Brigham Young

“Don't try to tear down other people's religion about their ears, Build up your own perfect structure of truth, and invite your listeners to enter in and enjoy it's glories.”(http://www.brainyquote.com). Brigham Young was born in 1801 and died at age 76 by a ruptured appendix. He was a territorial governor, westward settler, and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a.k.a. the Mormons. Brigham became Methodist later becoming Mormon. He was an apprentice, carpenter and painter. Brigham grew up for a great purpose, and that purpose was to lead about 70,000 saints across the plains of America to Salt Lake City. He later settled most of Utah and some of California, Nevada, Idaho, Canada, and Arizona.

Brigham Young was born in Whitingham, Vermont along with eleven other children. At age 14 his mother, Abigail Howe, died of Tuberculosis. He was caring for her on her deathbed. His parents lead a strict moralistic life yet Brigham had no religious intentions but, in later years he became part of the Methodist faith. He had almost no education and later became and apprentice to become a painter, glazier-trades and carpenter to support himself. Years later, at the age of 23, Young married his first wife, Miriam Angeline Works. The newly wed couple then established a home in Haydenville where they joined the Methodist Church. After moving to Port Byron, they had their first child Elizabeth. Four short years later him and his new family moved to Oswego on the coast of Ontario. It was here that he gained a reputation for good craftsmanship as a carpenter. The carpenter then moved to Mendon to be close to his dear family and other relatives. It was at Mendon that he built a shop and mill. The Young’s were soon overjoyed to have another daughter, Vilate. Sadly, Miriam contracted Chronic Tuberculosis and became semi-invalid. Brigham then had to learn the responsibilities of a mother. “Brigham prepared the meals, dressed the children, cleaned the house, and carried Miriam to a rocking chair in front of the fireplace in the morning, then back to bed in the evening.” (http://unicomm.byu.edu/about/brigham.aspx?content=brigham1) . Little did he know though that Samuel Smith would soon come in contact with his brother, Phineas, which would in turn affect his life forever.

Joseph Smith’s brother, Samuel, was passing through Mendon on a missionary journey to hand out the Book of Mormon copies. Phineas was left a copy and was favorably impressed and lent it to his father, then his sister Fanny, who then gave it to Brigham. Brigham couldn’t stress enough that his family should have caution, "Wait a little while . . . I [want] to see whether good common sense [is] manifest" (Journal of Discourses 3:91; 8:38). After 2 long years of investigation Young was baptized on April 15 and later followed by his family. His entire family remained loyal to the church throughout their lives. On September 8, newly joined member, Miriam died. His first sermon was given one week after entering the waters of baptism where he declared "[After I was baptized] I wanted to thunder and roar out the Gospel to the nations. It burned in my bones like fire pent-up, so I [commenced] to preach.... Nothing would satisfy me but to cry abroad in the world, what the Lord was doing in the latter days" (Journal of Discourses 1:313). Brigham felt so strongly he found caretakers for his daughters and left to share the newly founded gospel in Kirtland, Ohio. In Kirtland he was invited into the current prophet, Joseph Smith’s, home. His frequent missions had him in upper Canada and New York. Later, he was instructed to move his family to Kirtland to build up a new society. In Kirtland he met and married Ann Angell who took care of his 2 daughters while having 6 more. Brigham then served in Zion’s Camp, a small army lead by Joseph Smith, to assist those being driven from their homes by angry mobs. Young’s dedication and potential then qualified him to be ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In his travels each winter he would head back to Kirtland to care for his family and construct the Kirtland temple. Gaining large numbers of new converts, old settlers began to get angry and violence erupted. With Joseph, his brother Hyrum, and other church leaders imprisoned, saints were driven from Missouri to the corners of Illinois while Brigham made sure no saint was left behind. In 1839, Joseph designated Nauvoo, Illinois. Young later traveled to England to eventually convert 8,000 and help 1,000 immigrate back to Nauvoo. He was then told to accept plural marriage, at first rejecting it and over prayer he accepted it. While on summer missions, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were shot in Carthage jail by an angry mob. Brigham Young was notified of the prophet’s murder and fled back to Nauvoo to finish the new Nauvoo temple and prepare for the great exodus to the west. He was then made president of the church. With fear of governmental intervention, Brigham had to leave in the snow of February than the spring. 16,000 saints crossed the frozen Mississippi river and made their way across Iowa with wagons and animals to Winters Quarters. Reaching the Missouri river, it was decided there would be no moving on to the Rocky Mountains until spring. With 143 men and 3 women, he left westward while personally directing the massive odyssey across the western trail. In 1847 he arrived in what would become the Salt Lake Valley and confirmed it would be the new sight for a headquarters city. Traveling back to Winters Quarters, he reorganized the presidency and brought about 3,500 saints across America preparing a trail for thousands to come.

In Salt Lake City he constructed houses, meeting halls, and other historical and religious buildings. He created 10-acre plots for 4 families to house the influx of saints coming in and in 1853 construction on the great Salt Lake Temple began. Just outside the city plots were set up to house people who wanted to farm. Through community service roads, irrigation systems, shops, and houses were built. The great flow of immigrants from America and Europe demanded Brigham’s attention. Under close watch 4 different kinds were set up; “first, settlements intended to be temporary places of gathering and recruitment, such as Carson Valley in Nevada; second, colonies to serve as centers for production of goods such as iron at Cedar City, cotton at St. George, cattle in Cache Valley, and sheep in Spanish Fork, all in Utah; third, colonies to serve as centers for proselytizing and assisting Indians, as at Harmony in southern Utah, Las Vegas in southern Nevada, Lemhi in northern Idaho, and in what is present-day Moab in eastern Utah; fourth, permanent colonies in Utah and nearby states and territories to provide homes and farms for the hundreds of new immigrants arriving each summer.” (http://unicomm.byu.edu/about/brigham.aspx?content=brigham5) By the time he died nearly 400 colonies were set up thus making him one of the greatest colonizers in America. Through hard work, he successfully completed hundreds of settlements while encouraging schools, theatre, and the arts. Many member had settled among various Indian tribes so Brigham made a strict policy that "feeding them is cheaper than fighting them," (http://unicomm.byu.edu/about/brigham.aspx?content=brigham5). In 1851 he was appointed territorial governor and superintendent of Indian Fairs by the U.S president Millard Fillmore. Saints converted many Indian tribes successfully and had good relationships with them. Plural marriage went strongly against U.S morals so, an army was created by the government to make sure the Mormon settlements were following laws of America. Through spies, Brigham discovered the army soon enough to gather saints to defend their homes in Salt Lake City. Through a non-member friend of Brigham, a peaceful settlement of the affair was arranged. In 1861 the troops left because of the start of the Civil War. Young also helped to build the trans-continental telegraph line that ran through many of the Mormon settlements. The completion of the trans-continental railroad proposed new problems. The Mormons unique style of life was about to be invaded by western travelers. He created a protective movement that sought to preserve their way of life with the government. Brigham established many schools in Utah his most famous being Brigham Young Academy (BYU).

Brigham Young remained a very strong leader in the church until his death in 1877. He ended up marrying 27 women and having 56 children. Brigham Young grew up to lead the Mormons west and establish thee L.D.S. church and much of Utah. He was a colonizer, governor, and leader of the Mormon Church until he died by a ruptured appendix in 1877.