Yesterday was the 105th birthday of Elder Eldred G. Smith, emeritus Presiding Patriarch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this essay, we shall examine the duties of the office, its continuance during the 19th century into the 20th, and its discontinuance in 1979.
The Presiding Patriarch was sustained as a prophet, seer, and revelator in all General Conferences of the Church until 1979, when the office was discontinued. His duties were to travel to the far-flung areas of the Church where there were no Stakes (and therefore no Stake Patriarchs) to give Patriarchal Blessings. The following are the Presiding Patriarchs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
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| Joseph Smith, Sen., father of the Prophet Joseph Smith, served from 18 Dec. 1833-14 Sep. 1840 |
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| Hyrum Smith served from 14 Sep. 1840-27 June 1844 |
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| William Smith served from 24 May 1845-19 Oct. 1845 |
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| John Smith, uncle to Joseph Smith the Prophet, served from 1 Jan. 1849-23 May 1854 |
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| John Smith, son of Hyrum Smith, served from 18 Feb. 1855-6 Nov. 1911 |
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| Hyrum G. Smith, grandson of John Smith (above), served from 9 May 1912-4 Feb. 1932 |
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| Joseph Fielding Smith, son of Apostle Hyrum M. Smith, served from 8 Oct. 1942-6 Oct. 1946 |
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| Eldred G. Smith, son of former Presiding Patriarch Hyrum G. Smith, served from 10 April 1947-4 Oct. 1979, when he was given the title Patriarch Emeritus |
