John Smith (uncle of Joseph Smith)

John Smith

4th Presiding Patriarch

January 1, 1849 – May 23, 1854

Called by

Brigham Young

Assistant Counselor in the First Presidency

September 3, 1837 – June 27, 1844

Called by

Joseph Smith, Jr.

End reason

First Presidency dissolved upon death of Joseph Smith, Jr.

Personal details

Born

July 16, 1781
Derryfield, New Hampshire, United States

Died

May 23, 1854 (aged 72)
Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States

John Smith (July 16, 1781 – May 23, 1854), known as Uncle John, was an early leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Smith was the younger brother of Joseph Smith, Sr., uncle of Joseph Smith, Jr. and Hyrum Smith, father of George A. Smith, grandfather of John Henry Smith, and great-grandfather of George Albert Smith. He served as a member of the first presiding high council in Kirtland, Ohio, an assistant counselor in the First Presidency under Joseph Smith, and as Presiding Patriarch under Brigham Young. He was succeeded as Presiding Patriarch by his great nephew, who was also named John Smith.

Smith served as president of the stake in Lee County, Iowa during the Nauvoo period. He was also the first president of the Salt Lake Stake, the first stake in Utah Territory, and as such was the leader of the Latter-day Saints in Utah in the winter of 1847–48.

Smith practiced plural marriage and fathered four children.

Smith died at Salt Lake City and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Monument to four generations of a branch of the Smith family, prominent in LDS history
Back of monument
Headstone of John Smith

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles
Preceded by William Smith	Presiding Patriarch January 1, 1849–May 23, 1854	Succeeded by John Smith
Church of the Latter Day Saints titles Later renamed: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (1838)
First	Assistant Counselor in the First Presidency September 3, 1837 (1837-09-03)–June 27, 1844 (1844-06-27) With: Oliver Cowdery Hyrum Smith Joseph Smith, Sr. Amasa Lyman: (Counselor)	Vacant First Presidency reorganized Title next held by Joseph F. Smith as "Counselor"

Members of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Presidents of
the Church

J. Smith, Jr. (1830–44)
Young (1847–77)
Taylor (1880–87)
Woodruff (1889–98)
Snow (1898–1901)
J.F. Smith, Sr. (1901–18)
Grant (1918–45)
G.A. Smith (1945–51)
McKay (1951–70)
J.F. Smith, Jr. (1970–72)
Lee (1972–73)
Kimball (1973–85)
Benson (1985–94)
Hunter (1994–95)
Hinckley (1995–2008)
Monson (2008–)

First Counselors

Gause (1832)
Rigdon (1832–44)
Kimball (1847–68)
G.A. Smith (1868–75)
J.W. Young (1876–77)
Cannon (1880–1901)
J.F. Smith, Sr. (1901)
Winder (1901–10)
Lund (1910–21)
Penrose (1921–25)
Ivins (1925–34)
Clark (1934–51; 1959–61)
S.L. Richards (1951–59)
Moyle (1961–63)
Brown (1963–70)
Lee (1970–72)
Tanner (1972–82)
Romney (1972–85)
Hinckley (1985–95)
Monson (1995–2008)
Eyring (2008–)

Second Counselors

Rigdon (1832)
Williams (1833–37)
H. Smith (1837–41)
Law (1841–44)
W. Richards (1847–54)
Grant (1854–56)
Wells (1857–77)
J.F. Smith, Sr. (1880–1901)
Clawson (1901)
Lund (1901–10)
J.H. Smith (1910–11)
Penrose (1911–21)
Ivins (1921–25)
Nibley (1925–31)
Clark (1933–34; 1951–59)
McKay (1934–51)
Moyle (1959–61)
Brown (1961–63)
Tanner (1963–72)
Romney (1972–82)
Hinckley (1982–85)
Monson (1985–95)
Faust (1995–2007)
Eyring (2007–08)
Uchtdorf (2008–)

Additional
Counselors

Assistant Counselors	Cowdery (1837–38) H. Smith (1837) John Smith (1837–44) J. Smith, Sr. (1837–40) J.W. Young (1874–76) Cannon (1874–77) B. Young, Jr. (1874–77) Snow (1874–77) Carrington (1874–77)

Counselors	Lyman (1843–44) J.F. Smith, Sr. (1866–77) J.W. Young (1873–77) Cannon (1873–74) B. Young, Jr. (1873–74) Snow (1873–74) Carrington (1873–74) Isaacson (1965–70) J.F. Smith, Jr. (1965–70) Dyer (1968–70) Hinckley (1981–82)

Third Counselors	Brown (1961)

Members of the First Presidency of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Community of Christ)

Pre-succession crisis

President	J. Smith, Jr. (1830–44)

Counselors	Gause (1832) Rigdon (1832–44) Williams (1833–37) H. Smith (1837–41) Law (1841–44)

Assistant/Other Counselors	Cowdery (1837–38) H. Smith (1837) John Smith (1837–44) J. Smith, Sr. (1837–40) Lyman (1843–44)

Post reorganization

Prophet-Presidents	J. Smith III (1860–1914) F.M. Smith (1915–46) I.A. Smith (1946–58) W.W. Smith (1958–78) W.B. Smith (1978–96) McMurray (1996–2005) Veazey (2005–)

Counselors	Marks (1863–72) Blair (1873–96) D. Smith (1873–85) Evans (1902–09) F.M. Smith (1902–15) E. Smith (1909–38) McDowell (1922–38) I.A. Smith (1938–46) Curry (1938–46) Garver (1946–49) Edwards (1946–66) W.W. Smith (1950–58) Draper (1946–78) Couey (1966–82) Sheehy (1978–2000) Tyree (1982–92) McMurray(1992–96) Robinson (2000–07) Judd (2000–05) Schaal (2005–12) Becky L. Savage (2007–) K. Scott Murphy (2013–)

Presiding Patriarchs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Joseph Smith, Sr. (1833–40) Hyrum Smith (1840–44) William Smith (1845) "Uncle" John Smith (1849–54) John Smith (1855–1911) Hyrum G. Smith (1912–32) Nicholas G. Smith (1932–34) Frank B. Woodbury (1934–37) George F. Richards (1937–42) Joseph Fielding Smith (1942–46) Eldred G. Smith (1947–79)