Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources: Hyrum Smith

Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources: Hyrum Smith, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources (2025)

Hyrum Smith, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources (2025)

Hyrum Smith

(1800–44)

Hyrum Smith, an older brother of Joseph Smith Jr., was born in Tunbridge, Vermont. Hyrum married Jerusha Barden in 1826. He was baptized by Joseph Smith in June 1829, was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, and was one of the six original members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized on 6 April 1830. Several early revelations were directed to him (Doctrine and Covenants 11; 23). He moved with the Saints to Kirtland, Ohio, in 1831. In 1831–1832, he was called by revelation to serve missions (Doctrine and Covenants 52:8; 75:32). In 1834 he marched from Ohio to Missouri as part of the Camp of Israel (see Doctrine and Covenants 103:39).

Shortly after the death of his first wife in 1837, he married Mary Fielding. Also in 1837, he was appointed second counselor in the First Presidency (see Doctrine and Covenants 115:1). He migrated to Missouri in 1838. That winter, he was imprisoned with Joseph Smith and others in the jail at Liberty, Missouri. He subsequently moved to Nauvoo, Illinois.

Hyrum succeeded his father as Church patriarch in 1840. In January 1841, a revelation released Hyrum from his position as a counselor and named him a prophet, seer, and revelator in the First Presidency (Doctrine and Covenants 124:91–96). Hyrum was martyred with his brother in Carthage, Illinois, in June 1844 (Doctrine and Covenants 135). Hyrum was among the notable men his son Joseph F. Smith saw in the spirit world in his 1918 revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 138:53).

References in the Doctrine and Covenants

Doctrine and Covenants 11, 23, 53, 75, 94, 103, 111, 112, 115, 124, 135, 138