$5.00 For the Prophet Joseph

Elijah Hancock was born during a very tumultuous time for the members of the Mormon church. Events prior to his birth helped define what a special servant of the Lord he would become. Just before Elijah was born (~1844), Solomon and Phoebe had to make a wagon trip to Quincy, Illinois to get clothes and food for the family. Solomon had promised Phoebe five dollars to buy clothes and articles for the new baby about to be born. They got in the wagon with only a board across it for a seat a had butter and eggs to take to town. They started off to the store about two miles through the trees, a blazed road, the trees being marked to identify the correct road to take. Before they got to the store, Solomon stated that he felt that she must get along without the five dollars she had planned to use for the baby. Phoebe was very surprised at this but Solomon told her to take her eggs and butter and get just what she had to have. Before they reached the store he told her that he had three strong warnings not to used the money. She did as Solomon had instructed but was so disappointed that she got in the wagon, pulled her bonnet over her face and sat with her back turned to him. When they had gone but a short way, they came to a crossroad and there before them was the Prophet Joseph Smith, and others with him, who were taking him to prison. He called Solomon by name and said, "Have you got $5.00?" When Solomon answered that he did, the Prophet Joseph said, "I knew it, and I told these men we would get something to eat before we got to the Carthage Jail." Phoebe wept and asked forgiveness for wanting the money when the Prophet Joseph had needed it for food. Taken from Elijah and Francis Hancock, by Spencer Palmer