Heman Conomon Smith (September 27, 1850 – April 17, 1919) was a leader in and official historian of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church, now the Community of Christ).

This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (January 2019)

Quick Facts Member Council of Twelve Apostles, Called by ...

Heman C. Smith
Member Council of Twelve Apostles
April 11, 1887 (1887-04-11) – 1909
Called by	Joseph Smith III
President of the Seventy
April 15, 1885 (1885-04-15) – April 11, 1887 (1887-04-11)
Called by	Joseph Smith III
Personal details
Born	Heman Conomon Smith (1850-09-27)September 27, 1850 Zodiac, Texas, United States
Died	April 17, 1919(1919-04-17) (aged 68) Independence, Missouri, United States
Resting place	Rose Hill Cemetery 40.625°N 93.948°W / 40.625; -93.948 (Rose Hill Cemetery)
Spouse(s)	Vida Elizabeth Smith

Close

Smith was born in the Mormon settlement of Zodiac, Texas. His grandfather was Lyman Wight, one of the original apostles of the Church of Christ established by Joseph Smith, Jr. After Joseph Smith's death, the church divided into several groups, one of which Wight led to Texas. In 1858, Heman's family left Texas, and they eventually settled in Shelby County, Iowa. In 1862, Smith and his family were baptized into the RLDS Church.

Smith was a Seventy and an RLDS missionary in Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Indian Territory, and eastern Canada. In 1885, Smith became one of the church's seven presidents of the Seventy, and in 1887 he was selected as a member of the Council of the Twelve; he was officially ordained an apostle by Joseph Smith III in 1888. In 1893, Smith moved to Lamoni, Iowa. During 1897 and 1898, Smith oversaw the RLDS Church mission in England and Wales.

In 1897, Smith became the official historian of the RLDS Church, and in this capacity co-wrote with Joseph Smith III the first four volumes of the RLDS Church's History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

In 1886, Smith married Vida Elizabeth Smith, who was the daughter of Alexander Hale Smith and a granddaughter of church founder Joseph Smith, Jr.

• "Heman C. Smith", in J. M. Howell (ed.) (1915). History of Decateur County, Iowa and Its People (Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing) 2:45.