John Lyman Smith

John Lyman Smith (November 17, 1828 – February 21, 1898) was an American politician and Mormon missionary. He served as a member of the House of Representatives for Iron County, Utah, in the Utah territorial legislature from 1852 to 1853, and for Great Salt Lake County, Utah, from 1853 to 1855. Cousin of the founder of the Latter Day Saint Movement, Joseph Smith, Smith was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), who traveled to the Salt Lake Valley with his family and other Mormon pioneers in 1846. His father, John Smith, served as the fourth Presiding Patriarch for the LDS Church from 1847 to 1854. Additionally, he served two missions as the mission president for the LDS Church in Switzerland and Italy from May 1855 to June 1858 and September 1860 to December 1863, respectively. After his missions, he served in various civic and ecclesiastical positions in Utah.

Biography John Lyman Smith was born on November 17, 1828, in Potsdam, New York, to Clarissa Lyman and John Smith, brother of Joseph Smith Sr. Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, was Smith's cousin. Smith and his family traveled with the Saints from Ohio, to Missouri, to Nauvoo, Illinois, throughout his youth to avoid violence and religious persecution. Despite the frequent moves, Smith attended school and worked jobs that he could find. In 1834, he joined the Nauvoo Legion before the death of his cousin Joseph Smith in 1844. In 1851, Smith was asked to help settle Parowan, Utah.

Smith served two missions for the LDS Church in Switzerland and Italy from May 1855 to June 1858 and September 1860 to December 1863. He served as mission president. He learned to speak German for his missions.

Family John Lyman Smith married Augusta Bowen Cleveland. Cleveland was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 7, 1828, to John and Sarah Maritta Cleveland. With Cleveland, Smith had eight children. Smith married a plural wife, Mary Adelia Haight, on March 2, 1853. With Haight, Smith had two sons; they were killed in an industrial accident in 1882.