Smith Family Memorial Events

Topsfield, MA — May 13, 14 & 15, 2002

From an article written by Sarah Jane Weaver with Church News, she quotes Anne Barret, president of the Topsfield Historical Society. Anne said the history of the Smith family is intertwined with the Topsfield community. The new marker — built by the Ensign Peak Foundation in collaboration with town officials — serves as a quiet reminder that the Smiths were once here, she said. 

(Images taken from a family scrapbook of a trip made in 1805 by President Joseph F. Smith and several others)
Smith Family Memorial Dedication – Saturday, May 14, 2022
Left to right: Association Committee Member – Don Blanchard, Smith Family Member, Tiina Maughan, helped with planning events in Topsfield – Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family Association Committee Members from left to right: Robert (Bob) Smith, Julie Maddox, Daniel Adams, Steve Orton, Mike Kennedy, Michael Jr. & Meagan Kennedy, Michael Nebeker, Daniel Larsen, Laura Blanchard, and Jared Glade. Sitting in front: Frances Orton, W. Emery Smith, and Karl Anderson. Photo provided by Daniel Adams.
The Smith Family returned and gathered outside the Topsfield Congregational Church after services – Sunday, May 15, 2022 – Photo credit: SWhelan.
The Smith Family presented a painting of Topsfield in the 1760’s by Vivian Adams to the Congregational Church and community as a gift of gratitude and appreciation signed on the back by the Smith Association Committee and Family Members

Left to right: Karl Anderson, Executive Secretary of the Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith Family Association, Michael Nebeker (Smith Association Committee), Craig Ballard (Smith Association Trustee), Daniel Adams (Smith Association Committee), Tony Rogers (Topsfield Church Moderator), Steven and Frances Orton (Trustee &Chair of Activities of Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith Family Association) and Emery Smith (Smith Association Treasurer). Photo credit: SWhelan.

Topsfield Smith Memorial Report

Smith Memorial Article by BYU

Smith Memorial Program

Congregational Church Sunday Program – Including Smith Family

Smith Family Lilac Story

We Are Stronger Together

From the 1985 Smith Family Reunion News: “Matriarch Lucy Mack clearly pointed out in her writings that her family possessed close family ties and had a divine destiny. Patriarch Joseph Smith Sr., recognizing his wife to be “one of the most singular women in the world,” told her, “You have brought up my children for me by the fireside, and when I was gone from home, you comforted them.”

“Lucy Mack Smith,” by Sutcliffe Maudsley

in 1863, Joseph III said he could see “…the dawning of a day when the sons of our fathers will stand shoulder to shoulder…as stood our fathers in bygone days.”

https://archive.org/details/Ensign_Magazine-2005-12
Smith Family Siblings – December 2005 Ensign Magazine

Service Project – Nauvoo Smith Family Gardens

Nauvoo Smith Family Gardens by the Mansion House

Some August 4-6, 2022 Reunion Highlights:

  • Pickup your registration Thursday evening and meet and greet your cousins.
  • Join with the family at the tents by the Nauvoo House.
  • Participate in the service project—working in the new Smith Family Gardens by the Mansion House.
  • Honor Father and Mother Smith with the family wreath memorial.
  • Sign up to participate in a family archeological experience with iDig Nauvoo.
  • Enjoy the homecooked barbeque dinner arranged by Doug Smith and Bob Smith and sponsored by the Samuel Smith Family.
  • Smile for the traditional Smith Family Reunion Group Photo.
  • Gather for the banquet and program at the Nauvoo Stake Center.

Purchase Price before July 5th:

$60 – Adult Registration
$45 – 10 and younger
Free for 2 and under

2021 Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Scholarship Winners

Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith sacrificed their lives to support the Prophet Joseph and establish the restoration of the gospel. Without their support, the restoration would not have been possible. This legacy has been passed down through their descendants. The Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family Association has established this Scholarship to share their legacy, strengthen today’s youth, and tie the younger generation to their ancestors. 

This year we had significant participation and strong entries sharing stories that creatively show how the Smith Family examples impacted them.

This year the judges chose two First Place winners.

