J. W. Crosby's miraculous healing from severe sickness in Nauvoo
Published October 5, 2026 at 5:59 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
During the sickness prevalent in Nauvoo, J. W. Crosby was laid up for three weeks, so ill that he was unable to move and others expected him to die. Joseph Smith, passing by the house, called in and laid his hands on Crosby, commanding him in the name of the Lord to arise and walk. Crosby was instantly healed, finding himself perfectly well on the floor, and immediately walked out to visit his daughter whom he had not seen for ten months.
In Their Own Words
“My family, with myself, were also sick, and I laid so for three weeks. I was so far gone that I was quite helpless and all thought I would have died. Doubtless I should, had not one day Joseph Smith been passing by my door (for I had a house) and was called in, and as I was afterwards informed, laid his hands upon me, and commanded me to arise and walk in the name of the Lord. The first thing I knew was that I found myself, one on the floor, perfectly well and out of the house visiting my daughter, whom I had not seen for ten months. I felt so full of joy and gladness, that I was greatly surprised that every one else was not as full of praise as myself.”
— Jonathan Crosby, Autobiography
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 6 February 1882 (Vol. 44, No. 6). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1882-02-06_44_6 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Full first-person account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 44, No. 6, 6 February 1882, p. 87 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1882-02-06_44_6
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