“This, as far as I was acquainted with it, (not being myself one of the number, neither was Joseph Smith Sen,) was for mutual protection against the bands which were forming, and threatned to be formed, for the professed object of committing violence on the property and persons of the citizens of Daviess and Caldwell counties.” — Sidney Rigdon¹

The Society of the "Daughter of Zion," also known as the Danites, was a paramilitary society organized among the Latter-day Saints in Missouri in the summer of 1838 to defend and protect the rights of Church members.² The name is believed to have come from the book of Micah, while the common nickname "Danites" is from the Israelite tribe of Dan. Its structure was based on the Israelite armies in the Old Testament and that of state militias.³ The Danites main method of resistance was taking or destroying the property of their opponents, but they also threatened Church dissenters with violence.⁴ The extent to which Joseph Smith was involved in the Danites’ actions is unknown, but he did approve of the society at some point.⁴ Sampson Avard, a founding member of the Danites, testified in court that Joseph was the leader of the society.⁵ While imprisoned, Joseph condemned the “frauds and secret abominations and evil works” of the Danites, and said that the First Presidency was “ignorant as well as innocent of those things which [the Danites] were practicing in the Church in their name.”⁶

1. Sidney Rigdon, Testimony, 1 July 1843, 6, josephsmithpapers.org

2. “Danites,” josephsmithpapers.org; Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 4, 1 March–22 June 1844, 101, footnote 242, josephsmithpapers.org

3. “Danites,” josephsmithpapers.org; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 27, 314

4. “Danites,” churchofjesuschrist.org; Editorial Note, Journal, March–September 1838, 45, josephsmithpapers.org

5. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 31, 368-369; Historical Introduction, Appendix 2: Constitution of the Society of the Daughter of Zion, circa Late June 1838, josephsmithpapers.org

6. Letter to the Church in Caldwell County, Missouri, 16 December 1838, as Recorded in “General” Record Book, 106, josephsmithpapers.org