Why I believe I Might have a Photograph of Joseph Smith Jr.
Figure 1 Dibble Death Mask of Joseph Smith, on Display in SLC at the Church History Museum
Various alleged images of Joseph Smith have spiked in popularity, declined as possibilities as either they were proven to be someone else or to have been taken after 1844, i.e. The Scannel Daguerreotype. Daguerreotypes could not be reprinted, only re-photographed- which with the low quality cameras and with now tiny, shiny and small daguerreotypes were, getting a quality image was near impossible.
J.S. Jr., revered by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be a Prophet, is the only President, in a line of 17 men following him, to not have a verified photograph of him, it has been a great desire of "Latter-Day Saints" to the First President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Claims by his eldest son, Joseph Smith III, in a letter to the Salt Lake Tribune in 1910, defies this notion- stating that he did in fact have a daguerreotype of his father, refuting claims that there was not an authenticity image of his father in existence, have kept hope alive. [1]
I am an artist, received a Bachelor Science Degree in Dance, Art and Music from Brigham Young University-Idaho (2005), studied portrait art, worked as a professional photographer, faces are something I love to analyze, a whole lot. Since 2017 I have owned an old photograph that I believe matches the death mask of Joseph Smith to near exactness. Before owning it, I studied this image on a blog, comparing it to the death mask of Joseph Smith, using various means and was able to track down it's most recent hiding spot and bought it.
The image I own is Carte-de-Viste, taken or reprinted in Newark, Illinois, a city that did have members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1844, but was a city that Joseph Smith had sent some of his apostles to in May 1844, to promote his Presidential Campaign for the United States of America.[2] The strong hints of provenance by the past owner, was what hooked me, and once I owned it, I was able to research the man who took the photo and where, which placed him near some of Joseph Smith's sons, later in their life.
As an artist, I didn’t want to do what many have done with past alleged photographs of Joseph Smith, which was to superimpose a translucent copy of the Death Mask of Joseph Smith (although I did later). My desire was to analyze it by creating and superimposing an outline of what I have dubbed, 1840s Illinois Man's face, on a different layer, using a program on my Ipad-Pro, “Procreate”. I uploaded my scanned image of the CDV, after adjusting the size, but not the dimensions of the death mask and my possible image of Joseph Smith’s facial characteristics to be the same size, I added another layer on top that I used to sketch the shape of the man’s eyes, nose, lips, face shape, chin; this top layer was moved/superimposed onto the death mask of Joseph Smith. I found that the facial features matched: the base of his chin matched the base of Joseph Smith’s- per his mask, the lips were a near exact match- excepting that the man I my image has pursed lips, the nostrils fell into place, as did his eyes, along with the shape of his nose, and many wrinkles. I have not worked in forensics, but have recently teamed up with someone to help me with verifying if what I have found is as accurate as it seems.
J.S. Jr., revered by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be a Prophet, is the only President, in a line of 17 men following him, to not have a verified photograph of him, it has been a great desire of "Latter-Day Saints" to the First President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Claims by his eldest son, Joseph Smith III, in a letter to the Salt Lake Tribune in 1910, defies this notion- stating that he did in fact have a daguerreotype of his father, refuting claims that there was not an authenticity image of his father in existence, have kept hope alive. [1]
I am an artist, received a Bachelor Science Degree in Dance, Art and Music from Brigham Young University-Idaho (2005), studied portrait art, worked as a professional photographer, faces are something I love to analyze, a whole lot. Since 2017 I have owned an old photograph that I believe matches the death mask of Joseph Smith to near exactness. Before owning it, I studied this image on a blog, comparing it to the death mask of Joseph Smith, using various means and was able to track down it's most recent hiding spot and bought it.
The image I own is Carte-de-Viste, taken or reprinted in Newark, Illinois, a city that did have members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1844, but was a city that Joseph Smith had sent some of his apostles to in May 1844, to promote his Presidential Campaign for the United States of America.[2] The strong hints of provenance by the past owner, was what hooked me, and once I owned it, I was able to research the man who took the photo and where, which placed him near some of Joseph Smith's sons, later in their life.
As an artist, I didn’t want to do what many have done with past alleged photographs of Joseph Smith, which was to superimpose a translucent copy of the Death Mask of Joseph Smith (although I did later). My desire was to analyze it by creating and superimposing an outline of what I have dubbed, 1840s Illinois Man's face, on a different layer, using a program on my Ipad-Pro, “Procreate”. I uploaded my scanned image of the CDV, after adjusting the size, but not the dimensions of the death mask and my possible image of Joseph Smith’s facial characteristics to be the same size, I added another layer on top that I used to sketch the shape of the man’s eyes, nose, lips, face shape, chin; this top layer was moved/superimposed onto the death mask of Joseph Smith. I found that the facial features matched: the base of his chin matched the base of Joseph Smith’s- per his mask, the lips were a near exact match- excepting that the man I my image has pursed lips, the nostrils fell into place, as did his eyes, along with the shape of his nose, and many wrinkles. I have not worked in forensics, but have recently teamed up with someone to help me with verifying if what I have found is as accurate as it seems.
