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Young, Brigham, 1801-1877

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1801 - 1877

Biography

Brigham Young (1801-1877) was the second prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a politician in Utah.

Brigham Young was born on June 1, 1801, in Witingham, Vermont to John Hayden Young, Sr. and Abigail Howe. Young married Miriam Works on October 8, 1824, in Aurelius, New York. Together they had two children. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1832, and moved to Kirtland, Ohio.

Young practiced polygamy. He married his second wife, Mary Ann Angell in Kirtland, Ohio on March 31, 1834. They had six children. He followed the migration of the Church from Ohio to Missouri to Nauvoo, Illinois. While in Nauvoo, Young married his third wife, Lucy Ann Decker, in Nauvoo, Illinois on June 14, 1842. Together they had seven children. He married his fourth wife, Harriet Elizabeth Cook, in Nauvoo, Illinois on November 2, 1843. They had one child. Young married fifth his wife, Augusta Adams, in Nauvoo, Illinois on November 2, 1843. He married his sixth wife, Clarissa Clara Decker, on Nauvoo, Illinois on May 8, 1844. Together they had five children. He married his seventh wife, Clarissa Ross, in Nauvoo, Illinois on September 10, 1844. Together they had four children. He then married his eighth wife, Louisa Beman, in Nauvoo, Illinois on September 19, 1844. Together they had five children. He married his ninth wife, Elizabeth Fairchild, in Nauvoo, Illinois. He married his tenth wife, Eliza Roxey Snow, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 3, 1844. He married his eleventh wife, Clarissa Blake, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 8, 1844. Young married his twelfth wife, Rebecca Greenleaf Holman, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 9, 1844. He married his thirteenth wife, Diana Severance Chase, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 10, 1844. He married his fourteenth wife, Susanna Snively, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 31, 1844. They had one child together. He married his fifteenth wife, Emily Dow Partridge, in Nauvoo, Illinois in November 1844. They had seven children together. He married his sixteenth wife, Olive Gray Frost, in Nauvoo, Illinois on November 7, 1844. He married his seventeenth wife, Mary Harvey Pierce, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 16, 1845. He married his eighteenth wife, Margaret Pierce, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 16, 1845. They had one child. He married his nineteenth wife, Emeline Free, in Nauvoo, Illinois on April 30, 1845. Together they had ten children. He married his twentieth wife, Mary Elizabeth Rollins, in Nauvoo, Illinois on May 22, 1845. He married his twenty-first wife, Margaret Maria Alley, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 14, 1846. They had two children together. He married his twenty-second wife, Olive Andrews, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 15, 1846. He married his twenty-third wife, Ellen Rockwood, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 21, 1846. He married his twenty-fourth wife, Martha Bowker, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 21, 1846. Together they had one child. Young married his twenty-fifth wife, Jemima Angell, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 28, 1846. He married his twenty-sixth wife, Phoebe Ann Morton, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 28, 1846. He married his twenty-seventh wife, Cynthia Porter, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 28, 1846. Young married his twenty-eighth wife, Abigail Marks, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 28, 1846. He married his twenty-ninth wife, Mary Eliza Nelson, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 31, 1846. He married his thirtieth wife, Rhoda Richards, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 31, 1846. He married his thirty-first wife, Zina Diantha Huntington, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 2, 1846. Together they had one child. He married his thirty-second wife, Julia Foster, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846. He married his thirty-third wife, Abigail Harbach, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846. Young married his thirty-fourth wife, Mary Ann Turley, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846. He married his thirty fifth wife, Amey Cecilia Cooper, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846. Young married his thirty-sixth wife, Mary Allen De La Montagnie, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846. He married his thirty-seventh wife, Nancy Cressy, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 6, 1846. Young married his thirty-eighth wife, Naamah Kendel Jenkins Carter, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 6, 1846.

In February 1846, Young led the "Mormon Exodus" to the West. While waiting in Winter Quarters, Nebraska, Young married his thirty-ninth wife, Jane Terry, on February 10, 1847. He married his fortieth wife, Mary Jane Bigelow, in Winter Quarters, Nebraska on March 20, 1847. He married his forty-first wife, Lucy Bigelow, in Winter Quarters, Nebraska on March 20, 1847. They had three children together. He married his forty-second wife, Sarah Malin, in Winter Quarters, Nebraska on April 18, 1848.

