Joseph Smith's World on Fire in Nauvoo - John Turner pt 31 | Ep. 2112

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Feb 13, 2026

John Turner, historian and author of Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet, walks through the explosive Nauvoo years of 1842–1843. Scandal, secrecy, and political strain dominate. Stories include John C. Bennett’s fall, the Spiritual Wifery accusations, the attempted assassination of Lilburn Boggs and Porter Rockwell’s role, polygamy controversies, secret letters, and Relief Society tensions.

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ANECDOTE

The Boggs Assassination Attempt

Turner recounts the assassination attempt on former Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs: shots fired through his window left him gravely wounded.
Boggs had earlier issued orders against Mormons, so the attack reverberated as a politically explosive event.

INSIGHT

Rockwell: Folklore Meets Plausibility

Turner assesses Porter Rockwell as a folkloric, violent defender with motive and opportunity in the Boggs shooting.
He leans toward Rockwell likely not being indicted due to insufficient evidence, leaving the case unresolved.

INSIGHT

Boggs Case Threatens Joseph's Freedom

Turner explains Bennett's accusation that Joseph ordered Rockwell to kill Boggs triggered extradition attempts and legal peril for Joseph.
The resulting fear of Missouri vigilante justice shaped much of Joseph's actions thereafter.

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Welcome to Part 31 in our ongoing series with Dr. John Turner, based on his new book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.

Today we are diving into Chapter 31, “World on Fire,” and the explosive years 1842-1843 in Nauvoo –a period marked by scandal, secrecy, political pressure, and deep internal crisis.

In this episode we cover the rise and fall of John C. Bennett and the “Spiritual Wifery” scandal. We also discuss the attempted assassination of Lilburn Boggs and the role of Porter Rockwell. We also cover aspects of polygamy, namely the Nancy Rigdon controversy and Joseph Smith’s failed proposal, the stories of Sarah Pratt and Sarah Ann Whitney (including the letter sent to the Whitneys in Joseph Smith’s own handwriting with specific instructions to burn the letter), and Emma Smith and the growing concerns in the Relief Society as well as Nauvoo at large.

We also examine how Nauvoo struggled to manage these crises, how accusations and denials shaped public perception, and why John Turner calls this moment a true “world on fire.”

If you’d like to help keep this project going, please consider donating to support this series. Your support makes long-form, in-depth historical discussion like this possible!

Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.

To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.

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