George A. Smith Family Papers (Ms 36)
The George A. Smith Family Papers (1731-1968) contains documents relating to several members of the Smith family,
including George A. Smith (1817-1875), Elias Smith (1804-1888), John Henry Smith (1848-1911), George Albert Smith (1870-1951),
Lucy Emily Woodruff Smith (1869-1937), and Emily Smith Stewart (1895-1973), and their affiliation with the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The principle body of the collection, however, are the papers of George Albert Smith,
eighth president of the LDS Church. These papers result mainly from his church and civic duties before becoming president in
1945. In the years leading up to this position, George Albert was employed by Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution, was
ordained a member of the Quorum of the Seventy and later a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was receiver for the
United States Land Office, presided over the European Mission, was general superintendent of the Young Men's mutual
Improvement Association, was a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, and was chairman of the
"This is the Place" Monument Commission, along with other duties. Included in his papers are letterpress books,
correspondence, journals, appointment books, reports, programs, biographical sketches, directories, rosters, and bulletins.
The collection as a whole also contains genealogical documents, patriarchal blessings, ecclesiastical and legal documents,
wills, railroad passes, temple records, real estate surveys and certificates, biographies and autobiographies, handbooks, and
speeches, as well as business documents dealing with the general affairs of the church. In addition to these documents there
is also a small amount of material from the Woodruff, Farr, and Chase families, ancestors to the George A. Smith family. An
indexed register is available.