Hyrum Smith
Encyclopedia
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement
. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.
, Vermont
, the second son of Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
. Hyrum received a limited education, and established himself as a farmer
.
Hyrum attended Dartmouth College
in his teens. This may have been one of the factors behind Dr. Nathan Smith being brought in to treat Hyrum's brother Joseph's leg.
and the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Hyrum was Joseph Smith, Jr.'s close advisor and confidant. In June 1829, Hyrum was baptized in Seneca Lake, New York
. He was one of the Eight Witnesses
examining and testifying of the reality of the Golden Plates
, the original source of the Book of Mormon. When the Church of Christ was organized on April 6, 1830, six men signed their names as charter members; at the age of thirty, Hyrum was the oldest of the six. Hyrum served as presiding officer of a church branch in Colesville, New York
and was one of the first Latter Day Saint preachers in the surrounding area.
As the church headquarters and membership moved west, Hyrum and his family relocated. In 1831, he established a home in Kirtland, Ohio
. During his residence there, he served as foreman of the quarry
providing stone for the Kirtland Temple
. Between 1831 and 1833, he served proselyting missions to Missouri
and Ohio
. 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's First Presidency
in November 1837. In 1838 and 1839, Hyrum, Joseph and three other church leaders shared a jail cell
in Liberty, Missouri
while awaiting trial.
After relocating to Nauvoo, Illinois
, Hyrum was ordained as Presiding Patriarch of the Church, a position formerly held by his deceased father, Joseph Smith, Sr.
He also was ordained by Joseph to the priesthood office of Apostle and replaced Oliver Cowdery
as Assistant President of the Church
; in this capacity, Hyrum acted as President of the Church in Joseph's absence and was designated to be Joseph's successor if he were killed or incapacitated.
When warned of possible danger, Joseph urged Hyrum and his family to flee to Cincinnati, Ohio. Hyrum refused and, in 1844, traveled with Joseph to Carthage, Illinois
where both were charged with riot
and treason
. Joseph, Hyrum, John Taylor and Willard Richards
were held awaiting trial in a jail
in 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 and exclaimed, "I am a dead man," as he died. Taylor was struck by several bullets but survived with the help of Richards. Joseph was hit
by at least two shots, exclaimed "O Lord, My God," 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 Hyrum would have succeeded Joseph and become the next president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had he outlived his brother.
On 24 December 1837, in Kirtland, Ohio, he married Mary Fielding Smith
(1801–1852). They had two children.
In August 1843 he married Mercy Fielding Thompson, widow of Robert B. Thompson
and sister to Hyrum's wife Mary, and Catherine Phillips.
Hyrum's descendants have played significant roles in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph F. Smith
, his son by Mary Fielding Smith
, served as president
of the LDS Church between 1901 and 1918. His grandson, Joseph Fielding Smith
also served as president of the church between 1970 and 1972. His eldest son, John Smith, served as Presiding Patriarch
of the church between 1855 and 1911, and 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 title patriarch emeritus. M. Russell Ballard
, a current member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church, is also a direct descendant of Hyrum Smith.
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.
Early life
Hyrum was born in TunbridgeTunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,309. The town consists of three village centers, all situated on Vermont Route 110 in the valley of the first branch of the White River...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, the second son of Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
and Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is most noted for writing an award-winning memoir: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations. She was an important leader of the movement during...
. Hyrum received a limited education, and established himself as a farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
.
Hyrum attended Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in his teens. This may have been one of the factors behind Dr. Nathan Smith being brought in to treat Hyrum's brother Joseph's leg.
Service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
During the translation of the Book of MormonBook of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Hyrum was Joseph Smith, Jr.'s close advisor and confidant. In June 1829, Hyrum was baptized in Seneca Lake, New York
Seneca Lake, New York
Seneca Lake is the largest of the glacial Finger Lakes of the U.S. state of New York, and the deepest lake entirely within the state. It is promoted as being the lake trout capital of the world, and is host of the National Lake Trout Derby. Because of its depth, Seneca Lake has been a testing site...
. He was one of the Eight Witnesses
Eight Witnesses
The Eight Witnesses were one of the two groups of witnesses who signed a statement stating that they had seen the golden plates which Joseph Smith, Jr. said was his source material for the book...
examining and testifying of the reality of the Golden Plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, the original source of the Book of Mormon. When the Church of Christ was organized on April 6, 1830, six men signed their names as charter members; at the age of thirty, Hyrum was the oldest of the six. Hyrum served as presiding officer of a church branch in Colesville, New York
Colesville, New York
Colesville is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,441 at the 2000 census.The Town of Colesville is in the northeast part of the county and is northeast of Binghamton.- History :...
and was one of the first Latter Day Saint preachers in the surrounding area.
As the church headquarters and membership moved west, Hyrum and his family relocated. In 1831, he established a home in Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
. During his residence there, he served as foreman of the quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
providing stone for the Kirtland Temple
Kirtland Temple
The Kirtland Temple is a National Historic Landmark in Kirtland, Ohio, USA, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area. Owned and operated by the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , the house of worship was the first temple to be...
