View source for Joseph Smith, Jr.

{{subpages}}
{{Infobox Person
| name        = Joseph Smith, Jr.
| portrait    = Joseph Smith, Jr. (1843 photograph).jpg
| other_names = 
| website     = 
| birth_date  = 23rd Dec 1805
| birth_place = Sharon, Vermont
| death_date  = 27th Jun 1844
| death_place = Carthage, Illinois
| occupation  = 
| title       = 
| salary      = 
| term        = 
| predecessor = 
| successor   = disputed
| party       = 
| boards      = 
| religion    = 
| relations   = 
| footnotes   = 
}}

'''Joseph Smith, Jr.''' ([[December 23]], 1805 &ndash; [[June 27]], 1844) was an [[United States of America|American]] [[religion|religious]] leader who founded the [[Latter Day Saint movement]],
<!--***NOTE TO EDITORS: Do not change this to read "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are many factions besides the LDS Church that follow Smith's teachings. "Latter Day Saint movement" should stand as is. However, Latter Day Saint is not an active movement, but an ideology."*****-->
a [[restorationism|restorationist]] movement giving rise to [[Mormonism]]. Smith's followers declared him to be the first [[end times|latter-day]] [[prophet]], whose mission was to restore the original [[Christianity|Christian church]], said to have been lost after an [[Great Apostasy|apostasy]]. This restoration included the establishment of the [[Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|Church of Christ]] and the publication of the ''[[Book of Mormon]]'' and other new scriptures in addition to the [[Bible]]. As a leader of his religion, he was also a political and military leader in the [[American West]].

Although Smith's early Christian [[Restorationism|restorationist]] teachings were similar in many ways to other movements of his time, Smith was, and remains, a controversial and polarizing figure within Christianity because of his religious and social innovations, and as a result of his large following, which has continued to grow to the present day.

Adherents to [[religious denomination|denominations]] originating from Joseph Smith's teachings currently number between thirteen and fourteen million followers. [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] is the largest denomination with approximately 12.5 million members.<ref>[http://lds.org/newsroom/showrelease/0,15503,4028-1-23166,00.html ''Statistical Report 2005''], The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. See [http://www.cumorah.com/sources.html ''LDS Membership Indicators''] regarding membership counts compared to attendance.</ref> The second largest is the [[Community of Christ]], formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, with about 250,000 members. Other [[:Category:Latter Day Saint denominations|Latter Day Saint denominations]] have membership numbering from tens to the tens of thousands.<ref>Steven L. Shields, Divergent Paths of the Restoration: A History of the Latter Day Saint Movement, Los Angeles: 1990</ref>

==Life==
===Early life from 1805 to 1827===
{{Main|Early life of Joseph Smith, Jr.}}
Joseph Smith, Jr. was born on [[December 23]], 1805, in [[Sharon, Vermont]] to [[Joseph Smith, Sr.]] and [[Lucy Mack Smith]]. After his birth, the family moved to western [[New York (disambiguation)|New York]], where they continued farming just outside the border of the [[Palmyra (town), New York|town of Palmyra]]. Palmyra was in a region of intense [[revivalism]] and religious diversity during the [[Second Great Awakening]]. Smith experienced limited involvement with organized religion during his youth. In autobiographical accounts of his life, Smith said that during his adolescence he had a number of visions, including a [[theophany]] in his early teens, referred to by [[Latter Day Saint]]s as the [[First Vision]].    

Smith said that from about 1823 to 1827, he had been visited by an angel named [[Moroni (prophet)|Moroni]]. Smith stated that the angel indicated that Joseph had a work to accomplish. He was to find and publish a long-buried book of [[Golden Plates|gold plates]] protected by the angel, that told of the ancient inhabitants of the western continents. The book, along with other artifacts, was buried in [[Cumorah|a hill]] near his home. On September 22, 1827, Smith said the angel had finally allowed him to take the plates and other artifacts, although by this time he began having difficulties with local treasure-hunters who were trying to discover where the plates were hidden on the Smith farm.

He also lived during what has been described as a "treasure hunting craze", and he was part of a company who attempted to find buried treasure in various areas of western [[New York (disambiguation)|New York]] by using [[Seer stones and the Latter Day Saint movement|seer stones]]. Smith was recognized in Palmyra and elsewhere for his use of such stones, which brought him both positive and negative notoriety. He met his wife [[Emma Hale Smith]] during a treasure-hunting expedition in [[Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania|Harmony, Pennsylvania]] (now [[Oakland Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania|Oakland]]), and the couple eloped in 1827.

===1827 to 1830===
{{Main|Life of Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1827 to 1830}}

Smith and his wife moved to Harmony, Pennsylvania, with the monetary and moral support of a wealthy Palmyra neighbor named [[Martin Harris]]. In Harmony, Smith translated what he said were [[Reformed Egyptian]] from the [[Golden plates]]. Harris took the translation to a few well-known scholars including [[Charles Anthon]]. Because the experts could not translate the characters, but Smith apparently could, Harris returned with a conviction that he should assist with the translation. Harris then acted as scribe while Smith dictated what he said was the translation, [[divination|divined]] by employing a set of spectacles called ''Interpreters'' made out of [[Seer stones and the Latter Day Saint movement|seer stones]], which Smith claimed were similar to the [[Urim and Thummim]] referred to in the Old Testament and that he had found such buried with the Golden Plates. David Whitmer, one of "three witnesses" of the Golden Plates and of the Angel Moroni, said late in his life that Moroni took back the Interpreters from Smith because of a loss by Martin Harris of a portion of the translation, and that Smith began translating by peering into a hat with at least one seer stone and still later with no seer stones, but he was not an eye-witness of the translation process.<ref>McConkie, Joseph Fielding and Ostler, Craig J., Revelations of the Restoration, 2000, Ch. 13.</ref>

In June 1828, Smith allowed Harris to take [[Lost 116 pages|116 pages]] of uncopied manuscript to Palmyra to show [[Lucy Harris|Harris' wife]], a skeptic. Smith became despondent, however, as the manuscript was lost at about the time Emma gave birth to a [[stillbirth|stillborn]] son, their first. Smith ceased, until about February 1829, when he began sporadically translating with Emma as scribe. Translation greatly intensified on April 7, 1829, when a Smith family associate named [[Oliver Cowdery]] began acting as scribe.

