1801 - 1877

• Born in Wittingham, Windham, Vermont, 1 June 1801
• Baptized 1832
• Ordained Elder 1832
• Captain in Zion's Camp - 1834
• Ordained Apostle 1835
• President of Quorum of the Twelve 1838-47
• Mission to Great Britain 1839-41
• President of the Church 1847-77
• Died 29 August 1877

    Prophet, Seer, and Revelator... President of the Church... Frontiersman... Explorer... Territorial Governor... Statesman... Military Commander... these are but a few of the roles played by the remarkable President Brigham Young. He has been called the American Moses for leading the Saints on the Exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois to the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

    Brigham Young was born June 1, 1801 in Wittingham, Windham County, Vermont to John Young and Abigail Howe Young. He was the ninth of eleven children. His parents being Methodist, Brigham affiliated with that sect at the age of twenty-one. He mastered several trades, among them, carpenter, joiner, painter, and glazier.

    Brigham married Miriam Works in 1824 and the couple settled in the town of Aurelius, New York, only some fifteen miles from Manchester, where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were working on the translation of the Golden Plates. Doubtless he heard rumors of their work and doubtless those rumors were not complimentary. Nevertheless, when given a copy of the Book of Mormon, a year later, by his father, who proclaimed it to be "the greatest work and clearest of error of anything [I have] ever seen, the Bible not excepted," Brigham studied it carefully and prayed for a divine confirmation of its truthfulness, which he received.

    Brigham was baptized April 14, 1832 and ordained an Elder the same day. In September of the same year, his wife, Miriam, died and after attending to her burial, Brigham determined to join the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio. It was there that Brigham met The Prophet for the first time. Both a close friendship and a great love developed between the two men. On the very date of their first meeting, Joseph prophesied that "the time would come when Brother Brigham Young will preside over this Church."

    Brigham immersed himself in service to the Church, serving a mission to Canada. In 1834 he married Mary Ann Angell, then later the same year joined the Military expedition to relieve the Saints in Missouri known as Zion's Camp. Despite much murmuring and disaffection displayed by others on the March, Brigham remained loyal to the Prophet and often defended him. Joseph never had a more loyal defender than Brigham Young. Through the remainder of Joseph's life, he would often face down the disloyal and the apostates in his defense of Joseph.

    In 1835, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was organized with Brigham called and set apart as a member. Brigham worked on the Temple during 1835 and 1836 until mob action drove him to join the Saints in Far West, Missouri where he established his residence in 1838. By this time he was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Thomas B. Marsh having been excommunicated for apostasy and David W. Patten having suffered the martyr's fate. Thus when Joseph was imprisoned of false charges, the day-to-day running of the Church largely fell on President Young's shoulders. Brigham directed the evacuation of the Saints from Missouri which resulted in the settling of Nauvoo. This training of leadership in the face of persecution and adversity would stand him in good stead when a few years later, following the murder of Joseph and Hyrum, Brigham would lead the Saints west.

    During 1840-41 President Young filled a mission to England. Then, after his return to Nauvoo, he was called two years later to another mission, this time in the Eastern States. He returned to Nauvoo October 22, 1843.

    The Church was thrown into great turmoil by the murder of The Prophet and The Patriarch in Carthage, Illinois on June 27, 1844. A pattern of succession had not been established and there were conflicting claims to the leadership of the Church. Among these William Marks, President of the Nauvoo Stake, presented himself. William Strang claimed that Joseph had appointed him (Strang) as successor in a lengthy letter supposedly posted just nine days before the Martyrdom. William Smith, The Prophet's brother made a claim based on lineage. Perhaps Sidney Rigdon's claim attracted the most adherents, based on his position as First Counselor in the First Presidency. But when Brigham Young rose to speak and present the Twelve's claim, it was seen by the multitude that the mantle of Joseph fell upon Brigham. He was both heard and seen to speak as Joseph. The question of succession was answered and Brigham as President of the Twelve led the Church from that time forth, though several splinters broke away.

    The enemies of the Church had believed that with Joseph gone, the Church would fall. When they were disavowed of that belief, the persecution resumed and it was necessary for the Church to abandon Nauvoo in a great exodus to the west. Brigham's life of faith and leadership had prepared him well and on July 24, 1847, the main body of the Pioneer Company entered the valley of the Great Salt Lake. Later that year the First Presidency was organized with Brigham as President of the Church.

    Brigham's genius as an empire builder emerged and the desert was seen to blossom as a rose, as Saints were sent to settle the Great Basin of the Rocky Mountains. Brigham dedicated four temple sites and lived to see the St. George Temple completed. In politics, Brigham served as Governor of the State of Deseret and later of the Utah Territory. He founded the Deseret University, now the University of Utah, and the Brigham Young Academy, now Brigham Young University.

    Brigham died August 29, 1877 with the words, "Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph!" on his lips.