. Between 1831 and 1833, he served proselyting missions to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. In 1834, under the direction of Joseph Smith, he recruited members for a militia, Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp
Zion's Camp was a paramilitary expedition of Latter Day Saints, led by Joseph Smith, Jr., from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri during May and June 1834 in an unsuccessful attempt to regain land from which the Saints had been expelled by non-Mormon settlers...
, and traveled with the group to the aid of the Latter Day Saints in Missouri. He was appointed Second Counselor in the church's First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
in November 1837. In 1838 and 1839, Hyrum, Joseph and three other church leaders shared a jail cell
Liberty Jail
Liberty Jail is a former jail in Liberty, Missouri, USA where Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of Latter Day Saint movement, and other associates were imprisoned from December 1, 1838 to April 6, 1839 during the 1838 Mormon War...
in Liberty, Missouri
Liberty, Missouri
Liberty is a city in Clay County, Missouri and is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. At the 2007 population estimate, the city population was 29,993...
while awaiting trial.
After relocating to Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, Hyrum was ordained as Presiding Patriarch of the Church, a position formerly held by his deceased father, Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
He also was ordained by Joseph to the priesthood office of Apostle and replaced Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
as Assistant President of the Church
Assistant President of the Church
Assistant President of the Church was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. The Assistant President was the second-highest authority in the church and was a member of the church's governing First Presidency...
; in this capacity, Hyrum acted as President of the Church in Joseph's absence and was designated to be Joseph's successor if he were killed or incapacitated.
When warned of possible danger, Joseph urged Hyrum and his family to flee to Cincinnati, Ohio. Hyrum refused and, in 1844, traveled with Joseph to Carthage, Illinois
Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
where both were charged with riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
and treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
. Joseph, Hyrum, John Taylor and Willard Richards
Willard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
were held awaiting trial in a jail
Carthage Jail
Carthage Jail, located in Carthage, Illinois, was the location of the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother Hyrum by a mob of approximately 150 men. Friends John Taylor and Willard Richards were also members of the incarcerated party, but were not...
in 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 and exclaimed, "I am a dead man," as he died. Taylor was struck by several bullets but survived with the help of Richards. Joseph was hit
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
by at least two shots, exclaimed "O Lord, My God," 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
Assistant President of the Church
Assistant President of the Church was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. The Assistant President was the second-highest authority in the church and was a member of the church's governing First Presidency...
, it is likely that Hyrum would have succeeded Joseph and become the next president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had he outlived his brother.
- "Hyrum is credited in Church history with being an astute organizer who gave ecclesiastical leadership to the emerging Church. As a person, he was considered a man without guile." (Ludlow, Editor, p. 493).
Wives and children
On 2 November 1826, in Manchester, New York, he married Jerusha Barden (1805–1837). They had six children together.- Lovina Smith (16 September 1827 – 8 October 1876)
- 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)
On 24 December 1837, in Kirtland, Ohio, he married Mary Fielding Smith
Mary Fielding Smith
Mary Fielding Smith Kimball was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, the second wife of LDS Church leader Hyrum Smith and the mother of Joseph F. Smith....
(1801–1852). They had two children.
- Joseph F. SmithJoseph F. SmithJoseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
(13 November 1838 – 19 November 1918) - Martha Ann Smith (14 May 1841 – 19 October 1923)
In August 1843 he married Mercy Fielding Thompson, widow of Robert B. Thompson
Robert B. Thompson
Robert Blashel Thompson was an associate of Joseph Smith, Jr., a Danite and leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, and an official historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints....
and sister to Hyrum's wife Mary, and Catherine Phillips.
Descendants
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, his son by Mary Fielding Smith
Mary Fielding Smith
Mary Fielding Smith Kimball was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, the second wife of LDS Church leader Hyrum Smith and the mother of Joseph F. Smith....
, served as president
President of the Church (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the movement, and the office assumed by many of Smith's claimed successors, such as Brigham Young, Joseph Smith III,...
of the LDS Church between 1901 and 1918. His grandson, Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church...
also served as president of the church between 1970 and 1972. His eldest son, John Smith, served as Presiding Patriarch
Presiding Patriarch (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Presiding Patriarch is a church-wide leadership office within the priesthood...
of the church between 1855 and 1911, and 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
Eldred G. Smith
Eldred Gee Smith holds the position of patriarch emeritus to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held the calling of Patriarch to the Church of the same church between 1947 and 1979. In 2009, Smith surpassed Joseph Anderson as the oldest-lived general authority in the history of...
, was given the title patriarch emeritus. M. Russell Ballard
M. Russell Ballard
Melvin Russell Ballard, Jr. is an American businessman and a religious leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was called to serve in the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1985. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ballard is accepted by the church members as a...
, a current member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church, is also a direct descendant of Hyrum Smith.
External links
- Hyrum Smith's Missionary Journal Digital Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
- Grampa Bill's G.A. pages: Hyrum Smith