Joseph Smith’s Ancestors

Knowing Joseph Smith’s ancestors can help us understand him better. Regardless of what you believe or how you feel about Joseph Smith, if we are to judge him fairly, we need to have at least an idea of the family who raised and influenced him.

How does an understanding of our family members impact our ability to understand ourselves? What have you learned about yourself by studying your family history? I would encourage you to read the article “Why We Need Family History Now More Than Ever“¹ on Familysearch.org and consider what you can learn about yourself from your family history.

Joseph Smith’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, wrote a biography about Joseph Smith, and she included several chapters about Joseph Smith’s ancestors.

Her book was originally published with the title “Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations.”² A copy of this first edition can be obtained for free on Google Books. Later editions that contain annotations can be obtained as an ebook or paper at Deseret Book, Amazon, and many other booksellers. The original manuscripts can be seen on the Joseph Smith Papers website.³

Lucy’s book is a fascinating look at the early life of Joseph Smith. This post contains only a brief overview of what she wrote about herself, her husband Joseph Sr., her parents, and Joseph Sr.’s parents. This information is contained in the first 14 chapters of her book.

Lucy’s Parents (Joseph’s maternal grandparents)

Solomon Mack was born in Connecticut in 1735.⁴ His parents were fairly wealthy, but fell on hard times, and so Solomon lived with a neighboring family until he was almost 21, at which time he “enlisted in the service of his country.”⁵ He was discharged in 1759, and he then met Lydia Gates.

Solomon received a “large amount of money” for his service in the army, and he invested it by acquiring some land and entering into a contract to build a number of log houses. He injured his leg and hired someone to build the houses, but that person “ran away with the money, without performing the labor,” and Solomon lost the land and all his investment.

Solomon wrote a book about his life, and Lucy quotes several passages from that book that pertain to her mother. Lydia took charge of the education of their children, and she “was in the habit of calling them together both morning and evening, and teaching them to pray; meanwhile urging upon them the necessity of love toward each other, as well as devotional feelings towards Him who made them.”

Solomon enlisted in the military again in 1776. He saw another opportunity to invest by purchasing a ship, “but in consequence of storms and wrecks” he was forced to sell the ship, and he became “completely destitute.” Lucy finishes the account of her father with one final quote: “After this I determined to follow phantoms no longer, but devote the rest of my life to the service of God and my family.”

Joseph Smith Sr.’s Parents (Joseph’s paternal grandparents)⁶

Asael Smith was born in 1744 in Topsfield, Massachusetts.⁷ When Asael was 23, he married Mary Duty, and continued working on his family’s farm. By 1776, Asael and Mary had six children, but Asael nevertheless enlisted as a solder in the Revolutionary War. Later in his life, Asael wrote about his conviction to his new nation: “Bless God that you live in a land of liberty, and bear yourselves dutifully and conscionably towards the authority under which you live. See God’s providence in the appointment of the Federal Constitution, and hold union and order as a precious jewel.”⁸

Lucy says little about Asael, except that her brother knew him, and she said, “My brother frequently spoke to me of one Mr. Asael Smith, an intimate acquaintance of his, . . . a worthy, respectable, amiable, and intelligent family.”⁹ Asael was deeply religious. To his wife, he counseled, “Put your whole trust solely in him. . . . He never did nor never will forsake any that trusted in him.”¹⁰ To his children, he stressed daily reverence: “Do all to God in a serious manner. When you think of him, speak of him, pray to him, or in any way make your addresses to his great majesty, be in good earnest. Trifle not with his name nore with his attributes, nor call him to witness to anything but is absolute truth.”¹¹ Asael often said that he knew that God was going to raise up some branc of his family to be a great benefit to mankind. Near the end of Asael’s life, Joseph Smith Sr. visited his father with a copy of the Book of Mormon. John Smith, Asael’s son and Joseph Sr.’s brother, wrote of the visit: “After the usual salutations, inquiries, and explanations, the subject of the Book of Mormon was introduced. Father received with gladness that which Joseph [Sr.] communicated and remarked that he had always expected that something would appear to make known the true gospel.”¹²

Lucy Mack Smith (Joseph’s Mother)

Lucy was born in July 8, 1776, in New Hampshire. When she was 13 years old, her sister Lovina died, and Lucy relates the following: “The grief occasioned by the death of Lovina was preying upon my health and threatened my constitution with serious injury . . . . In the midst of this anxiety of mind, I determined to obtain that which I had heard spoken so much of from the pulpit—a change of heart. To accomplish this I spent much of my time reading the Bible and praying, but notwithstanding my great anxiety to experience a change of heart, another matter would always interpose in all my meditations—if I remain a member of no church, all religious people will say I am of the world, and if I join some one of the different denominations, all the rest will say I am in error. No church will admit that I am right except the one with which I am associated. This makes them witnesses against each other, and how can I decide in such a case as this, seeing they are all unlike the Church of Christ, as it existed in former days!”¹²

In about 1802, Lucy became severely ill, and the doctors believed she would die. She wrote, “I then looked to the Lord and begged and pleaded with him to spare my life in order that I might bring up my children and be a comfort to my husband. My mind was much agitated during the whole night. Sometimes I contemplated heaven and heavenly things, then my thoughts would turn upon those of earth—my babes and my companion. During this night I made a solemn covenant with God that if He would let me live I would endeavor to serve him according to the best of my abilities. Shortly after this I heard a voice say to me, ‘Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Let your heart be comforted; ye believe in God, believe also in me.’ In a few moments my mother came in and, looking upon me, she said, ‘Lucy, you are better.’ I replied, as my speech returned just at that instant, ‘Yes, mother, the Lord will let me live, if I am faithful to the promise which I made to him, to be a comfort to my mother, my husband, and my children.’ I continued to gain strength until I became quite well as to my bodily health, but my mind was considerably disquieted. It was wholly occupied upon the subject of religion. As soon as I was able I made all diligence in endeavoring to find someone who was capable of instructing me more perfectly in the way of life and salvation.”¹³

