Joseph F. Smith was born 13 November 1838 in Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri, United States to Hyrum Smith (1800-1844) and Mary Fielding (1801-1852) and died 19 November 1918 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States of pneumonia. He married Levira Annette Clark Smith (1842-1888) 5 April 1859 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. He married Julina Lambson (1849-1936) 6 May 1866 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. He married Mary Taylor Schwartz (1865-1956) 13 January 1884 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah.
Joseph F. Smith - 6th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
LDS Missionary to the Hawaiian Islands, LDS Apostle and 6th President of the LDS Church
Vital Statistics
- Father: Hyrum Smith (1800-1844)
- Mother: Mary Fielding (1801-1852)
- 1838-Nov-13 : Birth at Far West Missouri
- 1848 : Family Migration from Winters Quarters to Salt Lake Valley in the big Heber C Kimball wagon train
- 1901-Oct-17 : Ordained President of the LDS Church
- 1918-Nov-19 : Death at Salt Lake City UT
Biography
Joseph F. Smith was born November 13, 1838, in Far West Missouri. In 1844, his father, Hyrum Smith, was martyred along with his uncle, the Prophet Joseph Smith. Young Joseph F. Smith helped his mother, Mary Fielding Smith, migrate to Utah in 1848 and establish a house in Salt Lake City. After she died in 1852, he began a life of service to the Church. In addition to his many religious duties, he served in Utah's territorial legislature from 1865 to 1874. He became President of the Church on October 17, 1901. While ushering the Church into the twentieth century, Joseph F. Smith brought Latter-day Saints to a better appreciation of early Church history. He worked to improve the public image of the Church by developing important Church historical sites in New York, Missouri, and Illinois, building a visitors' bureau, and expanding Church missionary and educational systems. He clarified important doctrines, served numerous missions, and directed the construction of a new headquarters complex for an expanding Church. After 17 years as Church President, Joseph F. Smith died on November 19, 1918, in Salt Lake City.
Marriage and Family
Smith ultimately adopted five children and fathered forty-three children. Thirteen of his children preceded him in death: Mercy, Leonora, Sarah Ellen, Heber, Rhoda, Alice, Hyrum, Alfred, Albert, Robert, Zina, Ruth, and John. His adopted son Edward also preceded him in death.
1st Marriage: Levira Smith
On 5 April 1859, Smith married his sixteen-year-old cousin Levira Annette Clark Smith (1842-1888), daughter of Samuel Harrison Smith (1808-1844). When Joseph F. Smith left on his mission to England the next year, his companion for the journey over and part of his time in Sheffield was Levira's brother Samuel Harrison Bailey Smith (1838-1914).
Seven years later, Brigham Young (1801-1877) directed Smith to take a plural wife. Levira gave her permission and was present at the marriage of Joseph F. and Julina Lambson, who was a longtime friend of hers and was the daughter of Alfred Boaz Lambson and Melissa Jane Bigler. Levira became disenchanted with the plural marriage arrangement and divorced Smith in 1868 and moved to California.
Joseph and Levira had no children.
2nd Marriage: Julina Lambson
Julina Lambson (1849-1936). Married 6 May 1866. Julina was a nurse and midwife. Only woman in the history of the church to be both wife of a prophet and mother of a prophet.
- Edward Arthur Smith (1858-1911) - (Adopted) (1 November 1858 Brampton, England - 17 July 1911 Raymond, Canada)
- Mercy Josephine Smith (1867-1870) - (14 August 1867 – 6 June 1870)
- Mary Sophronia Smith (1869-1948) - (7 October 1869 – 5 January 1948)
- Donette Smith (1872-1961) - (17 September 1872 – 15 September 1961)
- Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972) - LDS Apostle and 10th President of the LDS Church
- David Asael Smith (1879-1952) - was a member of the presiding bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) between 1907 and 1938 and was the first president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
- George Carlos Smith (1881-1931) - (14 October 1881 – 23 February 1931)
- Julina Clarissa Smith (1884-1923) - (10 February 1884 – 1 August 1923)
- Elias Wesley Smith (1886-1970) - (21 April 1886 Laie, Hawaii – 28 December 1970) - who was born in Hawaii, twice served as mission president in Hawaii.
- Emily Jane Smith (1888-1982) - (11 September 1888 – 12 December 1982)
- Rachael Smith (1890-1986) - (11 December 1890 – 14 December 1986)
- Edith Eleanor Smith (1894-1987) - (3 January 1894 – 21 May 1987)
- Marjorie Virginia Smith (1906-1994) - (Adopted) 7 December 1906 – 17 November 1994)
Marriage to Sarah Ellen Richards
Marriage to Sarah Ellen Richards (1850-1915) on 1 March 1868. Sarah was a daughter of Willard Richards (1804-1854) and his wife Sarah Longstroth.
