biography
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1805–44)
|
| biography:
| Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), born in Sharon, Vermont, USA. He received his first ‘call’ as a prophet at Manchester, New York, in 1820. Later he was told of a sacred religious record on golden plates, with two stones which should help to translate it, and in 1827 this was delivered into his hands. In the Book of Mormon (1830), Christ is said to have appeared and established his Church in the New World. Smith claimed to have received authority from St John the Baptist and the apostles to be the instrument of the Church's re-establishment. Despite ridicule and hostility, the new Church rapidly gained converts. He founded Nauvoo, IL, in 1840, becoming mayor. Violence followed events surrounding his announcement as a candidate for the US presidency. He was imprisoned for conspiracy, and killed by a mob which broke into a jail in Carthage, IL, where he and his brother Hyram were awaiting trial. |
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