Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/433

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SMITH


SMITH


church, composed of twelve apostles, the " seven- ties," bishops, high-priests, deacons, elders and teachers. On May 15, 1829, Smith baptized Oliver Cowdery into the new faith, and was in turn baptized by Cowdery. Members of his own family also became believers, and among his early converts were Brigham and Joseph Young. A church was organized at Fayette, Seneca county, N.Y., April 6, 1830. Smith preached and prac- tised as a faith healer in many places throughout Nevr York state, settling finally in Waterloo. In the following June, Peter Whitmer, Oliver Cow- derj^ and two others founded the city of Zion, Mo., organizing on their way a church at Kirk- land, whither Smith removed with his followers at "Waterloo, and where was built the first temple, called " The Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints." Difficulties arose, however, and to escape from his followers, who charged him with fraud and the attempted murder of Grandison Newell, Smith fled to Far West, Mo. In 1838 civil war broke out between the Mormons and Missourians, the former defying the officers of the law. Upon the calling out of the militia, Smith, with several of his associates, was taken prisoner, and the remainder, driven from their homes, took refuge in Hancock county. 111.; sub- sequently obtained a liberal charter from Gov. Thomas Carlin, and founded the city of Nauvoo, Dec. 16, 1840, of which Smith (who had effected his escape in April, 1839) was elected mayor. He was also chosen sole trustee of the Mormon church with unlimited powers ; formed a military organ- ization of 1500 men, making himself lieutenant- general, and established a new temple. On July 12, 1843, Smith is said to have received his Reve- lation on the Eternity of the Marriage Covenant, including Plurality of Wives, which he com- mitted to writing, although much controversy exists as to the degree of his implication in the introduction and tolerance of polygamy. How- ever, a newspaper, denouncing the practice of " spiritual wives" as immoral, was establislied in Nauvoo by Dr. Robert D. Foster and William Law in 1844. After the circulation of one num- ber, the building was torn down by the followers of Smith ; and Foster and Law fled to Carthage, where they obtained a warrant for his arrest. Upon the violent ejection from the city of the official charged with serving the warrant, the militia compelled the Mormons to relinquish their arms, and arrested Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. A guard was placed over the building where they were imprisoned at Carthage, 111., but on the evening of June 27, 1844, a mob of over 100 men attacked the jail, and Joseph and Hyrum Smith were assassinated. Joseph Smith published : The Book of Mormon (1830); Book of Comviandments, for the Governinent of the Church


of Christ (1833) ; Correspondence (1844) ; Views of the Potver and Policy of the Government of the United States (1844), and 77ie Holy Scriptures, translated and corrected by the Spirit of Revela- tion (1867). See : "The Founder of Mormonism " by Isaac W. Riley (1902), wdiich contains an ex- tensive bibliography of Mormoniana. Joseph Smith died in Carthage, 111., June 27, 1844.

SMITH, Joseph Lee Kirby , soldier, was born in New York city in 1836 ; son of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith (q.v.). He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy, and brevetted 2d lieuten- ant of topographical engineers, July 1, 1857, and served as assistant topographical engineer on the Mississippi delta survey at Washington, D.C., 1857-58 ; was promoted 2d lieutenant, Dec. 9, 1857, and was engaged on the Utah expedition of 1858-59, and on the northern lakes survey, 1859-61. He was promoted 1st lieutenant of top- ographical engineers, Aug. 3, 1861, and served on the staff of Generals Patterson and Banks, July-August, 1861. He was brevetted captain, Aug. 25, 1861, for gallant services in the Shenan- doah Valley ; was appointed colonel of 43d Ohio volunteers, Sept. 28, 1861 ; commanded the 2d brigade, 1st division of the Union army, under Gen. John Pope, at the capture of New Madrid, Mo. , March 14, 1862 ; was brevetted major, April 7, 1862, for gallant services at Island No. 10, and was brevetted lieutenant-colonel. May 28, 1862, for gallant services at the siege of Corinth, where he repulsed a sortie. He commanded his regiment in the operations of northern Mississippi under Rosecrans, September-Octo- ber, 1862, taking part in the battles of luka and Corinth, being mortally wounded at the latter, Oct. 3-4, 1862, while "charging front for- ward " with his regiment, to repulse a desperate attack on Battery Robinett. He was brevetted colonel, U.S.A., Oct. 4, 1862, for gallant services at the battle of Corinth, Miss., and died of wounds received at that battle, Oct. 12, 1862.

SMITH, Judson, educator and missionary secretary, was born in Middlefield. Hampshire county, Mass., June 28, 1837 ; son of Samuel and Lucina (Metcalf) Smith ; grandson of Matthew and Asenath (Annable) Smith, and of John and Lucina (Root) Metcalf, and a descendant of Mat- thew Smith, of Charlestown, Mass., about 1637. He was graduated at Amherst college, Mass., A.B., 1859; Oberlin Theological seminarj-, Ohio, B.D., 1863 ; was tutor in Oberlin college, in Latin and Greek, in 1862-64, and instructor in mathe- matics and physics in Williston academy, Easthampton, Mass., 1864-66. He was married. Aug. 1, 1865, to Jerusha Augusta, daughter of Seth Andrews and Caroline Augusta (Billings) Bushnell. of Hartford, Ohio. He was ordained to the Congregational ministry in 1866, but as