Joseph SmithJoseph Smith Jr. was born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, to Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith. Growing up in a family of eleven children, he worked on the family farm in Vermont and later in western New York. In 1820, at the age of fourteen, he rported experiencing a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, which he described as the First Vision. ​In 1823, Smith claimed that an angel named Moroni directed him to buried golden plates inscribed with a religious history of ancient American civilizations. He said he translated these plates into English, publishing the Book of Mormon in 1830. That same year, he founded the Church of Christ, later known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, attracting a growing number of followers. ​Facing persecution, Smith led his followers to establish communities in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. In 1839, they founded the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, where Smith served as both a spiritual and political leader. His life was cut short on June 27, 1844, when he and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob while imprisoned in Carthage, Illinois, marking a pivotal moment in the history of the Latter-day Saint movement. Read More Read Less