| John Henry Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Second Counselor in theFirst Presidency | |
| April 7, 1910 (1910-04-07) – October 13, 1911 (1911-10-13) | |
| Called by | Joseph F. Smith |
| Predecessor | Anthon H. Lund |
| Successor | Charles W. Penrose |
| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| October 27, 1880 (1880-10-27) – April 7, 1910 (1910-04-07) | |
| Called by | John Taylor |
| End reason | Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency |
| LDS ChurchApostle | |
| October 27, 1880 (1880-10-27) – October 13, 1911 (1911-10-13) | |
| Called by | John Taylor |
| Reason | Reorganization of First Presidency[1] |
| Reorganization at end of term | Charles W. Penrose added to First Presidency;James E. Talmage ordained |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Henry Smith (1848-09-18)September 18, 1848 Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | October 13, 1911(1911-10-13) (aged 63) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Resting place | Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37″N111°51′29″W / 40.777°N 111.858°W /40.777; -111.858 (Salt Lake City Cemetery) |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Farr Josephine G. Smith |
| Children | 19 |
| Parents | George A. Smith Sarah Ann Libby |
| Signature | |
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John Henry Smith (September 18, 1848 – October 13, 1911) was a member of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles and theFirst Presidency ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was a prominent politician inUtah and played an important role in the transition from Utah as aterritory to astate of the United States.
From 1867 until 1869 Smith served as a counselor in the bishopric of the Provo 4th Ward, which at that time covered all Provo north of Center Street and east of 1st East.
In 1874 and 1875, Smith served as amissionary in Europe. He spent most of this mission inEngland, particularly in and around the city ofBirmingham.
From 1875 to 1880, Smith was thebishop of the Salt Lake 17thWard.
In October 1880, LDS ChurchpresidentJohn Taylor called Smith to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. On October 27 of that year, he was ordained anapostle byWilford Woodruff, who at that time was thequorum president. Smith served in that capacity until the death of First Presidency memberJohn R. Winder in 1910; he was then asked by church presidentJoseph F. Smith to take Winder's place as a member of the First Presidency. John Henry Smith served in this capacity until his death the next year.
Smith was a prominentRepublican inUtah politics. In 1882, he was elected a member of theUtah Territorial Legislature. Smith was unanimously elected by the 107 delegates to be the Chair of the UtahConstitutional Convention that was held between March 4 and May 8, 1895. The result of the convention was a draftConstitution for the proposed State of Utah, which was accepted by theUnited States Congress in 1896 when Utah officially became a state of the United States.
Born inCarbunca, Iowa, Smith was the son of Sarah Ann Libby and LDS Churchapostle and First Presidency member,George A. Smith. He came west to Utah in a company co-led by his father in 1849, arriving inSalt Lake City on October 27, 1849. His mother died in 1851.
Smith practicedplural marriage and was the father of 19 children. One of his sons wasGeorge Albert Smith, who became an LDS apostle and served as the church's 8th president. Smith and George Albert Smith are the only father and son pair to have been members of the Quorum of the Twelve at the same time, serving together from 1903 to 1910. Smith was also the father ofNicholas G. Smith.
Smith's first wife, Sarah Farr, was the daughter ofLorin Farr, who was mayor ofOgden, Utah. Smith's second wife, Josephine Groesbeck, spent 1888 until 1896 in exile inManassa, Colorado, to avoid being called as a witness in a criminal unlawful cohabitation trial against Smith.[2]
Smith died of apulmonary hemorrhage in Salt Lake City[3] and was buried atSalt Lake City Cemetery.
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Second Counselor in theFirst Presidency April 7, 1911 – October 13, 1911 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles October 27, 1880 – April 7, 1910 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
