This biographical sketch is adapted from the LDS
Biographical Encyclopedia.
Hyrum Gibbs Smith, the fifth presiding Patriarch of
the Church, was born July 8, 1879, in South Jordan, Salt Lake county, Utah,
the son of Hyrum Fisher Smith and Annie M. Gibbs. He was blessed and named
by his grandfather, Patriarch John Smith,
Oct. 14, 1879. When about a year old his parents moved to Snake river,
Idaho, to seek and make a new home. Later they located at Portage, Box
Elder county, Utah, where his father engaged in farming and horse raising.
When Hyrum G. was seven years old the family moved to Hoytsville, Summit
county, where he spent fifteen years of his boyhood days upon the farm
and range, herding, fishing and swimming in the mountain streams,hunting
and riding in the mountain ranges and assisting his father in his ranch
business.
He graduated from the public schools in 1896 and
after being baptized in August, 1891, he attended faithfully to his duties
in the lesser Priesthood and the auxiliary organizations. In 1897 he entered
the Brigham Young Academy (now University) at Provo, taking a three years'
normal course. After that he taught in the public schools of Wasatch, Summit
and Utah counties, following this profession successfully for seven years.
During this time he was also active in Church work.
In 1902 he acted in the superintendency of the Summit Stake Sunday schools
and locally was diligent in Religion Class work. He was ordained to the
office of an Elder, Seventy and High Priest successively.
In 1904 (Aug. 17th) he married Martha Gee (daughter
of George W. Gee and Sophina A. Fuller), who was born at Provo April 28,
1883. This marriage was blessed with six children, namely, Cleone, Eldred
Gee, Helen, Miriam, Barden Gee and Hyrum George.
In October, 1908, Bro. Smith left Utah for Los Angeles
to pursue a course in dentistry in the University of Southern California,
and was also set apart to do missionary labor as time and opportunity would
permit. He acted as superintendent of the Los Angeles branch Sunday school
two years and as president of the branch Y. M. M. I. A. one year.
In September, 1911, he was appointed to preside over
the Los Angeles branch of the Church and was laboring in this capacity
when he was called to be Presiding Patriarch of the Church, to succeed
his grandfather, the late Patriarch John Smith.
He was graduated from the University of Southern
California June 15, 1911, with high honors in the college of dentistry,
receiving a gold medal, offered by the department of operative technique,
which was one of four medals offered by the school. After graduating he
practiced his profession with success until May, 1912, when he was chosen
as Presiding Patriarch of the Church. He was ordained to this high and
holy calling May 9, 1912, by President Joseph
F. Smith in the Salt Lake Temple.
Brother Smith was a man of pleasing address and pronounced
spirituality, whose sympathies went out for young and old in a way that
ensured him the sincere love and respect of the people. He was a great-grandson
of the martyred Patriarch Hyrum Smith
and the fourth direct descendent of the first Patriarch of the Church (Joseph Smith senior),
Hyrum Gibbs Smith also served as a member of the
General Board of Y. M. M. I. A.. He died Feb. 4, 1932. at Salt Lake City;
Utah.
