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William Smith (Mormonism)
Encyclopedia
William Smith (March 13, 1811 – ) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement
and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
. Smith was the eighth child of Joseph Smith, Sr.
and Lucy Mack Smith
and was a younger brother of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.
, Vermont
, Smith and his family suffered considerable financial problems and moved several times in the New England
area. He was living in the home of his parents near Manchester, New York
when his brother Joseph reported that he had brought home golden plates
from the hill Cumorah
. William was told by Joseph that he could not view the golden plates but was allowed to reach into the case and feel what Joseph said were the plates. William was baptized into his brother's Church of Christ on June 9, 1830 by David Whitmer
, one of the Three Witnesses
to the Book of Mormon.
originally designated Phineas Young
, brother of Brigham
, as one of the inaugural members of the Quorum of the Twelve
. However, Joseph Smith insisted that his own younger brother, William, be selected instead. Oliver Cowdery
and David Whitmer
later reported that William's selection was "contrary to our feelings and judgment, and to our deep mortification ever since." William Smith was ordained an apostle on February 15.
On May 4, 1839, Smith and Orson Hyde
were suspended from the Quorum of the Twelve by a vote of the church; however, Smith was readmitted to the Quorum on May 25. From April to December 1842, Smith was the editor of The Wasp
, a secular but pro-Mormon
newspaper in Nauvoo
, Illinois
. Smith was fierce in his editorial criticism of the anti-Mormon newspaper the Warsaw Signal
and its editor Thomas C. Sharp
, whom Smith referred to in the Wasp as "Thom-ASS C. Sharp". Smith resigned as the editor of The Wasp after he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly
, and he was succeeded by fellow-apostle John Taylor, who edited The Wasp for another five months before replacing it with the Nauvoo Neighbor
.
On May 24, 1845, Smith succeeded his late brother Hyrum Smith
as the Presiding Patriarch of the church. Shortly after his ordination to this position, Brigham Young
printed a clarification in a church newspaper that stated that Smith had not been ordained as patriarch over the church, but rather as patriarch to the church; Smith regarded this clarification as a slight, and it exacerbated the growing tension between Smith and Young. Smith was patriarch to the church until October 6, 1845, when his name was read at general conference but fellow apostle Parley P. Pratt
expressed objections due to his character and miscreant practices. The conference attenders unanimously voted against Smith being retained as both an apostle and patriarch, and he lost both offices and was disfellowshipped from the church. Smith responded by submitting a lengthy statement to Sharp's Warsaw Signal in which he compared Young to Pontius Pilate
and Nero
and accused Young and other members of the Twelve of secretly keeping multiple "spiritual wives". As a result of Smith's statement, Smith was excommunicated from the church by Young and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on grounds of apostasy
on October 19, 1845.
and established The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Rather, Smith followed the leadership of James J. Strang and was involved with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
.
In 1847, Smith announced that he was the new president of the Latter Day Saint church and that he held a right to leadership due to the doctrine of lineal succession. He excommunicated Young and the leadership of the LDS Church and announced that the Latter Day Saints who were not in apostasy by following Young should gather in Lee County, Illinois
. In 1849, Smith gained the support of Lyman Wight
, who led a small group of Latter Day Saints in Texas
. However, Smith's church did not last, and within a few years it dissolved.
Smith's relationship with Young remained strained until Young's death in 1877. Smith believed that Young had arranged for William's older brother Samuel H. Smith to be poisoned in 1844 to prevent his accession to the presidency of the church. However, in 1860, Smith wrote a letter to Young in stating that he desired to join the Latter-day Saints in the Salt Lake Valley
. However, shortly thereafter Smith became involved as a soldier in the American Civil War
, and after the war he did not show any interest in moving to Utah Territory
.
In 1878, Smith became a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church), which was organized in 1860 with Smith's nephew, Joseph Smith III
, as its leader. The majority of William Smith's followers also became members of the RLDS Church. While Smith believed that he was entitled to become the presiding patriarch or a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles
of the RLDS Church, his nephew did not agree and William Smith remained a high priest in the RLDS Church for the remainder of his life.
in 1842 and 1843, being elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
as a representative of Hancock County
. Smith ran in the election as a Democrat
. His chief opponent was Thomas C. Sharp
, and anti-Mormon Whig
candidate. Smith won the election easily as a result of overwhelming Mormon support from voters in Nauvoo
.
, Clayton County
, Iowa
, he was the last brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. to die. He was survived by his sisters Sophronia and Catherine.
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...
and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
. Smith was the eighth child 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...
and was a younger brother of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.
Early life
Born in RoyaltonRoyalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
, 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...