My Carte de Viste, 1840s Illinois Man's face outline in turqois on one layer, using the Procreate Ap, so I can superimpose that undisturbed onto the Dibble Death Mask of Joseph Smith.
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The unaltered turquoise outline (since outlining Illinois Man's face) superimposed onto the death mask showing that his face lines up VERY well to the death mask of Joseph Smith.
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Figure 2 Carte de Viste of Emma Smith holding baby David Hyrum Smith, circa 1845
COULD A CARTE DE VISTE OF JOSEPH SMITH EXIST?
After spending quite some time studying the facial characteristics of this Illinois man, to the death mask, starting a blog felt right. I produced a few YouTube Videos, well before owning it (hoping to find out who had it and to make sure they didn't toss it in the trash), I sought out to find the ebay seller, alleging to have removed this image from a Smith Family Photo Album, and was successful. Soon after I had bought my image on ebay, I had short lived concern about it NOT being a daguerreotype, but a Carte de Viste. CDVs were not patented until 1854, ten years after Joseph Smith died, meaning my image could not have been printed before his death, but it could have been reprinted.
Paper photography existed, which from conception (literally- 1830s) came from negatives, which created multiple reprints (patented in 1841). The calotype process was patented by Henry Fox Talbot, 1841, which produced a negative, that could be clearly reproduced. [4]Paper photography existed in the “Nauvoo Era”, a year before the body of The Church of Jesus Christ made a mass exodus from Illinois to Utah, evidenced by an 1845 Carte de Viste of Emma Smith. According to Julia Murdock Smith (eldest daughter of Joseph Smith Jr.) and whose photo album this image of Emma Smith Figure 2 came from, is her mother "Mrs. Joseph Smith" holding a baby "Dave"/David Hyrum Smith (born November 1844 [3]), note that in 1854 David would have turned 10 years old, the year that CDV were patented.
Some historians claim this 1845 CDV must be a reprint from a daguerreotype, but considering how difficult it was to rephotograph a tiny, shiny daguerreotype (only means were by rephotographing it) this extremely crisp and clear image of Emma Smith, likely was always a paper photograph. If a paper photograph, taken months after Joseph Smith’s death could be reprinted onto a CDV (of his wife), so could an 1844 image of Joseph Smith.
STEPS OF AUTHENTICATION
The first major steps of authenticating an image, per professionals, is to see if the clothing style of the image in question- matches that of that time period the alleged person lived. Joseph Smith lived from 1805-1844. I compared my Illinois man’s clothing to images of Abraham Lincoln, who also was living in Illinois at the same time as Joseph Smith, and was also a politician. One image of Abraham Lincoln from 1846, matched the closest to my Illinois man’s CDV, better than his clothing styles photographed a decade later - with the unique placement of the collar being up to the jaw line, but popped downward, with a soft silk scarf, tied; whereas any other image of Lincoln in later decades, his collar was much lower, ties were stiff and starched, not like the clearly double wrapped scarf both my Illinois Man and Lincoln sported in the mid 1840s.
Figure 3 Carte-de-Viste of an 1840s Illinois Man, from a Smith Family Photo Album. Contrast upped to show he is wearing a silk like scarf, wrapped more than once and a collar popped down, all the up to his jaw.
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Figure 4 Abraham Lincoln 1846, wearing a scarf, double wrapped and a collar all the way up to his jaw.
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Figure 5 Abraham Lincoln 1854. his tie is modern, not a scarf, not double wrapped and his collar is inches below his jaw.
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Abraham Lincoln 1857, clearly scarves double wrapped were not in style in the 1850s, collar is very low.
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Abraham Lincoln 1864; his tie is still like modern ties today, not a scarf, collar is low and his neck is exposed.
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Once I established that my image better matched clothing worn by Lincoln in the 1840s, than in later decades, I search for hours online to find out if any clothing in drawings or photos of a similar vest, as 1840s Illinois Man. I was successful and found there was a vest on display at the Pioneer Memorial Museum, SLC, Utah, which is featured in an 1984 ENSIGN article: www.lds.org/study/ensign/1984/01/from-the-prophets-life-a-photo-essay?lang=eng
At the Pioneer Memorial Museum is Joseph's Brocade Satin vest; it's striped white, blue and black strips, 1840s Illinois Man's vest is also striped with dark and lighter shades; Joseph's vest has flowers, with black stitched wavy design that appears like cross striations, in near exact the same locations as some odd waves seem to intercede with the light and dark strips on my Illinois Man's vest. On 1840s Illinois Man's left breast is seen something that looks like the shape of a flower (below a dark black circle), on his right breast are seen dark waves and it is clear his vest reflects like, much as if it was satin as well.
