Are your ancestors mentioned in the pages of Church history during Joseph Smith’s day? Find out through a quick and easy—and free—search.
One day, after venturing onto the Joseph Smith Papers website, I discovered the search engine designed specifically for finding individuals’ names in the site’s collection of documents. The website connected me to my account on www.familysearch.org and brought up the names of my ancestors that were mentioned. This site showed me firsthand the ways my ancestors assisted the work of the Lord in the early days of the Church. As I stared at the original handwriting of one of my ancestors, I couldn’t help but feel so close to him.
This can be your experience, too. The Joseph Smith Papers search engine is quick and easy and free, and the results are inspiring. Find your ancestors’ names in four easy steps:
One way to search:
- Go to the website to access the search engine.
- Click the Your Ancestors tab and then click Sign In.
- Log in to familysearch.org using your family search ID and password. (If you are a new user, click the Free Account button at the top right hand corner of the page and easily set up your own account.)
- Watch as the results appear on your screen.
Another way to search:
- Go to the website.
- Click the People Mentioned
- Search for the names of people you know or are interested in learning about.
- Find countless references to early Church members.
Whether you are looking up your ancestors or searching for accurate information on other early Saints of the Church, this website provides a powerful resource to answer your questions.
Go ahead and try it! This is not your typical search engine!
Access the Joseph Smith Papers search engine.
Source: The Joseph Smith Papers
—Jessica Porter, Mormon Insights
Find more insights
Find more of your ancestors on www.familysearch.org.
Having trouble finding your ancestors? Watch this video tutorial for new ways to search.
See who else you are related to in the Mormon world on www.relativefinder.org.
This is such a cool resource! I love the easy-to-follow instructions. It really makes church history real for me to see how my ancestors played a role in the beginning stages of the restoration.