William B. Smith: In the Shadow of a Prophet

As the younger brother of the Mormon Prophet, William B. Smith was one of the most colorful characters in LDS history. After making extensive efforts as a missionary, and being appointed a member of the original Quorum of Twelve Apostles and Church Patriarch, simmering tensions between him and his fellow apostles boiled over, and he was excommunicated in a dramatic break with Brigham Young and the main body of Mormons in October 1845. After leaving the Church, William affiliated with who’s who list of notable Mormon dissidents before eventually linking himself with the Reorganized Church, which was led by his nephew Joseph Smith III. This is the first full-length published biography of William B. Smith.