Descriptive Summary Vault MSS 774 Hyrum Smith (1800-1844) Papers, ca. 1840 Smith, Hyrum, 1800-1844 L. Tom Perry Special Collections 3 boxes (1.5 inear feet) Hyrum Smith, the second son of Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith and older brother of Joseph Smith, Jun., was born in Tunbridge, VT, February 9, 1800. At nineteen he moved with his family to western New York. On November 12, 1826 he married Jerusha Barden. He was baptized by his brother Joseph in Seneca Lake in June 1829 and was one of the Eight Witnesses to see the actual gold plates of the Book of Mormon. Hyrum's wife, Jerusha, died in October of 1837, shortly before Hyrum was called as Joseph Smith's Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church. During the 1830's Hyrum served several short missions for the Church, mostly in Ohio. Hoping for a respite from religious persecution, the main body of the Church moved from Ohio to Missouri in 1838. As the oppression intensified in Missouri, however, Hyrum and his brother Joseph were incarcerated in the jail at Liberty, Missouri for about six months before escaping to western Illinois in April of 1839. Hyrum later helped establish the city of Nauvoo and held several civil and military offices in Nauvoo. In January of 1841, Hyrum was called to be Patriarch of the Church. The office, being hereditary, was passed to him upon his father's death. He was also called to serve as Associate President of the Church in 1841. In June 1844 he was again imprisoned with Joseph. This imprisonment took place at Carthage, Illinois. On June 27, 1844 Hyrum and Joseph were both killed by a mob that stormed the Carthage jail. The Hyrum Smith papers were originally catalogued under the title of "The Joseph Smith Sr. Family Collection," which consisted of two parts: the papers of Hyrum Smith (1800-1844), and those of his son, John Smith (1832-1911). The Hyrum Smith papers are divided into diaries, letters, legal papers, books and include: five mission diaries, finances, prayers, poetry and daily events between 1832 and 1844; three items of correspondence; legal papers; Hyrum's bible with family history notes; and Hyrum's Old Testament in Hebrew and Latin, thought to have been used by the School of the Prophets in Kirtland, OH.

Provenance This collection was donated 8 March 1991 by Patriarch Emeritus Eldred G. Smith, and his sister Cleone Smith Isom. All materials have remained in the possession of the descendants of Hyrum Smith until their donation to the BYU Library. The account book found in folder seven of box one was donated by Eldred G. Smith on 11 May 2000, as part of the activities surrounding the naming of the Joseph Smith, Sr. Family Room in the Special Collections of the Harold B. Lee Library (room 1141).

Access This collection is open for research. Photocopying or any type of single duplication is permissible for reference use only. The whole duplication of documents, reprinting, digitizing, or otherwise publishing is expressly prohibited without written permission from the Board of Curators of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections library. The use of original documents is restricted. Researchers must use photocopies and/or typescripts.

Conditions of Use It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Hyrum Smith (1800-1844) Papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the Special Collections Board of Curators.

Preferred Citation Initial Citation: Vault MSS 774; Hyrum Smith (1800-1844) Papers; 19th Century Western and Mormon Americana; L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. Following Citations: Vault MSS 774, LTPSC.

Biographical History Hyrum Smith, the second son of Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith and older brother of Joseph Smith, Jun. [founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or LDS Church], was born in Tunbridge VT, 9 February 1800. At nineteen he moved with his family to western New York. On 12 November 1826 he married Jerusha Barden. He was baptized by his brother Joseph in Seneca Lake in June 1829 and was one of the Eight Witnesses to see the actual gold plates of the Book of Mormon. Hyrum's wife, Jerusha, died in October of 1837, shortly before Hyrum was called as Joseph Smith's Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church. During the 1830s Hyrum served several short missions for the Church, mainly in Ohio. Hoping for a respite from religious persecution, the main body of the Church moved from Ohio to Missouri in 1838. As the oppression intensified in Missouri, however, Hyrum and his brother Joseph were incarcerated in the jail at Liberty, Missouri for about six months before escaping to western Illinois in April of 1839. Hyrum later helped establish the city of Nauvoo and held several civil and military offices in Nauvoo. In January of 1841 upon the death of his father, Hyrum was called to be Patriarch of the Church, at that time a hereditary office. He was also called to be the Associate President of the Church in 1841. In June 1844 he was again imprisoned with Joseph, this time at Carthage, Illinois. On 27 June 1844 Hyrum and Joseph were both killed by a mob that stormed the Carthage jail. (Biographical information for Hyrum Smith was taken from the collection itself, articles found in Andrew Jenson, L.D.S. Biographical Encyclopedia . 4 vol. (Salt Lake City UT: Deseret News Press, 1901-39) [Vol. 1, pp. 52-3;183-6 and Vol. 3, p. 780]; and from Irene May Bates, “Transformation of Charisma in the Mormon Church: A History of the Office of Presiding Patriarch, 1833-1979,” (Ph.D. dissertation, UCLA, 1991), pp. 212-38) See also Pearson H. Corbett, Hyrum Smith, Patriarch . Salt Lake City, Utah, Deseret Book, 1976.

Scope and Content Note The Hyrum Smith papers were originally catalogued under the title of "The Joseph Smith Sr. Family Collection," which consisted of two parts: the papers of Hyrum Smith (1800-1844), and those of his son, John Smith (1832-1911). The Hyrum Smith papers are divided into diaries, letters, legal papers, books and include: five mission diaries, finances, prayers, poetry and daily events between 1832 and 1844; three items of correspondence; legal papers; Hyrum's bible with family history notes; and Hyrum's Old Testament in Hebrew and Latin, thought to have been used by the School of the Prophets in Kirtland, OH.

Notes on Arrangement The Hyrum Smith papers were originally catalogued under the title of “The Joseph Smith Sr. Family Collection,” which consisted of two series: (1) the papers of Hyrum Smith (1800-1844), and (2) those of his son, John Smith (1832-1911). The Hyrum Smith papers are divided into diaries, letters, legal papers, books and include: five mission diaries, finances, prayers, poetry and daily events between 1832 and 1844; three items of correspondence; legal papers; Hyrum's Bible with family history notes; and Hyrum's Old Testament in Hebrew and Latin, thought to have been used by the School of the Prophets in Kirtland, Ohio. The John Smith Papers are now catalogued as VMSS 803.

Separation Note In addition to the items listed above, the following were also donated to the Brigham Young University Library: Six nineteenth century Smith family paintings, four of which are on display in the Joseph Smith, Sr. Family Room (room 1141 HBLL) : One of Lucy Mack Smith, one of Jerusha Barden Smith, two of Hyrum Smith, and two of John Smith. The John Smith Papers (see VMSS 803) Various artifacts: two walking canes and a set of metal scales belonging to Hyrum Smith are also in the possession of the Brigham Young University Library.

Subject Tracings People Whitmer, John, 1802-1878 Places Ohio Nauvoo (Ill.) New York (State) Genre/Form Diaries Letters Legal instruments Subject Mormon Church--History--Sources Mormon Church--Missions Mormons--Ohio--History--Sources Mormons--Illinois--Nauvoo--History--Sources