The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-09-06
DEATH OF BRIGHAM YOUNG.

All event tQaC Will prove u SCDSablOu Ill
almost every quarter of the habitable
globe is the death of Brigham Young,
whose decease was announced lastThurs-
day morning. What effect the death of
this really remarkable man will have on
the church of which he is the head, and
more still on the peculiar heresy of po-
lygamy, of which he was the particular
prophet, priest and king, cannot now be
determined Itwould not be surprising,
however, if with his downfall came also
the downfall of polygamy, and that, rid
of this clog, Mormonism took its place
among the permissible beliefs of the
religious world.
Brigham Young was born in Vermont
June 1, 1901. He was the son of a far
mer received but little education, and
learned the trade of painter and glazier.
He was member of the Baptist Church,
and is said to have preached occasionally.
In 1882 he joined the Mormans at klrt-
land, Ohio was ordained elder became
one of the twelve apostles, and was sent
to the Eastern States in 1885 to make
proselytes, in which he was very success
full. After the death of Joseph Smith,
in 1874, Young was one of the four as
pirants for the Presidency, and was
unanimously chosen to that office. His
choice met general approval. and soon
after his rival, Sidney Rigdon, was ex-
communicated. After the tragedy at
Nauvoo, Young set out with his follow
ers in 1916 for Salt Lake, which, he
persuaded them, was the promised land.
He founded Salt Lake City, organized
the State of Deseret, and applied for
admission into the Union. This was
denied by Congress, but the Territory
of Utah was organized in 1850, and
Young was appointed Governor. In
1854, on the appointment of Governor
who was not Mormon, he defied the
authority of the Federal Government,
and in 1857 President Buchanan sent
Alfred Cumming. whom he had appoint
ed Governor to Salt Lake, backed by a
force of 2, 500 men. This brought mat
tiers to crisis, and the Mormons sub
mitted. In 1852 Young proclaimed the
celestial law of marriage sanctioning
polygamy, which he declared had been
revealed to JOS. Smith in lS43. Smiths
widow and her four sons at once de-
norrnced this as forgery and headed q
schism. But the personal power of
Young was such that he had little diff
Guilty in establishing poligamy as an in
stitution of the church.
In height Young measured about 5
feet inches, would weigh about 200
pounds, had light curly hair, slightly
tinged with gray, ford complexion,
prominent but compressed mouth, show
ing great decision, and in outward ap-
pearance man of character.
He was reticent to strangers, and in
his manner assumed an air and dignity
becoming p very superior person.
In dress he was always particular, and
looked in home spun as well-to-do man
of business. In these latter days he
wore the finest broadcloths.
lie has figured in his time and gener-
alton as character in the history of the
United States and in the development
of the country lying west of the Missouri
and the completion of therailroad across
the American continent has certainly
been advanced ten years by the fact Of
his existence.
He has added many of the rites and
ceremonies and institutions now con-
nected with the church that were I'M
known in Smiths time, and the mis-
sionary branch is not exceeded, if equal
ed, by any church in Europe or America.
Without any spiritual organization,
and no strong religious sentiment, it
seems incomprehensible to the thinking
world that he should be successful
religious leader.
At the last spring conference the
Prophet claimed that he was good for
fifteen years to come, and his appear
ance was as fresh and vigorous as man
of so, and, SO far as could be judged, he
certainly promised to fulfill his assertion,
Whether this was revealed to him or
not he did not say.
The time was when Brigham Young
was the idol of his people. His word
was law, and his advice was implicitly
obeyed, but in the last few years he has
fallen off in these particulars.
The great dream of the prophet the
last few years was to secure his success
sion to his son Brigham, Jr., quiet,
harmless man, without energy or capa-
bihty, and in many respects inferior to
his son John W., and somewhat SO to
his son Joseph A., but to either one the
Mormons will never submit, and who
will be the man to wear the robes of this
high officer remains to be seen. Con
lecture does not even point to any man.
His fortune is estimated to be as high
as six millions. In his answer to Ann
Eliza, he claimed it was only 5000, 900 ;
perhaps twice this sum would be nearer
| the truth. In round numbers, his fam
lily consists of siXty-five persons. He
has built houses for many of his wives
and several of his children, but up to
the time of his sickness deeds had never
been given to any of them, though it is
probable that they are all executed
Inter- Ocean.