The lilac bush has always been a special plant to the Smith Family.  Lucy Mack Smith. Emma Hale Smith, Jerusha Barden Smith and Mary Fielding Smith, among others , planted lilacs.  For generations Smith family descendants have nurtured lilac bushes grown from cuttings from Kirtland, Ohio, the Smith Family Cemetery in Nauvoo, Illinois and Utah. 

        Hyrum and his first wife Jerusha planted lilacs at their home in Kirtland.  After Jerusha's death, Hyrum married Mary Fielding, who also nurtured and cared for the lilacs.  

        In 1838, their home was purchased by Charles Dixon, who had been converted to the Church in Canada and moved to Kirtland in 1837.  Shortly after the purchase, he left for Missouri.  Most of his family lived in the house until 1862.  The Dixon family left for the Salt Lake Valley in the spring of that year.  Christopher Dixon, son of Charles brought with him on the journey a starting root of the Persian Lilac tree from Hyrum Smith's home.  One of his daughters told how it was her job to water and care for the lilac root every day as she crossed the plains.  He planted the lilac root at his little home in Payson, Utah.  The lilac planted in front of Mary Fielding Smith's cottage at "This is the Place Heritage Park" in SLC, UT comes from this bush.  

      Emma Smith planted a lilac bush over the graces of Joseph and Hyrum as a marker for their location.  

      The journal of Samuel H Smith's daughter Mary Bailey Norman gives an account of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith's graves being buried at the larger lilac bush.  It was also mentioned that Samuel and Mary Bailey Smith are at the two smaller ones.  Mary Bailey Norman said, :Joseph, Hyrum, and Samuel put the lilac bush that Father Smith loved so well at the head of his grave."

      For the Smith Family reunion in Kirtland in 2011, we had a discussion regarding the lilac bushes planted in various places the Smith families had lived.  We talked about "reuniting" some of the plants to where the Smiths had lived.  

      Don and Laura Blanchard, Frances and Steve Orton, Joy Ercanbrack, Debbie and Kimberly Nelson (descendants of Hyrum Smith), got starts from the lilac bush in front of Mary Fielding Smith's cottage.  On the way to Kirtland, one of these starts was planted at Winter Quarters Visitors Center - Mary Field Smith and her family lived there for two years waiting to go West. 

      Don and Rosemarie Larsen along with Amanda and Troy Oney (descendants of Joseph Smith), went to the Smith Family Cemetery in Nauvoo to get lilac starts.  

      On August 6, 2011, at the Pioneer Trail Girls Camp in Hiram, Ohio, by the John Johnson Farm, the lilac starts from SLC and Nauvoo were planted side by side.  

      This was a wonderful opportunity to bring two plants together, cared for by family members to honor Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith's family.  After the lilacs were planted, a sweet feeling overcame all involved to see Joseph and Hyrum's lilacs standing by each other.  Our roots again joined together.

      Gilda and David Sundeen (descendant of William Smith) brought a Bloomerang Purple Lilac, which blooms twice a year from Michigan and planted it in the Kirtland Cemetery by the marker for Mary Duty Smith, Jerusha Barden Smith, Mary Smith and the infant twins of Joseph and Emma Smith.  The family offered a prayer and then sang a son.  

      FUN FACT: Adam-ondi-Ahman is located on Koala Rd/ Lilac Avenue, Jameson, MO

      Every spring Debbie and Courtney Nelson gather lilac blossoms from Smith Family gardens as well as from Nauvoo plants and the Mary Fielding Smith cottage in SLC.  The blossoms are carefully selected, cut, pressed, dried and arranged for our Smith Family "Heir-blooms." which includes necklaces, tie tacs, and bookmarks.  We home you feel the "Love of the Lilacs" and the smith family connection impressed upon your hearts. 

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