Young was sustained as the second president of the Church on December 27, 1847. Arriving in Utah, he settled in Salt Lake City. In 1849, Young was appointed as governor of Utah Territory. He married his forty-third wife, Eliza Burgess on October 3, 1852. They had one child. He married his forty-fourth wife, Mary Oldfield, in Salt Lake City, Utah on December 16, 1852. He married his forty-fifth wife, Eliza Babcock, approximately 1853. Young married his forty-sixth wife, Catherine Reese, in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 10, 1855. He married his forty-seventh wife, Harriet Emeline Barney, in Salt Lake City, Utah on March 14, 1856. They had one child. Young married his forty-eighth wife, Harriet Amelia Folsom, in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 24, 1863. He married his forty-ninth wife, Ann Eliza Webb, in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 7, 1868. Young married his fiftieth wife, Mary Van Cott, in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 8, 1868. They had one child together. He married his fifty-first wife, Elizabeth Jones, in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 3, 1869. He married his fifty-second wife, Lydia Farnsworth, in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 8, 1870. Young passed away on August 29, 1877, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Citation:
Its Proclamation by the governor, 1853: t.p. (Brigham Young)

Webster's new biog. dict. (Young, Brigham, governor, 1849-1857)

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1992: page 1650 (Young, Brigham, b. June 1, 1801, Whitingham, Vermont; d. Aug. 29, 1877, Salt Lake City, Utah; occupation: carpenter-glazier; President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dec 27, 1847-Aug 29, 1877; President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, April 14, 1840; Apostle, Feb. 14, 1835) pages 1601-1605 (Brigham Young, colonizer, territorial governor, and president of the Church of Jeus Christ of Latter-day Saints, moved to Auburn, New York in 1815; moved to Port Byron, New York in 1823; married Oct 5, 1824; after four years in Port Byron moved to Oswego; 1828 moved to Mendon; baptized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spring of 1832; 1833 moved to Kirtland, Ohio; 1834 Zion's Camp; 1838 moved to Caldwell County, Missouri; 1839 moved to Commerce, later renamed Nauvoo, Illinois; February 1846 left Nauvoo; arrived Salt Lake Valley, July 24, 1847) page 1605 (built home in Salt Lake City and eventually Provo and St. George) page 1607 (1849 established the perpetual emigrating fund)

FamilySearch, July 31, 2024 (parents John Hayden Young, Sr. and Abigail Howe; married Miriam Works on October 8, 1824, in Aurelius, New York; had two children; practiced polygamy; married second wife, Mary Ann Angell in Kirtland, Ohio on March 31, 1834; had six children; married third wife, Lucy Ann Decker, in Nauvoo, Illinois on June 14, 1842; had seven children; married fourth wife, Harriet Elizabeth Cook, in Nauvoo, Illinois on November 2, 1843; had one child; married fifth wife, Augusta Adams, in Nauvoo, Illinois on November 2, 1843; married sixth wife, Clarissa Clara Decker, on Nauvoo, Illinois on May 8, 1844; had five children; married seventh wife, Clarissa Ross, in Nauvoo, Illinois on September 10, 1844; had four children; married eighth wife, Louisa Beman, in Nauvoo, Illinois on September 19, 1844; had five children; married ninth wife, Elizabeth Fairchild, in Nauvoo, Illinois; married tenth wife, Eliza Roxey Snow, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 3, 1844; married eleventh wife, Clarissa Blake, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 8, 1844; married twelfth wife, Rebecca Greenleaf Holman, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 9, 1844; married thirteenth wife, Diana Severance Chase, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 10, 1844; married fourteenth wife, Susanna Snively, in Nauvoo, Illinois on October 31, 1844; had one child; married fifteenth wife, Emily Dow Partridge, in Nauvoo, Illinois in November 1844; had seven children; married sixteenth wife, Olive Gray Frost, in Nauvoo, Illinois on November 7, 1844; married seventeeth wife, Mary Harvey Pierce, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 16, 1845; married eighteeth wife, Margaret Pierce, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 16, 1845; had one child; married nineteenth wife, Emeline Free, in Nauvoo, Illinois on April 30, 1845; had ten children; married twentieth wife, Mary Elizabeth Rollins, in Nauvoo, Illinois on May 22, 1845; married twenty-first wife, Margaret Maria Alley, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 14, 1846; had two children; married twenty-second wife, Olive Andrews, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 15, 1846; married twenty-third wife, Ellen Rockwood, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 21, 1846; married twenty-fourth wife, Martha Bowker, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 21, 1846; had one child; married twenty-fifth wife, Jemima Angell, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 28, 1846; married twenty-sixth wife, Phoebe Ann Morton, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 28, 1846; married twenty-seventh wife, Cynthia Porter, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 28, 1846; married twenty-eighth wife, Abigail Marks, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 28, 1846; married twenty-ninth wife, Mary Eliza Nelson, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 31, 1846; married thirtieth wife, Rhoda Richards, in Nauvoo, Illinois on January 31, 1846; married thirty-first wife, Zina Diantha Huntington, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 2, 1846; had one child; married thirty-second wife, Julia Foster, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846; married thirty-third wife, Abigail Harbach, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846; married thirty-fourth wife, Mary Ann Turley, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846; married thirty fifth wife, Amey Cecilia Cooper, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846; married thirty-sixth wife, Mary Allen De La Montagnie, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 3, 1846; married thirty-seventh wife, Nancy Cressy, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 6, 1846; married thirty-eighth wife, Naamah Kendel Jenkins Carter, in Nauvoo, Illinois on February 6, 1846; married thirty-ninth wife, Jane Terry, in Winter Quarters, Nebraska on February 10, 1847; married fortieth wife, Mary Jane Bigelow, in Winter Quarters, Nebraska on March 20, 1847; married forty-first wife, Lucy Bigelow, in Winter Quarters, Nebraska on March 20, 1847; had three children; married forty-second wife, Sarah Malin, in Winter Quarters, Nebraska on April 18, 1848; married forty-third wife, Eliza Burgess, in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 3, 1852; had one child; married forty-fourth wife, Mary Oldfield, in Salt Lake City, Utah on December 16, 1852; married forty-fifth wife, Eliza Babcock, approximately 1853; married forty-sixth wife, Catherine Reese, in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 10, 1855; married forty-seventh wife, Harriet Emeline Barney, in Salt Lake City, Utah on March 14, 1856; had one child; married forty-eighth wife, Harriet Amelia Folsom, in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 24, 1863; married forty-ninth wife, Ann Eliza Webb, in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 7, 1868; married fiftieth wife, Mary Van Cott, in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 8, 1868; had one child; married fifty-first wife, Elizabeth Jones, in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 3, 1869; married fifty-second wife, Lydia Farnsworth, in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 8, 1870)

