Joseph Smith

Historical eventApril 61830

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and others formally organized the Church of Christ, starting the Latter Day Saint movement.

Everything on April 6Original source
Photo: Abraham, Joseph Smith · Public domain

In context

When
Tuesday, April 6 1830196 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
19th century · 1830s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Russia, Greece and some other countries used the Julian calendar into the early 20th century, so local records may show a date up to 13 days earlier.

At a glance

Dates: From 1830.

Type: human.

What happened

Legacy Main article: Legacy of Joseph Smith Gravesite of Joseph, Emma, and Hyrum Smith, in Nauvoo, Illinois Modern biographers and scholars agree that Smith was one of the most influential, charismatic, and innovative figures in American religious history. [ 1 ] In a 2015 compilation of the 100 Most Significant Americans of All Time, Smithsonian ranked Smith first in the category of religious figures. [ 2 ] In popular opinion, non-Mormons in the U.S. generally consider Smith a "charlatan,

Joseph Smith Jr. was an American religious and political leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Publishing the Book of Mormon at the age of 24, Smith attracted tens of thousands of followers by the time of his death fourteen years later. The religious movement he founded is followed by millions of global adherents and several churches, the largest of which is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

April 6 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1830Joseph Smith
  2. 2009April 2009 Moldovan parliamentary election protests
  3. 2010Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
  4. 2010April 2010 Maoist attack in Dantewada
  5. 2011San Fernando, Tamaulipas
  6. 2011Mexican drug war
  7. 2012Azawad
  8. 2012National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
  9. 20172017 Shayrat missile strike
  10. 2018Humboldt Broncos
  11. 2026Artemis II

Also in 1830

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  • August 4James Thompson (surveyor)American surveyor James Thompson produced the first plat of Chicago for the Illinois and Michigan Canal Commissioners.
  • August 28Tom Thumb (locomotive)Tom Thumb (replica pictured), the first American-built steam locomotive, took part in an impromptu race against a horse-drawn car in Mary…
  • May 28Andrew JacksonU.S. president Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act into law, authorizing him to negotiate with Native Americans for their remova…
  • May 24Nursery rhymeThe nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb" was first published as a poem by Sarah Josepha Hale.

Everything we record for 1830 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Joseph Smith”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/joseph-smith-1830-april-6, accessed October 28, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Joseph Smith happen?

April 6 1830 — 196 years ago, on a Tuesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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