At the beginning of June 1829, Smith and Cowdery moved to [[Fayette, New York]] for the remainder of the translation, where the plates' title page indicated the book was to be entitled the ''[[Book of Mormon]]: An account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken from the Plates of Nephi'' {{Harv|Smith|1830b|loc=title page}}. Translation was completed around July 1, 1829, and the ''Book of Mormon'' was published in Palmyra on March 26, 1830 with the financial assistance of Martin Harris.

By the time the ''Book of Mormon'' was published, Smith and Cowdery had baptized several followers who called themselves the ''[[Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|Church of Christ]]'', a new sect based on the book's substantial religious teachings. On [[April 6]], 1830, this church was formally organized, and small branches were soon set up in Palmyra, Fayette, and [[Colesville, New York]]. There was local opposition to these branches, however, and Smith soon dictated a revelation that the church would establish a "city of Zion" in [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] lands near Missouri. In preparation, Smith dispatched missionaries led by [[Oliver Cowdery]] to the area of this new "Zion". On their way, the missionaries converted a group of [[Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)|Disciples of Christ]] adherents in [[Kirtland, Ohio]] led by [[Sidney Rigdon]]. At the end of 1830, Smith dictated a revelation that the three New York branches should gather in [[Ohio]] pending the results of Oliver Cowdery's mission to Missouri.

===1831 to 1834===
{{Main|Life of Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1831 to 1834}}

The church had more than doubled in size following the conversion of [[Sidney Rigdon]], a former [[Campbellite]] minister in September 1830. Rigdon led several congregations of Restorationists in [[Ohio]]'s [[Western Reserve]] area, and hundreds of his adherents followed him into Mormonism. Rigdon was soon called to be Smith's spokesman and quickly became one of the early leaders of the Movement.

[[Image:Josephsmithtarandfeatherharpers.jpg|thumb|right|Illustration of a mob tarring and feathering Joseph Smith.]]
To avoid further conflict encountered in [[New York (disambiguation)|New York]] and [[Pennsylvania]], Smith moved with his family to [[Kirtland, Ohio]] joining with the converts that joined with Rigdon. The church's headquarters was soon established there and Smith urged the rest of the membership to gather there or to a second outpost of the church in [[Missouri]]. However, due to the controversy which followed him, he was not to escape persecution for long.

{{Quotation|In early 1832, opposition took a physically violent turn. On Saturday, March 24, Joseph was dragged from his bedroom in the dead of night. His attackers strangled him until he blacked out, tore off his shirt and drawers, beat and scratched him, and jammed a vial of poison against his teeth until it broke. After tarring and feathering his body, they left him for dead. Joseph limped back to the Johnsons' house and cried out for a blanket. Through the night, his friends scraped off the tar until his flesh was raw.|Richard Bushman|Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, p. 178.}} 

According to recorded accounts of the event, the mob broke down the front door, took Smith's oldest surviving adopted child from his arms {{Harv|McKiernan|1971}}, dragged Smith from the room, leaving his exposed child on a trundle bed and forcing Emma and the others from the house, the mob threatening her with rape and murder {{Harv|Johnson|1864}}. The child was knocked off the bed onto the floor in the doorway of the home as Smith was forcibly removed{{Harv|Hill|1977}}. The child died from exposure (many accounts say [[pneumonia]]) five days after the event {{Harv|Newell|1984}} from the condition that doctors said he developed the night of the mob violence. {{Harv|Smith|1853}}. <ref>The critical historian [[Fawn Brodie]] (No Man Knows, 119) speculated that one of [[John Johnson]]'s sons, Eli, meant to punish Joseph by having him castrated for an intimacy with his sister, Nancy Marinda Johnson, but author Bushman states that hypothesis failed. He feels a more probable motivation is recorded by Symonds Ryder, a participant in the event, who felt Smith was plotting to take property from members of the community and a company of citizens violently warned Smith that they would not accept those actions.</ref>

===1835 to 1838===
{{Main|Life of Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1835 to 1838}}

Under Smith's leadership & direction, the church's first [[Temple (Mormonism)|temple]] was constructed in Kirtland. The work of building the [[Kirtland Temple]] was begun in 1833, and was completed by 1836. Around the time of its completion, many extraordinary events were reported: appearances by [[Jesus]], [[Moses]], [[Elijah]], [[Elias]], and numerous [[angel]]s, [[glossolalia|speaking and singing in tongues]], [[prophesy]]ing, and other [[spiritual experience]]s. 

By mid to late 1837, many Latter Day Saints, including many prominent leaders, became disaffected in the wake of the [[Kirtland Safety Society]] banking debacle, in which Smith and some of his associates were accused of illegal or unethical [[banking]] actions when the bank collapsed after one month of operation and three months prior to a nation-wide banking crisis. <ref>Chardon, Ohio court records, Vol U, p. 362, Brodie 1971, p. 198</ref>

Opposition and harassment continued to grow against Smith and those who supported him. On [[January 12]], 1838 Smith and Rigdon left Kirtland for [[Far West, Missouri|Far West]] in [[Caldwell County, Missouri]], in Smith's words, "to escape mob violence, which was about to burst upon us under the color of legal process to cover the hellish designs of our enemies."  At the time, historian Brodie reports there were at least $6100 in civil suits outstanding against him in [[Chardon, Ohio]] courts, and an arrest warrant had been issued for Smith on a charge of bank fraud.<ref>Brodie 1971, p. 207</ref> Those who continued to support Smith left Kirtland for [[Missouri]] shortly thereafter.