At the Pioneer Memorial Museum is Joseph's Brocade Satin vest; it's striped white, blue and black strips, 1840s Illinois Man's vest is also striped with dark and lighter shades; Joseph's vest has flowers, with black stitched wavy design that appears like cross striations, in near exact the same locations as some odd waves seem to intercede with the light and dark strips on my Illinois Man's vest. On 1840s Illinois Man's left breast is seen something that looks like the shape of a flower (below a dark black circle), on his right breast are seen dark waves and it is clear his vest reflects like, much as if it was satin as well.
Figure 6 Photograph of a satin vest owned by Joseph Smith, taken by Debra Hatfield, courtesy of the “International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers”
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Photo used for historical purposes, from ENSIGN article "From the Prophet's life: a Photo Essay:, by Buddy Youngreen; "A collar and vest worn by Joseph Smith, Jr. "(Photography by Jed A. Clark; shown courtesy of Pioneer Memorial Museum, Salt Lake City.)
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1840s Illinois Man's vest, cropped image by Debra Hatfield.
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The lapel of the jacket of 1840s Illinois Man shows a jacket that appears to be very similar to one shown in Sutcliffe Maudsley drawing of Joseph Smith, called “The Two Martyrs”. Maudsley, the only verified artist to have drawn Joseph Smith from life. The jackets both had a simple notched lapel, with darker upper, that appears to overlap far across his breast.
Figure 8 "The Two Martyrs" by, Sutcliffe Maudsley
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Possible image of Joseph Smith wearing his jacket last drawn by Sutcliffe Maudsley, Navuoo Artist.
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Researching the history of the “Photographic Artist” J.S. Bibbins, has proven that he was living approximately ten miles away from Joseph Smith III, for decades; there is strong evidence that they had family ties going as far back as 1815.
Bibbins printed this Carte de Viste in “Newark Illinois”, which is in Kendall County. The United States Federal Census of 1860 shows a “J.S. Bibbins”, career- “Artist”, married to an Elizabeth, living with his mother Alice who is 69, and four children. I only found one “J.S. Bibbins”, residing with his family, marrying and working in Newark.
Coltechpub.com has extensive research into the Bibbins' family history; it states Elisha Bibbins, was a Methodist circuit rider in Pennsylvania in the 1810s, moving to Newark, Illinois in 1840. This Elisha Bibbins died and his son J.S. Bibbins took care his mother Alice until her death years later.
The online database for Kendall County, Illinois- kendallin.org, states the Bibbins family, father Elisha Bibbins (still a methodist minister), mother- Alive Bibbins and their five sons (including Joseph Slocum) arrived in Newark, Illinois in 1838, months before the Latter-Day Saints escaped the 1838 extermination order in Missouri- to Quincy, Illinois. kendallkin.org/databases/1390/A,showall/6.html
The "Biographical Directory of the Voters and Tax Payers of Kendall County", page 86 of this historical book, states,
"..came to Kendall Co. in 1840".
Mentioned earlier in this article is stated that Joseph Smith ran a Presidential campaign in Newark, Illinois in May 1844, Bibbins would have been 22 years old and in Newark at the time, the fact that he never lived or is stated to have traveled through Nauvoo, Illinois is unimportant; being it's a CDV is likely a reprint and bring reprinted in the same county as where Joseph Smith III lived makes it even more likely. Joseph Smith III lived in Kendall County, in the city of Plano from 1866-1881, he COULD have easily traveled the 10 miles to obtain a reprint of his father. Bibbins death record states that he died in Plano, Illinois, it is more than likely they crossed paths, furthermore, his father knew Joseph Smith III's mother, decades before he was born.
Joseph Slocum Bibbin’s father, Elisha Bibbins was a circuit rider in the Susquehanna Valley in 1812 and was noted in Historical and family Records as having taught Emma Smith, as a young girl:
“Elisha Bibbins… became the circuit riders for the valley in 1812 and continued to encourage grove experiences... [5]Bibbins was a man of medium size with a prominent nose and “benignant eyes” who was so successful in his efforts to invite the interested to seek God in prayer …[6]
“… One day, when Elisha Bibbins was the circuit rider, Isaac came across his daughter Emma in the woods while out hunting… Mr. Hale always claimed that he was converted from deism to faith in Christ as the Savior, by a secret prayer of Emma’s…”[7]
[1] Salt Lake Tribune, March 5 1910, p 4; Deseret News (Salt Lake City) May 13, 1941, pg. 11
[2] History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844]
[3] “About David H. Smith,” Deseret Evening News, 16 Sept. 1904, 4.
[4] “William Henry Fox Talbot”, Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/biograph/William-Henry-Fox-Talbot, February 7, 2019.
[5] III Score & X or Selections, Collections, Recollections of Seventy Busy Years (Harrisburg, Pa.: United Evangelical Publishing House, 1904), 30.
[6] Blackman, History of Susquehanna County, 138.
[7] "Trial Notes Scribe A” and “Trial Notes Scribe B.”
Wel