Brigham Young

1801– 1877

Born in Whitingham, Vermont; moved to Mendon, New York, where he was baptized, 1832; served mission to Canada prior to moving to Kirtland, Ohio, 1833; ordained an apostle, 1835; directed Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Missouri in 1838, which eventually resulted in the establishment of Nauvoo, Illinois; served mission to England, 1839–1841; assumed leadership of Church as president of Quorum of Twelve Apostles following martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith; led first company of Latter-day Saints that entered Salt Lake Valley in July 1847; sustained as second president of the Church in December 1847; served as Utah Territory’s first governor and superintendent of Indian affairs, 1851, positions he held until 1857; directed establishment of Latter-day Saint settlements throughout Utah and into present-day Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and California; died in Salt Lake City. (See Leonard J. Arrington and Hugh W. Nibley, “Young, Brigham,” in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4:1601–11; Arrington, Brigham Young; Orton and Slaughter, 40 Ways to Look at Brigham Young; Landon, To California in ’49, 187; Gates, Life Story of Brigham Young; Holzapfel and Shupe, Brigham Young; GQC journal, frequent references, Sept. 1850–July 1854.)