[[Independence, Missouri]], was identified as "the center place" <ref>The Doctrine and Covenants, {{sourcetext|source=The Doctrine and Covenants|book=Covenant 57|verse=3}}</ref> and the spot for building a [[temple (Mormonism)|temple]]. Smith first visited Independence in the summer of 1831, and a site was dedicated for the construction of the temple. Soon afterward, Mormon converts&mdash;most of them from the [[New England]] area&mdash;began immigrating in large numbers to Independence and the surrounding area.

The Missouri period was marked by many instances of violent conflict and legal difficulties for Smith and his followers. The Mormons and Non-Mormons in Missouri were, in general, fundamentally very different people:

*Local leaders and residents saw the Latter Day Saint community as a threat to their property and their political control. The tension was further fueled by the Mormon belief that [[Jackson County, Missouri]], and the surrounding lands were promised to the Church by God.

*The 'Latter Day Saints' began migrating to Missouri after Smith stated that Missouri would be the future area of the [[New Jerusalem]]. They simultaneously resided in the Kirtland area, as well as the Independence area for approximately seven years. After Mormon leadership left Kirtland in 1838, the Saints from Kirtland followed them to Missouri increasing the church's numbers, which confirmed the fears of the local leaders and residents that the Mormons were a threat.

[[Image:Ccalibertyjailmo.jpg|thumb|left|Painting of Liberty Jail, where Smith was held for several months.]]
Later in 1838, many non-Mormon residents of Missouri, and the LDS settlers engaged in an ongoing conflict often referred to as the [[Mormon War]]. After several skirmishes, the [[Battle of Crooked River]] (which involved Missouri state militia troops and a group of Latter Day Saints) occurred.<ref>There is some debate as to whether the Mormons knew their opponents were government officials.</ref> Many exaggerated reports of this battle (some claimed that half of the militia's men had been lost, when in fact they had suffered only one casualty), as well as [[affidavit]]s by ex-Mormons that Mormons were planning to burn both [[Liberty, Missouri|Liberty]] and [[Richmond, Missouri]], made their way to Missouri Governor [[Lilburn Boggs]].

Boggs issued an executive order in response on 27 October 1838, known as the "[[Extermination Order]]". It stated that the Mormon community had "made war upon the people of this State" and that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace" <ref>{{cite web | title=Extermination Order | work=LDS FAQ | url=http://ldsfaq.byu.edu/emmain.asp?number=74 | accessdate=August 22| accessyear=2005}}</ref><ref>Boggs, Extermination Order</ref> The Extermination Order was not officially rescinded until 1976 by Governor [[Christopher S. Bond]].

Soon afterward, the 2,500 troops from the state [[militia]] converged on the Mormon headquarters at [[Far West, Missouri|Far West]]. Smith and several other Church leaders surrendered to state authorities on charges of treason and murder. They were held at [[Liberty Jail]], and spent several months in captivity. They were later transferred to a jail in Columbia, Missouri.

The legality of Boggs' "Extermination Order" was debated in the [[legislature]], but its objectives were achieved. Most of the Mormon community in Missouri had either immediately left or been forced out by the spring of 1839.

===1838 to 1842===
{{Main|Life of Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1838 to 1842}}

[[Image:Joseph Smith, Jr. profile by Bathsheba Smith circa 1843.jpg|thumb|190px|Profile of Joseph Smith, Jr. (circa 1843) by [[Bathsheba W. Smith]], first wife of [[George A. Smith]].]]
After escaping Missouri in 1839, Smith and his followers regrouped. They established a new headquarters in a town on the banks of the [[Mississippi River]], called [[Commerce, Illinois|Commerce]], in [[Hancock County, Illinois|Hancock County]], [[Illinois (U.S. state)]], which they renamed [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]]. They were granted a charter by the state of [[Illinois (U.S. state)]], and Nauvoo was quickly built up by the faithful, including many new arrivals. The Nauvoo city charter authorized independent municipal courts, the foundation of a university and the establishment of a militia unit known as the "[[Nauvoo Legion]]."  These and other institutions gave the 'Latter Day Saints' a considerable degree of autonomy.

In October 1839, Smith and others left for [[Washington, D.C.]] to meet with [[Martin Van Buren]], then the [[President of the United States of  America]]. Smith and his delegation sought redress for the persecution and loss of property suffered by the Saints in Missouri. Van Buren told Smith, "Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you.  If I take up for you I shall lose the vote of Missouri."<ref>{{cite journal
  | last = Smith
  | first = Joseph Fielding
  | authorlink = Joseph Fielding Smith
  | title = Church History and Modern Revelation
  | volume = 4
  | pages = 167&ndash;173
  | publisher = Deseret
  | date = 1946-1949 }}</ref>

Construction of a [[Nauvoo Temple|new temple in Nauvoo]] began in the autumn of 1840.  It was significantly larger and more grandiose than the one left behind in Kirtland. The cornerstones were laid during a conference on [[April 6]], 1841. Although Smith was instrumental in its completion, it was not finished for more than five years - after Smith's death. It was dedicated on [[May 1]], 1846. Approximately four months afterward, Nauvoo was abandoned by the majority of its citizens under threats of mob action.

===1842 to 1844===
{{Main|Life of Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1842 to 1844}}

On [[March 15]], 1842, Smith was initiated as an [[Freemason#Degrees|Entered Apprentice Mason]] at the Nauvoo Lodge. The next day, he was initiated as a [[Master Mason]]; the usual month-long wait between degrees was waived by the Illinois Lodge Grandmaster, [[Abraham Jonas]]. Smith attended less than a half-dozen Masonic meetings. 

