On This Day: Mob kills Mormon leader

It was On This Day in 1844 that an Anti-Mormon mob murdered Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in Carthage, IL.

Smith, born in 1805, was the founder of the Mormon religion. The religion, also known as the Church of Latter Day Saints, was criticized for some of its practices – such as polygamy. Having settled in Nauvoo, IL, Smith had announced his candidacy for president of the

United States

earlier in 1844.

It was two years later that Brigham Young, Smith’s successor, led the Mormons out of Nauvoo into the Valley of the Salt Lake, where the Church is headquartered today.

Source:

This Day in History. History.com. 27 June 1844.

On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.

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