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The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet

Facts about Joseph Smith

Life of Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith Jr. 

(December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844)

George Quayle Cannon


“No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, God will never desert us, He never has, and lie never will.”


  • George Quayle Cannon was born on January 11, 1827, in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom and died on April 12, 1901, In Monterey, California, United States.
  • His parents were George Cannon and Ann Quayle and he was the oldest of the 6 kids.
  • His parents belonged to Peel on the Isle of Man and his brothers and sisters were Ann Cannon (Woodbury), David H. Cannon, Mary Alice Cannon (Lambert), Leonora Cannon (Gardner), and Angus M. Cannon. George Cannon’s sister Leonora Cannon wed to-be Latter-Day Saint apostle John Taylor and was baptized in 1836.
  • 4 years later after the elder George Cannon received the news, the complete Cannon family was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when Taylor arrived at Liverpool. He was only 13 years old at that time.
  • The Cannon family started their journey to the United States in 1842 to sign up with the church in Nauvoo, Illinois. Cannon’s mother died when they were sailing across the Atlantic Ocean and the family reached Nauvoo safely during the Spring of 1843.1n 1844, George Sr. married Mary Edwards and the two had a daughter named Elizabeth Cannon (Piggott).
  • He joined the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church) quite early and worked in the First Presidency under 4 consecutive presidents of the church namely John Taylor, Lorenzo Snow, Wilford Woodruff, and Brigham Young. He was the principal political strategist of the church and the press gave him the title the Mormon Richelieu- and the Mormon premier. He became a Utah territorial delegate to the U.S. Congress 5 times.
  • He was into polygamy and he had 6 wives and even justified his practice. When asked about the ban regarding polygamy by the Supreme Court In the 1879 Reynolds v. United States decision, Cannon said that his only crime was that Instead of seducing and destroying women, he believed in marrying them and having children with them. He further said he wanted to be ruled out from bastardy, infanticide, and land prostitution. Cannon further justified the concept saying that if George Reynolds, a man convicted of committing bigamy was to be punished, then in the Earth full of liberty, the law is quickly summoned to punish religion but justice was nowhere to be found in the pursuit of crime.

Cannon’s Publications

  • Robt. N. Baskin, contestant. v. George Q. Cannon. contestee: Brief and argument of Charles A. Eldredge, counsel of contestee. Gibson Brothers, printers. (1876)
  • Cannon, George Q. Discourse: Delivered in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City. Sunday morning. October 8, 1877. W. Budge. (1878)
  • My first mission. Juvenile instructor office. 1882
  • The life of Nephi: The son of Lehi. (1883)
  • Life of Joseph Smith: The Prophet. (1886)
  • The Latter-Day Prophet: History of Joseph Smith Written for Young People (1900)
  • A history of the prophet Joseph Smith for young people. • 1969-Writings from the Western standard. Paladin Press.(1957)
  • Newquist, Jerreld L. (Ed.).Gospel truth: discourses and writings of president George Q. Cannon (Vol. 1).(1974)
  • Gospel truth: discourses and writings of president George Q. Cannon (Vol. 2).(1974)
  • Turley, Richard E. Jr.; Cannon, Adrian; Landon, Michael (Eds.).The Journals of George Q. Cannon (Vol. 1).(1999)
  • The Journal of George Q. Cannon. The Church Historian’s Press. Online Publication.(2016)

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