Joseph Fielding Smith Sr. (1838-1918)

Religious Figure. He led The Church of Jesus Christ of Lattter-day Saints into the first two decades of the twentieth century and was the first President of the Church to be born by LDS parents, a son of Hyrum Smith and Mary Fielding Smith and a nephew of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Born in Far West, Missouri while his father was imprisoned in Liberty Jail, at the age of five his father was murdered, at the age of seven he drove the family wagon all the way to the Salt Lake Valley, at the age of fifteen he was called on a mission to the Sandwich Islands, and at the age of twenty-seven he was ordained an Apostle by Brigham Young. He was the first President to have served in the First Presidency of the Church. And for the first time since Joseph and Hyrum, two brothers served as President and Patriarch to the Church with an older brother from Hyrum's first wife Jerusha. President Smith's most significant doctrinal contribution was his "Vision of the Redemption of the Dead," which he received on October 3, 1918, just six weeks prior to his death on November 19. In vision he saw the world of departed spirits and many individuals who reside there, including ancient and modern prophets. As well as the visit of Jesus Christ to the spirit world, where Jesus declared liberty to the righteous, and organized a mission to preach the gospel to the imprisoned spirits. In 1981 his account of this vision was added to the Doctrine and Covenants as section 138.

Bio by: John J