The Washington times., 1902-06-23
Descendants of Mormon
Leader to Meet
Annually.
MANY THOUSANDS IN ALL
Whole Town Full of People to Get
Together for Demonstration-Not a
Building in Salt Lake City Large
Enough to Accommodate Them.

The descendants of Brigham Young have
decided to perpetuate the memory of the
late president of the Mormon Church by
keeping up a family association and
holding a reunion once each year. There
is nothing at all extraordinary about
family reunion, but when a family as
sumes the proportions OF that left be-
hind by Brigham Young a reunion pos
sesses all the aspects OF 4 whole town
full OF people getting together for
public demonstration. And what is
more, it is no small matter to run a
family association under such circum-
stances. To keep the organization to-
gether and operating smoothly will re-
quire the services of as many officers
as are required to preside over a munich
pality.
Although Brigham Young died as re-
Gently as 1877, he left more than 1000
wives, fifty-six children, of whom forty
seven survived him. In addition, there
are 294 grandchildren and 745 great
grandchildren in the family circle.
There is not in Salt Lake City an avail
able building large enough to hold the
family when it gets together for the
great reunion, so it has been arranged
to hold the affair in the open air.
Six Living Widows.
The chief interest in this interesting
family centers about the six old women.
widows of the man who made plural
vi, Of ha
ligion. They range in age from sixty
to eighty years, and since the death of
the Mormon leader have occupied eXalt-
ed positions in Mormonism. Some of
these women expect to be summoned
from the grave on resurrection morning,
not by Brigham Young, but by Joseph
Smith These were sealed to Young for
time" only, and previous to that had
been sealed to Joseph Smith for time
and eternity"
Zina D. Young is the most conspicuous
OF the widows for time" When she was
fifteen years cid one of Joseph Smiths
missionaries in New York made her a
convert. She followed the new prophet
through all his stormy career. leaving a
husband and two children. She was
finally sealed to him in celestial mar
risse. She claims at one time to have
had a VISION. and to have been endowed |
with the gift of tongues and interpreta- |
ton. After the death of Smith this wife |
returned to Brigham Young for care. and |
was sealed to him for time only. She |
crossed the plains in his cavalcade, driv- |
Ing oxen, cooking. washing. and endur-
ing many hardshiDs.
Second Time" Wives.
Emily D. Partridge Young is a second |
'.time" wife. She and her sister were |
made wives of Prophet Smith in Nauvoo,
Ill After Smith died the sister Emily |
became one of Young's wives. A third |
widow, who owns a more perplexing
name than any of the others-Naamah
Kendel jenkins Carter Twiss Young
expects to be claimed on the last day
by John s. Twiss, to whom she was mar
ried first by Bright m Young himself.
fourth, Margaret Pierce Young, has been
scaled for eternity to Morris Whitesides.
Brigham Young's favorite and his
youngest wife was exalted over all the
cid wives IN the last. days OF the old
Mormon leaders life. She was one of
the mcst beautiful of the young Nor
mon women in Salt Lake and her charms
with her even in old age. Her
na me is Harriet Amelia Folsom Ycung Il
The Folsoms went to Utah from Ohio.
At twenty-five Harriet Folsom was the
ne st courted woman in Mormondom.
Two young suitors. cne of whom IL was
supposed she intended to marry, we're
suddenly sent away by Brigham Young
on a foreign missionary tour, and be-
fore their return the young woman be-
came the wife of the church's head.
For her he built the palace which stands
today opposite the palmer abcdes of
his other wives. Harriet Folsom was
he only woman who could sway the bold
Mormon leader. Her word was law in
the household.
Church Cares for Widow.
For those wives who remain faithful
to the leader the Mormon Chruch has
provided much notable work In hign
positions. One of these labors is the
tracing out Of the progenitors of the
young families. According to Mormon
doctrines no enc obtains the highest
salvation unless he is baptized on earth
by some one who has received authority. ,
Joseph Smith. in order to prevent the
of millions Of innocent ,
persons, declared that living people
might DE baptized for the dead ones. =.
under the names of the deceased. Ma ,.
poleon, Queen Elizabeth, George Wash 4.
ngton. Thomas jefferson, and others ..
have thus been snatched as brands from
he burning.
The doctrine of polygamy was sprung
Ipcn the Mormons by Young during the
summer OF 1852. and the announcement
,reated a great furor among the follow
ers of Joseph Smith. Young claimed
hat a revelation commanding multiple c
marriages had been made to Smith dur v
ng his lifetime. hut the widow and sons 4
lenied ever having seen or heard of any [
such revelation. The result was a split
n the church. Many withdrew and
ormed a separate organization under
he leadership CT one Of the sons CT
;mith. but Young really exerted the 7
land OF power and gave a practical IL y
OF the unpopular doctrine he :
aught. The Mormons still hold his
memory sacred and hail him again a.
IN infallible leader