Portraits of the Past: McIntyre home

Dr. Alexander McIntyre lived in the Palmyra, N.Y., home seen here. He was the Smith family doctor and the man they wanted to attend to Alvin when he was so ill just before he died. Unfortunately, Dr. McIntyre was away from the Palmyra area at the time and could not render assistance.

Later, as Joseph and Emma Smith began the journey from Palmyra to Harmony, Pa., a mob asked Dr. McIntyre to lead a mob of some 50 men to look for the plates of the Book of Mormon that the Prophet had hidden in a barrel of beans. Dr. McIntyre refused to take command of that mob. He called them a bunch of fools and straightway denied the request that he lead them on that attack designed to seize the "Gold Bible" from Joseph Smith.

The McIntyre home stands in Palmyra adjacent to one of the four corners churches.