In Nauvoo, Smith taught many new doctrines, which differed significantly from mainstream Christianity. This includes some of his more controversial doctrines, such as [[Baptism for the dead]], the [[Endowment (Mormonism)|Endowment]]<ref>Smith did not teach this in public before his death, but did teach it to the [[Quorum of the Twelve]] and the [[Council of Fifty]], who taught it once the temple was completed</ref>, and [[plural marriage]]<ref>Debate as to the status of Smith and polygamy has been debated, since during Smith's lifetime he publicly denied having ever taught or practiced polygamy and condemned the practice. Indeed, his widow and sons throughout their lifetimes were vehement that Smith had no association with the practice, and no offspring were produced from the many women claiming after his death to have been his plural wives. Some are of the opinion that he never practiced it. However, there appears to be a general historical consensus that he did, perhaps because the largest body of Smith's followers, and his detractors alike, accept that Smith was the author of the doctrine. Also, there are those of the opinion that he may have begun practicing it while he lived in Kirtland.</ref>, a form of [[polygamy]]. 

In February, 1844, Smith announced his candidacy for [[President of the United States of  America]], with [[Sidney Rigdon]] as his [[Vice President of the United States|vice-presidential]] running mate.

===Death===
{{main|Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.}}

[[Image:CarthageJail1885.jpg|thumb|200px|An etching of the Carthage Jail, c. 1885, where Smith was killed in 1844.]]
A few disaffected Mormons in Nauvoo joined together to publish a newspaper, the ''[[Nauvoo Expositor]]''. Its first and only issue was published 7 June 1844.
The paper was highly antagonistic towards Smith, expounding many beliefs critical of him, and outlining several [[grievance]]s against him.

The publication inflamed many of Nauvoo's citizens, and the [[city council]], headed by Joseph Smith as a [[mayor]], responded by passing an ordinance declaring the newspaper a public nuisance designed to promote violence against Smith and his followers <ref>[http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/1831_1844/nauvoo_expositor_eom.htm]</ref>. Under the council's new ordinance, Nauvoo's mayor, Smith, in conjunction with the city council, ordered the city marshal to destroy the paper and the press on [[June 10]], 1844.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Destruction of the "Nauvoo Expositor"—Proceedings of the Nauvoo City Council and Mayor | url=http://byustudies2.byu.edu/hc/6/22.html}}</ref>

This action was seen by many non-Mormons as illegal and Smith was accused of violating the [[freedom of the press]]. Violent threats were made against Smith and the Mormon community.
Charges were brought against Smith and he submitted to incarceration in [[Carthage, Illinois|Carthage]], the Hancock County seat. Smith's brother, Hyrum, and eight of his associates including [[John Taylor (1808-1887)|John Taylor]]  and [[Willard Richards]], accompanied him to the jail.<ref>The six other associates that accompanied them were: John P. Greene, Stephen Markham, Dan Jones, John S. Fullmer, Dr. Southwick, and Lorenzo D. Wasson[http://byustudies2.byu.edu/hc/6/31.html]</ref> The Governor of the state, Thomas Ford, had promised protection and a fair trial.<ref>[http://byustudies2.byu.edu/hc/6/31.html]</ref> All of Smith's associates left the jail, except Richards and Taylor.  Those in jail were not held in the 1st floor jail cell because the jailer felt that that was unsafe, instead, they were held in the jailer's room on the 2nd floor.  

Shortly after 5:00 p.m. on 27 June 1844, a mob of about 200 men stormed the jail, and went to where Smith and his associates were imprisoned. Although they attempted to hold the doorway against the mob, the mob opened fire through the still-closed door. <!-- note that the main article discusses the controversy regarding the disputed results of these shots--> [[Hyrum Smith]] died immediately, shot in the face. Taylor was shot several times, but survived. One of the bullets hit his pocket watch, saving his life.  Richards was unharmed. Smith ran to the open window, where he was shot multiple times simultaneously, and fell from the window, dead.  Upon falling to the ground, he was shot several more times.<ref>{{sourcetext|source=The Doctrine and Covenants|book=Covenant 135|verse=1}}</ref>  Mormons view his death as [[martyr]]dom.

== Marriage and family ==
[[Image:EmmaSmith.jpg|150px|right|[[Emma Hale Smith]], Joseph's first wife, whom he married in 1827.]]
Emma Hale and her future husband, Joseph Smith, Jr., met in 1825 when Smith boarded with the Hales while he was employed in a company hoping to unearth buried treasure. Although the company was unsuccessful, Smith returned to Harmony several times seeking Emma's hand. Isaac Hale, Emma's father, refused to allow the marriage so the couple eloped across the state line to [[Bainbridge (town), New York|South Bainbridge, New York]] and were married on 18 January 1827. The couple initially moved to the home of Smith's parents on the edge of [[Manchester, New York|Manchester Township]] near Palmyra. 

During the early portion of their marriage, Joseph and Emma Smith had the following children: 
:*[[June 15]], 1828, Alvin, who lived only a few hours.
:*[[April 30]], 1831, twins, Thaddeus and Louisa, who died hours after their premature birth while their Father was being tarred and feathered. 
:*April 30, 1831, twins Joseph and [[Julia Murdock Smith|Julia]]. These were the children of [[Julia Clapp Murdock]] and [[John Murdock]]. Murdock, upon his wife's death in childbirth, gave the infants to the Smiths (who had just lost their own twins) to adopt. 

The couple later had four additional sons: 
:*[[November 6]], 1832, [[Joseph Smith III]]
:*[[June 29]], 1836, [[Frederick Granger Williams Smith]] 
:*[[June 2]], 1838, [[Alexander Hale Smith]]. 
:*[[November 17]], 1844, [[David Hyrum Smith]], born after Joseph's death.

===Plural marriages===
Smith was married to other women after Emma (see [[Joseph Smith, Jr. and polygamy]]). This is still a controversial subject. In some of these cases evidence exists that he was [[Sealing (Mormonism)|sealed]] to other women, but many were not documented or reported until long after Smith's death in 1844. However, many documented cases were witnessed. A few of the sealings actually took place by proxy in the 1850s in Utah. Letters and statements by the alleged plural wives make the claim that several of the marriages were consummated, but to this day there remains a lack of any historical evidence. Smith himself denied the doctrine in official church publications almost until his death.<ref>Times and Seasons, Volume 5, p. 423, see also Volume 5, page 474; Volume 5, pp 490-491</ref> Smith's wife Emma died denying that her husband ever had any other wives, as did his eldest son Joseph. Emma Smith's deathbed testimony stated "no such thing as polygamy, or spiritual wifery, was taught, publicly or privately, before my husband's death, that I have now, or ever had any knowledge of...He had no other wife but me; nor did he to my knowledge ever have".<ref>Church History, Volume 3, pp. 355-356</ref> Although Smith had many children with Emma, no additional offspring from the women making the plural wife claim were ever proven to have been fathered by Smith<ref>Decision of Judge Philips in the Temple Lot Case, pages 42,43; Federal Reporter, 60:937-959</ref>.

