Profile Text
portrait of Smith c. 1842, likely by William Warner Major; Community of Christ archives
Date of Birth: December 23, 1805
Place of Birth: Sharon, Vermont, United States
Date of Death: June 27, 1844
Place of Death: Carthage, Illinois, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, some Scottish, distant German
Joseph Smith was an American religious leader. He was the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the 1st President of the Church of Christ (later the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), from April 6, 1830 to June 27, 1844, and the 2nd Mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, from May 19, 1842 to June 27, 1844.
He was a third-party candidate for President of the United States in 1844 , until his murder that year.
Joseph was the son of Lucy (Mack) and Joseph Smith, Sr. Among his siblings were Alvin Smith; LDS leader Hyrum Smith; Samuel H. Smith, regarded as the first LDS missionary; LDS leader William Smith, one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; early LDS convert Katharine Smith Salisbury; leader, missionary, and periodical editor in the LDS, Don Carlos Smith; and early LDS movement participant Lucy Smith Millikin.
Joseph was married to LDS leader Emma Smith, and to 30-40 others wives. His children included Julia Murdock Smith; Joseph Smith III, the Prophet-President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church); Alexander Hale Smith, a senior leader in the RLDS; and religious leader, poet, painter, singer, philosopher, and naturalist David Hyrum Smith.
Joseph’s paternal grandfather was Asael Smith (the son of Samuel Smith and Priscilla Gould). Asael was born in Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts. Samuel was born in Topsfield, the son of Samuel Smith and Rebecca Curtis/Curtice. Priscilla was born in Topsfield, the daughter of Zaccheus Gould and Elizabeth Curtis.
Joseph’s paternal grandmother was Mary Elizabeth Duty (the daughter of Moses Duty and Mary Palmer). Joseph’s grandmother Mary Elizabeth was born in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts. Moses was the son of William Duthie Duty, who was Scottish; and of Rebecca Bennett. Mary was born in Rowley, the daughter of John C. Palmer and Mary Stickney.
Joseph’s maternal grandfather was Solomon Mack (the son of Ebenezer Mack and Hannah Huntley). Solomon was born in Lyme, New London, Connecticut. Ebenezer was the son of John Mack, who was Scottish; and of Sarah Bagley. Hannah was the daughter of Aaron Huntley and Deborah DeWolf. Deborah’s paternal grandfather, Balthazar DeWolff/de Wolfe, was a German immigrant from Sagan, Selesia, Germany.
Joseph’s maternal grandmother was Lydia Gates (the daughter of Daniel Gates and Lydia Fuller). Joseph’s grandmother Lydia was born in East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut. Daniel was born in East Haddam, the son of Daniel Gates and Rebecca/Rebeckah Merriam. Joseph’s great-grandmother Lydia was born in East Haddam, the daughter of Shubael Fuller and Hannah Crocker.
Joseph was a first cousin, six times removed, of singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Benson Boone . Joseph’s paternal grandparents, Asael Smith and Mary Elizabeth Duty, were also Benson’s maternal great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents.
Sources: Genealogies of Joseph Smith – https://www.geni.com http://www.wikitree.com http://famouskin.com