Brigham Young Biography

Brigham Young Biography

Full Name: Mr. Brigham Young
Date of Birth: June 1, 1801
Place of Birth: Whitingham, Vermont, USA
Died: August 29, 1877
Place of Death: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Classification: Heroes & Icons

Known as the “The American Moses,” Brigham Young founded the Church of Latter Day Saints known as the Mormons. Although young never had a formal education, he led his people to Utah and became the leader of what is now the fastest growing faith in the United States.

Young Brigham attended church as he grew up with his family in the State of Vermont and New York. In his latter teens, Young became a painter and worked until his early 20s saving his money and becoming deeply involved with the Methodist Church. By the age of 28, he married young Miriam Works and the two decided to first settle in New York. While working his laborious jobs, Brigham began reading more about Joseph Smith and his Book of Mormon. He decided to join the church and thereafter was baptized as an official member where he took it upon himself to travel the States seeking new inductees into the Mormon circle.

Within one year of his joining the church, Brigham Young and his family moved to Ohio and there formed a Mormon church. Following, he continued on a path west in order to spread the word of his faith. It is also recorded that Young joined the Mormon side of the Zion Army, something that was at that time out of his character. However, the Mormons were facing increases pressure wherever they migrated and were welcomed in neither Missouri nor Illinois when they attempted to settle there.

Within five years, Brigham Young had climbed the ranks in the church to become one of the top members of what were dubbed the Twelve Apostles. Upon a trip home from England, Young was positioned even higher in the church and became on of its top leaders. Joseph Smith, the prophet of Mormonism, decided to run for President of the United States and was subsequently murdered. Brigham returned to find his people in panic and worked diligently to bring them together. He met with his top officials to find a new homeland – what would come to be known as the new Zion.

Mormon church officials decided that they should move west and that Young, now their president, would lead them. By 1850, Young, now with much more knowledge about how to strategically survive, began spreading the word of his church even more. He sent the young and capable abroad to gather recruits to come live and work in their new land. He planned the building and construction of Salt Lake City, but also sent his people to the outskirts of Utah to construct small towns and prosper through farming. Nearly a hundred thousand coverts came from Europe. Missionaries were sent abroad to spread the word of their faith. By 1850, Brigham Young had nearly 30 wives and over 50 children. He founded the institution that would become the University of Utah. Following the Mexican War, Young became the governor of Utah. However, after a skirmish called the “Mormon War,” he stepped down from office, but continued to rule through the church.