Show t i JUST HISTORY j 0 t I 1 By ALBERT F. F PHILIPS I IThe The They were still talking tanting about the church Its early history and the of officials at- at of the early days who they were and the ecclesiastical position I the they held Then one ane of aJ tho the old old- timers recalled the fact that the first patriarch of oJ the church was Joseph Smith Sr father of th the prophet who was born during th the thO revolutionary re war or just preceding that war lIe He was ordained as patriarch patriarch patriarch pa pa- on December 18 1833 at Ohio under the hands of his son the prophet Joseph Oliver Cowdery Sidney Rigdon and Frederick Frederick Frederick Fred Fred- erick G. G Williams and anel was chosen a member 0 of the tile first high council organized in Kirtland February 17 11 1834 During the troubles at Kirtland Kirtland Kirt Kirt- land ho was made a prisoner but was only held for a short while This was in 1837 1831 and he was then given his liberty and in the summer summer sum sum- mer nier mer of ot 1838 he arrived at Far lar West Mo Later he was one of the founders found found- ers o of the city of oC of Nauvoo It Is said of him that he w was s a wonderful wonder wonder- ful athlete fam famed d as a wrestler and never wrestled with but one man whom he could not throw Ho served as patriarch for seven years rears passing awa away at Nauvoo on September September September Sep Sep- 14 1840 at the age of 69 years rEars On January 19 1841 Hyrum Byrum Smith eldest living son SOil of Patriarch Joseph Smith Sr who at that time was acting second counselor In the first presidency succeeded his fa father father tather ta- ta ther as patriarch His selection was due ue it was said to revelation given given en through the Prophet Joseph on January 19 1841 and Hyrum as- as the duties of his office January January January Jan Jan- uary 24 1841 which he held Until he perished In the jail in Carthage I Mo 10 when it was attacked by a mob on June 24 1844 THIRD PATRIARCH Then came his brother William Smith who like his brother was wasa a member of the quorum of ot the twelve who became the third patriarch patriarch patriarch pa pa- of the church through birthright birthright birth bit right or age but he became an anos- anos tate and at the gener general l conference in October 1845 he was was was' rejected as asan asan asan an apostle and patriarch and was finally excommunicated from front the church on oct October r 12 1845 According to the heredity order Asahel Smith would have succeed- succeed to the patriarchal office after the reject rejection on of ot his nephew William He was ordained a patriarch by the twelve apostles at Nauvoo on October October Oc Oc- Oc- Oc tober 7 1844 He was an Imal Invalid d dI and he Is not not known to have officiated officiated Jn n his ecclesiastical office of ot I presiding patriarch He lie died In Ia la on July 20 1848 1845 while on his way for the West Yest I Church history records the following following follow follow- ing about him His principles precepts and examples were worthY I of imitation and shed a a. luster that does honor to his high and holy calling he died after a long and I painful illness leaving a large larse famy tamill fam tam ill ily y I I I I I I II I I I i I j I John Smith the fifth firth presiding patriarch was also a brother of Joseph Joseph Joseph Jo Jo- seph Smith Sr He lIe had previously been beers ordained a patriarch at Nauvoo Nauvoo Nau Nau- vao and had been ordained a high priest by Lyman Wight and he be became became became be- be came the presiding resIding patriarch of the church in Salt L Lake City being or ordained ordained ordained or- or under the hands of Brigham Young and Heber C C. C Kimball KimbaU on January 1 1 1840 Moving out of the theold theold theold old fort tort in Salt alt Lake City to his lot in the city in February 1849 it was said by y him hUn him that on his re removal removal reo re- moval It was the only anly spot upon which he had been privileged to cultivate cul cul cultivate a a. garden two years in succession succession suc sue cession during twenty-three twenty years rears The church records disclose that during his long ministry he had administered administered administered ad ad- ministered patriarchal blessIngs blessings blessings bless bless- ings which are are recorded in seven large volumes olum s now In the historians historian's office of af the church H He died In Salt Lake City May 23 1884 JOHN SMITH VI John John Smith the sixth presiding patriarch was vas the he eldest son of ol Hyrum Smith to whom wham the patriarchal patriarchal patri patri- archal priesthood descended direct from his father became the successor suc sue cessor of John Smith At the Urn time of his Ills fathers father's death he was too young to receive and accept the o of ot- ot I fice lice He was ordained presiding patriarch by President Brigham Young on February 18 1855 in Salt Lake City He presided longer than any other presiding his services extending over a period of fifty five fye years his death occurring In Salt Lake City on Monday XoI No- No vember 6 1911 He lIe came to- to Salt to-Salt Salt SaltI Lake on September 22 1848 his sixteenth birthday when he drove I I I I I I five ve Dig wagons wagons down the big mountain east from Salt Lake He HeI was a member of the Battalion of Life Guards a company of horsemen horsemen horse horse- men organized to answer a momen's call to protect the set settlements from I Indian raids I II In connection with his ordination 1 as pre pre- presiding patriarch It might be mentioned that this is the only o of office O-I O flee fice In the church which is handed down from father to son by of ot lineage Patriarch Smiths Smith's grandfather Joseph Smith Sr was i the first patriarch of the church He lie was a as has been said ordained by his son the prophet vi Joseph ph i Smith Johns John's father Hyrum Smith was Vas ordained to this office by his his his' father and h he Would doubtless have ha been ordained by his father had he lived until John Jahn had arrived at the proper age REED SMOOT ELEVATED Patriarch John Smith made the the journey journe across the plains with forty forty forty for for- ty wagons in seventy daysland he had made the trip accompanied by byone byone byone one other In two thirty-two days laying over on the road raad for foE two days of the time a distance of af 1011 miles i On tho the death of Franklin D. D Richards Rich Rich- ards aids president of af the twelve ipos- ipos ties who died In Ogden Utah on December 9 1899 the vacancy thus caused was filled ruled by the selection of R Reed ed Smoot who was chosen and ordained one ane of the twelve apostles Anthon H. H Lund chos chosen n to be second counsellor in the first presidency presidency presidency dency caused d l. l vacancy in the quorum of af the twelve which a va- cancy was filled by the ordination of Mack Smith to the apostleship apostleship apos- apos on October 24 1901 Brigham Brigham Brigham Brig- Brig ham Young Jr died died April April 11 11 1903 he being president of the twelve apostles and at the October conference conference con can ference that year he was succeeded by George Albert Smith Then In n 1904 another vacancy occurred Inthe Inthe in inthe the flU quorum arum of or the twelve when Apos Apostle le Abraham O. O Woodruff died leil inEl- inEl Paso Tex on June Tune 24 1904 1604 and d at a a. meeting of af the te first presIdency presidency presidency dency and apostles on on July 7 of the came alme year Charles arles W. W Penrose was f chosen chose a and d ordained an apostle to toI fill the vacancy y Due to the resignation resignation resignation nation of John W. W Taylor and I Matthias F. F Cowley October 6 6 and the death of Marriner W. W Merrill Mer Mer- rill 1111 February 6 1906 three more vacancies vacancies vacancies va va- va- va occurred B a in the quorum of ot the twelve which were ere filled med In 1906 at t the e April conference by the selection of ar George eorge F. F Richards Orsan Orson Orson Or Or- son san F. F Whitney and David O. O McKay Mc Mc- Ic- Ic Kay and ad In 1907 at the October confer conference Anthony r W W. IvinS was chosen an and ana l. l s sustained an apostle to succeed George Gearge Teasdale de de- de- de ceased 4 II |