This bronze is a four foot replica of the D.J. Bowden statue "The Martyrs". The life size bronze is located at Carthage, Illinois. There is a slight but significant difference in this work, their images reflect both their youth and happiness. The plaque reads: "The Prophet Joseph Smith and his devoted brother Hyrum. In October of 1830, Hyrum brought his family from Palmyra, NY to the home of his longtime friend Newell Knight. He came by appointment From Joseph Smith to become the first Branch President of the newly organized Colesville Branch of the LDS Church. Newell Knight recorded, "Most of Hyrum's time, as well as that of my own, was spent in the Villages around preaching wherever we could to anyone who would listen." The fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith with family and friends always by his side. John Taylor said of Joseph and Hyrum, "In life they were not divided and in death they were not separated." D&C 135. Monument erected May, 2012, Colesville Branch Restoration

This is a photograph of seven of the eleven Knight family members who were present at the dedication of the Joseph and Hyrum monument. They are, Erica Fox, Sonia Francisco, Pete Black (in white shirt and missionary tag) Lauren Reagon, Deon Tait and daughter Leslie (to viewers far left) and Danial McGee (in green shirt). There is one unnamed person in the photograph. If anyone can identify the person please let us know so that the correction can be made

These three couples are the Directors of the non-profit corporation Colesville Restoration Inc. They are, from viewers left to right, Paul and Ann Painter form Tempe, AZ, Steve and Pat Glenn from Provo, Utah and Shari and Raphael Mecham also from Tempe.

While erecting the base of the "Martyrs Monument" it was decided that in recognition of President Gordon B. Hinckley's remark made at the 2002 dedication of the Nauvoo Temple, whereby he stated that the Nauvoo Temple and the Salt Lake City Temple constituted "bookends" in the Church's 19th century history, we would insert an original temple stone of both the Nauvoo Temple and the Salt Lake City Temple on opposing, East/West sides of the monument. This in tribute to the referenced temples, to Joseph and Hyrum and to the 1st branch of the Church in Colesville and its worldwide headquarters in Salt Lake City.

This, and the next photo simply show the engineering and craft employed in the construction of the base and subsequent setting of the bronze statue. The concrete infill and steel reinforced column extend 40" below ground level.

The statue with its threaded and hooked bolts were set vertically into wet concrete inside the column, then the base was finished around it. It's not going anywhere.