Artois Hamilton: Non-Member Innkeeper Who Bore Silent Witness to the Martyrdom

Artois Hamilton (1795–1875) was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was the owner and proprietor of Hamilton's Hotel (also called Hamilton's Tavern) in Carthage, Illinois, located near the county jail.

On June 27, 1844, the day of the martyrdom, Hamilton's life intersected with eternity. When the mob attacked Carthage Jail and Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed, it was Artois Hamilton who—as soon as it was safe—helped Willard Richards move the severely wounded John Taylor and the bodies of the two martyred prophets to the safety of his hotel.

The following morning, Hamilton personally drove one of the two wagons that carried the martyred brothers back to Nauvoo. The bodies were placed in rough oak boxes and covered with brush to protect them from the summer sun. The other wagon was driven by Samuel H. Smith, the Prophet's own brother.

Willard Richards arranged for a guard of eight soldiers to travel with the procession. The wagons left Carthage about 8:00 a.m. and arrived in Nauvoo at approximately 3:00 p.m., where several thousand Saints were waiting.

Hamilton’s son William Hamilton later continued to correspond with Samuel H. B. Smith about these events, preserving the historical record. As an outsider and non-member, Artois Hamilton's act of care and dignity for the bodies of the martyrs stands as a remarkable humanitarian witness during one of the most sacred and sorrowful moments in Church history.