USH - Brigham Young - Church

Brigham Young was born in Whitingham, Vermont on June 1, 1801, and died in Salt Lake City (in the Utah Territory) on August 29, 1877 at the age of 76. (An interesting personal note was that he was perhaps the most famous polygamist of the early church – he officially married over 50 women). He was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, and was the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from 1847 until his death. Young was nicknamed by some the “American Moses” because he, like the Biblical character, led his followers (the Mormon pioneers) in an exodus through a desert, to the “promised land.” His legacy, however, is controversial. Although he did help to organize a large religion, and he did play a role in the United States’ acquisition of the Utah Territory, concerns remain over his role in the Utah War against the United States government and his attitudes toward racial minorities.

Although Young had been converted to Methodist faith in 1823 (age 22), he was drawn to Mormonism after reading the Book of Mormon soon after its publication in 1830. He officially joined the church in 1832 (age 31) and traveled to Canada as a missionary. Following the death of Joseph Smith, he was later chosen to lead the church. Following repeated conflicts, Young decided to relocate his group of Latter-day Saints to a territory in what is now Utah (then part of Mexico). They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, a date now recognized as “Pioneer Day” in Utah.

Although he had many achievements in his life, he considered these “means,” not “ends.” Examples of these achievements include instituting patterns of Church government still present today, issuing detailed instructions on how to get to the Salt Lake Valley (instructions that would be followed by hundreds of companies), directing the organization of several hundred Latter-day Saint settlements, setting up several hundred business enterprises, and initiating the construction of meetinghouses, tabernacles, and temples. “His overriding concern was to build on the foundation begun by Joseph Smith to establish a commonwealth in the desert where his people could live the gospel of Jesus Christ in peace, thereby improving their prospects in this life and in the next.”