Possible Image of Joseph Smith
  • Main page
  • 1840s Clothing
  • Provenance
  • Artists who Knew Joseph Smith
  • Family Pictures
  • Hyrum Smith Photo
  • Joseph's 1840s Hairline/style

Plausible photograph of joseph smith

Picture
This image was taken using my new cell phone, of my CDV, it seems to show more detail than even the expensive, professional shots I have of it.
Help support a research study by buying a copy: https://etsy.me/3hYYGv6


I am selling Copies of my CDV, to fund research:
debs-fine-art.myshopify.com/products/8x10-photo-print-plausible-photograph-of-joseph-smith-jr

In 2016 I felt a strong desire to know what Joseph Smith looked like, to see if he looked like a nice guy. There are so many images of Brigham Young, I was confident there would be some of Joseph out there. I scoured the internet for a few minutes and I found quite a few alleged images, but two seemed legitimate; one appeared to be in the hands of people in the field of “identifying people in images” (but no real story of provenance came about), the other- looked older- but similar to the other one, with alleged professionals claiming it is Joseph Smith; long story short- the older one that I now own and was truly convinced of- when I spent many days analyzing it, as an artist (drawing, photography and painting), armed with a medical field as a CMA, plus ten years as a Skin therapist, working with Plastic Surgeons and in Medical Spas; I have learned A LOT about facial structure, what makes us unique, how asymmetrical our faces truly are and how unique.

My name is Debra Hatfield and I believe there is strong evidence an 1860s Carte de Visite bears an 1840s image of Joseph Smith. Read my story on the many pages of this site, just click the three lines to see them. Thanks for your support!

Seen above, even the very unique shape and size of this man's eyebrows- match the very a-symmetrical and unique eyebrow shape seen on the Death Mask of Joseph Smith. However, not being the owner, in Summer 2017, I became VERY concerned about the whereabouts of this image, after reading a website post- many years prior, making fun of the idea of it being of Joseph:


juvenileinstructor.org/daguerreotype-of-joseph-smith-wearing-the-urim-and-thummim-caution-this-will-disturb-you/

The blog linked above, linked above, quotes the ebay seller’s claims, that it was from a 19th century family Album with "Smith IDed" photos in it. They were quoting "G"- just to make fun, even dubbing it, “Fake Joseph”; but I didn't find it funny, I was intrigued and soon I would be anxiously worried that they convinced the seller it was "trash". Mere months later, I found the owner and the image, he immediately offered to sell it to me for 100 dollars, suddenly tripled it, but feeling as passionate about the image, having already spent HOURS studying, weeks contacting the hidden trail left behind, by the blogger- 8 years prior, I wasn't going to let it end up in someone's bookshelf- tucked away to just get more damaged.

2020, my image was authenticated, see the bottom of the page and here is what I know: it was copied/rephotographed from an older daguerreotype, around the 1860s by J.S. Bibbins, in Kendall County (where the RLDS Church's headquarters were during the mid 1860s-80s), mere miles from Joseph Smith and Emma's adults sons (all born in the 1830s-40s), who lived mere miles from “J.S. Bibbins”, in the mid 1860s- WHEN he copied this older daguerrotype onto a paper CDV. J.S. III moved to Plano, neighboring city of Newark, in 1866, per his Memoirs, however the Church he was leading- since 1860- had a large congregation- he was leading, since... about 1860, and he stayed for decades.

Joseph Slocum Bibbins was born in 1821, in Pennsylvania; his father, a methodist circuit rider in Susquehanna, Penn. Elisha Bibbins, who ministered directly to Emma Smith, as a young girl, played a HUGE part in converting her entire family to religion, as she was taught by him to pray sincerely for answers to her prayers, wwhereas it was forbidden in her home before. I don't think Emma would have forgotten him. I theorize the possibility of Emma visiting her sons in Kendall County, a boat ride away; running into the sons of her previous mentor, who also lived in Kendall County; and possibly trusting him enough to reprint her daguerreotype of her husband, Joseph Smith. See page 67 of the Article below, to read how the Father of J.S. Bibbins knew Emma Smith’s family:

Thank you Mark Staker, for all your research on Elisha Bibbins:
​mormonhistoricsites.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Isaac-andElizabeth-Hale.pdf

To properly authenticate my newly owned 1860s CDV, I had to research the clothing styles of the decades Joseph Smith lived, (first step in authentication), I found it to clearly 1840s styles, click link at the top of the page to see a thorough analysis of my research on clothing Joseph Smith wore. Artwork of Joseph shows the same large bowtie, same lapel, same vest is owned by the Pioneer Memorial Museum, in SLC.
www.google.com/search?q=joseph+smith+vest&rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS904US905&hl=en-US&prmd=sinv&sxsrf=ALeKk02kFgO9b8k4QQqdbV4yB4vicf_Emg:1606847285431&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiN0Z_NtK3tAhUdGDQIHe-IB_AQ_AUoAnoECBAQAg&biw=1366&bih=905#imgrc=DHKm-mWNAAzOCM
​
Some LDS scholars believe there is a photograph of Joseph Smith, and some don't, I have found statements by Joseph Smith III, and Alexander Smith (quoting Brigham Young) all referencing "pictures", "daguerreotype"s of their dad. I believe them and believe that I own an authentic Carte de Visite of Joseph Smith, which I had authenticated this year, 2020 (scroll to the bottom of the page for the official report).

See page 29:
scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5922&context=etd


​Julia Murdock Smith did the same copying of a daguerreotype of Emma, circa 1845, in the 1860s as well, clearly the son knew copying daguerreotypes was a thing (but the original 1845 daguerreotype of Emma is crap, nearly all oxidized, black and owned by the Community of Christ). This CDV, done in the 1860s, probably wasn't in the hands of Joseph Smith III, ever, he did claim to have an original Daguerreotype- very possibly the original of my image, and possibly THAT being as oxidized as Emma's 1845 daguerreotype by Foster, maybe... Joseph's 1844 daguerreotype had the same fate- from being copied, and by 1879- when little Joseph inherited it- it was unable to be copied well, and he took photos of a fairly good painting of his Father, allegedly done in 1842 by David Rogers. Photographs of the painting circulated, as did claims of JS III having a real daguerreotype of his father, but see my video below to see why I think the confusing of the Carter and Library of Congress images- perfectly matching the 1842 painting- cannot be FROM a photograph:
youtu.be/4lHYo3WZ8QU


​
Research has started with some incredible people that so far has sounded positive. A thorough analysis is in the works.




The outline of 1840's Illinois Man's hairline-  I outline the death mask, to the hairline (that is receded...) onto 1840s Illinois Man and simply adjust it slightly, it matches, from the base of the chin to to where I can see BOTH men have hair that is receded and cut- super bluntly, to their hairline, both show rather thick hair- up till where it the hair recedes. See the analysis of the hairline- outline- face shape- below!

Professionally Authenticated: A copy from an Older Daguerreotype, not a "Fake"


Picture
Mobile Users: click the 3 lines in the top right to see more of my research. 

​​www.instagram.com/possible_photo_of_joseph_smith/

    If you have any questions, or want to send some support, contact me below!

Submit

  • Main page
  • 1840s Clothing
  • Provenance
  • Artists who Knew Joseph Smith
  • Family Pictures
  • Hyrum Smith Photo
  • Joseph's 1840s Hairline/style