The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-06-26
ELIAS SMITH.

Judge Elias Smith, one Of the most
widely known of all men who have led
public lives in Utah, died at his home
In this city, at about $40 on Sunday
morning. He had been al invalid for
years, but had been confined to his
room only about seven days previous
to his death. Below we give q brief
synopsis of his life. To do the subject
justice would require volume: 81
Elias Smith was born aeptembar 9Th. 1904,
III k0ys!ton, windsor County, Vermont.
In 1909, his father emigrated 10 the town of
stockholm, St Lawrence County, New
York, where he spent several years. This
portion OF the State vas bowling wilder
ness at that date, and he had no Cd.
portunities for study, but such IS there
was, he made thu most of puring his
youth he assisted his father on the farm
and soon after he attained his majority he
entered pablo life, holding Ya,ious offices
of trust in the town, where he also taught
prophet, was his first cousin, and Il was but
natural that the latter should draw around
him those of his relatives. He joined the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
at the age of 81, being baptized August Z7Lh,
1885 by his cousin, Hyrum Smith. I'm
Elias Smith taught school at Kirt
lard, out in the latter part of 1887,
the great apostaoy occurred a. Kirkland
when s2vera! Of the original twelve and two
Of the witnesses OF the Book of Mormon
sought to divide the Church The prophet
Hyrum Sidney Rigdon. Brigham Young and
others of the leaders fed from Kirkland to
save their lives, while a company of over
600 OF the faithful was organized to follow
them to Far West The diseased
nf tho O ir,C oe
petition. They left Kirkland about the 9TH
or 9th OF July, and arrive at Far West on
the End of october. From Far West they
went to Adamondi Amman where they dis
banded He was with the saints during all
the trou blous times that now form SO impor-
tant a part in the history of the Church
and was one of last that left Fer West
After the reno al into Illinois, Judge
Smith settled at Nashville, Lee County,
Seasons. and the NGauOO NeighbOr. After
the martyrdOm of mis- cousins. Joseph and
Hvrum, he followed the leadership OF
Brigham Young, with his family, taktnG;
S Npuvo6 the in piq Mse sjS Journey Nba fF eo
of the Mormon battalion, however,
hindered this, and it was 1851 before he
reached Utah He was elected to the office
of probate judge of Salt Lake County in the
same year, and he held that position up till
1882. Judge Smith, continues Tullidge,
has eminently filled the most i'm
portant judicial sphere in Utah, the
probate courts, being, until the
Mexican period, practically the courts of
justice for the people" Besides his judicial
career, Judge Smith has filed other i'm
portant csllings. He was business mana
ger of the DeSeret Mems, for a time, and was
also postmaster from July, 1854, until 1858.
In 1886, he became editor Of the DeSeret
Nous. and flied that position until 1868. In
1862, he was member of the Constitutional
convention and one OF the committee who
drafted the Constitution for the state. His
general history is the history OF the people.
IN his private capacity he was universally
respected; in his public life, he WIS without
an enemy.
The funeral services will be held in
the Seventeenth Ward, Wednesday
morning at IL O'Clock.