, Smith and his family suffered considerable financial problems and moved several times in the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
area. He was living in the home of his parents near Manchester, New York
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
when his brother Joseph reported that he had brought home 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...
from the hill Cumorah
Cumorah
Cumorah is a drumlin in Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith, Jr...
. William was told by Joseph that he could not view the golden plates but was allowed to reach into the case and feel what Joseph said were the plates. William was baptized into his brother's Church of Christ on June 9, 1830 by David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
, one of the Three Witnesses
Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
to the Book of Mormon.
Church leadership
On February 14, 1835, the Three WitnessesThree Witnesses
The Three Witnesses were a group of three early leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had...
originally designated Phineas Young
Phineas Young
Phineas Howe Young was a prominent early convert in the Latter Day Saint movement and was later a Mormon pioneer and a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, brother of Brigham
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, as one of the inaugural members of the Quorum of the Twelve
Quorum of the Twelve
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Quorum of the Twelve was one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy organized by the movement's founder Joseph Smith, Jr., and patterned after the twelve apostles of Christ In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Quorum of the Twelve (also known as the...
. However, Joseph Smith insisted that his own younger brother, William, be selected instead. 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...
and David Whitmer
David Whitmer
David Whitmer was an early adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement who eventually became the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.-Early life:...
later reported that William's selection was "contrary to our feelings and judgment, and to our deep mortification ever since." William Smith was ordained an apostle on February 15.
On May 4, 1839, Smith and Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
were suspended from the Quorum of the Twelve by a vote of the church; however, Smith was readmitted to the Quorum on May 25. From April to December 1842, Smith was the editor of The Wasp
The Wasp (newspaper)
The Wasp was a weekly newspaper edited and published by Latter Day Saint Apostle William Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois, United States, from April 1842 to April 1843...
, a secular but pro-Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
newspaper in 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,...
. Smith was fierce in his editorial criticism of the anti-Mormon newspaper the Warsaw Signal
Warsaw Signal
The Warsaw Signal was a newspaper edited and published in Warsaw, Illinois during the 1840s and early 1850s. For most of its history, the Signals editorial stance was one of vigorous anti-Mormonism and the advancement of the policies of the Whig Party....
and its editor Thomas C. Sharp
Thomas C. Sharp
Thomas Coke Sharp was a prominent opponent of Joseph Smith, Jr. and the Latter Day Saints in Illinois in the 1840s. Sharp promoted his anti-Mormon views largely through the Warsaw Signal newspaper, of which he was the owner, editor, and publisher...
, whom Smith referred to in the Wasp as "Thom-ASS C. Sharp". Smith resigned as the editor of The Wasp after he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
, and he was succeeded by fellow-apostle John Taylor, who edited The Wasp for another five months before replacing it with the Nauvoo Neighbor
Nauvoo Neighbor
The Nauvoo Neighbor was a weekly newspaper edited and published by Latter Day Saint Apostle John Taylor in Nauvoo, Illinois from 1843 to 1845. While it was not an official publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Neighbor was consistently pro-Mormon and its primary target...
.
On May 24, 1845, Smith succeeded his late brother Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
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....
as the Presiding Patriarch of the church. Shortly after his ordination to this position, Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
printed a clarification in a church newspaper that stated that Smith had not been ordained as patriarch over the church, but rather as patriarch to the church; Smith regarded this clarification as a slight, and it exacerbated the growing tension between Smith and Young. Smith was patriarch to the church until October 6, 1845, when his name was read at general conference but fellow apostle Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
expressed objections due to his character and miscreant practices. The conference attenders unanimously voted against Smith being retained as both an apostle and patriarch, and he lost both offices and was disfellowshipped from the church. Smith responded by submitting a lengthy statement to Sharp's Warsaw Signal in which he compared Young to Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilatus , known in the English-speaking world as Pontius Pilate , was the fifth Prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26–36. He is best known as the judge at Jesus' trial and the man who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus...
and Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
and accused Young and other members of the Twelve of secretly keeping multiple "spiritual wives". As a result of Smith's statement, Smith was excommunicated from the church by Young and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on grounds of apostasy
Apostasy
Apostasy , 'a defection or revolt', from ἀπό, apo, 'away, apart', στάσις, stasis, 'stand, 'standing') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday...
on October 19, 1845.
Relationship with Joseph Smith, Jr.
The relationship between William and Joseph was, at times, quite rocky. William is believed to have physically fought with or attempted to fight with his brother Joseph on more than one occasion, and it is said that at the time Joseph died, he was still suffering the effects of a beating he had received from William some time earlier. A fist fight was narrowly averted between the two on October 29, 1835 in Kirtland.Later involvement with Latter Day Saint groups
As a result of Smith's excommunication, he did not follow Young and the majority of Latter Day Saints who settled in Utah TerritoryUtah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
and established The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Rather, Smith followed the leadership of James J. Strang and was involved with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement with around three hundred members as of 1998...
