Biographical Summary:

"...Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844) was born December 23, 1805, the fifth of eleven children of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. "I was born . . . of goodly parents," said Joseph, "who spared no pains to instruct me in the Christian religion." His parents stressed personal religion and encouraged Joseph to seek his "soul's salvation" in Jesus Christ.

Joseph Smith's parents loved the Lord. Lucy eventually joined one of the local churches, but continued to search for something more. "I therefore determined," said Lucy, "to examine my Bible, and, taking Jesus and his disciples for my guide, to endeavor to obtain from God which man could neither give nor take away."

Joseph's father, Joseph Smith Sr., found peace in Bible study and seeking God in prayer. Under his leadership, the family met morning and evening for prayer, hymns, and scripture reading. At times Joseph Sr. taught his children "in his own home school and used the Bible as a text."

The devotion to God that Joseph saw in his parents strengthened his confidence and faith to seek divine truth..."

SOURCE: http://www.josephsmith.net

Wikipedia Biographical Summary

"...Joseph Smith, Jr. (December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844) was the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, a group of churches whose adherents regard him as a prophet. During the late 1820s he became the leader of a small group of followers who believed that an angel had given him a book of golden plates containing a religious history of ancient American peoples. Smith said he had translated the writing on the plates from an unknown language into English; and in 1830, he published the translation as the Book of Mormon and organized what he said was a restoration of the early Christian church..."

"...Smith's followers revere him, regarding his revelations as scripture. His teachings include unique views about the nature of godhood, cosmology, family structures, political organization, and religious collectivism. His legacy includes a number of religious denominations, which collectively claim a growing membership of nearly 14 million worldwide..."

"...Joseph Smith, Jr. was born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont to Lucy Mack Smith and her husband Joseph..."

"...he met Emma Hale and, on January 18, 1827, eloped with her because her parents disapproved of the match..."

"...Smith and his brother Hyrum were held in Carthage Jail on controversial charges of treason. On the 27th of June, 1844 an armed group with blackened faces stormed the jail and killed Hyrum instantly with a shot to the face. Smith fought back with a pepper-box pistol that had been smuggled into the prison but was shot while jumping from a window, then shot and killed as he lay on the ground. Smith was buried in Nauvoo...."

"...He is widely seen as one of the most religiously-inventive and charismatic figures of American history..."

SOURCE: Wikipedia contributors, 'Joseph Smith, Jr.', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 14 January 2011, 15:52 UTC, <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith,_Jr.&oldid=407855515> [accessed 14 January 2011]

Wikipedia Summary of Joseph Smith's Family

Smith legally wed Emma Hale Smith in 1826. She gave birth to seven children, the first three of whom (a boy Alvin in 1828 and twins Thaddeus and Louisa on 30 April 1831) died shortly after birth. When the twins died, the Smiths adopted twins, Julia and Joseph, whose mother had recently died in childbirth. (Joseph died of measles in 1832.) Joseph and Emma Smith had four sons who lived to maturity: Joseph Smith III (November 6, 1832), Frederick Granger Williams Smith (June 29, 1836), Alexander Hale Smith (June 2, 1838), and David Hyrum Smith (November 17, 1844, born after Joseph's death). As of 2010, DNA testing has provided no evidence that Smith fathered any children from women other than Emma.

SOURCE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith,_Jr.

Plural Marriages:

Many historians indicate that Joseph Smith introduced plural marriage (polygamy), Polygamy was later publicly practiced by Brigham Young and other early Mormons. This practice was discontinued by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints in 1890.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_wives_of_Joseph_Smith,_Jr.

Website:

http://www.josephsmith.net

Additional References

BIRTH: Dean C. Jessee, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (Deseret Book. Copyright 1984), Appendix B. Chronology.

BIRTH: J. Christopher Conkling, Joseph Smith Chronology (Deseret Book. Copyright 1979), 1. Repository: Call Number: ISBN: 0877477345.

RELATIONSHIPS: Smith legally wed Emma Hale Smith in 1826. She gave birth to seven children, the first three of whom (a boy Alvin in 1828 and twins Thaddeus and Louisa on 30 April 1831) died shortly after birth. When the twins died, the Smiths adopted twins, Julia and Joseph,[439] whose mother had recently died in childbirth. (Joseph died of measles in 1832.)[440] Joseph and Emma Smith had four sons who lived to maturity: Joseph Smith III (November 6, 1832), Frederick Granger Williams Smith (June 29, 1836), Alexander Hale Smith (June 2, 1838), and David Hyrum Smith (November 17, 1844, born after Joseph's death). SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith_Jr.#Family_and_descendants

MARRIAGES: http://en.fairmormon.org/Joseph_Smith/Polygamy/Marriages_to_young_women

DEATH: Dean C. Jessee, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (Deseret Book. Copyright 1984), Appendix B. Chronology.

HISTORIC SITES: A list of historic sites relating to Joseph Smith can be found here. They include locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois.

-------------------- Founder & Leader of The LDS Church.