and reflections about his father and mother’s death. The following chart summarizes the place where the letters were sent and the approximate years they were written.