- Sarah Ellen Smith (1869-1869) - (5 February 1869 – 11 February 1869)
- Leonora Smith (1871-1907) - (30 January 1871 – 23 December 1907)
- Joseph Richards Smith (1873-1954) - (22 February 1873 – 2 October 1954)
- Heber John Smith (1876-1877) - (3 July 1876 – 3 March 1877)
- Rhoda Ann Smith (1878-1879) - (20 July 1878 – 6 July 1879)
- Minerva Smith (1880-1958) - (30 April 1880 – 24 January 1958)
- Alice Smith (1882-1901) - (27 July 1882 – 29 April 1901)
- Willard Richards Smith (1884-1972) - Served as president of the Salt Lake Temple from 1961-1964. He married Florence Grant, a daughter of Heber J. Grant. Father of Florence S. Jacobsen.
- Franklin Richards Smith (1888-1967) - (12 May 1888 – 25 December 1967)
- Jeanetta Smith (1891-1932) - (25 August 1891 – 27 January 1932)
- Asenath Smith (1896-1982) - (28 December 1896 – 3 August 1982)
Marriage to Edna Lambson
Edna Lambson (3 March 1851 – 28 February 1926). Married on 5 May 1871. She was the sister of Julina Lambson, who was also one of Smith's wives.
- Hyrum Mack Smith (1872-1918) - LDS Apostle, President of the European Mission at the outbreak of World War One. Smith was married to Ida Elizabeth Bowman, with whom he had five children, one of whom was Joseph Fielding Smith, a one-time presiding patriarch of the church. Another of Smith's children was Geraldine Smith, the mother of Melvin Russell Ballard (1928). He died prematurely of a ruptured appendix at age 45.
- Alvin Fielding Smith (1874-1948) - (19 July 1874 – 4 January 1948)
- Alfred Jason Smith (1876-1878) - (13 December 1876 – 6 April 1878)
- Edna Melissa Smith (1879-1958) - (6 October 1879 – 26 October 1958)
- Albert Jesse Smith (1881-1883) - (16 September 1881 – 25 August 1883)
- Robert Smith (1883-1886) - (12 November 1883 – 4 February 1886)
- Emma Smith (1888-1969) - (21 August 1888 – 28 December 1969)
- Zina Smith (1890-1915) - (11 October 1890 – 25 October 1915)
- Ruth Smith (1893-1898) - (21 December 1893 – 17 March 1898)
- Martha Smith (1897-1977) - (12 May 1897 – 7 August 1977)
Marriage to Alice Ann Kimball
06-Dec-1883 : Marriage to Alice Ann Kimball (1858-1946) in Salt Lake City.
Alice was Heber C. Kimball's daughter, Alice has a twin brother, Andrew Kimball (1858-1924) - father to 12th LDS Church President, Spencer Woolley Kimball (1895-1985).
- Charles Coulson Smith (1881-1933) - (Adopted) (19 November 1881 – 20 April 1933) - m. Manon Lyman
- Heber Chase Smith (1881-1971) - (Adopted) (19 November 1881 – 29 December 1971) -m. Lileth Nelson
- Alice May Smith (1877-1920) - (Adopted) (11 October 1877 – 20 October 1920) - m. Robert Sant
- Lucy Mack Smith (1890-1933) - (14 April 1890 – 24 November 1933) - m. Ralph Carter
- Andrew Kimball Smith (1893-1951) -(6 Jan 1893 – 23 August 1951)
- Jesse Kimball Smith (1896-1953) - (21 May 1896 – 9 June 1953) - m. Louie Anderson
- Fielding Kimball Smith (1900-1974) - (9 April 1900 – 20 October 1974) - m. Norma Hughes -
Marriage to Mary Schwartz
Mary Taylor Schwartz (30 April 1865 – 5 December 1956). Married on 13 January 1884. Mary was Agnes Taylor (1821-1911)'s daughter and church president John Taylor (1808-1887)'s niece.
