Editor’s Note: Lucy Mack Smith’s 1844-45 rough draft (not titled) is reproduced in the left-hand column (identified as Lucy: 1844-45); Orson Pratt’s 1853 published first edition is in the right-hand column (identified as Coray/Pratt: 1853). The parallel columns begin on page 221. Text from either, for which there is no counterpart in the other document, appears in a full-width column. Unless otherwise noted, the Coray 1845 fair copy (titled “The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet”) corresponds to Coray/Pratt 1853, except for nonsubstantive changes. Substantive changes appear in the notes. Lucy’s narrative appears throughout in ragged right while notes and supplementary material are justified right and left. For named individuals, see the biographical summaries at the end of the present volume. Because of the parallel columns, a note may appear on the page after its number. Note numbers at the beginnings of paragraphs provide information about page breaks in the rough draft.

The following pages, embracing biographical sketches and the genealogy of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and his Progenitors, were mostly written previous to the death of the Prophet, and under his personal inspection.

Most of the historical items and occurrences related have never before been published. They will therefore be exceedingly interesting to all Saints, and sincere inquirers after the Truth, affording them the privilege of becoming more extensively acquainted with the private life and character of one of the greatest Prophets that ever lived upon the earth. Independent of this, the events which have occurred in connection with the history of this remarkable family, are, in themselves, of the most marvellous kind, and of infinite importance in their bearings upon the present and future generations.

No events that have happened since the first advent of our Saviour, are of more thrilling interest than those connected with the history of the Prophet, Joseph Smith. Every incident relating to his life, or the lives of his progenitors, will be eagerly sought after by all future generations. The geographical, mechanical, and other scientific discoveries of modern ages, sink into insignificance, compared with the importance of those discoveries made by this great man. They are designed by the Almighty to produce the greatest moral and physical revolutions which the inhabitants of this globe ever witnessed—revolutions which, through the judgments of God, will utterly overthrow and destroy all governments and kingdoms that will not become subject to Christ. Under these infinitely important considerations, the following pages are recommended to the careful and candid perusal of all nations.

ORSON PRATT.

Having attained my 69 year,¹ and being afflicted with a complication of diseases and infirmities many of which have been brought upon me by the cruelty of an ungodly and hard hearted world and do <often> times many times threaten to put a period to my Earthly existence, I feel it <a privilege as well as> my duty <to all […] candid inquirers after truth> and my priviledge to give (as my last testimony to a world from whence I must soon take my departure) an account, not <Exclusively> particularly of my own manner of life from my youth up, but after saying somewhat concerning my ancestors, as well as myself, to trace carefully up, even from the cradle to the grave The footsteps of some <the circumstances> the manner of whose life and is <death has been such> is such as <are calculated> to excite an itenseds of it cur <iosity> in the minds of all who ever knew them personally or shall hear of them hereafter. And inasmuch as no one on earth <is so thorougholy acquainted> do know as fully as myself <with> the entire history of those of whom I speak and all these intimately connected with them I have been induced by these and other considerations to assume the task of not only tracing them during their own individual existences throug all <the windings and vicisstudes of> a life checkered with many ills, but likewise to give a sketch of their progenitors and the dealing of God with <them> also.

1. Lucy thought she turned sixty-nine on 8 July 1845, but “69 year” suggests that she means she is in her sixty-ninth year. See Biographical Summaries.