Abraham O. Smoot
| Abraham O. Smoot | |
|---|---|
Photo of A. O. Smoot by C. R. Savage.
|
|
| Born |
Abraham Owen Smoot February 17, 1815 Owenton, Kentucky |
| Died | March 6, 1895 Provo, Utah |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Thompson McMeans Sarah Gibbens Emily Hill Diana Caroline Tanner Eldredge Anne Kirstine Mauritzen Hannah Caroline Rogers |
Abraham Owen Smoot (February 17, 1815 – March 6, 1895) was a Mormon pioneer in Kentucky who eventually moved to Utah. He was a businessman and politician, elected as the second mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah (1856 to 1862); and mayor of Provo, Utah, where he served from 1868 to 1881. There he was an early financial supporter of Brigham Young Academy, which developed into a college and Brigham Young University (BYU).
Smoot was among early leaders of the LDS Church who had polygamous marriages, eventually marrying six women and having 27 children, three of whom were adopted. He also was among prominent leaders in Utah who were slaveholders.
Abraham Owen Smoot was born on February 17, 1815 in Owenton, Kentucky, the son of George W. Smoot and Ann (née Rowlett) Smoot. His family moved twice in his childhood, first to southwestern Kentucky and then to the banks of the Blood River in Tennessee. His mother converted to Mormonism in 1833, and he followed her at the age of 20 in March 1835.
In February 1836, Smoot was ordained an Elder and began preaching in Kentucky and Tennessee with Wilford Woodruff, David W. Patten, and others. Woodruff would later marry Smoot's niece. He named a son, Abraham Owen Woodruff, after Smoot.
Smoot moved to western Missouri in 1837. From there he embarked on a five-month proselytizing mission to southern Missouri and Arkansas in 1838. After participating in the Missouri Mormon War, Smoot moved to Montrose, Iowa. In August 1841, he left to preach in South Carolina, returning in July 1842. He led a branch of the church in Keokuk, Iowa. In 1844, he served another mission in Alabama. Smoot eventually served nine proselyting missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in addition to two terms as ward bishop.
...
Wikipedia