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Descendants Celebrate 200th Anniversary of Hyrum Smith’s Birth
An estimated 3,200 descendants of Hyrum Smith gathered at Temple Square on 13 February to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth. Some 2,300 descendants and other participants squeezed into the Assembly Hall with overflow crowds in the Tabernacle and the North Visitors’ Center.
Hyrum, loyal older brother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, was born on 9 February 1800. Four of the children born to Hyrum’s first wife, Jerusha Barden, survived to adulthood. After Jerusha died in childbirth, Hyrum married Mary Fielding, to whom two children were born. There are an estimated 31,000 living descendants of Hyrum Smith today. Among Hyrum’s posterity were two prophets: President Joseph F. Smith, his son, and President Joseph Fielding Smith, Hyrum’s grandson.
President Gordon B. Hinckley was among those who honored the early Church leader. “I’m not a descendant of Hyrum Smith,” he said, “But I’m a great admirer and one who loves the name of Hyrum.” Then he gave a charge to Hyrum’s posterity: “There rests upon you a tremendous and abiding responsibility to walk in the ways that Hyrum walked, with faith in the divinity of this work of the Lord, with love for this great cause, with respect for those who established it, and with resolution to do your part to strengthen it in whatever capacity you may be called to serve.”
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Eldred G. Smith, emeritus Patriarch to the Church—both second-great-grandsons of Hyrum Smith—also spoke. After noting that an estimated 6,000 of Hyrum’s descendants have served full-time missions, Elder Ballard said, “So upon the family of Hyrum Smith has rested a great responsibility of the carrying on of this great work.”
Elder Smith quoted from Hyrum’s patriarchal blessing: “‘The righteous shall rise up, and also thy children after thee, and say thy memory is just, that thou wert a just man and perfect in thy day.’” Certainly this gathering of thousands of his descendants was one fulfillment of that promise.
Among the items on display, courtesy of Elder Eldred Smith, were the clothes Hyrum wore when he was martyred on 27 June 1844 and Alvin Smith’s toolbox, used by the Prophet to hide the gold plates.
The meeting was conducted by Craig R. Frogley, a fourth-great-grandson of Hyrum, who noted that on 9 February 2000, a wreath had been placed by family members on the Hyrum Smith pylon in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. (Joseph, Emma, and Hyrum Smith are buried at the family homestead in Nauvoo, Illinois.)
Descendants Celebrate 200th Anniversary of Hyrum Smith’s Birth
Ensign, June 2000
An estimated 3,200 descendants of Hyrum Smith gathered at Temple Square on 13 February to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth. Some 2,300 descendants and other participants squeezed into the Assembly Hall with overflow crowds in the Tabernacle and the North Visitors’ Center.
Hyrum, loyal older brother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, was born on 9 February 1800. Four of the children born to Hyrum’s first wife, Jerusha Barden, survived to adulthood. After Jerusha died in childbirth, Hyrum married Mary Fielding, to whom two children were born. There are an estimated 31,000 living descendants of Hyrum Smith today. Among Hyrum’s posterity were two prophets: President Joseph F. Smith, his son, and President Joseph Fielding Smith, Hyrum’s grandson.
President Gordon B. Hinckley was among those who honored the early Church leader. “I’m not a descendant of Hyrum Smith,” he said, “But I’m a great admirer and one who loves the name of Hyrum.” Then he gave a charge to Hyrum’s posterity: “There rests upon you a tremendous and abiding responsibility to walk in the ways that Hyrum walked, with faith in the divinity of this work of the Lord, with love for this great cause, with respect for those who established it, and with resolution to do your part to strengthen it in whatever capacity you may be called to serve.”
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Eldred G. Smith, emeritus Patriarch to the Church—both second-great-grandsons of Hyrum Smith—also spoke. After noting that an estimated 6,000 of Hyrum’s descendants have served full-time missions, Elder Ballard said, “So upon the family of Hyrum Smith has rested a great responsibility of the carrying on of this great work.”
Elder Smith quoted from Hyrum’s patriarchal blessing: “‘The righteous shall rise up, and also thy children after thee, and say thy memory is just, that thou wert a just man and perfect in thy day.’” Certainly this gathering of thousands of his descendants was one fulfillment of that promise.
