Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Assistant President of the Church | |
January 24, 1841 | – June 27, 1844|
Called by | Joseph Smith |
Latter Day SaintApostle | |
January 24, 1841 | – June 27, 1844|
Called by | Joseph Smith |
Reason | Excommunication ofOliver Cowdery[1] |
Reorganization at end of term | No apostles ordained |
2ndPresiding Patriarch | |
September 14, 1840 | – June 27, 1844|
Called by | Joseph Smith |
Second Counselor in theFirst Presidency | |
November 7, 1837 | – January 24, 1841|
Called by | Joseph Smith |
End reason | Called asAssistant President of the Church |
Assistant Counselor in the First Presidency | |
September 3, 1837 | – November 7, 1837|
Called by | Joseph Smith |
End reason | Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency |
Personal details | |
Born | Tunbridge,Vermont,United States | February 9, 1800
Died | June 27, 1844 Carthage,Illinois,United States | (aged 44)
Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
Resting place | Smith Family Cemetery 40°32′25.98″N91°23′31.06″W/ 40.5405500°N 91.3919611°W |
Spouse(s) | Jerusha Barden Mary F. Smith Mercy F. Thompson |
Children | 8 |
Parents | Joseph Smith Sr. Lucy Mack Smith |
Hyrum Smith(February 9, 1800 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader in theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,the original church of theLatter Day Saint movement.He was the older brother of the movement's founder,Joseph Smith,and waskilledwith his brother atCarthage Jailwhere they were being held awaiting trial.
Early life
[edit]Hyrum Smith was born inTunbridge, Vermont,the second son ofJoseph Smith Sr.andLucy Mack Smith.
Between the ages of 12 and 15, Smith briefly attended Moor's Charity School on the campus ofDartmouth Collegewhile his family lived in nearby Lebanon, New Hampshire.[2]
Church service
[edit]Smith was a close advisor and confidant to his brother Joseph as the latter produced theBook of Mormonand established theChurch of Christ.[3]In June 1829, Smith wasbaptizedinSeneca Lake, New York.He was one of theEight Witnesseswho swore to the reality of a set ofgolden platesinscribed with the Book of Mormon. He also said he saw theangel Moroni.[4]When the Church of Christ was organized on April 6, 1830, six men signed their names as charter members; at the age of 30, Hyrum Smith was the oldest of the six. Smith served as presiding officer of a church branch inColesville, New York,and was one of the first Latter Day Saint missionaries in the surrounding area.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/JosephSmithGrave.jpg/200px-JosephSmithGrave.jpg)
As the church headquarters and membership moved west, Smith and his family relocated. In 1831, he established a home inKirtland, Ohio.During his residence there, he served as foreman of thequarryproviding stone for theKirtland Temple.Between 1831 and 1833, he served proselyting missions toMissouriandOhio.In 1834, under the direction of Joseph Smith, he recruited members for a militia,Zion's Camp,and traveled with the group to the aid of the Latter Day Saints in Missouri. He was appointed Second Counselor in the church'sFirst Presidencyin November 1837. In 1838 and 1839, Hyrum, Joseph and three other church leaders shared ajail cellinLiberty, Missouri,while awaiting trial.
After relocating toNauvoo, Illinois,Smith became the church'sPresiding Patriarch,a position first held by his father, Joseph Smith Sr. He also replacedOliver CowderyasAssistant President of the Church;in this capacity, Smith acted asPresident of the Churchin Joseph's absence and was designated to be Joseph's successor if he were killed or incapacitated. Although Hyrum Smith was never explicitly ordained to thepriesthoodoffice ofapostle,"his appointment as assistant president may have included such authority".[5]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Hyrum_Smith_with_brother_Joseph_Smith_Jr.png/300px-Hyrum_Smith_with_brother_Joseph_Smith_Jr.png)
When warned of possible danger, Joseph urged Hyrum Smith and his family to flee toCincinnati,Ohio. Hyrum refused and, in 1844, traveled with Joseph toCarthage, Illinois,where both were charged withriotandtreason.Joseph, Hyrum,John TaylorandWillard Richardswere held awaiting trial in ajailin Carthage. On June 27, 1844, the building was attacked by a mob of between sixty and two hundred men. While attempting to barricade the door to prevent the mob from entering, Hyrum was shot in the face on the left side of the nose. After staggering back, another ball fired through the window struck him in the back, passed through his body, and struck his watch in his vest pocket.[6]As Hyrum Smith fell to the floor, he exclaimed, "I am a dead man," as he died.[7]Taylor was struck by several bullets but survived with the help of Richards.Joseph was hitby at least two shots, exclaimed "O Lord, My God,"[7]and fell through a second-story window to the ground where he was shot again.
Because of his position as Assistant President of the Church, it is likely that Smith would have succeeded Joseph and become the next president of the church had he outlived his brother.
Political involvement
[edit]Smith was a member of the Nauvoo City Council. At the time of his death, Smith was an independent candidate for the Illinois state legislature.[8]
Wives and children
[edit]On 2 November 1826, inManchester, New York,he married Jerusha Barden (1805–1837). They had six children together.