Joseph Smith Sr. (Joseph’s Father)

While they were living in Randolph, New Hampshire, Joseph Sr took all their money and invested in a business to export ginseng root to China. He made a deal with a ship captain to take his product and sell it, but the product didn’t sell, or as Lucy believes, the proceeds from the sale were stolen. Either way, the end result was that they lost most of their assets.¹⁴

In 1811, the family moved to Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Joseph Sr had a dream, which he told to Lucy and she recounted in her book: “‘I thought,’ said he, ‘I was traveling in an open, desolate field, which appeared to be very barren. As I was thus traveling, the thought suddenly came into my mind that I had better stop and reflect upon what I was doing, before I went any farther. So I asked myself, ‘What motive can I have in traveling here, and what place can this be?’ My guide, who was by my side, as before, said, ‘This is the desolate world; but travel on.’ The road was so broad and barren that I wondered why I should travel in it; for, said I to myself, ‘Broad is the road, and wide is the gate that leads to death, and many there be that walk therein; but narrow is the way, and strait is the gate that leads to everlasting life, and few there be that go in thereat.’ Traveling a short distance further, I came to a narrow path. This path I entered, and, when I had traveled a little way in it, I beheld a beautiful stream of water, which ran from the east to the west. Of this stream, I could see neither the source nor yet the mouth; but as far as my eyes could extend I could see a rope, running along the bank of it, about as high as a man could reach, and beyond me was a low, but very pleasant valley, in which stood a tree such as I had never seen before. It was exceedingly handsome, insomuch that I looked upon it with wonder and admiration. Its beautiful branches spread themselves somewhat like an umbrella, and it bore a kind of fruit, in shape much like a chestnut bur, and as white as snow, or, if possible, whiter. I gazed upon the same with considerable interest, and as I was doing so, the burs or shells commenced opening and shedding their particles, or the fruit which they contained, which was of dazzling whiteness. I drew near and began to eat of it, and I found it delicious beyond description. As I was eating, I said in my heart, ‘I cannot eat this alone, I must bring my wife and children, that they may partake with me.’ Accordingly, I went and brought my family, which consisted of a wife and seven children, and we all commenced eating and praising God for this blessing. We were exceedingly happy, insomuch that our joy could not easily be expressed. While thus engaged, I beheld a spacious building standing opposite the valley which we were in, and it appeared to reach to the very heavens. It was full of doors and windows, and they were all filled with people, who were very finely dressed. When these people observed us in the low valley, under the tree, they pointed the finger of scorn at us, and treated us with all manner of disrespect and contempt. But their contumely we utterly disregarded. I presently turned to my guide and inquired of him the meaning of the fruit that was so delicious. He told me it was the pure love of God, shed abroad in the hearts of all those who love him, and keep his commandments. He then commanded me to go and bring the rest of my children. I told him that we were all there. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘look yonder, you have two more, and you must bring them also.’ Upon raising my eyes, I saw two small children, standing some distance off. I immediately went to them, and brought them to the tree; upon which they commenced eating with the rest, and we all rejoiced together. The more we ate, the more we seemed to desire, until we even got down upon our knees and scooped it up, eating it by double handfuls. After feasting in this manner a short time, I asked my guide what was the meaning of the spacious building which I saw. He replied, ‘It is Babylon, it is Babylon, and it must fall. The people in the doors and windows are the inhabitants thereof, who scorn and despise the Saints of God because of their humility.’ I soon awoke, clapping my hands together for joy.”¹⁵

So What?

How does learning about Joseph Smith’s family help us understand him? It is clear that his parents and grandparents were deeply religious. They were looking for what they believed to be the true religion. They believed in dreams, visions, miracles, and lived their lives consistent with their beliefs. It seems consistent to me that Joseph Smith would follow the examples of his parents and grandparents in believing in God, seeking answers, trying to understand religion, and believing in visions.

The experiences and quotes in this post are a bare minimum. I would encourage you to read Lucy’s book to have a greater understanding of Joseph Smith’s ancestors, and to ponder how their lives might have influenced Joseph’s experiences.

References

1. Rachel Coleman, “Why We Need Family History Now More Than Ever,” familysearch.org, Sep. 26, 2017, https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/why-we-need-family-history-now-more-than-ever.
2. Lucy Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations, published for Orson Pratt by S. W. Richards, Liverpool, 1853.
3. Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, Page [1], bk. [1], p. [1], bk. [1], The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed Jul. 9, 2023, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/1; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845, p. 1, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed Jul. 9, 2023, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845/7.
4. “Mack, Solomon, Sr.,” The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed Jul. 9, 2023, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/solomon-mack-sr.
5. Lucy Mack Smith, The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, ebook published by Zions Camp Books, chapter 1. The remaining quotes about Solomon Mack are all contained in chapter 1.
6. Lucy doesn’t say much about her in-laws in her book. These references are to a book called Joseph Smith’s New England Heritage by Richard Lloyd Anderson.
7. Richard Lloyd Anderson, Joseph Smith’s New England Heritage, published by Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1971, page 91.
8. Anderson, Joseph Smith’s New England Heritage, 92.
9. Anderson, Joseph Smith’s New England Heritage, 102.
10. Anderson, Joseph Smith’s New England Heritage, 106.
11. Anderson, Joseph Smith’s New England Heritage, 106-107.
12. Smith, The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, chapter 8.
13. Smith, The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, chapter 10.
14. Smith, The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, chapter 11.
15. Smith, The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, chapter 13.