William Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.)
Born: 13 March 1811
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 15 February 1835
Called as Presiding Patriarch: 24 May 1845
Excommunicated: 19 October 1845
Died: 13 November 1893
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 15 February 1835
Called as Presiding Patriarch: 24 May 1845
Excommunicated: 19 October 1845
Died: 13 November 1893
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Biographical Articles
Biographical Encyclopedia, Volume 1
Biographical Encyclopedia, Volume 4
Instructor, January 1940, William Smith's Story of the Book of Mormon Plates
Biographical Encyclopedia, Volume 4
Instructor, January 1940, William Smith's Story of the Book of Mormon Plates
Jenson, Andrew. "Smith, William." Biographical Encyclopedia. Volume 1. pg. 86-87.
SMITH, William, a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1845, was the fifth son of Joseph Smith, Sen.,and Lucy Mack; born in Royalton, Windsor county, Vermont, March 13, 1811. He was baptized at an early period, and was a Teacher in the Church in 1831. He took a mission to Erie county, Pennsylvania, in December, 1832, to preach the gospel and call the Elders to Kirtland to attend a school of the Prophets. He was ordained to the office of a High Priest, under the hands of Sidney Rigdon, In council, on the 21st day of June, 1833. During the winter of 1833 he worked on a farm and chopped cord wood near Kirtland. He was married to Caroline Grant, daughter of Joshua and Thalia Grant, February 14, 1833, by whom he had two daughters—Mary Jane and Caroline L. He went to Missouri In Zion's Camp in 1834, and returned to Kirtland the same fall. He was appointed one of the Twelve Apostles at the organization of that quorum, at Kirtland, Feb. 15, 1835, under the hands of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris. He accompanied the Twelve on their first mission through the Eastern States and returned with them to Kirtland in the fall. While Joseph Smith was presiding in a High Council, William rebelled against him in a very headstrong manner. At a debating school held in the house of Father Joseph Smith, Dec. 16. 1835, the Prophet Joseph told the brethren he feared it would not result in good, whereupon William, in a rage, commanded Joseph to leave the house, attempted to put him out and inflicted upon him personal injury, the effects of which he occasionally felt until his death. After Hyrum and the Twelve had labored with William for several days, he made confession and was forgiven. He removed to Far West with his family in the spring of 1838. After Joseph was taken prisoner and the mob began to drive out the Saints, William expressed himself in such a vindictive manner against Joseph that the Church suspended him from fellowship. May 4, 1839, at a general conference near Quincy. He went to Illinois and settled in Plymouth, Hancock county, keeping a tavern. William was restored to the fellowship of the Church through the intercession of Joseph and Hyrum; but when the Twelve went to England, instead of accompanying them, according to the commandment of the Lord, he remained on his farm at Plymouth. He published a letter in the "Times and Seasons," Dec. 1, 1840, making an apology for neglecting to go on his mission upon the ground of poverty, but it came with an ill grace as he was better situated to leave his family than any of the members of the quorum who went. In the spring of 1841 he visited the branches of the Church in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and collected means for his own benefit, returning to Nauvoo the same season. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Illinois in the winter session of 1842- 43. His acts as a member of the legislature were highly approved by the people; he displayed considerable energy in defending the Nauvoo charter and the rights of his constituents. He took a journey to the East on business in the spring of 1843, and spent his time among the churches. William returned to Nauvoo April 22, 1844, with about forty or fifty Saints from New Jersey. After staying a short time in Nauvoo, he had his last interview with his brother Joseph under the following circumstances: He asked Joseph to give him a city lot near the Temple. Joseph told him that he would do so with great pleasure, if he would build a house and live upon it; but he would not give him a lot to sell. William replied he wanted it to build and live upon. The lot was well worth $1,000. In a few hours afterwards, an application was made by Mr. Ivins to the recorder to know if that lot was clear and belonged to Wm. Smith, for William had sold it to him for $500. Joseph, hearing of this, directed the clerk not to make a transfer; at which William was so offended that he threatened Joseph, who deemed it prudent to keep out of the way, until William left on a steamboat for the East accompanied by his family. He spent his time mostly in the various branches of the Church, and collected a good deal of money for the Temple, which he used for his own accommodation. In all his missions the course of conduct he pursued towards the females subjected him to much criticism. In a general conference of the Church held in Nauvoo Oct. 6, 1845, Wm. Smith was dropped as one of the Twelve Apostles and Patriarch of the Church, and on the following Sunday (Oct. 12th) he was excommunicated, as more of his inconsistent acts had come to light. Some time after he associated himself with the apostate James J. Strang, who tried to organize a church of his own, but failed. Wm. Smith afterwards identified himself with the "Reorganized Church," of which his nephew is president, and lived for a number of years in Elkader, Clayton county, Iowa. He died Nov. 13, 1894, at Osterdock, Clayton county, Iowa, as the last surviving brother of Joseph the Prophet. (See also "Millennial Star," Vol. 27, p. 7.)