Scholarship 2021 – 1st Place – Benjamin Hill

Benjamin Hill – First Place Scholarship Winner

Benjamin is currently living in Provo, Utah, and attending Brigham Young University.  He wrote a feature-length screenplay that chronicles Mary Fielding Smith’s immigration to Canada from England.

Benjamin states, “The story of Mary Fielding’s conversion to the gospel and of how she became the faithful mother of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Smith’s grandchildren is so inspiring that I could not overlook.”

Scholarship 2021 – 1st Place – David Pinegar

David Pinegar – First Place Scholarship Winner

David, from Chesterfield, New Hampshire, is a Junior at Keene High School. He plans on attending Brigham Young University.

David arranged two songs from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints hymnal, Praise to the Man and I Believe in Christ, and I have formed a medley arranged for a full orchestra. Complete sheet music and a recording was submitted.

David said, “The words and message of Praise to the Man pay tribute to the man and by extension his family, who was worthy enough to be the Lord’s primary instrument of the Restoration and the leader of the last dispensation. The message of I Believe in Christ is only made possible by the revelation brought through “the man who communed with Jehovah!” These two songs go together because one is the cause, and the other is the effect. Because Joseph Smith initiated the ongoing process of the Restoration, we can believe in Christ and know of all He has done for us.”

Scholarship 2021 – 2nd Place – Sydney Smith

Sydney Smith – Second Place Scholarship Winner

Sydney Smith is from Powell, Ohio. She is moving to Utah this fall and will be attending Brigham Young University. She produced a video titled, Sacrifice: The Legacy of My Fathers.

Sydney said, “I will do everything in my power to honor the legacy of my ancestors as their namesake. They sacrificed all in the name of God, and for that, I am very grateful. I hope to continue the tradition and be a strength in these difficult days. Now more than ever, people turn away from God, and it is my mission to be an example and light.”

Scholarship 2021 – 3rd Place – Sunny Rasmussen

Sunny Rasmussen – Third Place Scholarship Winner

Sunny is in 11th Grade at Pahranagat Valley High School. She is from Hiko, Nevada, and plans to attend the University of Utah. Her project titled, Continuing the Legacy came with a picture of a beautiful quilt she made and the written paper which explains how she is carrying on a family tradition. She quotes her grandma Geri who wrote, “A quilt is a lesson in patience and creativity.”

Sunny said, “I found more joy in making this quilt because it was harder work than I originally planned it to be, and I had to have a good attitude to finish it. Learning about how hard the Smith’s worked, despite their agricultural issues and pressing times, helps me honor their legacy of hard work, thriftiness, and education.”

She also is going above and beyond as she mentions, “I will be giving the quilt away to my neighbor who needs it. She has been sick for a long time and could use the same joy and comfort that making this quilt has brought me. Just like Lucy and Joseph Sr. taught, and my grandma Geri taught me, working and doing things for others is our legacy.”

Smith Family Invitation

The Smith Family was invited to attend the dress rehearsal premier for the new production, 1820: The Musical, a contemporary theatre show portraying the life of Joseph and Emma Smith through the eyes of Emma. They let us announce this year’s Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Scholarship Winners before the performance, the night of August 5th.  They are giving a portion of the proceeds back to the Smith Family project, for Early Childhood Development and Education for Displaced Children. We had several hundred Smith Family members attend.

You can learn more about the musical on the https://1820musical.com/ website.
Benjamin Hill (1st Place) and Sunny Rasmussen (3rd Place) as Frances & Steve Orton announce the winners on the stage of the Covey Arts Center
Photo by Sunny’s mom, Kathi Rasmussen

Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Scholarship Winners

Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith sacrificed their lives to support the Prophet Joseph and establish the restoration of the gospel. Without their support, the restoration would not have been possible. This legacy has been passed down through their descendants. The Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family Association has established this Scholarship to share their legacy, strengthen today’s youth, and tie the younger generation to their ancestors. 

This year we had significant participation and strong entries sharing stories that creatively show how the Smith Family examples impacted them.

This year the judges chose two First Place winners.

First Place – Benjamin Hill

Benjamin Hill – First Place Scholarship Winner

Benjamin is currently living in Provo, Utah, and attending Brigham Young University.  He wrote a feature-length screenplay that chronicles Mary Fielding Smith’s immigration to Canada from England.

