Hyrum Smith Has 'Very Singular Feelings' Blessing Lorenzo's Father — A Premonition of His Early Death

On 6 March 1843, Patriarch Hyrum Smith gave a patriarchal blessing to Hezekiah Hatch, the father of Lorenzo Hill Hatch, in Nauvoo. Lorenzo later recorded a remarkable note about what occurred:

'The word of Brother Hyrum concerning my father: He said that he had very singular feelings when he blessed father which were in consequence of the shortness of his life, and this was in fulfillment of a dream which my father had in Vermont concerning the Prophet.'

Hyrum Smith felt an unmistakable spiritual premonition during the blessing about the shortness of Hezekiah's remaining life. That premonition proved to be precisely correct. Hezekiah Hatch died just three and a half months later on 25 June 1843, at the age of only 45 years. This also fulfilled a dream Hezekiah himself had received in Vermont about the Prophet before the family moved to Nauvoo.

Fuller account of this event (from Autobiography of Lorenzo Hill Hatch (1826-1910)):

At this place in the original journal, there are seven full pages of patriarchal blessings. That is: four blessings given to Lorenzo Hill Hatch, two to his wife Sylvia, one for his wife Catherine, one for his brother Jerry and one upon the head of his father, Hezekiah, by Hyrum Smith the Patriarch at Nauvoo, 6 March, 1843. After this blessing is recorded, Lorenzo records the words thus: The words of the Patriarch were very singular. He said, 'You shall live to see the temple finished and receive your endowments therein, and you shall be gathered to your fathers in peace.' Hezekiah Hatch died in 1844, before the temple was finished.