SMITH, William, a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1845, was the fifth son of Joseph Smith, Sen.,and Lucy Mack; born in Royalton, Windsor county, Vermont, March 13, 1811. He was baptized at an early period, and was a Teacher in the Church in 1831. He took a mission to Erie county, Pennsylvania, in December, 1832, to preach the gospel and call the Elders to Kirtland to attend a school of the Prophets. He was ordained to the office of a High Priest, under the hands of Sidney Rigdon, In council, on the 21st day of June, 1833. During the winter of 1833 he worked on a farm and chopped cord wood near Kirtland. He was married to Caroline Grant, daughter of Joshua and Thalia Grant, February 14, 1833, by whom he had two daughters—Mary Jane and Caroline L. He went to Missouri In Zion's Camp in 1834, and returned to Kirtland the same fall. He was appointed one of the Twelve Apostles at the organization of that quorum, at Kirtland, Feb. 15, 1835, under the hands of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris. He accompanied the Twelve on their first mission through the Eastern States and returned with them to Kirtland in the fall. While Joseph Smith was presiding in a High Council, William rebelled against him in a very headstrong manner. At a debating school held in the house of Father Joseph Smith, Dec. 16. 1835, the Prophet Joseph told the brethren he feared it would not result in good, whereupon William, in a rage, commanded Joseph to leave the house, attempted to put him out and inflicted upon him personal injury, the effects of which he occasionally felt until his death. After Hyrum and the Twelve had labored with William for several days, he made confession and was forgiven. He removed to Far West with his family in the spring of 1838. After Joseph was taken prisoner and the mob began to drive out the Saints, William expressed himself in such a vindictive manner against Joseph that the Church suspended him from fellowship. May 4, 1839, at a general conference near Quincy. He went to Illinois and settled in Plymouth, Hancock county, keeping a tavern. William was restored to the fellowship of the Church through the intercession of Joseph and Hyrum; but when the Twelve went to England, instead of accompanying them, according to the commandment of the Lord, he remained on his farm at Plymouth. He published a letter in the "Times and Seasons," Dec. 1, 1840, making an apology for neglecting to go on his mission upon the ground of poverty, but it came with an ill grace as he was better situated to leave his family than any of the members of the quorum who went. In the spring of 1841 he visited the branches of the Church in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and collected means for his own benefit, returning to Nauvoo the same season. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Illinois in the winter session of 1842- 43. His acts as a member of the legislature were highly approved by the people; he displayed considerable energy in defending the Nauvoo charter and the rights of his constituents. He took a journey to the East on business in the spring of 1843, and spent his time among the churches. William returned to Nauvoo April 22, 1844, with about forty or fifty Saints from New Jersey. After staying a short time in Nauvoo, he had his last interview with his brother Joseph under the following circumstances: He asked Joseph to give him a city lot near the Temple. Joseph told him that he would do so with great pleasure, if he would build a house and live upon it; but he would not give him a lot to sell. William replied he wanted it to build and live upon. The lot was well worth $1,000. In a few hours afterwards, an application was made by Mr. Ivins to the recorder to know if that lot was clear and belonged to Wm. Smith, for William had sold it to him for $500. Joseph, hearing of this, directed the clerk not to make a transfer; at which William was so offended that he threatened Joseph, who deemed it prudent to keep out of the way, until William left on a steamboat