Found in 424 Collections and/or Records:

Utah's black Friday : history of the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230240787]
Identifier: MSS SC 402
Scope and Contents

Unpublished typewritten booklength history of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Dates: 1969

John Van Cott papers

 Collection — Box 1: [Barcode: 31197230217678]
Identifier: MSS 1743
Scope and Contents

Correspondence, diaries, and a family history. The correspondence is between Van Cott and family members. Also included are handwritten and signed letters from Brigham Young, second president of the Mormon Church, to Van Cott. The diaries cover the time when Van Cott served as a missionary for the Mormon Church from 1852 to 1856 and from 1859 to 1862. He was in Iowa City, Iowa, when the first handcart companies left for Utah.

Dates: 1838-1913

W. D. poetry and illustrations

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230310598]
Identifier: MSS SC 1303
Scope and Contents Two unbound booklets of handwritten poetry with pen and ink illustrations. One of the booklets is a fully illustrated poem entitled "A Mormon Romance" which satirizes the Mormon practice of polygamy. On the cover of this item is a pen and ink illustration of Nauvoo, Ill. The other item contains poems describing the author's experiences while visiting the Mormon community of Nauvoo, Illinois in 1840 when she was introduced to the Mormon Church, met Brigham Young, and heard a sermon...
Dates: 1871

Joseph C. Walker papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1461
Scope and Contents Collection includes histories, travelogues, correspondence, accounts of early settlers, a genealogical review and other genealogical information, and a chapter from Walker's memoirs. Tells of his travels, 1863-1865, family history and genealogy, Mountain Meadows Massacre, anti-Mormon sentiment in various localities, conditions in Iowa and Montana, an encounter with Reorganized Latter Day Saint Church members, origin of Montana place names, story of T.C. Everts' rescue during the...
Dates: 1864-1907

L. Walker letter to Brigham Young

 Collection — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197233287124]
Identifier: Vault MSS 181
Scope and Contents

Handwritten and signed letter, dated 28 March 1876, and addressed to Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon Church. Walker writes to Young requesting trees for outside and indoor planting.

Dates: 1876 March 28

Ronald W. Walker papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 9005
Content Description The Ronald W. Walker papers are a collection of personal papers and research materials. They include notecards which contain his research on Brigham Young and Heber J. Grant, former Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; his personal journals kept from 1976 to 2016; his research materials he collected over the years concerning topics such as Mormonism, the Utah War, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and others. These consist of Walker's own material he created, such as...
Dates: approximately 1950-2016

G.D. Watt letters

 Collection
Identifier: Vault MSS 40
Scope and Contents Thirteen handwritten and signed letters from G.D. (George Darling) Watt, twelve of which are addressed to his wife, Martha D. Watt, also referred to by George as "Mattie." Ten of the items are the originals while the remaining three are photostat copies. George Watt, a polygamist, writes about family matters and relationships with his wives, his activities in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper, the Church of Zion, and his employment with Brigham Young, the second president...
Dates: 1867-1875

Daniel Webster letter

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197231563732]
Identifier: MSS 604
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of a handwritten and signed letter dated 1 Feb. 1845 and addressed to Daniel Webster of Boston, Massachusetts. The item was also signed by Willard Richards, William W. Phelps, John Taylor, and other prominent leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Young asks for legal advice concerning the repeal of the Nauvoo City charter by the Illinois state legislature.

Dates: 1845 February 1

Charles Edmund West newsclippings

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230314517]
Identifier: MSS SC 1645
Scope and Contents

Two photocopies of newsclippings, handwritten genealogy notes on the back of an envelope (with photocopy), and Dr. West's handwritten story about Brigham Young on note paper. The clippings represent a tribute and an obituary.

Dates: 1935-1942

Elisha Whitteny letter and enclosure

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230319938]
Identifier: MSS SC 2114
Scope and Contents

Handwritten copybook of a letter and an enclosure apparently signed by Elisha Whitteny and addressed to Governor Brigham Young. Both the letter and the enclosure deal with a money discrepancy which the U.S. Treasury awarded to Utah.

Dates: 1857