==Major teachings==
{{Main|Teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr.}}

During his adult life - from the time he began dictating the ''[[Book of Mormon]]'' in 1827 until his death in 1844 - Smith introduced a large number of religious teachings. Although a number of his teachings are similar to doctrines circulating during his lifetime, several are unique to Smith.

Nearly all Smith's teachings had some root in the [[King James Version]] of the ''[[Bible]]'', or his interpretation or elaboration of it. However, he believed in other scripture, and that in some instances, the ''Bible'' was translated incorrectly.<ref>See [[Wentworth letter]].</ref> Thus, he "restored" [[Temple (Mormonism)|temples]], orders of [[priesthood (Mormonism)|priesthood]], and other elements of the ''Bible'' that he felt had been wrongly abandoned by mainstream [[Christianity]] as part of a [[Great Apostasy]].

In many cases, Smith's doctrines or interpretations of the ''[[Bible]]'', as well as his own claimed revelations, placed him at odds with mainstream Christianity. For example, Smith rejected mainstream Christianity's long-standing formulation of the [[Trinity]] as recorded in the [[4th Century]] [[Nicene Creed]].

==Legacy==
===Immediate reaction===
Smith's death created a crisis for the Latter Day Saints. Their charismatic founder was dead and their hierarchy was scattered on missionary efforts and in support of Smith's presidential campaign. [[Brigham Young]] recorded in his journal his initial concern after Smith's murder: "The first thing which I thought of was, whether Joseph had taken the keys of the kingdom with him from the earth."  Without the keys of the kingdom, that is, the appropriate Priesthood authority, Young recognized the possibility that, according to the church's doctrine and Smith's own teachings, the church lacked a divinely-sanctioned leader.

Because of ongoing tensions, the state legislature revoked Nauvoo's city charter and it was disincorporated. All protection, public services, self-government and other public benefits were revoked. Those who lived in the former City of Nauvoo referred to it as the City of Joseph&mdash;He being its founder&mdash;after this time, until the city was again granted a charter. Without official defenses, city residents continued to be persecuted by opponents, leading Young to consider other areas for settlement, including [[Texas]], [[California (U.S. state)]], [[Iowa]], and the [[Great Basin]] region.

===Succession===
{{main|Succession crisis (Mormonism)}}
Smith left ambiguous or contradictory succession instructions that led to arguments and disagreements among the church's members and leadership, several of whom claimed rights to leadership.  <!--His family, however, supported [[James Jesse Strang]] as his successor. (removed - see talk) -->

An August 8, 1844 conference which established Young's leadership is the source of an oft-repeated legend. Multiple journal and eyewitness accounts from those who followed Young state that when Young spoke regarding the claims of succession by the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]], he appeared to look or sound like the late Smith. Although many of these accounts were written years after the event, there were contemporary records. Historian D. Michael Quinn wrote:

{{Quotation|The ''Times and Seasons'' reported that just before the sustaining vote at the afternoon session of the August meeting, "every Saint could see that Elijah's mantle had truly fallen upon the 'Twelve.'" Although the church newspaper did not refer to [[Brigham Young|Young]] specifically for the "mantle" experience, on 15 November 1844 Henry and Catharine Brooke wrote from Nauvoo that Young "favours Br Joseph, both in person, manner of speaking more than any person ever you saw, looks like another." Five days later Arza Hinckley referred to "Brigham Young on [w]hom the mantle of the prophet Joseph has fallen."<ref>{{cite book | last = Quinn | first = D. Michael | title = The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power | pages = p. 166 | location = Salt Lake City | publisher = Signature Books | year = 1994 | id = ISBN 1-56085-056-6 }}</ref>|D. Michael Quinn|The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, p. 166}}

Most [[Latter Day Saints]] followed Young, but some aligned with other various people claiming to be Smith's successor. Some waited for Smith's son, [[Joseph Smith III]], to assume leadership of the church despite his young age at the death of his father. The church had published a revelation in 1841 stating "I say unto my servant Joseph, In thee, and in thy seed, shall the kindred of the earth be blessed".<ref>{{sourcetext|source=The Doctrine and Covenants|book=Covenant 107|verse=18c}}</ref>
Documentary evidence indicates also that Smith set apart his son as his successor at various private meetings and public gatherings, including Liberty<ref>Joseph Smith III; Joseph Smith III and the Restoration; Herald House; 1952, p. 13</ref> and Nauvoo.<ref>Autumn Leaves, Vol 1; p. 202</ref>Brigham Young assured the bulk of Smith's followers as late as 1860 that young Joseph would eventually take his father's place.<ref>Brigham Young: Journal of Discourses; Vol 8; P 69</ref>. That year, the younger Smith established what was to later be incorporated as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now called the [[Community of Christ]] church) in the midwest, made up of scattered church members not having journeyed west with Young.  

In addition, Smith's Vice Presidential running mate [[Sidney Rigdon]] formed the [[Chuch of Jesus Christ]], headquartered in [[Greensburg, Pennsylvania|Greensburg]], [[Pennsylvania]] with a few more congregations scattered throughout the area.  Many of these smaller groups were spread throughout the [[Midwest|midwestern United States]], especially in [[Independence, Missouri]], and several remain viable as religious groups.  Issues relating to the [[Succession crisis (Mormonism)|succession crisis]] are still the subject of discussion and debate. 

