Joseph F. Smith

1838–1918 (80 years)

Hometown: Far West, Missouri

Biography

Joseph F. Smith was the sixth President of the LDS Church, serving from 1901 until his death in 1918. The son of Hyrum Smith (Joseph Smith’s brother) and nephew of the founder, he was born in Missouri just before his father’s martyrdom. He crossed the plains to Utah as a young boy and served a mission to Hawaii at age 15.

Smith had six wives and 48 children. He faced significant legal challenges, being called before the U.S. Senate during the Reed Smoot hearings (1904-1907) where he admitted to continuing to cohabit with plural wives after the Manifesto and fathering children with them. This testimony led to the church issuing the “Second Manifesto” in 1904, which more definitively ended polygamy with threatened excommunication for new plural marriages.

His presidency saw substantial institutional development: he inaugurated the family home evening program, expanded the missionary program, and began construction of temples outside of Utah. He published “Gospel Doctrine,” a compilation of his sermons that became a standard text. Just before his death, during the 1918 influenza pandemic which killed three of his children, he reported receiving the Vision of the Redemption of the Dead, now canonized as Doctrine and Covenants Section 138.

He was the last polygamist to serve as church president until his death.

Parents

Hyrum Smith Father

Mary Fielding Mother

Served Under

Church presidents during this leader's apostolic service:

Apostles Who Served During This Presidency

Apostles who served under this leader during their presidency:

John Willard Young 1844–1924 (79 years)

Brigham Young Jr. 1836–1903 (66 years)

Moses Thatcher 1842–1909 (67 years)

Francis M. Lyman 1840–1916 (76 years)

John Henry Smith 1848–1911 (63 years)

Heber J. Grant 1856–1945 (88 years)

George Teasdale 1831–1907 (75 years)

John W. Taylor 1858–1916 (58 years)

Anthon H. Lund 1844–1921 (76 years)

Marriner W. Merrill 1832–1906 (73 years)

Abraham O. Woodruff 1872–1904 (31 years)

Matthias F. Cowley 1858–1940 (81 years)

Rudger Clawson 1857–1943 (86 years)

Reed Smoot 1862–1941 (79 years)

John R. Winder 1821–1910 (88 years)

Hyrum M. Smith 1872–1918 (45 years)

George Albert Smith 1870–1951 (81 years)

Charles W. Penrose 1832–1925 (93 years)

David O. McKay 1873–1970 (96 years)

George F. Richards 1861–1950 (89 years)

Orson F. Whitney 1855–1931 (75 years)

Anthony W. Ivins 1852–1934 (82 years)

Joseph Fielding Smith 1876–1972 (95 years)

James E. Talmage 1862–1933 (70 years)

Stephen L. Richards 1879–1959 (79 years)

Richard R. Lyman 1870–1963 (93 years)

Wives (6)

Joseph F. Smith was a polygamist with 6 wives. Note these are simultaneous marriages — married to multiple living spouses at the same time. 3 of these wives were a teenager (18 or less) at the time of marriage.

6 wives · Lifespan: 1838–1918

Levira Annette Clark Smith

1859–1888 (29 yrs)

1866–1918 (52 yrs)

1868–1915 (47 yrs)

1871–1918 (47 yrs)

1883–1918 (35 yrs)

1884–1918 (34 yrs)

1838 (born) 1858 1878 1898 1918 (died)

Wife

48 children from 5 wives · Lifespan: 1838–1918

13 children

11 children

10 children

7 children

7 children

1838 (born) 1858 1878 1898 1918 (died)

Wife Child born

6 wives · Ages at marriage

Her age His age Teenage bride (<18)

#	Name	Born	Died	Married	Her Age	His Age	Age Diff	Children
1	Levira Annette Clark Smith ⚠	Apr 29, 1842	Dec 18, 1888	Apr 5, 1859	16	20	4	0
2	Julina Lambson ⚠	Jun 18, 1849	Jan 10, 1936	May 5, 1866	16	27	11	13
3	Sarah Ellen Richards ⚠	Aug 25, 1850	Mar 22, 1915	Mar 1, 1868	17	29	12	11
4	Edna Lambson	Mar 3, 1851	Feb 28, 1926	Jan 1, 1871	19	32	13	10
5	Alice Ann Kimball	Sep 6, 1858	Dec 19, 1946	Dec 6, 1883	25	45	20	7
6	Mary Taylor Schwarz	Apr 30, 1865	Dec 5, 1956	Jan 13, 1884	18	45	27	7