Show THE OF 1 MAX biographical sketch of judge elias smith another of those chief bains who aided in the establishment of civilization iu the midst of the great american desert has gone hence to meet and mingle with his compeers com peers who preceded him for seven or eight days prior to saturday last judge elias smith had been confined to his room almost entirely on that day he remarked to somo of his family that he did not think he would be with them on tho morrow at on sunday morning la roused up and in a distinct voice which was heard upstairs asked his son jesse who was watching with him what time it was within five he was dead judge smith as he was universally designated no matter in what connection his name might be mentioned billed the important position of a pioneer jurist in the now community which has grown to be the great commonwealth mon wealth of utah a placa 0 marked and essential prominence and responsibility he occupied that position so long that he seemed to havo become a fixture a pillar in lacfi civil superstructure he became probate judge of salt lake county in 1852 and retained the position until mar a period of thirty two years his court exercised both civil and criminal jurisdiction until 1874 when the act of congress known ais the poland law greatly reduced alie authority of probate courts here daring the period in which he had general judicial powers he stamped his strong individuality upon the judicial system and precedents of the colony in a manner calculated to produce enduring effects judge elias smith was the son of Asahel who was a brother of joseph the first patriarch of the church and father of the martyrs joseph and hyrum he was therefore first cousin to the seer his father married batay Sh ellenger who was his mother and who was of dutch descent hiis tiis grandmothers maiden name was mary duty said to be of irish deacent though a native of essex coun ty massa jhb ancestral home of the prophets family ho was bom september in windsor bounty vermont not far from jehar jn tho birthplace of his illustrious cousin and he was therefore aged nearly eighmy four years when only live years old his father removed to tha wilderness afterwards called stockholm in st lawrence county new york where he was reared with the scantiest opportunities for obtaining an education he worked on his fathers farm until he became of age about which time he became prominent in the community and was elected to office he had managed to qualify himself as a school teacher and in his early manhood taught several terms he was baptized aug 27 1831 by his cousin hyrum at stockholm and on the following morning received the priesthood being ordained to the office of an elder in mav 1836 ho with his fathers family gathered to kirtland where he tau ht raool in 1837 8 he was one of tho seven captains of zions camp who led about six li undred saints from kirtland to missouri in the removal of the church to that state from ohio and was a staunch advocate and defended of the right during the terrible and tragic scenes which comprised so large a portion of the history of tho saints in that state he drew the famous covenant by which the brethren in far west agreed to stand by each other and the worthy poor among the saints in removing irom the state secretary of the meeting at which that compact was adopted he waa afterwards made one of the committee appointed to carry it into effect he was one of the last to leave par west and was present when the conference was held there april ag 1839 at which the corner stone of a tem pie was laid and wilford woodruff and george A smith were ordained to Apostleship the immediately attar this he went to commerce his and for somo time was engaged with his colleagues of the committee in charge of tho removal of the saints from missouri in completing that work after it had been finished ho settled at nashville iowa on the opposite sido of tho river from nauvoo at which place he was made a aih councilor and soon after was ordained a bishop wo ibave not the date of his to the bishopric but it was in or about the year 1841 and it is believed hia ordination to that calling antedates that of any other living bishop in the church on may he removed from to nauvoo and took charge 0 tap printing office from which were issued the times and seasons and tho neighbor he retained tins position as also that of postmaster to which he was appointed january 1 1845 until february 1846 when the evacuation of nauvoo bo an he remained unmarried until august 6 1845 when he became united to lucy brown a native of england after alio evacuation of nauvoo ho in iowa where he bened his father and mother until in which year he camo to utah he leaves two wives five sons and seven daughter and had buried three sons and one daughter makant him a family of sixteen children for many months prior to his last fatal attack of illness ho had been an in valid but his mind had preserved its natural powers and activity to a remarkable degree antil he very moment of jus death ho was afflicted with a disease of tho kidneys ho besmen busmen manager of the Desere while dr eichardt Eich ards was editor and in assumed the editorial chair which ho occupied until the autumn of 1833 he filled many positions both civil and ecclesiastical and was rated as a man of wide m elli geace sound integrity and of a high of statesmanship |