Mob violence and conflict continued to grow and threaten the Mormon establishment at Nauvoo. By the end of 1845 it became clear that no peace was possible, and most of the Latter Day Saints prepared to abandon the city. The winter of 1845-46 saw the enormous preparations for the Mormon Exodus across the Great Plains; in early 1846, the majority of the Latter Day Saints emptied the city.

The leadership of the Church, headed by Young, led the Latter Day Saints out of the [[United States of America]], across the [[Great Plains]] and into [[Utah]], which was then [[Mexico|Mexican]] territory.

{{ see also|History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints}}

===In the modern media===
*On TV, Joseph Smith's life as a prophet is satirized in the ''[[South Park]]'' episode ''[[All About Mormons]]''. 
*In film, he has been portrayed by actors such as [[Vincent Price]] (''[[Brigham Young (movie)|Brigham Young]]''), [[Dean Cain]] (''[[September Dawn]]''), [[Jonathan Scarfe]] (''[[The Work and The Glory (film)|The Work and The Glory]]''), [[Nathan Mitchell]] (''[[Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration]]'') and  [[Richard Moll]] (''Brigham'').
*Smith was the subject of the cover of ''[[Newsweek]]'' Magazine, dated October 17, 2005. The cover was a reproduction of a stained-glass window portraying the First Vision. Many opinions on Joseph Smith were quoted, ranging from LDS Church President [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] to [[Mark Scherer]], official historian of the [[Community of Christ]].

== Notes ==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>
<!-- Dead note "lindsay-danites": see {{cite web | author=Lindsay, Jeff | title=Quick Answer: Who Were the Danites? | work=LDS FAQ | url=http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_Danites.shtml#danites | accessdate=August 22 | accessyear=2005}} -->
<!-- Dead note "histrcjclds-2-26": {{cite web | title=Church History Volume 2, Chapter 26|work=History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints|url= http://www.centerplace.org/history/ch/v2ch26.htm|accessdate = August 22|accessyear=2005}} -->

