Cousin of Joseph and Hyrum Smith; born in Royalton, Vermont; moved with his family to Stockholm, New York, when a youth; became schoolteacher; baptized by Hyrum Smith, 1835; boarded with John Taylor in Nauvoo, Illinois; worked as manager of Times and Seasons office during same time GQC was associated with the paper; married Lucy Brown, 1845; immigrated to Utah in 1851 following birth of daughter Emily Jane; became associated with the Deseret News shortly after moving to Salt Lake City; served as editor, 1856–1863; left paper to serve full time as probate judge for Salt Lake County, a position he held until 1882; died in Salt Lake City. (See Jenson, BE, 1:719–22; “Biographies,” in Tullidge, History of Salt Lake City, 156–60; Mortensen, “Elias Smith,” 1–24; GQC journal, July 21, Aug. 2, 1852; Mar. 4, 1854.)