Brigham Young (June
1, 1801 –
August 29,
1877) was a leader
in the
Latter Day Saint movement and was the
president of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until
his death. Young was also the first
governor of
the
Utah Territory,
United States.
Young had a variety of nicknames, among the most popular being "American
Moses,"[2]
(alternatively the "Modern Moses" or the "Mormon Moses")[3]
because, like the
Biblical figure, Young led his followers, the
Mormon pioneers, in an
exodus through
a desert, to
what they saw as a promised land. Young was also dubbed the "Lion of the Lord"
for his bold personality, and was commonly called "Brother Brigham" by
Latter-day Saints. Young's legacy is controversial, however. While having
helped to organize a large religion, as well as the accession of
Utah Territory to the
United States, concerns persist about his role in the
Utah War
against the
United States government.
Early life until Joseph Smith's successor
Young was born to a farming family in Whitingham,
Vermont and
worked as a traveling
carpenter and
blacksmith,
among other trades.[4]
Young first married in 1824 to Miriam Angeline Works. Though he had converted to
the
Methodist faith in 1823, Young was drawn to
Mormonism
after reading the
Book of Mormon shortly after its publication in 1830. He officially
joined the new church in 1832 and traveled to
Upper
Canada as a
missionary. After his first wife died in 1832, Young joined many Mormons in
establishing a community in
Kirtland, Ohio.
He was ordained an
apostle and joined the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as one of its inaugural members on
February
14, 1835.
During the
anti-Mormon persecutions in
Missouri in
the late 1830s, Young suffered the loss of all his property. In 1840 and 1841,
he went to
England as a missionary; many of those Young converted moved to the
United States to join Mormon communities. In the 1840s Young was among those
who established the city of
Nauvoo,
Illinois on the
Mississippi River. It became the headquarters of the church and was
comparable in size to the city of
Chicago at
the time.
While in jail awaiting trial for treason charges,
Joseph Smith,
president of the church, was
killed by an armed mob in 1844. Several claimants to the role of church
President emerged during the
succession crisis that ensued. Before a large meeting convened to discuss
the succession in Nauvoo,
Sidney Rigdon, the senior surviving member of the church's
First Presidency, argued there could be no successor to the deceased prophet
and that he should be made the "Protector" of the church. Young opposed this
reasoning and motion. Smith had earlier recorded a
revelation
which stated the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were "equal in authority and
power" to the First Presidency, so Young claimed that the leadership of the
church fell to the Twelve Apostles. Many of Young's followers would later
reminisce that while Young spoke to the congregation, he looked or sounded
similar to Joseph Smith, to which they attributed the power of God.[8]
For many in attendance at this meeting, this occurrence was accepted as a sign
Young was to lead the church as
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Rigdon became the president
of a separate
church organization based in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and other potential successors emerged to lead what
became other denominations of the movement.
Governor of the Utah Territory
As colonizer and founder of
Salt Lake City, Young was appointed the territory's first governor and
superintendent of Indian affairs by
President Millard Fillmore. During his time as governor Young directed the
establishment of settlements throughout Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, and parts
of southern Colorado and northern Mexico. Under his direction the pioneers built
roads and bridges, forts, irrigation projects, and established public welfare,
organized a militia, and pacified the Native Americans. Young organized the
first legislature and established Fillmore as the territory's first capital. In
1856 he organized an efficient mail service. In 1858 he stepped down to his
successor
Alfred Cumming.
Church presidency
Initial actions as church president
After three years of leading the church as the President of the Quorum of the
Twelve, in 1847 Young reorganized a new
First Presidency and was declared president of the church. Repeated conflict
led Young to relocate his group of Latter-day Saints to a territory in what is
now Utah, then part
of Mexico.
Young organized the journey that would take the faithful to
Winter Quarters,
Nebraska,
in 1846 , then to the
Salt Lake Valley. Young arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on
July 24,
1847, a date now
recognized as
Pioneer Day in Utah.