Among the items on display, courtesy of Elder Eldred Smith, were the clothes Hyrum wore when he was martyred on 27 June 1844 and Alvin Smith’s toolbox, used by the Prophet to hide the gold plates.
The meeting was conducted by Craig R. Frogley, a fourth-great-grandson of Hyrum, who noted that on 9 February 2000, a wreath had been placed by family members on the Hyrum Smith pylon in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. (Joseph, Emma, and Hyrum Smith are buried at the family homestead in Nauvoo, Illinois.)
Fireside to remember prophet’s older brother on his 200th birthday
By R. Scott Lloyd
Church News staff writer
Published: Saturday, Jan. 29, 2000
Hyrum Smith, faithful elder brother and companion to the Prophet Joseph Smith who suffered martyrdom with him at Carthage Jail in 1844, is being memorialized by his descendants on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of his birth Feb. 9, 1800.
The Hyrum Smith Family Association will conduct a fireside in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square in Salt Lake City Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. The public is invited.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve, a great-great-grandson, will be a featured speaker, as will Elder Eldred G. Smith, emeritus General Authority and a great- great-grandson.
The program will also include original music written by some of Hyrum Smith’s descendants to honor him.
In a conversation with the Church News, Elder Ballard acknowledged that he has spoken frequently in recent times about Hyrum Smith.
“I’m not going to let his name die,” he said with a chuckle.
Asked what some of the things are that Church members ought to remember about Hyrum Smith, Elder Ballard responded: “Apparently, one of the greatest attributes he had was that he was very compassionate. And he was one that was able to settle misunderstandings probably as effectively as anybody in the Church. In fact, Joseph Smith said that if Hyrum couldn’t resolve a dispute, even the angels of heaven couldn’t resolve it.
“And, of course, Joseph held Hyrum in very high esteem. When he was on the way to Carthage, he did everything he could to persuade Hyrum not to go. Hyrum’s great statement on that occasion has rung through the annals of time: ‘Joseph, I will not leave you.’ ”
Elder Ballard said Hyrum, who held the office of patriarch in the Church, filled the role of a second witness of the Restoration, adding that he took his place at the side of Joseph and that he “was an assistant president of the Church at the time.”
In a general conference talk of October 1991, Elder Ballard remarked: “Hyrum Smith, older brother, friend and mentor to the Prophet, showed absolute, unequivocal love, loyalty and allegiance to the Lord and to his younger brother Joseph. Their brotherhood may be unsurpassed. The scriptures tell us, ‘In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!’ (D&C 135:3.)”
Later, at October 1995 general conference, Elder Ballard observed: “Clearly, Hyrum Smith was one of the firm pillars of the Restoration. But sadly, many Church members know little about him except that he was martyred with his brother in Carthage Jail. That is significant, but he did far more. Indeed, Joseph Smith himself once suggested that his followers would do well to pattern their lives after Hyrum’s.”
And on July 4, 1999, just before dedicating a new bronze statue to Hyrum Smith in the town that was named for him, Hyrum, Utah, Elder Ballard said Hyrum’s life provides a great example of love and service, exemplified by the tender care he showed at the age of 13 to his then-7-year-old brother Joseph, who had contracted typhoid fever resulting in a badly diseased leg.
“Hyrum lived as he believed, and he believed in a gospel of service to family, to Church, and to the community. Part of his quiet service came as a peacemaker even though the violent winds of tribulation and persecution constantly raged around him. He was the first to extend a hand of friendship to a visitor, the first to attempt to moderate a dispute, the first to forgive an enemy.”
200th Birthday Celebration of Hyrum Smith
The 200th Birthday Celebration of Hyrum Smith will be held on February 13, 2000 in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square at 7:00 p.m. Elder M. Russell Ballard will speak and there will be a segment aimed especially for children so this is a family affair. We need to get this info out to as many of Hyrum’s descendants as we can. So let everyone in your families know.
Mary Donoho
See also Elder M. Russell Ballard Speaks at BYU Devotional – January 18, 2000, and in the Deseret News.
The text from the Hyrum Smith 200th Birthday Celebration on February 13, 2000 is now available online!