Benjamin states, “The story of Mary Fielding’s conversion to the gospel and of how she became the faithful mother of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Smith’s grandchildren is so inspiring that I could not overlook.”

First Place – David Pinegar

David Pinegar – First Place Scholarship Winner

David, from Chesterfield, New Hampshire, is a Junior at Keene High School. He plans on attending Brigham Young University.

David arranged two songs from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints hymnal, Praise to the Man and I Believe in Christ, and I have formed a medley arranged for a full orchestra. Complete sheet music and a recording was submitted.

David said, “The words and message of Praise to the Man pay tribute to the man and by extension his family, who was worthy enough to be the Lord’s primary instrument of the Restoration and the leader of the last dispensation. The message of I Believe in Christ is only made possible by the revelation brought through “the man who communed with Jehovah!” These two songs go together because one is the cause, and the other is the effect. Because Joseph Smith initiated the ongoing process of the Restoration, we can believe in Christ and know of all He has done for us.”

Second Place – Sydney Smith

Sydney Smith – Second Place Scholarship Winner

Sydney Smith is from Powell, Ohio. She is moving to Utah this fall and will be attending Brigham Young University. She produced a video titled, Sacrifice: The Legacy of My Fathers.

Sydney said, “I will do everything in my power to honor the legacy of my ancestors as their namesake. They sacrificed all in the name of God, and for that, I am very grateful. I hope to continue the tradition and be a strength in these difficult days. Now more than ever, people turn away from God, and it is my mission to be an example and light.”

Third Place – Sunny Rasmussen

Sunny Rasmussen – Third Place Scholarship Winner

Sunny is in 11th Grade at Pahranagat Valley High School. She is from Hiko, Nevada, and plans to attend the University of Utah. Her project titled, Continuing the Legacy came with a picture of a beautiful quilt she made and the written paper which explains how she is carrying on a family tradition. She quotes her grandma Geri who wrote, “A quilt is a lesson in patience and creativity.”

Sunny said, “I found more joy in making this quilt because it was harder work than I originally planned it to be, and I had to have a good attitude to finish it. Learning about how hard the Smith’s worked, despite their agricultural issues and pressing times, helps me honor their legacy of hard work, thriftiness, and education.”

She also is going above and beyond as she mentions, “I will be giving the quilt away to my neighbor who needs it. She has been sick for a long time and could use the same joy and comfort that making this quilt has brought me. Just like Lucy and Joseph Sr. taught, and my grandma Geri taught me, working and doing things for others is our legacy.”

2020 Smith Family Reunion Commemorative Photos

Our family was not able to be together physically but we did gather in smaller family units and globally watched messages to honor the 200th Anniversary of Joseph Smith’s First Vision – 2020 Vision Celebration.

Fun Facts:

306 Viewers completed the mapping survey

1209 Viewers were reported on the survey

10 Countries had viewers

3.98 Average number of viewers per survey response

2,685 views reported by YouTube

With each reunion we traditionally we have a family photo. Not meeting in person meant our photo needed some creativity. I believe we accomplished this and we are grateful for your participation.

2020 Online Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith Family Reunion Group Photo – We had 228 families submit a picture with a total 2793 people from the following family lines: Hyrum, Joseph Jr., Samuel, William, Katharine, and Lucy.

2020 Virtual Family Photo in the Sacred Grove

“This year has been full of so many things that have made us feel disconnected. Then the turmoil in the country and the world has pulled many apart. We wanted to find a way to bring everyone together and so we decided a virtual family mosaic would allow us this opportunity. Mosaics bring many pieces together in one unified image and because we could not meet in the Sacred Grove, we made us part of our own Grove.” – Frances Orton


Painting for Mosaic Used with Permission
 
“Light Descending” by Matt Kennedy
Image used with permission of Temple House Gallery.
All rights reserved.
templehousegallery.com

2020 Virtual “Go to the Grove” Photo


Painting for Mosaic Used with Permission
 
“Prayer — Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove” by Bev Barnett
Image used with permission of Bev Barnett.
All rights reserved.
BevBarnettArtStudio