Don Carlos Smith
Encyclopedia
Don Carlos Smith was the youngest brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. and a leader, missionary
, and periodical editor in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement
.
Smith was born in Norwich
, Vermont
, the seventh son of Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
. As an adolescent, Smith was an early convert to the Church of Christ that was established by his brother Joseph in 1830. Don Carlos was baptized
on June 9 of that year.
Smith was the first editor of the Nauvoo
, Illinois
-based Latter Day Saint newspaper Times and Seasons
. He was also active as an early missionary of the Latter Day Saint church. Smith participated in the ceremony of the laying of the cornerstones of the Kirtland Temple
, and he was a member of the temple's construction crew. As a printer and editor, Smith was involved in the printing of the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants
, several editions of the Book of Mormon
, and also served as the publisher and editor for the short-lived periodical Elders' Journal
.
On January 15, 1836, Smith was selected as the first president of the high priests quorum of the church, a position that is today referred to as a stake president. He represented the high priests of the church when the cornerstones were laid to the Nauvoo Temple
in early 1841.
Smith died in Nauvoo, Illinois of malarial fever
at the age of 25. He was survived by his wife Agnes Moulton Coolbrith, who later became a plural wife
of Joseph Smith. Don Carlos was the father of Ina Coolbrith
, who became the first poet laureate of California
.
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
, and periodical editor in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement
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...
.
Smith was born in Norwich
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
, 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 seventh 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...
. As an adolescent, Smith was an early convert to the Church of Christ that was established by his brother Joseph in 1830. Don Carlos was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
on June 9 of that year.
Smith was the first editor of the Nauvoo
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...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
-based Latter Day Saint newspaper Times and Seasons
Times and Seasons
Times and Seasons was a 19th-century Latter Day Saint periodical published monthly or twice-monthly at Nauvoo, Illinois, from November 1839 to February 15, 1846...
. He was also active as an early missionary of the Latter Day Saint church. Smith participated in the ceremony of the laying of the cornerstones of 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...
, and he was a member of the temple's construction crew. As a printer and editor, Smith was involved in the printing of the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
, several editions of the Book of Mormon
Book 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 also served as the publisher and editor for the short-lived periodical Elders' Journal
Elders' Journal
The Elders' Journal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was an early Latter Day Saint periodical edited by Don Carlos Smith. Two issues Vol. 1 No. 1 and Vol. 1. No. 2 were published in Kirtland, Ohio in 1837. The remaining two issues Vol 1. No. 3 and Vol 1. No...
.
On January 15, 1836, Smith was selected as the first president of the high priests quorum of the church, a position that is today referred to as a stake president. He represented the high priests of the church when the cornerstones were laid to the Nauvoo Temple
Nauvoo Temple
The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio, United States in 1836. When the main body of the church was forced out of Nauvoo, Illinois in the...
in early 1841.
Smith died in Nauvoo, Illinois of malarial fever
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
at the age of 25. He was survived by his wife Agnes Moulton Coolbrith, who later became a plural wife
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
of Joseph Smith. Don Carlos was the father of Ina Coolbrith
Ina Coolbrith
Ina Donna Coolbrith was an American poet, writer, librarian, and a prominent figure in the San Francisco Bay Area literary community...
, who became the first poet laureate of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
External links
- Roger D. Launius, Don Carlos Smith: Brother of the Prophet.