Page "Joseph F. Smith" Paragraph 6

After arriving in Utah Territory in 1848, Joseph's mother Mary Fielding Smith worked with her sister and brother to raise the two widows ' families, as well as continuing to care for Hyrum and Jerusha's younger children.

Mary Fielding Smith died in 1852, apparently of pneumonia, leaving Smith an orphan at the age of 13.

Smith reported that he was devastated by his mother's death, and relied upon the emotional support and help of Brigham Young and his stepfather Heber C. Kimball.

Even with the support of his older half-brother John Smith, Joseph assumed primary responsibility for his young sister, Martha Ann, and subsequently left school in 1854.

His leaving school was closely linked to his resistance of an attempt by the teacher to whip Martha.