- Lovina Smith (16 September 1827 – 8 October 1876), who married Lorin Walker[9]
- Mary Smith (27 June 1829 – 29 May 1832)
- John Smith(22 September 1832 – 6 November 1911)
- Hyrum Smith (27 April 1834 – 21 September 1841)
- Jerusha Smith (13 January 1836 – 27 June 1912)
- Sarah Smith (2 October 1837 – 6 November 1876), who married Charles Emerson Griffin[10]
On 24 December 1837, in Kirtland, Ohio, he marriedMary Fielding Smith(1801–1852). They had two children.
- Joseph F. Smith(13 November 1838 – 19 November 1918)
- Martha Ann Smith (14 May 1841 – 19 October 1923)
In August 1843, he married and wassealedto twoplural wives:Mercy Fielding Thompson, widow ofRobert B. Thompsonand sister to Hyrum's wife Mary; and Catherine Phillips.[11]
Descendants
[edit]Smith's descendants have played significant roles in the history ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(LDS Church). Joseph F. Smith, his son by Mary Fielding Smith, served asLDS Church presidentfrom 1901 to 1918. His grandson,Joseph Fielding Smithalso served as president of the church from 1970 to 1972. His eldest son,John Smith,served as the church's Presiding Patriarch from 1855 to 1911. John Smith's descendants held this post from 1912 to 1932 and from 1942 to 1979, when the office was effectively discontinued and the incumbent,Eldred G. Smith,was given the titlepatriarch emeritus.M. Russell Ballard,who was theActing President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostlesof the LDS Church, was also a direct descendant of Smith.
In 1918, Smith's descendants erected a monument to him in theSalt Lake City Cemetery.
In 2000, it was estimated that Smith had over 31,000 living descendants.[12]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^Cowdery was excommunicated on April 12, 1838. Smith was ordained an apostle and replaced Cowdery asAssistant President of the Churchalmost three years later.
- ^Van Wagoner, Richard S. (2016).Natural Born Seer: Joseph Smith, American Prophet, 1805–1830.Smith-Pettit Foundation. pp. 31–32, 55.
- ^In 1838, the church was renamed the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints".
- ^Pettit, Tom."Moroni Appeared to 17 Different People!".Living Heritage Tours.RetrievedApril 24,2016.
- ^Gary James Bergera, "Hyrum Smith" inW. Paul ReeveandArdis E. Parshall(eds.),Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia(Santa Barbara, California, ABC-Clio, 2010) pp. 182–84 at 183.
- ^Smith, Joseph.Documentary History of the Church.Vol. 6. Deseret Book Company. p. 617.
- ^abDoctrine and Covenants section 135.
- ^Matthew Grow and others.The Standard of Truthp. 534
- ^Jenkins, Ryan C. (February 2, 2023).The Assassination of Joseph Smith.Cedar Fort.ISBN9781462124497.
- ^Clayton, Sherise G."SARAH SMITH GRIFFIN"(PDF).HyrumSmith.org.RetrievedJuly 24,2017.
- ^Newell, Linda King;Valeen Tippetts Avery(1994).Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith(2nd ed.). Urbana and Chicago:University of Illinois Press.p.142.ISBN0-252-06291-4.
- ^"Descendants Celebrate 200th Anniversary of Hyrum Smith’s Birth",Ensign,June 2000.
References
[edit]- Allen, James B.;Glen M. Leonard(1976).The Story of the Latter-day Saints.Deseret Book Company.ISBN0-87747-594-6.
- Ludlow, Daniel H.,ed. (1992).Church History, Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism.Deseret Book Company.ISBN0-87579-924-8.
- O'Driscoll, Jeffrey S. (2003).Hyrum Smith: A Life of Integrity.Deseret Book Company.ISBN1-57008-857-8.
External links
[edit]Media related toHyrum Smithat Wikimedia Commons
- Works by or about Hyrum SmithatInternet Archive
- Hyrum Smith's Missionary JournalDigital Collections,L. Tom Perry Special Collections,Brigham Young University
- Guide to Hyrum Smith's Missionary JournalfromL. Tom Perry Special Collections,Brigham Young University
- Hyrum Smith Papers, Vault MSS 774atL. Tom Perry Special Collections,Brigham Young University
- Grampa Bill's G.A. pages: Hyrum Smith
- Biographyat Joseph Smith Papers Project website
- Presiding Evangelists of the Community of Christ
- 1800 births
- 1844 deaths
- People assassinated in the 19th century
- American Latter Day Saint leaders
- American Latter Day Saint missionaries
- American murder victims
- Angelic visionaries
- Apostles of the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)
- Assassinated religious leaders
- Book of Mormon witnesses
- Burials at the Smith Family Cemetery
- Converts to Mormonism from Presbyterianism
- Counselors in the First Presidency (LDS Church)
- Dartmouth College alumni
- Deaths by firearm in Illinois
- Doctrine and Covenants people
- Latter Day Saint martyrs
- Latter Day Saint missionaries in the United States
- Latter Day Saints from Illinois
- Latter Day Saints from New York (state)
- Leaders in the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)
- Lynching deaths in Illinois
- Members of the First Presidency (LDS Church)
- Nauvoo, Illinois city council members
- People from Broome County, New York
- People from Ontario County, New York
- People from Tunbridge, Vermont
- People murdered in Illinois
- Presiding Patriarchs (LDS Church)
- Religious leaders from New York (state)
- Religious leaders from Vermont
- Smith family (Latter Day Saints)
- Victims of religiously motivated violence in the United States
- 1844 murders in the United States