==References==
<div class="references-small">
*{{Harvard reference 
 | Last=Anderson
 | First=Richard Lloyd
 | Title=Circumstantial Confirmation Of the First Vision Through Reminiscences
 | Journal=BYU Studies
 | Volume=9
 | Issue=3
 | Year=1969
 | Pages=373&ndash;404
 | URL=https://byustudies.byu.edu/shop/PDFfiles/9.3Anderson.pdf
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Berge
 | First=Dale L.
 | Title=Archaeological Work at the Smith Log House
 | Journal=Ensign
 | Volume=15
 | Issue=8
 | Year=1985
 | Month=August
 | Pages=24
 | URL=http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1985.htm/ensign%20august%201985%20.htm/archaeological%20work%20at%20the%20smith%20log%20house.htm?fn=document-frameset.htm$f=templates$3.0
 }}.
*{{cite book
 | last = Brodie | first = Fawn M.
 | authorlink = Fawn M. Brodie
 | title = [[No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith]]
 | publisher = Knopf
 | location = New York
 | year =  1971
 | edition = 2nd edition
 | id =  ISBN 0-679-73054-0
 }}
*{{cite book
 | last = Bushman | first = Richard Lyman
 | authorlink = Richard Lyman Bushman
 | title = [[Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling]]
 | publisher = Knopf
 | location = New York
 | year =  2005
 | id = ISBN 1-4000-4270-4
 }}
*[[Emma Hale Smith|Bidamon, Emma Smith]] ([[March 27]], 1876), letter to Emma S. Pilgrim, published in {{Harvard reference
 | Author=Vogel, Dan, ed.
 | Last=Vogel
 | First=Dan
 | Title=Early Mormon Documents, Vol. 1
 | Publisher=Signature Books
 | Year=1996
 | ID=ISBN 1-56085-072-8
 | Ref=Reference-Smith-1876
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Cobb
 | First=James T.
 | Title=The Hill Cumorah, And The Book Of Mormon. The Smith Family, Cowdery, Harris, and Other Old Neighbors&mdash;What They Know
 | Journal=The Saints' Herald
 | Volume=28
 | Issue=11
 | Date=[[June 1]], 1881
 | Year=1881
 | Month=June
 | Pages=167
 | URL=http://www.lavazone2.com/dbroadhu/IL/sain1872.htm#060181
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Compton
 | First=Todd 
 | Title=In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith
 | URL=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156085085X/qid=1143058836/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2883470-2803352?s=books&v=glance&n=283155|Year=1997
 | Publisher = Salt Lake City: Signature Books
 | Year = 1997
 | ID = ISBN 1-56085-085-X
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Cowdery
 | First=Oliver
 | Authorlink=Oliver Cowdery
 | Title=Letter <nowiki>[I]</nowiki>
 | Journal=[[Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate]]
 | Volume=1
 | Issue=1
 | Pages=13&ndash;16
 | Year=1834
 | Month=October
 | URL=http://www.centerplace.org/history/ma/v1n01.htm
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Cowdery
 | First=Oliver
 | Authorlink=Oliver Cowdery
 | Title=Letter VIII
 | Journal=[[Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate]]
 | Volume=2
 | Issue=1
 | Pages=195&ndash;202
 | Year=1835
 | Month=October
 | URL=http://www.centerplace.org/history/ma/v2n01.htm
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Hill
 | First=Donna
 | Title = Joseph Smith: The First Mormon
 | URL=http://www.signaturebooks.com/excerpts/first.htm|Year=2004
 | Publisher = Garden City, NY, Doubleday 
 | Year = 1977 (also published by Salt Lake City: Signature Books in 1999. 
 | ID = ISBN 1-56085-118-X (Signature Books)
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Hill
 | First=Marvin S.
 | Title=Joseph Smith and the 1826 Trial: New Evidence and New Difficulties
 | Journal=BYU Studies
 | Volume=12
 | Issue=2
 | Year=1976
 | Pages=1&ndash;8
 | URL=https://byustudies.byu.edu/shop/PDFfiles/12.2Hill.pdf
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Howe
 | First=Eber Dudley
 | Title=Mormonism Unvailed
 | Publisher=[[Painesville, Ohio]]: Telegraph Press
 | Year=1834
 | URL=http://www.solomonspalding.com/docs/1834howb.htm
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Jessee
 | First=Dean
 | Title=Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History
 | Journal=BYU Studies
 | Volume=17
 | Issue=1
 | Year=1976
 | Pages=35
 | URL=https://byustudies.byu.edu/shop/PDFfiles/17.1Jessee.pdf
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Johnson
 | First=Luke
 | Title=History of Luke Johnson, by Himself 
 | Journal=The Latter Day Saints' Millennial Star
 | Volume=26
 | Year=1864
 | Pages=834
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Lapham
 | First=<nowiki>[La]</nowiki>Fayette
 | Title=Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, Forty Years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates
 | Journal=Historical Magazine [second series]
 | Volume=7
 | Year=1870
 | Month=May
 | Pages=305-309
 }}, republished in {{Harvard reference
 | Author=Vogel, Dan, ed.
 | Last=Vogel
 | First=Dan
 | Title=Early Mormon Documents, Vol. 1
 | Publisher=Signature Books
 | Year=1996
 | ID=ISBN 1-56085-072-8
 | URL=http://www.signaturebooks.com/excerpts/doc1.htm
 | Ref=none
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Surname1=Lewis
 | Given1=Joseph
 | Surname2=Lewis
 | Given2=Hiel
 | Title=Mormon History
 | Periodical=Amboy Journal
 | Volume=24
 | Issue=5
 | Year=1879
 | Date=[[April 30]], 1879
 | Page=1
 | URL=http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/IL/miscill3.htm#043079
}}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Mack
 | First=Solomon
 | Title=A Narraitve <nowiki>[sic]</nowiki> of the Life of Solomon Mack
 | Publisher=Windsor: Solomon Mack
 | Year=1811
 | ID=(No ISBN assigned)
 | URL=http://olivercowdery.com/texts/1811Mack.htm
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=McKiernan
 | First=F. Mark 
 | Title=The Voice of One crying in the Wilderness: Sidney Rigdon, Religious Reformer, 1793-1876
 | URL=http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=br_ss_hs/102-2883470-2803352?search-alias=aps&keywords=The%20Voice%20of%20One%20crying%20in%20the%20Wilderness:%20Sidney%20Rigdon,%20Religious%20Reformer,%201793-1876
 | Publisher= Lawrense, KS, Corondao Press
 | Year = 1971
 | ID = ISBN not available
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Newell
 | First=Linda King and Valeen Tippetts Avery
 | Title=Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, Prophet's Wife, "Elect Lady", Polygamy's Foe
 | Publisher=Garden City, NY, Doubleday
 | Year=1984
 | ID=ISBN 0-252-02399-4
 }}.
*Norwich, Vermont ([[March 15]], 1816), ''A Record of Strangers Who are Warned Out of Town'', 1813&ndash;1818 (Norwich Clerk's Office), p. 53, published in {{Harvard reference
 | Author=Vogel, Dan, ed.
 | Last=Vogel
 | First=Dan
 | Title=Early Mormon Documents, Vol. 1
 | Publisher=Signature Books
 | Year=1996
 | ID=ISBN 1-56085-072-8
 | Ref=Reference-Norwich-1816
 }}, page 666.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Author=Phelps, W. W., ed.
 | Last=Phelps
 | Authorlink=William Wines Phelps
 | Title=A Book of Commandments, for the Government of the Church of Christ
 | Publisher=[[Independence, Missouri|Zion]]: [[William Wines Phelps|W. W. Phelps]] & Co.
 | Year=1833
 | URL=http://www.irr.org/mit/BOC/default.html
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Porter
 | First=Larry C.
 | Title=Reverend George Lane&mdash;Good "Gifts", Much "Grace", and Marked "Usefulness"
 | Journal=BYU Studies
 | Volume=9
 | Issue=3
 | Year=1969
 | Pages=321&ndash;340
 | URL=https://byustudies.byu.edu/shop/PDFfiles/9.3Porter.pdf
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Porter
 | First=Larry C.
 | Title=A Study of the Origins of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the States of New York and Pennsylvania, 1816&ndash;1831
 | Publisher=Ph. D dissertation, [[Brigham Young University|BYU]]
 | Year=1971
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Quinn
 | First=D. Michael
 | Authorlink=D. Michael Quinn
 | Title=Early Mormonism and the Magic World View
 | Publisher=Signature Books, 2d ed.
 | Year=1998
 | ID=ISBN 1-56085-089-2
 | URL=http://www.signaturebooks.com/magic.htm
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Author=Roberts, B. H., ed.
 | Last=Roberts
 | First=B. H.
 | Authorlnk=B. H. Roberts
 | Title=History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 | Publisher=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
 | Year=1902
 | URL=http://www.boap.org/LDS/History/HTMLHistory
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Author=Smith, Joseph, Jr., translator
 | Last=Smith
 | First=Joseph, Jr.
 | Year=1830
 | Title=The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, Upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi
 | Publisher=Palmyra, New York: E. B. Grandin
 | URL=http://www.inephi.com/Search.htm
 }}.
*Smith, Joseph, Jr. (1832) '' History of the Life of Joseph Smith'', in Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, pp. 1&ndash;6, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, published in {{Harvard reference
 | Author = Jessee, Dean C. (ed.)
 | Last=Jessee
 | First=Dean
 | Title = Personal Writings of Joseph Smith
 | Publisher = Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
 | Year = 2002
 | ID = ISBN 1-57345-787-6
 | URL = http://deseretbook.com/personalwritings/4
 | Ref=Reference-Smith-1832
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Author=Smith, Joseph, Jr. et al., eds.
 | Last=Smith
 | First=Joseph, Jr.
 | Title=Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints
 | Publisher=Kirtland, Ohio: F. G. Williams & Co
 | Year=1835
 | URL=http://www.irr.org/mit/BOC/default.html
 }}.
*Smith, Joseph, Jr. et al. (1838&ndash;1842) ''History of the Church'' Ms., vol. A&ndash;1, pp. 1&ndash;10, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, published in {{Harvard reference
 | Author = Jessee, Dean C. (ed.)
 | Title = Personal Writings of Joseph Smith
 | Publisher = Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
 | Year = 2002
 | ID = ISBN 1-57345-787-6
 | URL = http://deseretbook.com/personalwritings/7
 | Ref=Reference-Smith-1838
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last = Smith
 | First = Joseph Fielding
 | Authorlink = Joseph Fielding Smith
 | Title=Church History and Modern Revelation
 | Publisher=Deseret
 | Year=1946-1949
 | Volume = 4
 | pages = 167&ndash;173
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Smith
 | First=Lucy Mack
 | Authorlink=Lucy Mack Smith
 | Title=Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations
 | Publisher=Liverpool: S.W. Richards
 | Year=1853
 | URL=http://relarchive.byu.edu/19th/descriptions/biographical.html
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Smith
 | First=William
 | Authorlink=William Smith (Mormonism)
 | Title=William Smith on Mormonism: A True Account of the Origin of the Book of Mormon
 | Publisher=Lamoni, Iowa: RLDS Church
 | Year=1883
 | ID=(ISBN not assigned)
 | URL=http://www.olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1883Wilm.htm
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Stevenson
 | First=Edward
 | Title=One of the Three Witnesses: Incidents in the Life of Martin Harris
 | Journal=The Latter Day Saints' Millennial Star
 | Volume=44
 | Year=1882
 | Pages=78&ndash;79, 86&ndash;87
 | URL= http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cgi-bin/docviewer.exe?CISOROOT=/MillennialStar3&CISOPTR=17556&CISOSHOW=10511
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Tiffany
 | First=Joel
 | Title=Mormonism, No. II
 | Journal=Tiffany's Monthly
 | Volume=5
 | Year=1859
 | Month=August
 | Pages=163-170
 | URL=http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/harris_1.htm
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Tucker
 | First=Pomeroy
 | Title=Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism
 | Publisher=[[New York, New York|New York]]: D. Appleton
 | Year=1867
 | URL=http://www.solomonspalding.com/docs1/1867TucA.htm
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Turner
 | First=Orasmus
 | Title=History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve
 | Publisher=[[Rochester, New York]]: William Alling
 | Year=1851
 | URL=http://olivercowdery.com/texts/1851Trn1.htm#turn1851
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Vogel
 | First=Dan
 | Title=The Locations of Joseph Smith's Early Treasure Quests
 | Journal=[[Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought]]
 | Volume=27
 | Issue=3
 | Year=1994
 | Month=Fall
 | Pages=197-231
 | URL=http://content.lib.utah.edu/cgi-bin/docviewer.exe?CISOROOT=/dialogue&CISOPTR=17325&CISOSHOW=17195
 }}.
*{{Harvard reference
 | Last=Whitmer
 | First=David
 | Authorlink=David Whitmer
 | Title=An Address to All Believers in Christ By A Witness to the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon
 | Publisher=David Whitmer, Richmond, Missouri
 | Year=1887
 | URL=http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/address1.htm
 }}.
</div>