- John Schwartz Smith (1886-1889) (20 August 1886 – 3 August 1889)
- Calvin Schwartz Smith (1890-1966) (29 May 1890 – 15 June 1966)
- Samuel Schwartz Smith (1892-1983) - (26 October 1892 Franklin, Idaho – 10 May 1983)
- James Schwartz Smith (1894-1950) - (13 November 1894 Franklin, Idaho – 6 November 1950)
- Agnes Smith (1897-1966) - (3 November 1897 – 9 March 1966)
- Silas Schwartz Smith (1900-1986) - (3 January 1900 – 23 April 1986)
- Royal Grant Smith (1906-1971) (21 May 1906 – 30 May 1971)
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Edward Arthur Smith (1858-1911) | |||
Mercy Josephine Smith (1867-1870) | |||
Mary Sophronia Smith (1869-1948) | |||
Donette Smith (1872-1961) | |||
Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972) | 19 July 1876 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States | 2 July 1972 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States | Louie Emily Shurtliff (1876-1908) Ethel Georgina Reynolds (1889-1937) Jessie Ella Evans (1902-1971) |
David Asael Smith (1879-1952) | |||
George Carlos Smith (1881-1931) | |||
Julina Clarissa Smith (1884-1923) | |||
Elias Wesley Smith (1886-1970) | |||
Emily Jane Smith (1888-1982) | |||
Rachael Smith (1890-1986) | |||
Edith Eleanor Smith (1894-1987) | |||
Marjorie Virginia Smith (1906-1994) |
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Sarah Ellen Smith (1869-1869) | |||
Leonora Smith (1871-1907) | |||
Joseph Richards Smith (1873-1954) | |||
Heber John Smith (1876-1877) | |||
Rhoda Ann Smith (1878-1879) | |||
Minerva Smith (1880-1958) | |||
Alice Smith (1882-1901) | |||
Willard Richards Smith (1884-1972) | 20 November 1884 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah | 11 September 1972 | Florence Grant (1883-1977) |
Franklin Richards Smith (1888-1967) | |||
Jeanetta Smith (1891-1932) | |||
Asenath Smith (1896-1982) |
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Hyrum Mack Smith (1872-1918) | 21 March 1872 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah | 23 January 1918 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah | Ida Elizabeth Bowman (1872-1918) |
Alvin Fielding Smith (1874-1948) | |||
Alfred Jason Smith (1876-1878) | |||
Edna Melissa Smith (1879-1958) | |||
Albert Jesse Smith (1881-1883) | |||
Robert Smith (1883-1886) | |||
Emma Smith (1888-1969) | |||
Zina Smith (1890-1915) | |||
Ruth Smith (1893-1898) | |||
Martha Smith (1897-1977) |
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Charles Coulson Smith (1881-1933) | |||
Heber Chase Smith (1881-1971) | |||
Alice May Smith (1877-1920) | |||
Lucy Mack Smith (1890-1933) | |||
Andrew Kimball Smith (1893-1951) | |||
Jesse Kimball Smith (1896-1953) | |||
Fielding Kimball Smith (1900-1974) |
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
John Schwartz Smith (1886-1889) | |||
Calvin Schwartz Smith (1890-1966) | |||
Samuel Schwartz Smith (1892-1983) | |||
James Schwartz Smith (1894-1950) | |||
Agnes Smith (1897-1966) | |||
Silas Schwartz Smith (1900-1986) | |||
Royal Grant Smith (1906-1971) |
Siblings
Vital Records
1880 US Census
Transcription of the 1880 US Census for the Joseph F Smith Household in Salt Lake City, UT
Name | Relation | Marital Status | Gender | Race | Age | Birthplace | Occupation | Father's Birthplace | Mother's Birthplace |
Joseph Fielding SMITH | Self | M | Male | W | 41 | MO | Preacher | NY | ENG |
Julina Lambson SMITH | Wife | M | Female | W | 30 | UT | Keeping House | NY | VA |
Mary Sophronia SMITH | Dau | S | Female | W | 10 | UT | School Girl | MO | UT |
Donette SMITH | Dau | S | Female | W | 7 | UT | School Girl | MO | UT |
Joseph Fielding SMITH JR. | Son | S | Male | W | 3 | UT | MO | UT | |
David Asael SMITH | Son | S | Male | W | 1 | UT | MO | UT | |
Sarah Ellen SMITH | Wife | M | Female | W | 29 | UT | Keeping House | MO | ENG |
Leonora SMITH | Dau | S | Female | W | 9 | UT | School Girl | MO | UT |
Joseph Richards SMITH | Son | S | Male | W | 7 | UT | School Boy | MO | UT |
Minerva SMITH | Dau | S | Female | W | 1M | UT | MO | UT | |
Edna Lambson SMITH | Wife | M | Female | W | 29 | UT | Keeping House | NY | VA |
Hyrum Mac SMITH | Son | S | Male | W | 8 | UT | School Boy | MO | UT |
Alvin Fielding SMITH | Son | S | Male | W | 6 | UT | MO | UT | |
Edna Millissa SMITH | Dau | S | Female | W | 8M | UT | MO | UT | |
Harvey WOODYATT | Other | S | Male | W | 17 | ENG | Stable Boy | FRA | ENG |
Prominent Ancestors
- Joseph Smith Immigrant Ancestors - 64 prominent early Colonial Immigrants including Howland, Fuller and Lathrop.
- John Howland (1592-1672) - Mayflower Pilgrim and early settler of Plymouth Colony
- Hyrum Smith - Father and early patriarch of the LDS Church
- Joseph Smith SR - Grandfather and first patriarch of the LDS Church
Prominent Descendants
- Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972) - Son & 10th President of the LDS Church
- Amelia Smith - Granddaughter and wife to Bruce R McConkie, LDS Church Apostle and Gospel Writer.
- One of Smith's granddaughters, Amelia Smith, married Bruce R. McConkie, who later became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
- Another of Smith's children was Geraldine Smith, the mother of M Russel Ballard.
References
- Wikipedia
- LDS Church Presidents Biography
- Online Journals of Joseph F Smith - Journals, Speeches, Autobiography and other articles for Joseph F Smith and several close family members.
- Joseph Smith Family Ancestry
- Joseph F Smith - Grandpa Bill's GA Pages
- Joseph F Smith - Teachings of the Presidents of the Church
- Joseph F Smith at Find A Grave #6261075
- Joseph F Smith - MormonWiki
- Tribute to Joseph F Smith - Special tribute to the life of Joseph F Smith from his great-nephew on the 100th anniversary of his death. Rich in Smith Family history.
Footnotes (including sources)
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