Joseph Smith A-Z, Tribute, Volume III

This volume contains a list of convert baptisms that took place during fourteen powerful years, from the time the Prophet Joseph Smith helped restore the Savior’s true Church in 1820, until his murder in 1844.

During those years, Joseph Smith gathered between 45,000 and 50,000 followers, in an age without radio, television and the internet, and with no inherited wealth or grand university education, or political or military renown, as other successful men of early America like Washington, Jefferson and Adams.  Ministers in the 1800’s felt fortunate if they could build a following of 100-200 members, perhaps 300 if they lived in a very large city like Boston, Philadelphia or New York City. But for an unknown boy in “Backwash” New York to gather such large numbers in unknown rural locations like Fayette, Kirtland, Independence, Far West and Nauvoo, was completely unheard of.

It’s obvious that Heavenly Father and the Savior Jesus Christ were in charge of this momentous event, the restoration of their true Church, and that the Holy Ghost was assisting, along with hundreds of dedicated and powerful early leaders, including Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, David W. Patten, and the Pratt brothers. THE TRUTH IS, JOSEPH SMITH HAD A LOT OF HELP DOING SOMETHING IN THE 1800’S THAT NO MINISTER OF ANY FAITH COULD EVER ACCOMPLISH. This final dispensation was a glorious explosion of righteous converts who gathered to Zion and followed a young prophet in faith.

Wayne Lewis has spent much of the last 30 years researching and assembling this list of those who joined the Church during Joseph Smith’s lifetime as an attempt to honor him. Mr. Lewis has spent the last three years refining the data to make it as reliable as possible.