OpenTube

The 1946 Allegations That Ended a Mormon Patriarch’s Ministry

Benjamin Park, Historian

25,616 views

In 1946, Joseph F. Smith III was released as patriarch to the LDS Church, publicly citing ill health. What led to that announcement, and why did he move to Hawaii soon afterward? This lecture traces his Smith family background, his appointment to a hereditary church office, the allegations brought to President George Albert Smith, and the private restrictions that followed.
His story also reveals a turning point in Mormon history. Drawing on the work of Gary James Bergera, Connell O’Donovan, and Taylor G. Petrey, we examine what the surviving records establish, what remains unknown, and how LDS approaches to same-sex relationships changed in the following years. It is a history of church authority, family loyalty, secrecy, and the people affected by those decisions.

Gary Bergera’s Article: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/vi...

Bergera’s Justice & Mercy volume: https://www.benchmarkbooks.com/pages/...

Connell O’Donovan’s Chronology: http://www.connellodonovan.com/smith....

Taylor Petrey’s Tabernacles of Clay: https://uncpress.org/9781469656229/ta...

Bates and Smith’s Lost Legacy: https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books...

Newsletter link for giveaway: https://benjaminpark.kit.com/e8e78e2331
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
Instagram: Instagram: benjaminparkhistorian
TikTok: TikTok: benjaminparkhistorian

Books:
American Zion: https://amzn.to/4j8Ms16
Kingdom of Nauvoo: https://amzn.to/4cmigxw

Video Chapters:
00:00 Exiled Patriarch
01:09 Historical Sources
02:08 Smith Family
03:50 Academic Career
04:42 Patriarch Calling
05:40 Family Succession
07:25 Early Warnings
09:08 Historical Context
11:02 Earlier Relationships
12:01 New Allegations
12:52 Private Meeting
13:50 Apostles Informed
15:28 Personal Toll
16:17 Resignation Letter
17:07 Hawaii Move
18:04 Private Restrictions
18:59 Why Secrecy
20:58 Changing Discipline
21:54 Full Fellowship
22:54 Lasting Legacy
24:52 Policy Shift
25:54 Human Cost
26:47 Further Reading
28:31 Final Reflection

#MormonHistory #LDSHistory #LGBTQHistory #JosephFSmith

About This Channel:
Welcome to the channel! I’m Dr. Benjamin Park—historian, author, professor, and unapologetic history geek. If you're tired of hearing that everything is unprecedented or nothing like this has ever happened before, you're in the right place. This channel dives into the complex (and fascinating) intersections of American religion, politics, and culture. I bring history out of the ivory tower and into real-world conversations—making it relevant, accessible, and even a little fun. Expect weekly deep dives, quick takes on current events, book recommendations, and sharp insights from the past to help us understand our present. From Mormon history to the abolitionist movement and beyond, let’s unpack how we got here—and where we might be going. Subscribe and geek out with me on the power of the past.

This channel participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Views expressed on this channel are those of the presenter and not his employer.

20 Comments

@stoicinnerstrategy 7 days ago

Excellent video, as always. I appreciate the deep dive and clear reasoning, sans apologetics either direction.

@anthonycampbell4534 6 days ago (edited)

I know ...but when Ben says in the beginning of the episode when states he is trying to keep all these Smiths straight, I thought genius level pun!

@GaryLArnell 7 days ago

Excellent presentation. Thank you!

@alandonly 5 days ago

Example of earlier sentiments:

Joseph Smith said: "When we lie down, we contemplate how we may rise up in the morning, and it is pleasing for friends to lie down together, locked in the arms of love, to sleep, and wake in each other's embrace and renew their conversation."

This was from a discourse he gave on 16 April 1843, as reported by Willard Richards.

@alandonly 5 days ago

Joseph, stepped between Brothers Cowdery and Coltrin and taking them by the arm, said, “Let’s take a walk.” They went to a place where there was some beautiful grass and grapevines and swamp beech interlaced... Brother Joseph then said, “Now brethren, we will see some visions.” Joseph lay down on the ground on his back and stretched out his arms and the two brethren lay on them. The heavens gradually opened, and they saw a golden throne... " Different times - different sense of same sex feelings of brotherhood.

@betgrim8093 6 days ago

Thank you this was fascinating and something I did not know about. I feel horrible Joseph F. Smith III how he was treated and how he must have felt so torn.

@critkillen252 5 days ago

I was friends with both his daughter Lynn and Hyum Smith of Franklin Institute fame before their passing. I knew both quite well and everything you said is correct, though the facts and whitewashing to protect the image of both their father and the church goes so much deeper. You're the first person I have personally heard publicly speak of this so I much enjoyed it! People should know this stuff.

@makemakean6509 6 days ago

It’s a very minor thing, but it tickles something very pleasant in my brain, this convention in Mormonism of ”the ancestor gets the middle initial, the descendant gets the full name” when you write up the history.

Thus you have George A. Smith and George Albert Smith; Ezra T. Benson and Ezra Taft Benson; Joseph F. Smith and Joseph Fielding Smith.

I can only anticipate that one day, we will have prophets or apostles named Harold Bingham Lee and Gordon Bitner Hinckley, simply on account of that whenever Presidents Lee and Hinckley are mentioned, it’s always Harold B. Lee and Gordon B. Hinckley, never Harold Lee or Gordon Hinckley.

@DarkDennis1961 9 days ago (edited)

This is my first time hearing this. Also I am very interested in the Patriarch office of the church. I was sad the office vanished

@jackmagdiel1750 8 days ago

Thanks again.

@NebjosaMeier 6 days ago

I love that Eldred Smith lived to be 107 years old, outliving the men who ridiculed him and sidelined him his entire career as patriarch, and making some wonder if he really was a biblical style patriarch living a miraculously long life. When Thomas Monson visits him on his last birthday, I can see Thomas wondering if the patriarch was going to go quietly into that good night or take back the kingdom. They were going to sideline the heirs anyway, but I love they looked foolish every step of the way doing it.

@jramosrueda 5 days ago (edited)

Leí tu libro Kingdom of Nauvoo. Excelente estudio. Me gusta tu trabajo, sumamente equilibrado y académico.

@ChristopherNewton-d5h 7 days ago

I had heard about this saga before in a presentation by Eldred G. Smith’s son at MHA several years ago. Who was the Church Historian and MHA President unhappy with Gary Bergera’s article?

@writerteacher1212 9 days ago (edited)

Your intro made me want to put on some Patti Smith or Patty Smith. The Smiths also came to mind. And Sam Smith. On a serious note, this was an interesting story. Many conservative churches (not just LDS, see also evangelical) have been on a similar journey when it comes to this topic... you put it well. LDS members are divided on this topic. It's a source of pain for many members (often intensely). The pressures and shaming can be fierce. The issue is serious. Of course, as an educator, I will add that a professor should be fired and not rehired in the profession if in a relationship with a student. Period. That gets into power issues regardless of sexuality.