Conflict with U.S. government
Shortly after the arrival of Young's pioneers, the new Mormon colonies were
incorporated into the
United States through
Mexican Cession, Young petitioned the
U.S. Congress to create the
State of Deseret. The
Compromise of 1850 instead carved out
Utah Territory, and Young was installed as governor. As governor and church
president, Young directed both religious and economic matters. He encouraged
independence and self-sufficiency. Many cities and towns in Utah, and some in
neighboring states, were founded under Young's direction. Young's leadership
style has been viewed as autocratic.
When federal officials received reports of widespread and systematic
obstruction of federal officials in Utah (most notably judges),
U.S. President
James Buchanan decided to install a non-Mormon governor. Buchanan accepted
the reports of the judges without any further investigation, and the new
non-sectarian governor was accompanied by troops sent to garrison forts in the
new territory. The troops passed by the
bloody Kansas–Missouri war without intervening in it, as it was not open
warfare and only isolated sporadic incidents. When Young received word that
federal troops were headed to Utah with his replacement, he called out his
militia to ambush the federal column. During the defense of Deseret, now called
the Utah War,
Young held the
U.S. Army at bay for a winter by taking their cattle and burning supply
wagons. The Mormon forces were largely successful thanks to Lot Smith, the
famous Mormon commando, who outsmarted the Federal army despite being
outnumbered by more than a thousand to one. Young made plans to burn
Salt Lake City and move his followers to Mexico, but at the last minute he
relented and agreed to step down as governor. He later received a
pardon from
Buchanan. Relations between Young and future governors and U.S. Presidents were
mixed.
Role in Mountain Meadows massacre
A controversial issue is the extent of Young's involvement in the
Mountain Meadows massacre, which took place in
Washington County in 1857. Authorities in
Iron County had sent a messenger to Salt Lake City, a three-day ride,
seeking direction from Young. Governor Brigham Young had promised the federal
government he would protect immigrants passing through Utah. But he had also
allegedly told local Native American leaders that they now had his permission to
steal cattle from these wagon trains. Over 120 men, women and children were
killed by the Mormons and, possibly, their Native American allies. It is clear
that local Mormons were the principal parties having anything to do with the
act.
Other notable actions
Young organized the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir and in 1850 founded the
University of Deseret, which is now the
University of Utah. In 1875, just two years before his death, he founded
Brigham Young Academy, which later became
Brigham Young University. In 1950, the state of Utah donated a marble statue
of Young to the
U.S. Capitol's
National Statuary Hall Collection.
A Sampler of Brigham Young’s Teachings
Definition of the Gospel
The Latter-day Saints believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They believe
in baptism for the remission of sins, personal and by proxy; they believe that
Jesus is the Savior of the world; they believe that all who attain to any
glory whatever, in any kingdom, will do so because Jesus has purchased it by
his atonement.
I can say to you in regard to Jesus and the atonement (it is so written,
and I firmly believe in it), that Christ has died for all. He has paid the
full debt, whether you receive the gift or not. But if we continue to sin, to
lie, steal, bear false witness, we must repent of and forsake that sin to have
the full efficacy of the blood of Christ. Without this it will be of no
effect, repentance must come, in order that the atonement may prove a benefit
to us.
Communicating with God
But we should all live so that the Spirit of revelation could dictate and
write on the heart and tell us what we should do instead of the traditions of
our parents and teachers. But to do this we must become like little children;
and Jesus says if we do not we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. How simple
it is! Live free from envy, malice, wrath, strife, bitter feelings, and evil
speaking in our families and about our neighbors and friends and all the
inhabitants of the earth, wherever we meet them. Live so that our consciences
are free, clean and clear.
You know that it is one peculiarity of our faith and religion never to ask
the Lord to do a thing without being willing to help him all that we are able;
and then the Lord will do the rest. I shall not ask the Lord to do what I am
not willing to do
Building Zion
The purpose of our life should be to build up the Zion of our God, to
gather the House of Israel, bring in the fullness of the Gentiles, restore and
bless the earth with our ability and make it as the Garden of Eden, store up
treasures of knowledge and wisdom in our own understandings, purify our own
hearts and prepare a people to meet the Lord when he comes.