for the East accompanied by his family. He spent his time mostly in the various branches of the Church, and collected a good deal of money for the Temple, which he used for his own accommodation. In all his missions the course of conduct he pursued towards the females subjected him to much criticism. In a general conference of the Church held in Nauvoo Oct. 6, 1845, Wm. Smith was dropped as one of the Twelve Apostles and Patriarch of the Church, and on the following Sunday (Oct. 12th) he was excommunicated, as more of his inconsistent acts had come to light. Some time after he associated himself with the apostate James J. Strang, who tried to organize a church of his own, but failed. Wm. Smith afterwards identified himself with the "Reorganized Church," of which his nephew is president, and lived for a number of years in Elkader, Clayton county, Iowa. He died Nov. 13, 1894, at Osterdock, Clayton county, Iowa, as the last surviving brother of Joseph the Prophet. (See also "Millennial Star," Vol. 27, p. 7.)
Jenson, Andrew. "Smith, William." Biographical Encyclopedia. Volume 4. pg. 332.
SMITH, William, president of the Eastern States Mission in 1844. (See Bio. Ency., Vol. 1, p. 86.)
SMITH, William, president of the Eastern States Mission in 1844. (See Bio. Ency., Vol. 1, p. 86.)
"William Smith's Story Concerning the Plates of the Book of Mormon." Instructor. January 1940. pg. 6.
WILLIAM SMITH'S STORY CONCERNING THE PLATES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
Note:
Two weeks before his death, William Smith, brother of Joseph Smith the Prophet, had a conversation with two interested persons. The questions asked him are omitted for lack of space here. Otherwise there is no change in the matter, which appeared in the Deseret News, Jan. 20, 1894. Here is what Whilliam Smith said about his early home life on the old farm in Manchester, western New York.
I did not see them [the plates] uncovered, but I handled them and hefted them while wrapped in a tow frock, and judged them to have weighed about sixty pounds. I could tell they were plates of some kind and that they were fastened together by rings running through the back. Father and my brother Samuel saw them as I did while they were in the frock. So did Hyrum and others in the family [This frock] was his everyday frock, such as young men used then to wear. Father asked if he might not be permitted to see the plates, and Joseph, putting his hand on them, said, "No: I am instructed not to show them to anyone. If I do, I will transgress and lose them again." We did not care to have him break the commandment and suffer as he did before.
We all had the most implicit confidence in what he said. He was a truthful boy. Father and mother believed him, why should not the children? I suppose if he had told crooked stories about other things, we might have doubted his word about the plates, but Joseph was a truthful boy. That father and mother believed his report and suffered persecution for that belief, shows that he was truthful. We never doubted his word for a moment.
We never heard such a thing [that Joseph was lazy] until after Joseph told his vision, and not then, by our friends. . . . We cleared sixty acres of the heaviest timber I ever saw. We had a good place. We also had on it from twelve to fifteen hundred sugar trees, and to gather the sap and make molasses from that number of trees was no lazy job. If you will figure up how much work it would take to clear sixty acres of heavy timber land, . . . trees you could not conveniently cut down, you can tell whether we were lazy or not, and Joseph did his share of the work with the rest of the boys.
We always had family prayers, since I can remember. I well remember father used to carry his spectacles in his vest pocket, and when us boys saw him feel for his specs, we knew that was a signal to get ready for prayer, and if we did not notice it, mother would say, "William," or whoever was the negligent one, "get ready for prayer." After the prayer we had a song we would sing; I remember part of it yet.
