Abraham O. Smoot

(1815-1895)

American Mormon pioneer

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Abraham Owen Smoot (February 17, 1815 – March 6, 1895) was an American pioneer, businessman, religious leader, and politician. He spent his early life as a missionary in Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, and England. Like other early leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Smoot practiced plural marriage, eventually marrying six women and having 27 children. After migrating west to Utah, he was elected as the second mayor of Salt Lake City (1857 to 1866). He was then assigned by Brigham Young to move to Provo, where he served as stake president and mayor from 1868 to 1881. Smoot was the first president of the board of trustees of Brigham Young Academy (BYA) - which later developed into Brigham Young University (BYU) - and was an early financial supporter of the institution. The Smoot Administration Building at BYU is named after him.