Joseph Smith III
| Joseph Smith III | |
|---|---|
| Prophet-President of the Church | |
| June 6, 1860 – December 10, 1914 | |
| Predecessor | Joseph Smith Jr. |
| Successor | Frederick M. Smith |
| Reason | Doctrine of Lineal succession |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 6, 1832 Kirtland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | December 10, 1914 (aged 82) Independence, Missouri, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mound Grove Cemetery 39°6′41.20″N 94°25′34.78″W / 39.1114444°N 94.4263278°W |
| Spouse(s) |
Emmeline Griswold
(m. 1856; died 1869)Bertha Madison
(m. 1869; died 1896)Ada R. Clark (m. 1898) |
| Children | 15 5 by Emmeline 7 by Bertha including Frederick M. Smith Israel Alexander Smith 3 by Ada including William Wallace |
| Parents | Joseph Smith Jr. Emma Hale Smith |
| Signature | |
Joseph Smith III (November 6, 1832 – December 10, 1914) was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith (founder of the Latter Day Saint movement) and Emma Hale Smith. Joseph Smith III was the Prophet-President of what became the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church), renamed Community of Christ in 2001, which considers itself a continuation of the church established by Smith's father in 1830. For fifty-four years until his own death, Smith presided over the church. Smith's moderate ideas and nature set much of the tone for the church's development, earning him the sobriquet of "the pragmatic prophet".