In addition, Smith is also the main subject of virtually all works dealing with the early [[Latter Day Saint movement]].

{{Further information|[[Works relating to Joseph Smith, Jr.]]}}

==See also==
*[[Smith Family|Smith Political Family]]
*[[History of the Latter Day Saint movement]]
*[[Controversies regarding Mormonism]]
*[[Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration|Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration (film)]]
*[[Joseph Smith, Jr. and Polygamy]]
*[[Lectures on Faith]]

==External links==

* {{gutenberg author| id=Joseph+Smith | name=Joseph Smith, Jr.}}
*[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,957-1,00.html "Who was Joseph Smith?"] - At Mormon.org
*[http://www.josephsmith.net/portal/site/JosephSmith JosephSmith.net] - The official web site on Joseph Smith by the LDS Church.
*[http://www.josephsmith.com JosephSmith.com]
*[http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/people/joseph_smith/index.html Joseph Smith] - collection of articles about Joseph Smith from LightPlanet.com
*[http://comevisit.com/lds/js3photo.htm Joseph Smith Daguerreotype] - The only known photograph of Joseph Smith
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5379817734473325496&q=joseph+smith Joseph Smith, Jr. - The Prophet] - a mormon film about Joseph Smith
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6810859820752730970&q=joseph+smith The Restoration (Google  Video)] - a mormon film about Joseph Smith
* [http://www.librarything.com/author/smithjoseph LibraryThing author profile]

{| style="margin: 0.5em auto; clear: both; font-size: 95%;" class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=2 | Leader of the [[Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|Church of Christ]], later called <br />the ''Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints''
|-
| rowspan=6 align="center"|'''Joseph Smith, Jr.'''<br /> (1830&ndash;1844) <br> Founding president
|-
| align="center"|Successor (as claimed by various <br />[[Latter Day Saint movement]] denominations)
|-
| align="center"|'''[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]:'''<br />[[Quorum of the Twelve]] (led by [[Brigham Young]]) <br />1844&ndash;1847
|-
| align="center"|'''[[Community of Christ]]''' ("RLDS Church"):<br />[[Joseph Smith III]]<br />1860&ndash;1914
|-
| align="center"|'''[[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)]]:'''<br />[[James Strang]]<br />1844&ndash;1856
|-
| align="center"|'''[[Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)]]:'''<br />[[William Bickerton]] (follower of [[Sidney Rigdon]])<br />1862
|}
{{start box}}
{{succession box|
 before=[[John C. Bennett]]|
 title=Mayor of [[Nauvoo, Illinois]]|years=1842&ndash;1844|
 after=Daniel Spencer
 }}
{{end box}}