Aftermath of the Martyrdom: Aspirants to the Mantle of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Title

Aftermath of the Martyrdom: Aspirants to the Mantle of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Publication Type

Journal Article

Year of Publication

2024

Journal

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Pagination

335–402

Volume

62

Publisher

The Interpreter Foundation

Abstract

In the weeks, months, and years following the murders of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, several aspirants stepped forward to claim the mantle of the prophet. Who were these individuals with claims to the leadership of the church? What were their motives? How were these men able to inspire large numbers of saints to follow them? What became of their efforts and how are their works manifest in the present day? The reasons that members or prospective members chose or rejected the claims of these aspirants are examined, as are the churches of the organizations that were established by them. That study is augmented by a discussion of where these religious “expressions” subsequently gathered and the status of those entities today.

Subject Keywords

Prophetic Succession
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Rigdon, Sidney
Young, Brigham
Wight, Lyman
Strang, James
Smith, William
Latter-day Saint History (1847-1893)

Bibliographic Citation

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