When we conclude to make a Zion we will make it, and this work commences in
the heart of each person. When the father of a family wishes to make a Zion in
his own house, he must take the lead in this good work, which it is impossible
for him to do unless he himself possesses the spirit of Zion. Before he can
produce the work of sanctification in his family, he must sanctify himself,
and by this means God can help him to sanctify his family.
Family Life
We should never allow ourselves to teach our children one thing and
practice another.
I can pick out scores of men in this congregation who have driven their
children from them by using the wooden rod. Where there is severity there is
not affection or filial feeling in the hearts of either party; the children
would rather be away from father than be with him.
Kind looks, kind actions, kind words, and a lovely, holy deportment...will
bind our children to us with bands that cannot easily be broken.
Living with Others
It has never altered my feelings towards individuals, as men or as women,
whether they believe as I do nor not. Can you live as neighbors with me? I can
with you; and it is not a particular concern of mine whether you believe with
me or not.
We have not in our society an aristocratic circle. Whether a brother wears
a coon skin cap or a fine beaver hat is all the same to us. If a person is a
faithful servant of God we do not object to his coming to meeting, though he
has only a piece of buffalo skin to wear on his head. We partake of the
Sacrament with him, hail him in the street as a brother and a friend, converse
with him, meet him in social parties and greet him as an equal.
The Search for Truth
Truth commends itself to every honest person, it matters not how simply it
is told, and when it is received it seems as though we had been acquainted
with it all our lives.
Wait until you have searched and researched and have obtained wisdom to
understand what we preach.... If it is the work of God, it will stand.
Our religion has been a continual feast to me. With me it is Glory!
Hallelujah! Praise God! instead of sorrow and grief. Give me the knowledge,
power, and blessing that I have the capacity of receiving.....
Beliefs about blacks
- See also:
Blacks and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Young made statements about blacks that some modern observers find
controversial.
Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white
man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the
penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so.
You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely,
disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly
all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon
mankind....Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would
have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and
the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace
mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the
same race-that they should be the "servant of servants;" and they will be,
until that curse is removed; and the Abolitionists cannot help it, nor in the
least alter that decree. How long is that race to endure the dreadful curse
that is upon them? That curse will remain upon them, and they never can hold
the Priesthood or share in it until all the other descendants of Adam have
received the promises and enjoyed the blessings of the Priesthood and the keys
thereof.
If the Government of the United States, in Congress assembled, had the
right to pass an anti-polygamy bill, they had also the right to pass a law
that slaves should not be abused as they have been; they had also a right to
make a law that negroes should be used like human beings, and not worse than
dumb brutes. For their abuse of that race, the whites will be cursed, unless
they repent.
Family life
Plural marriage
Young was perhaps the most famous
polygamist of the early American church, marrying a total of 55 wives, 54 of
them after becoming a Latter Day Saint. He stated that upon being taught about
plural marriage, "It was the first time in my life that I desired the grave.
"By the time of his death, Young had 57 children by 16 of his wives; 46 of his
children reached adulthood.
Sources have varied on the number of Young's wives due to differences in what
observers have considered to be a "wife". There were 55 women that Young was
sealed to during his lifetime. While the majority of the sealings were
"for eternity", some were "for time only". However, it is suspected that not
all of the 55 marriages were
conjugal, and Young did not live with a number of his wives or publicly hold
them out as wives, which has led to confusion on numbering.
Of his 55 wives, 21 had never been married before; 16 were widows; six were
divorced; six had living husbands; and the marital status of six others are
unknown.
In 1856, Young built the
Lion House
to accommodate his sizable family. This building remains a Salt Lake City
landmark, together with the
Beehive House, another Brigham Young family home. A contemporary of Young
wrote: "It was amusing to walk by Brigham Young's big house, a long rambling
building with innumerable doors. Each wife has an establishment of her own,
consisting of parlor, bedroom, and a front door, the key of which she keeps in
her pocket".
At the time of Young's death, 19 of his wives had predeceased him, he was
divorced from ten, and 23 survived him, with the status of four unknown. In his
will,
Young shared his estate with the 16 surviving wives who had lived with him; the
six surviving non-conjugal wives were not mentioned in the will.