Another day has passed and gone,
We lay our garments by.
Hyrum, Samuel, Katherine and Mother were members of the Presbyterian Church. My father would not join. He did not like it because a Rev. Stockton had preached my brother's funeral sermon and intimated that he had gone to hell, for Alvin was not a church member, but he was a good boy, and my father did not like it.
There was a joint revival in the neighborhood, between Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians, and they had succeeded in stirring up quite a feeling, and after the meeting the question arose, which church should have the converts? Reverend Stockton was the president of the meeting and suggested that it was their meeting and under their care, and they had a church there, and they ought to join the Presbyterians; but as father did not like Reverend Stockton very well, our folks hesitated and the next evening a Rev. Mr. Lane of the Methodists preached a sermon on "what Church shall I join"? The burden of his discourse was to ask God, using as his text, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally." And of course, when Joseph went home and was looking over the text, he was impressed to do just what the preacher had said.
WILLIAM SMITH'S STORY CONCERNING THE PLATES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
Note:
Two weeks before his death, William Smith, brother of Joseph Smith the Prophet, had a conversation with two interested persons. The questions asked him are omitted for lack of space here. Otherwise there is no change in the matter, which appeared in the Deseret News, Jan. 20, 1894. Here is what Whilliam Smith said about his early home life on the old farm in Manchester, western New York.
I did not see them [the plates] uncovered, but I handled them and hefted them while wrapped in a tow frock, and judged them to have weighed about sixty pounds. I could tell they were plates of some kind and that they were fastened together by rings running through the back. Father and my brother Samuel saw them as I did while they were in the frock. So did Hyrum and others in the family [This frock] was his everyday frock, such as young men used then to wear. Father asked if he might not be permitted to see the plates, and Joseph, putting his hand on them, said, "No: I am instructed not to show them to anyone. If I do, I will transgress and lose them again." We did not care to have him break the commandment and suffer as he did before.
We all had the most implicit confidence in what he said. He was a truthful boy. Father and mother believed him, why should not the children? I suppose if he had told crooked stories about other things, we might have doubted his word about the plates, but Joseph was a truthful boy. That father and mother believed his report and suffered persecution for that belief, shows that he was truthful. We never doubted his word for a moment.
We never heard such a thing [that Joseph was lazy] until after Joseph told his vision, and not then, by our friends. . . . We cleared sixty acres of the heaviest timber I ever saw. We had a good place. We also had on it from twelve to fifteen hundred sugar trees, and to gather the sap and make molasses from that number of trees was no lazy job. If you will figure up how much work it would take to clear sixty acres of heavy timber land, . . . trees you could not conveniently cut down, you can tell whether we were lazy or not, and Joseph did his share of the work with the rest of the boys.
We always had family prayers, since I can remember. I well remember father used to carry his spectacles in his vest pocket, and when us boys saw him feel for his specs, we knew that was a signal to get ready for prayer, and if we did not notice it, mother would say, "William," or whoever was the negligent one, "get ready for prayer." After the prayer we had a song we would sing; I remember part of it yet.
Another day has passed and gone,
We lay our garments by.
Hyrum, Samuel, Katherine and Mother were members of the Presbyterian Church. My father would not join. He did not like it because a Rev. Stockton had preached my brother's funeral sermon and intimated that he had gone to hell, for Alvin was not a church member, but he was a good boy, and my father did not like it.
There was a joint revival in the neighborhood, between Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians, and they had succeeded in stirring up quite a feeling, and after the meeting the question arose, which church should have the converts? Reverend Stockton was the president of the meeting and suggested that it was their meeting and under their care, and they had a church there, and they ought to join the Presbyterians; but as father did not like Reverend Stockton very well, our folks hesitated and the next evening a Rev. Mr. Lane of the Methodists preached a sermon on "what Church shall I join"? The burden of his discourse was to ask God, using as his text, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally." And of course, when Joseph went home and was looking over the text, he was impressed to do just what the preacher had said.