George A. Smith

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For other persons named George Smith, see George Smith (disambiguation).

George A. Smith

George Albert Smith (June 26, 1817–September 1, 1875) (commonly known as George A. Smith to distinguish him from his grandson of the same name) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the Church's First Presidency.

Smith was born in Potsdam, St. Lawrence County, New York, the son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman, and a nephew of Joseph Smith, Sr. In September 1832 at the age of fifteen, George A. Smith was baptized into the new Church founded by his cousin Joseph Smith, Jr. The following year, John Smith and his family moved to Kirtland, Ohio, the headquarters of the Church. There Smith met the prophet Joseph Smith for the first time. In 1838, he moved with his parents and a large body of church members to the state of Missouri.

1 Church service
2 See also
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[edit] Church service

Monument to four generations of a branch of the Smith family, prominent in LDS history.

Back of monument.

Grave marker of George A. Smith.

In the spring of 1834, the sixteen-year-old George A. Smith accompanied a group Latter Day Saints on a 2000 mile march to Missouri and back to Ohio. This trip, known as Zion's Camp, was intended to bring aid to suffering members of the Church in Missouri. He served as a missionary to the eastern states, traveling and preaching during the summers of 1835, 1836, and 1837, while attending school during each winter.

Smith was ordained a Seventy in the priesthood on March 1, 1835 by Joseph Smith, Jr. On April 26, 1839, at the age of 21, George A. Smith was ordained an Apostle and he became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church. Future President of the Church Wilford Woodruff was also ordained as an Apostle on the same day. The two men replaced former Apostles Thomas B. Marsh, who had apostacized, and Orson Hyde, who had been disfellowshipped and removed from his position.

After Joseph Smith, Jr.'s death and the relocation of the LDS Church to Utah, Smith served as a member of Utah's territorial legislature. In 1868, Smith was called to replace Heber C. Kimball as First Counselor in the First Presidency under Church President Brigham Young. He served in that position until his death on September 1, 1875. He was interred at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Like many Mormon leaders in the nineteenth century, Geoge A. Smith practiced plural marriage. His first wife, Bathsheba W. Smith served as general president of the LDS Relief Society from 1901 to 1910. A son, John Henry Smith, also served as an Apostle and member of the First Presidency. George A. Smith's grandson and namesake, George Albert Smith, also became an Apostle and later served as the eighth President of the Church.