Get to know Lucy Mack Smith

Lucy Mack Smith was born in 1776 to the deeply religious home of Solomon Mack and Lydia Gates. They had four children.

Lucy married Joseph Smith Sr. In 1796 and they had 10 children: Alvin, Hyrum, Sophronia, Joseph Jr., Samuel, Ephraim, William, Kathrine, Don Carlos, and Lucy.

Lucy felt the importance of religion with her family. She took it upon herself to read the scriptures as a family and help her children come closer to God. It was through these efforts of Lucy that her son Joseph Smith Jr. was reading and studying the scriptures and was urged to ask God his questions.

Lucy joined the Presbyterian Church in Palmyra with her three oldest children. She wanted their father to join too, but he would not.

She felt compelled to find the one true church and quickly converted to The Church of Jesus Christ and believed her son when he saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ.

Lucy was an eye witness account to the events of the restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She said she hefted the gold plates and handled the Urim and Thummim. You can read about that here.

Lucie led a group of Saints from Fayette, New York to Kirtland Ohio in 1831, and it’s the coolest story! You can read about it here.

Lucy accompanied her son Hyrum Smith on a mission and gave a power testimony of the restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The Saints of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints loved Lucy Mack Smith and affectionately called her “Mother Smith.”

Lucy Mack Smith was crushed when her two son’s Joseph and Hyrum were killed and in that same summer Samuel Smith passed away from complications from bringing the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum back to Nauvoo. Lucy lost three son’s within a couple month in 1844.

When the majority of Church members migrated west to Salt Lake in 1846, Lucy chose not to go with the rest of the Saints. Her health was declining and she chose to stay with her family in Nauvoo. She stayed with her daughter Lucy Millinkin, her daughter-in-law Emma Smith and her grandchildren.

Lucy Mack Smith passed away in 1856, she is buried next to her husband Joseph Smith Sr. in the Smith Family Cemetery in Nauvoo.

Lucy Mack Smith also has a pretty amazing connection to the Michigan Temple. Read about it here: Lucy Mack Smith connection to the Detroit Michigan Temple.