▁ ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁he ▁married ▁El iza ▁Perry ▁from ▁L ans ing burgh , ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁brief ▁period ▁in ▁L ans ing burgh , ▁they ▁migr ated ▁to ▁Alb any , ▁New ▁York , ▁around ▁the ▁year ▁ 1 8 1 9 . ▁ ▁While ▁there , ▁Pri est ▁was ▁first ▁employed ▁as ▁a ▁coach ▁" trim mer " ▁or ▁u ph ol ster er , ▁ ▁He ▁later ▁worked ▁in ▁le ather , ▁mainly ▁fashion ing ▁s add les ▁and ▁har ness es . ▁ ▁He ▁and ▁El iza ▁conce ived ▁and ▁raised ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ten ▁children . ▁He ▁was ▁reported ly ▁well - lik ed ▁by ▁the ▁church go ers ▁for ▁his ▁dram atic ▁performance ▁during ▁the ▁ser m ons , ▁several ▁of ▁which ▁were ▁published .< ref > S lo an , ▁De ▁V illo . ▁( 2 0 0 2 ), ▁The ▁C rim son ed ▁Hills ▁of ▁On ond aga : ▁Jos iah ▁Pri est ' s ▁Hall uc in atory ▁Ep ic ," ▁Journal ▁of ▁Popular ▁Culture ▁( B ow ling ▁Green ) ▁ 3 6 ( 1 ): ▁ 8 6 - 1 0 4 .</ ref > ▁ ▁Pri est ' s ▁fundamental ist ▁view ▁of ▁Christian ity ▁and ▁his ▁faith ▁in ▁Bib lic al ▁literal ism ▁are ▁evident ▁throughout ▁his ▁work . ▁Jos iah ▁Pri est ▁knew ▁Oliver ▁Cow der y , ▁who ▁later ▁assist ed ▁Joseph ▁Smith , ▁Jr ., ▁in ▁the ▁production