Samuel Harrison Smith (1808-1844) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Samuel Harrison Smith

Born 13 Mar 1808 in Tunbridge, Orange, Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy (Mack) Smith

Brother of Unknown Smith, Alvin Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sophronia (Smith) McCleary, Joseph Smith Jr., Ephraim Smith, William B. Smith, Katherine (Smith) Younger, Don Carlos Smith and Lucy (Smith) Millikin

Husband of Mary (Bailey) Smith — married 13 Aug 1834 in Kirtland, Geauga, Ohio, United States

Husband of Levira (Clark) Smith — married 29 Apr 1841 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States

[children unknown]

Died 30 Jul 1844 at age 36 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States

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Profile last modified 31 Dec 2023 | Created 12 Sep 2010

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Biography

Samuel Harrison Smith, fourth son of Joseph Smith and Lucy Mack, was born 13 March 1808, in Tunbridge, Orange County, Vermont, USA. He would become one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon.^[1]

Samuel grew up helping his father, Joseph, as a farmer. Being religious, he joined the Presbyterian church. In May 1829, he visited his brother Joseph, who told him the Lord was about to commence his latter-day work. Joseph showed him the part of the Book of Mormon, which he had translated and worked to convince Samuel of it's rightness. Samuel was not convinced immediately, but prayed over the matter, and "obtained revelation for himself sufficient to convince him of the truth of the testimony of his brother Joseph."^[1] On May 15, 1829, Samuel became the third person baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ.^[1]

When the church was organized April 6 1830, Samuel was present and was one of the six members at that time. He was ordained that day. On June 30th, he took some copies of the Book of Mormon, and began his missionary work. On his first day he stopped several places but was turned out when he declared his principles. That night he tried to stop at an inn, but was turned out of the inn, by the skeptical innkeeper, who along with two family members died in the next fortnight.^[1]

He continued throughout his life to do missionary work, going west as far as Missouri, and east to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. He also spent time in manual labor, for instance chopping wood, clearing land, building fences and farming. In 1838, the family moved from Kirtland, Ohio, to Missouri. In Missouri, tensions had been increasing between Mormons and Non-Mormons, ever since the Mormons began settling there in 1831. Things came to outright War in a conflict referred to as the 1838 Mormon War. An estimated 10,000 plus Mormons were expelled from Missouri. Many of them, resettled in and near what would become the city of Nauvoo, Illinois. Samuel rented a farm near Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois. The family moved frequently and lived also in Plymouth and Nauvoo. ^[1]

Samuel received the following blessing from his dying father, in 1840:

"Samuel, you have been a faithful and obedient son. By your faithfulness you have brought many into the Church. The Lord has seen your diligence, and you are blessed, in that he has never chastised you, but has called you home to rest; and there is a crown laid up for you which shall grow brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. When the Lord called you, he said, 'Samuel, I have seen thy sufferings, have heard thy cries, and beheld thy faithfulness; thy skirts are clear from the blood of this generation. Because of these things, I seal upon your head all the blessings which I have heretofore pronounced upon you; and this my dying blessing I now seal upon you. Even so: Amen.' "^[1]

Samuel died of a billions fever, 30 July 1844, aged 36. Some persons thought that there might have been foul play involved.^[1]

Samuel married twice:

First, 13 Aug 1834, Mary Bailey (born Bedford, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, 20 Dec 1808.) Mary Bailey died in Nauvoo, Illinois in 25 Jan 1841. They had four children:^[1]

Susannah B.,^[1]

Mary B., Nauvoo, Illinois in 25 Jan 1841^[1].

Samuel Harrison B.^[1]

Lucy B.^[1]

Samuel married second Lavira Clark, (born in Livonia, Livingston County, New York, 30 July 1815), daughter of Gardner and Delecta Clark later that year. They had three daughters:^[1]

Levira A. C., ^[1]

Louisa C. ^[1]

Lucy J. C.^[1]