Lauritz Nicolaisen(Smidt) Smith was born in Hjoerring Denmark on Oct 5,1830. The son of Nicolai Christensen Smidt and Karen Marie Christensen.

In 1853 Lauritz left his country to look for a better life in the United States. While onboard the ship which sailed from Liverpool England 1-3-1854 he married his sweetheart Maren (Mary) Kirstine Mikkelsen. The date of their marraige was Feb 15,1854.

Cholera struck many of the Immigrants, including Lauritz, after they reached New Orleans on 20 Feb. 1854 and many of the Scandinavian saints lost their lives to the dreaded disease. They traveled up the Mississippi River to St. Louis where they stopped for a month, to recover from the cholera, and then traveled by river steamer to Kansas City where they received their wagons and oxen.

Lauritz records that the trip went well, however once, while fording a stream, he got out into the icy water to help the oxen and because of his weakened condition, the exposure resulted in severe rhumatism. For the remainder of the journey he had to lay prostate in the wagon while Mary drove the oxen. After ll months of travel they arrived in Salt Lake City on his 24th birthday, the 5th of October,1854, a joyful day.

Shortly after arriving in Salt Lake, Lauritz was directed to the office of Brigham Young, who upon learning that he was a blacksmith, directed Lauritz to go to Willow Creek. He told him, "They need a blacksmith down there. Get a piece of land and build a shop on it, and stay there." Later the name was changed to Draperville and then to Draper. As directed, Lauritz moved to Draperville, arriving on Christmas day 1854.

Here Lauritz worked as a blacksmith. He made shoes for horses, sharpened plows, and sharpened drills used in the temple quarry at the mouth of nearby Little Cottonwood Canyon. With the help of Mary and his growing family of sons, Lauritz also operated a large farm and built the first brick home in Draper.

On Feb 9, 1867, with the consent of Mary, he married Johannah Christina Jensen as a plural wife in the Endowment House. Lauritz was the father of 17 children. Mary bore 5 sons, one died in infancy, and Johannah bore twelve children and also lost a infant soon after birth.

In 1876-77 Lauritz filled a mission, laboring most of his time in Iowa, he was also a home missionary. He served many positions in the L.D.S. faith, but two of his most prominent positions were. He was ordained a Seventy and served as one of the presidents of the 73rd Quorum of Seventy. When released from the Seventy presidency, Lauritz was ordained a Patriarch and continued active in his calling until his death.

He passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 16,1924 at the age of 93.

Lauritz was of slight build, not more than 5'6" in height, with blue-gray eyes and black curly hair. In later life he wore a full beard ond he became bald early in life. Lauritz loved his roses and he would often hold one in his teeth, beneath his nose.

REST IN SWEET ETERNAL PEACE DEAR GREAT GRANDFATHER.

Children of Lauritz and Mary

Joseph Michael Smith (1856-1948)
Lauritz Heber Smith ( 1858-1929)
John Hyrum Smith (1860-1940)
Brigham Smith (1863-1934)
David Smith (1868-1868)

Children of Lauritz and Hannah

John William Smith (1867-1954)
Mary Christene (1870-1934)
Lorena Emeline (1871-1947)
David Smith (1873-1959)
Samuel Nephi Smith (1875-1950)
Hannah Smith (1877-1877)
Carrie Smith (1878-1963)
Charles Lorenzo Smith (1880-1953)
Clarence Emmanuel Smith (1882-1956)
Wilhelmina Smith (1885-1956)
Martha Smith (1885-1974)
Mabel Olive Smith (1891-1977)

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO CELESTE KEMP GATES FOR SPONSORING THIS MEMORIAL. BLESS YOU