History of the Prophet Joseph, by His Mother

History of Joseph Smith, by His Mother is a biography of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, according to his mother, Lucy Mack Smith. Shortly following the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, and into 1845, Lucy Mack Smith dictated her recollections and family story to Nauvoo schoolteacher Martha Jane Coray who compiled these books of notes and other sources into a manuscript. Publication of the book came with the great controversy. After its publication, Brigham Young declared the book to be a "tissue of lies" and wanted corrections made. Young possibly opposed the book because of his own conflicts with its publisher, Orson Pratt. Lucy Smith portrayed the Smith family as the legitimate leaders of the church, which Young may also have seen as a challenge to his leadership.

Auteur
Lucy Mack Smith (1775-1856) was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is noted for writing the memoir, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, and was an important leader of the movement during Joseph's life.