.
In 1847, Smith announced that he was the new president of the Latter Day Saint church and that he held a right to leadership due to the doctrine of lineal succession. He excommunicated Young and the leadership of the LDS Church and announced that the Latter Day Saints who were not in apostasy by following Young should gather in Lee County, 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,...
. In 1849, Smith gained the support of Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr...
, who led a small group of Latter Day Saints in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. However, Smith's church did not last, and within a few years it dissolved.
Smith's relationship with Young remained strained until Young's death in 1877. Smith believed that Young had arranged for William's older brother Samuel H. Smith to be poisoned in 1844 to prevent his accession to the presidency of the church. However, in 1860, Smith wrote a letter to Young in stating that he desired to join the Latter-day Saints in the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
. However, shortly thereafter Smith became involved as a soldier in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and after the war he did not show any interest in moving to Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
.
In 1878, Smith became a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church), which was organized in 1860 with Smith's nephew, Joseph Smith III
Joseph Smith III
Joseph Smith III was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and Emma Hale Smith...
, as its leader. The majority of William Smith's followers also became members of the RLDS Church. While Smith believed that he was entitled to become the presiding patriarch or a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles
Council of Twelve Apostles (Community of Christ)
In the Community of Christ, The Council of Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy. They are disciples who hold the priesthood office of Apostle, and are responsible for the evangelistic witness of the church...
of the RLDS Church, his nephew did not agree and William Smith remained a high priest in the RLDS Church for the remainder of his life.
Politics
Smith served a term in the Illinois General AssemblyIllinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
in 1842 and 1843, being elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
as a representative of Hancock County
Hancock County, Illinois
Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 19,104, which is a decrease of 5.1% from 20,121 in 2000. Its county seat is Carthage. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County, with Carthage being the second largest...
. Smith ran in the election as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. His chief opponent was Thomas C. Sharp
Thomas C. Sharp
Thomas Coke Sharp was a prominent opponent of Joseph Smith, Jr. and the Latter Day Saints in Illinois in the 1840s. Sharp promoted his anti-Mormon views largely through the Warsaw Signal newspaper, of which he was the owner, editor, and publisher...
, and anti-Mormon Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
candidate. Smith won the election easily as a result of overwhelming Mormon support from voters in 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...
.
Death
When Smith died at OsterdockOsterdock, Iowa
Osterdock is a city located in Clayton County, Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 50.- Geography :Osterdock is located at 42°43'47" North, 91°9'42" West ....
, Clayton County
Clayton County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 18,129 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,999 housing units, of which 7,599 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, he was the last brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. to die. He was survived by his sisters Sophronia and Catherine.
Publications
- William Smith (1842-1842, newspaper). Wasp (Nauvoo, Illinois: LDS Church)
- William Smith (Spring 1844). the Public. Slander Refuted! An Extract from Church Proceedings; and Expulsion of Mormon Apostates, from the Church! (Philadelphia: Self-Published)
- William Smith (Spring 1844). Defense of Elder Wm. Smith, Against the Slanders of Abraham Burtis and others (Philadelphia: Self-Published)
- William Smith (Late 1844). The Elders' Pocket Companion (Location unknown: Self-Published)
- William Smith (June 1845). A Proclamation, and Faithful Warning to all the Saints scattered around... (Galena, Illinois: Self-Published)
- William Smith (October 1845). Faithful Warning to the Latter Day Saints [shorter version of A Proclamation.] (St. Louis, Missouri: Self-Published)
- William Smith, Arthur Millikin, and Lucy Millikin (April 1846). the Public (Nauvoo, Illinois: Self-Published)
- William Smith (September 1847). William Smith, Patriarch & Prophet of the Most High God - Latter Day Saints, Beware of Imposition! (Ottawa, Illinois: Free Press)
- William Smith (November 1848). Revelation Given to William Smith, in 1847, on the Apostacy of the Church.... (Philadelphia: Self-Published)
- William Smith and Isaac Sheen (1849-1850, newspaper). & Aaronic Herald (Covington, Kentucky: Isaac Sheen)
- William Smith et al. (1850) of William Smith et al., of Covington, Kentucky. Against the Admission of Deseret into the Union. (Washington D.C.: US Government)
- William Smith (1883). William Smith on Mormonism: A True Account of the Origin of the Book of Mormon (Lamoni, Iowa: RLDS Church)