The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-03-26
BRIGHAM YOUNG.
Ills First Marriage and the First Settle-
ment of M0rmOns In Ohio.

Ills First Marriage and the First Settle
ment of Mormons In Ohio.
Learning that there were in the Of
flee of the probate Judge of Geauga
County some interesting facts to be OBJ
tanned in regard to the early life of
Brigham Young, the great Mormon,
your correspondent paid that office a
visit. and by the courtesy of Jud &c
Smith was enabled to obtain the fol-
lowing facts, never before published.
1t will be remembered that the little
town of Kirkland, at that time a part
of Geauga County, was the ''first gath
ering place" of the MormOns. Brig
ham Young was one of the earliest Of
them to come to Kirkland, and soon
after coming to the place he met and
soon married Miss Mary Ann Angel.
This was his first and legal marriage.
In the old records of the probate court
may be still seen the original applica-
ton of Brigham for the necessary IL
cense for this marriage and the certifi-
cate of the marriage by Sidney Rig
don, another prominent Mormon. The
copies of the application for license
and the certificate of marriage are as
| follows:
1.-THE State Of Ohio. Geauga County. S.:
"Personally appeared Brigham Young and
himself and Mary Ann Angel. Of the town.
ship Of Kirkland. in said county, and made
solemn oath that he, the said brigham
Young is Of the age Of
eighteen years; that they are both single.
and not nearer of kin than first cousins; that
he knows of no legal impeachment against
| "BRICKHAM YOUNG.
'sworn and subscribed this 10th day of
February, 1854. before me.
| "RALPH COwLES, Dep Clerk"
! BE it remembered, that on the thirty first
/ day Of March, in the year OF our Lord. one
; thousand eight hundred and thirty four.
| Brigham Young and Mary Ann Angel. of the
| marriage BY competent authority, n con-
formity to the provisions of the statutes of
the State OF Ohio. in such cases made and
! provided. and q certificate of the said mar
riage, signed by Sidney Kigdon, minister
/ who sOlemnized the same. has been filed in
the office OF the clerk of the court Of CON-
this third day of April, Ammo Domini one
thousand eight hundred and thirty-four;
ATTEST: D d AIKEN, Clerk"
The signature of Brigham Young to
the application above is a fac-simile of
the original signature on the record.
1t will be noticed as an evidence of
brigham illiteracy that he spells his
name Brickham Young, and spells the
last name with a small or lcwer-case
"y." How such a man couid obtain
such a control over thepeople as he did
can only be explained upon the hypo-
thesis that they were either very iyno-
rant or very vicious, and his great per-
sonal magnetism and insight into hu-
man nature and faculty of adapting
himself to the different natures,
showed them he was born leader.
There still live in Kirkland and in
, Munson, in this county, nephews of
Mary Ann Angel. and they confirm all
the foregoing statements. There is
still living in Kirkland small band OF
Mormons who can not swallow the
polygamOus portion of the religion.
They still hold meetings occasionally
in the old Mormon temple IN hat place.
and crowds Of curious people come
from the neighborings towns to see
their proceedings.-Chardon 10. Cor.
| Gincinn0fi Commercial Gazette