Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-06
BRIGHAM YOUNG.
Death of the Mormon Prophet and
Sketch of kHls Life.

Sketch of Has Life.
Brigham Young died at Salt Lake
City, Utah, August Goth, at 4 o'clock of
cholera morbus, after short but painful
illness. His death has completely upset
the Mormon element there, and before he
was cold rings and cliques were formed,
each struggling to influence the nomina-
ton of his successor.
Brigham Young, was born in Vermont
June ], 1910. His father was small
farmer, and Brigham enjoyed very few
advantages in the way of education.
While yet quite boy he was apprenticed
and learned the trade of painter and
glazier. During his early youth he de-
velopcd strong religious proclivitics and
united with the Baptist Church. 1t is
even said that he occasionally preached
about the country as he travelled working
at his trade. His earlier life is of but
little public interest; he pursued his
rather humble calling, probably diversi-
tying 1t with an occasional turn at farm
work, and made his way westward, stop
ping some time in various parts of Central
and Western New York. He is reported
to have worked little while as gardener
t. William III. Steward, and afterward
resided for time not far from Rochester
N. Y. In 1882 he was ordained an elder
of the "Church OF Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints" having been converted TO
the mormon faith short time previously
and began his peculiar and celebrated
career as preacher in the mormon settle
ment at Kirkland, D. Since that time he
has been closely identified with the rise,
spread, and interior history of this ter
rible religion, being for most of the time
practically the "Church" itself.
The Church had already been started
as an organization in Manchester N. Y,
and in 1881 removed, with all the mem
bers, to Kirkland, o., under the leader
ship of Joseph Smith, inspired, as he
said, by revelation. Grave suspicious of
the integrity of some of the Saints arose
in the minds of their neighbors. and on
March %, 1882, Smith and a Saint
named Rigdon were tarred and feathered.
It was at about this time that Brigham
Young made his appearance among the
Saints at Kirkland. AT the period of his
accession the government of the Church
consisted of Presidency, of which Smith,
Rigdon, and Frederick G.. Williams were
the incumbents. His talents and shrewd-
ness speedily made him prominent, and
in February, 1885, a further step in the
organization of the hierarchy was made
by the institution of the quorum of the
twelve Apostles, and he was ordained one
of the twelve, and sent forth with the
other Apostles.
His field of labor was in the Eastern
States, and he was signally successful in
making converts. In 1885 a large and
costly temple, which had been for three
years in process of building, was conse-
Grated at Kirkland, and in 1887 Orson
Hyde and Heber G. Kimball were sent as
missionaries to England. In 1888, the
bank at Kirkland having failed, Smith
and Rigdon fled to Missouri in the night,
holly pursued by their creditors.
The prophets were soon surrounded by
the faithful in Missouri, and the colony
throve for while Notwithstanding the
enmity OF the Missoulians. This broke
out at last in fierce contest, and most OF
the Saints, to the number of $4,000, took
refuge in Illinois. The town of Nauvoo
was started, under charter from the leg
islature of Illinois. As early as 1888, il
is said, Smith began practically to carry
out his revelation of celestial marriage,
and plurality of wives, but it was not un-
til 1843 that polygamy was publicly au-
thorized. When the "revelation !" be-
came public, great deal of indignation
was felt even in Nauvoo and serious dis.
turbances took place, the result of which
was that Smith and his brother Hyrum
were thrown into prison at Carthage, ILL.,,
where they were murdered by mob
June 81, 1914.
Smiths death caused great agitation
and confusion among his followers
Sidney Rigdon and others aspired to sue
coed him, but the Council of the twelve
apostles unanimously elected Brigham
Young, and from that day to the day of
his death the history of Brigham Young
and Mormonism are one.
In 1845 the Legislature of Illinois re-
voked the charter of Nauvoo, and the
saints determined to emigrate beyond the
Rocky Mountains. Young sent explorers,
who returned with favorable reports OF
the great Salt Lake Valley. In FEBRUARY,
t846, the first emigrants crossed the ice
bound Mississippi, stopped year or two in
Iowa, and then marched under the strict
est discipline across the great wilderness.
Brigham Young arrived in the valley
July "a, 1847 and the main body of the
Mormons in the fall of l848. Salt Lake
City was soon founded, an emigration
fund established, and settlers poured in
from all over the world. In 1850 the
Government of the United States admit
ted the new territory under the name of
Utah, and commissioned Brigham Young
as Governor and Indian Agent. District
Judges were also appointed by the Fed
eral authority, but these were regarded