John Smith

Mormon Pioneer

"...In April of 1848, I started with the family for Great Salt Lake. It was rather a hard journey, as we did not have team enough. I remember I had to drive a team composed of wild steers, cows and oxen, with two wagons tied together, and, before we had gone over two miles, a wagon tongue broke and we had to camp for the night. On the way over the plains I broke several yoke of cows and steers to work, and had to take a man's place, standing guard at night and in the day time, noon, etc. I had to be the boy who brought the wood and water, herded the cows, and assisted to double teams over bad places, up hills, etc. On one occasion a circumstance occurred, which I shall never forget. At about sundown, while we were encamped on the Platte River, it was reported that a woman was lost. Without ceremony I took my coat on my arm and a piece of corn bread in my hand, and started out up the road, to follow a part of the company which had left us at noon. I had not gone far when I came up with a dead carcass, which was covered with wolves, fighting and howling. I walked past as fast and as quietly as possible. I travelled six miles before I came up with any wagons. During this distance I passed about twenty such frightful scenes. I got through safe and I think unnoticed by the wolves. I stopped for the balance of the night with an aquaintance. At daybreak I proceeded on my journey and found the lost woman, safe with her mother, a little after sunrise, six miles from where I stayed for the night.

On the 22nd of September, my 16th birthday, I drove five wagons down the "Big Mountain," east of Salt Lake City. It was dark long before I got into camp with the last wagon. On the way one wheel of my wagon ran into a tree about fifteen inches through, and I had to lie on my back and chop the tree down with a dull ax before I could go any further. At about 11 p.m. on the 23rd of September, 1848, we arrived in Great Salt Lake Valley..."

SOURCE: Smith, John, Autobiography, 4-5, reel 3, in University of California (Berkeley) Bancroft Library, Utah and the Mormons collection. Retrieved online from: http://lds.org/churchhistory/library/source/1,18016,4976-5522,00.html

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Patriarch to the Church of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and son of Hyrum Smith. His father Hyrum as well as his grandfather Joseph Smith Sr. were also called to this position.
His mother died when he was five, his father killed at Carthage, Illinois when he was twelve, he made the trek west with the family of Apostle Heber C. Kimball.
He was also for a time in charge of helping the Mormon emigration to Utah, as well as serving a mission to Scandanavia. After this time he was fully engaged in traveling to Mormon settlements as Patriarch. He was also able to attend the Centenial of the Prophet Joseph Smith's birth in Vermont with his half-brother President Joseph F. Smith.

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via daughter Lucy Davis (born Smith) by SmartCopy: Nov 28 2015, 17:46:21 UTC