Heritage Gateways
Official Sesquicentennial K-12 Education Projectsponsored by the Utah State Board of Education, the BYU-Public School Partnership and the Utah Education Network
Pioneer Student Work
Pioneer: Joseph F. Smith (Jennifer - 4th Grade)
Image courtesy of: Heritage Gateway Project Images, These images have been gathered to support the Sesquicentennial celebration of the immigration to Utah.
Joseph F. Smith was born Nov. 13, 1838 at Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri. In 1844 his father, Hyrum Smith, was murdered by a mob in a Carthage, Illinois, jail. He was named after his father's brother, the Prophet Joseph Smith, leader of the Mormon Church, who was also killed in the attack. At the age of nine, Joseph helped his mother and sister cross the plains, guiding the animals over many dangerous trails. They came to the Salt Lake Valley on September 23, 1848. He had great courage and learned to sacrifice and persevere because he had no father to help in crossing the plains. Later in his life he became the president of the Mormon Chruch. He accomplished many important things in his life.