Alexander Hale Smith (1838-1909)

Biography
Alexander Hale Smith, son of the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith (1805-1844) and his wife Emma Hale (1804-1879). Senior leader of the RLDS Church, opponent of polygamy.

Alexander Hale Smith (June 2, 1838 – August 12, 1909) was the third surviving son of Joseph Smith and Emma Hale Smith. Smith was born in Far West, Missouri, and was named after Alexander Doniphan, who had once refused an extermination order to execute Joseph Smith, then had acted as Joseph's defense attorney during Joseph's incarceration at Liberty Jail. [2] Alexander eventually became a senior leader of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church, now Community of Christ). Smith served as an apostle and as Presiding Patriarch of the church. He became religiously inclined after the April 1862 death of his older brother Frederick G. W. Smith (b. 1836), who had not been baptized,[3] and was baptized on May 25, 1862, in Nauvoo, Illinois, by another older brother, Joseph Smith III.

Alexander was ordained an apostle on April 10, 1873,[4] and "served a mission to the Pacific Slope"[3] with David Hyrum Smith in 1875. He was ordained president of the Council of Twelve on April 15, 1890, at Lamoni, Iowa. He was called to be a counselor to his brother, Joseph Smith III, and also a patriarch and evangelical minister on April 12, 1897.[5] He went on a mission to Australia, Hawaii, and the Society Islands in 1901. Smith was a partner in a photograph gallery before becoming a carpenter.[3]

Father's Letter 1838
12 November 1838 Letter from his father, Joseph, at Liberty Jail written to Emma. First part of letter mentions trials at the jail, second part asks Emma to relay instructions to their children: ''rejoice that we are counted worthy to be persicuted for christ sake, tell little Joseph, he must be a good boy, and Father loves him a perfect love, he is the Eldest must not hurt  those that smaller then him, but cumfort  them tell little Frederick, Father, loves him,  with all his heart, he is a lovely boy. Julia is a lovely little girl, I love her also She is a promising child, tell her Father wants her to remember him and be a  good girl, tell all the rest that I think  of them and pray for them all. Br Babbit is waitting to carry our letters,  for us the colonal  is inspecting them  therefore my time is short little baby  Elexander  is on my mind continualy  Oh my affectionate Emma, I want you  to remember that I am  true and faithful  friend, to you and the chilldren, forever,  my heart is intwined around you[r]s forever,  and ever, Oh may God bless you all  amen. you I am your husband and am in bonds and tribulation &c.''

1915 Life Sketch
A History of Decatur County, Iowa, published in 1915, provides many details about his life and his personality:

He loved the wide outdoors, land and water and sky, and delighted in athletic sports, holding a record in his younger days as one of the best skaters and one of the two surest shots in the community. Of the nine children born to him, one daughter, Mrs. Grace Madison, died and is buried in San Bernardino, California, and one son, Don A., is buried at Lamoni. The second daughter, Mrs. Ina I. Wright, lived at Avalon, New South Wales, Australia, and Mrs. Coral Horner lived near Davis City, Iowa, she spent the later years of her life with her husband in Ronan, Montana. Mrs. Emma Kennedy and the youngest sons, Joseph G. and Arthur M., resided at Independence, Missouri, while the oldest children, Fred A. and Mrs. Heman C. Smith, were residents of Lamoni, where the widow still lived in their home on the south side.

Marriage and Family

 * 1) Frederick Alexander Smith (1862-1954)
 * 2) Vida Elizabeth Smith (1865-1945)
 * 3) Ina Inez Smith (1866-1945)
 * 4) Emma Belle Smith (1869-1960)
 * 5) Don Alvin Smith (1871-1904)
 * 6) Eva Grace Smith (1874-1893)
 * 7) Joseph George Smith (1877-1936)
 * 8) Arthur Marion Smith (1880-1965)
 * 9) Coral Cecil Rebekah Smith (1882-1968)