Joseph Smith, Sr.

Joseph Smith Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Smith Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses, the second of two groups of witnesses that stated that they had seen and handled the golden plates, which his son, Joseph, said was his source material for the Book of Mormon. Smith was an original member of his son's church, the Church of Christ, in 1830 when it was founded. In 1833, Smith became the church's first patriarch, and in 1837 became a member of the First Presidency of the church until his death in 1840.